Ten-four, good buddies

Grand Junction Sentinel ^ | 12/05/03 | Editorial

[Holly_P]

I have seen signs in some towns in Tennessee banning the use of "Jake brakes"

[AdamSelene235]

I hope the first runaway truck hits city hall.

[Petronski]

Many small towns in Pennsylvania have 'No-Jake-Brake Zones' and with good reason. If you live next to a road used by truckers 24/7, you had better have earplugs, or sleep in a back-bedroom. It is like a stoner with a limitless amplifier screaming 'Wahhhhhh!'

[randog]

I have seen signs in some towns in Tennessee banning the use of "Jake brakes"

I've seen them, too, in areas where housing complexes meet the highway. Perhaps those folks living near airports should take note and try to get jet engines banned.

[the invisib1e hand]

i live right behind a fire station where the big engine has a Jake. You get used to it. Even sirens don't bother me now.

There no good reason to not have Jake brake. One of the coolest inventions since the toaster.

[Petronski]

A jet cannot take off quietly. A semi can enter a residential district quietly by slowing down before reaching the residences.

[Holly_P]

I'm hoping that some diesel savy person will tell me in not too techinal terms just how jake brakes work. Also what's the difference between jake brakes and pak brakes?

[Petronski]

I don't have any way to know about the hills normally encountered by fully-loaded semis near your home, but if you tune it out, God bless you. Most people cannot sleep through such a racket.

[glorgau]

How about the trucks just get better brakes? If the truckers can't control their vehicles, that is on them.

[Holly_P]

I found what I was looking for here:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question134.htm

[AdamSelene235]

How about the trucks just get better brakes?

That's entire point of a Jake brake...

[Petronski]

A truck can stop effectively without the Jake, but the standard brakes will wear out sooner.

[AdamSelene235]

A semi can enter a residential district quietly by slowing down before reaching the residences.

Have you ever driven through Vail. Its like in Rockies, dude...And the Rockies are like, really, really bumpy.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Jake Brakes (now however called engind-brakes as Jacobs sued Santa Fé over the name) have been disallowed in many cities here in NM for at least 20 years.

[Petronski]

You so smart.

Semis can stop without jakebrakes no matter the terrain. The Jake saves brake pads, but is not necessary for safe operation.

[AdamSelene235]

Semis can stop without jakebrakes no matter the terrain.

Fascinating. I-70 has about about a 6000 ft drop in elevation. I have to use engine breaking to get my truck and even my motorcycle safely down from Vail.

Vail is packed full of insufferable rich liberals and Saudi royalty. It should make a nice runaway truck ramp.

[Petronski]

Often, truths are fascinating if only for their newness.

[AdamSelene235]

So there is no problem in riding an 18 wheeler's brakes all the way from the top of the continental divide, down to Denver?

[Jotmo]

Not true.

They do have a very good safety reason.

Overheating your breaks will cause all sorts of nasty problems. From complete break failure to blown up tires in the most extreme situations. A fully loaded big rig having to use breaks down a long hill has a very good chance of overheating them to one degree or another.

Their not just trying to save money on break pads.

I don't think they should be used in or near residential areas though.

Our city bans them at the city limit, but it's pretty much flat, so no big deal. You have to ban them in town cause some of the truck drivers just get use to using them, and just don't think about it.

[Ramius]

You've never driven a heavy vehicle, have you?

Never used engine compression to slow down? Wow... do you actually *have* a drivers license?