air brake assist

[03 CORVETTE]

do you use your air (exhaust) brakes all the time or use them when needing an assist and turn them on and off........any harm in that??????

[03 CORVETTE]

do you use your air (exhaust) brakes all the time or use them when needing an assist and turn them on and off........any harm in that??????

[TheRVGuy]

03 Corvette,

I have a MB engine which has a two stage engine/exhaust brake, and I use it in all the ways you describe. Sometimes on, sometimes off, intermittenly, one stage or two stage. It should present no harm to do all the above. The frequency that you use it DOES help the mechanism of the exhaust brake stay free and working in between lubrication periods.

It is also recommended that you turn it off occassionally so that you DO use the service brakes in all levels of pressure to keep them working well.

Additionally, you had a question about your LBCU, display center. It is different from the others that are being discussed. Yours has a wealth of information available, very similiar to a Trip-Tek, and it came with the coach .

To set time, after you get it on the normal display, after the check list, hold the toggle button to the right until it shows the setup screen listing, maintenance, clock/set, diagnostics. Move to the clock set, toggle it and keep going. I think you will find it rather easy after you get to the clock set screen.

Let me know if you need further info and I'll give you page numbers in the maual that will walk you through it.

Hope this is helpful to you.

Mike

[Submustang]

I almost always leave mine on. Between the twisty 2 lane roads and mountains of Southern Oregon it really helps me maintain control.

[Hyall]

I rarely turn it off I also use it manually at times

[Chief]

Use mine virtually all the time but added an aftermarket "brake switch" for easier control.

[JonD]

Chief, can you describe the brake switch more? My '04 Meridian has the dash switch as I imagine yours does. What does the after market switch add?
thx

[Pusherman]

The Brake Switch works pretty much the same way the LATCH mode does, as programmed by CAT.

Engine brake switch on:
Cruise on - no engine brake until you touch the brakes.
Cruise off - engine brake comes on when you let off the accelerator petal.

I keep my Engine brake switch on all the time, and manage the use of the engine brake thru the cruise control button. I generally keep the cruise switch on, and if I want to engage the engine brake, I simply switch off the cruise.

In both cases, if you step on the brake petal, the engine brake will engage.

If the Engine Brake switch is off, obviously the engine brake will not engage at all.

I had to have CAT reprogram the operation of the engine brake to the LATCH mode, as it did not come standard this way. They did not charge me.