muffler

rusty · July 03, 2012, 08:05:35 AM

Clifford, My memory is not even a third of what yours is. I had forgotten about that muffler. I don't remember who ended up with it. That is just another thing to add to the list of buy high and sell low. Thanks for reminding me. I will figure out a way to get even.

Wayne

belfert · July 03, 2012, 09:18:38 AM

Quote from: rv_safetyman on July 03, 2012, 07:36:20 AM
The Aero is a bit loud. Sounds good, but when I am on the Jakes, it really cackles. When I get close to a town, I try to remember to turn the Jakes off.

I will probably need a new muffler before long. The Aero was sounding good until you said the Jakes are louder with it. I always use my Jakes on the grade into Salt Lake City even though they are prohibited. I don't need to draw any more attention to my use of the Jakes.

The AT5050XL muffler is sold for all different prices. A bunch of sites sell it for between $175 and $200, and then there are other sites all selling for around $120.

luvrbus · July 03, 2012, 09:33:21 AM

You install another resonator to make the Jakes quieter they don't cost that much

rv_safetyman · July 03, 2012, 10:38:40 AM

Brian, most of the signs say that you must run a muffler with the Jakes. My opinion is that they would have a hard time giving you a ticket with the Aero.

They are after the no muffler crowd. The Aero is maybe half way between a stock muffler and no muffler in terms of sound pressure level. The "quality" of the sound (the other part of the noise objection picture) is not bad.

On any significant hill I use my Jakes no matter what. They are safety devices and I can't think that any court would rule against their use on a steep hill - flat rolling into a town might be another matter.

That said, I do occasionally hit the Jakes at high engine speed as I pull into a rally or the relative's rural farm

Jim

belfert · July 03, 2012, 12:07:39 PM

The sign on I80 simply says "Engine brakes prohibited next seven miles". It makes no distinction between muffler or no muffler. Sure, a judge would probably throw out a ticket, but I might end up spending hundreds to travel back to Utah for a court date. I'm still going to use my Jakes on that grade no matter what. I've smelled enough burning brakes from other trucks on that grade

I've attached a picture of the sign on I80 for that grade.

RJ · July 03, 2012, 08:41:18 PM

Brian -

Interesting. . . The sign says "restricted," not "prohibited."

Sounds like a weasel word to me - IOW, at the police ossifer's discretion!

FWIW & HTH. . .

rv_safetyman · July 03, 2012, 09:04:44 PM

Brian, I have been down that grade several times in the bus. There is no way I would go down that grade without Jake brakes full on.

I also believe that most "modern" truck jockeys would not make it down without Jakes.

I think that picture was taken around the Park City exit and that is a high dollar area. I wonder if you would see the same sign after the top of the hill?

Jim

Lin · July 03, 2012, 09:11:03 PM

I know that things may be different in different states, but as I understand it in CA, a town can prohibit Jakes on their streets but can not do so on the freeways and interstates that go through their towns. In any case, since those rules are made for noise issues and we do have a muffler, there would be no reason to pull us over. They probably would not even know that you are using them.

belfert · July 04, 2012, 08:17:02 AM

I'm pretty sure there are trucks not using engine brakes on that grade. A few years back I was driving and we could smell burning brakes real bad inside the bus. Some of the passengers were asking if I was burning up the brakes. I said it wasn't us as I hadn't touched the brakes in a few minutes. It was some other truck burning up their brakes.

I'll continue to use my Jakes on that grade no matter what. I do have a really good driving record with no tickets and never been pulled over by an officer and I hope to keep it that way.

Low Class · July 04, 2012, 08:20:43 AM

Brian
How bad is that grade into Salt Lake City? Approximate percent grade and length?

luvrbus · July 04, 2012, 09:04:27 AM

I have always used my Jakes on that grade and have passed several Uath troppers with it on over the years worry about the big stuff and don't sweat the little things

I really don't give a damn what Robert Redford likes he thinks he is King Robert in that area that area is called Parley's Canyon a 3000 ft drop in 15 or so miles from Park City (Redford domain ) to Salt Lake

You take your time it's not that bad without the Jakes I have been down it several times in the past in buses without Jakes or a retarder fwiw

Ed Hackenbruch · July 04, 2012, 09:20:35 AM

The Mountain West Directory shows it as almost 9 miles of 6% followed by 5 miles of 3% grade. I do it without jakes, i just drop the Allison into second and go slow using the brakes as little as possible.

belfert · July 04, 2012, 09:31:34 AM

It certainly isn't the steepest grade around. It is one of the steepest grades I have experienced in my bus as I tend to stick to interstates and they don't have as bad of grade as secondary highways.

RJ · July 04, 2012, 07:23:08 PM

Quote from: Ed Hackenbruch on July 04, 2012, 09:20:35 AM
The Mountain West Directory shows it as almost 9 miles of 6% followed by 5 miles of 3% grade. I do it without jakes, i just drop the Allison into second and go slow using the brakes as little as possible.

Hmmmm. . . not much worse than I-5 NB coming off the Grapevine into the Central Valley of CA.

Still somewhat mild compared to the 70 miles of 4%, 5% and 6% grades WB on I-80 between Reno, NV and Sacratomato, CA.

FWIW & HTH. . .

usbusin · July 04, 2012, 08:06:34 PM

RJ, do they still have the "trucker" signs WB on I-80 coming out of Reno?

I remember years ago, in the 70's I believe there were signs such as; "Pedal to the metal upgrade coming". This one was at the end of a long downgrade and a curve where you couldn't see around. They wanted the truckers to keep their speed up coming into the next upgrade.

Gary D