If you use the jake for anything else but a grade, you are an idiot!! Thats what the brakes are for, designed to stop heavy big trucks, DUH!!! There's nothing I hate more than when I'm parked on a ramp and someone rips by w/ the jake on high, or using the it approaching a stop light. Who taught these people how to drive???

 

I wouldn't go quite that far... Ramps are a good place to allow jakes. When you are coming off a ramp towards a stop sign with 84k-85k all the tools that will slow you down are warranted. If you don't want to be woken up while parked for the "night", pick somewhere that isn't 4 feet from traffic.

 

Well, just on that specific matter of Jakes, it's quite likely many, if not most people never *get* taught what to do with one.

Myself, I never had a Jake anywhere near my training years. I've only just had one for the past five months or so out of a 10-year career. I've had to figure out what to do with it for myself.

 

If you only use the jake for grades you are an idiot, that's what jakes are for, to save your brakes. just because someone disagrees with you, does not make them an idiot. by the way, it's illegal to park on ramps. that's what truck stops and rest areas are for DUH!!

 

Wisconsin has a good rule in some of the small towns where the signs say "No Jake Brakes allowed except in a Emergency"
Common Sense

 

I dont use mine in town if there are houses around, even though it's not that loud, but this guy was talking about using them on the road, they wake him up when he is illegally parked on a ramp. too bad..

 

Toxic waste said:
I disagree with your "idiot" statement entirely. My jake is always on and ready to use any time I am on highways, expectially if Im heavy. I can make speed adjustments alot easier using the jakes than the service brakes (not to mention the saving on wear and tear of the service brakes). Use the jakes responsibly and they are a great aid to slowing the truck. Jake is not used in or at city type speeds. (this also applies to truckstops), or when the road has a potential for loosing traction.

You want to park on the off ramp (extremely dangerous) thats your business, I dont need to "tip toe" off the highway because you are on the off ramp shoulder sleeping. Just a tip: If you must park on the ramps, do it on the on ramp, somewhat safer, vehicles are not exiting at highway speeds. (Keep in mind I am not condoning parking on either ramp)

 

very well said. you get a gold star

 

Sorry my friend did I strike a nerve? So what do you do at 2am when truck stops and the rest areas are packed and you are out of hours??? Oh, if I had the luxury to run 8.75 hours a day and make it to the J to get the dinner buffet at the lunch price I wouldn't stop on a ramp either!

I'm not on here to fight, life's too short and maybe I was a little harsh on getting my point across but here's my argument:

I dont know how long you people have been driving, but I've driven quite a few trucks w/o jake brakes running heavy. By downshifting properly and using the brakes like they were made to use, you can stop a truck alot faster than switching on the jake and waiting for it to stop the forward momentum of 80K at 65 mph. Instead of the oh :dung:, I'm about to miss my exit to the Flying J, I'd better get out of the hammer lane, hit the jake, and get over 3 lanes of traffic because Law and Order reruns are playing in the driver lounge! Try knowing where you're going and preparing to get off the highway. I hate truckstops and go there only to fuel and occasionally grab a bite to eat.

Second:
How many rollovers have you seen laid over in the center of the highway?? Compared to wrecks where a driver hits another truck parked on a ramp? Ditch=too many to count. Ramp=1. You want to know what's dangerous, new drivers who think they can drive, change lanes too fast, dont know how to avoid collisions, or drive too tired. End result= they wind up turned over in a ditch while the rest of us wait in a 3 hour back up so they can clean the mess up. When I'm too tired I stop, case closed! And please, if any of you have driven at 2-3 am and decide to stop, dont tell me you are going to scour the lot at the J looking for a spot either!

I dont park on ramps all the time and certainly dont park on the off ramp!! Well I probably would if I was a company driver and didn't care. I would also keep my jake brake on all the time as well, so after 50k miles of that, the motor would need a new top end. I wouldn't need new brakes though...

 

you are completely wrong about he use of jakes, but I am a new driver with only 30 years experience so what do I know? parking on ramps is illegal no matter why you do it. leaving the jake on all the time has absolutely no effect on engine life. my current truck has 1 million 500 thousand miles on it and has been rebuilt once, the jake stays on unless I am in a neighborhood or a truck stop or rest area. I try to have a little respect for sleeping people, but I'm not turning it off on the big road just because an illegally parked trucker might be disturbed.