Is exhaust break really needed

[beaverman]

I have a friend who is about to purchas a 1990 36' Hawkins motor home with a 3208 cat engine. This thing is in unbelieveable condition at a very good price. He just discovered that it does not have an exhaust brake installed and is considering not buying it for that reason.
Is an exhaust brake really that big a deal? I have to admit this is the first rv I have seen without one or a jake brake or something. Can a person do ok without one?

[HD4Mark]

No reason he can't survive without an exhaust bake. They do cut down on the wear and tear on the brakes though. I like ours in stop and go traffic, let off on the gas pedal and slow down without applying the brake is nice.

Can they be installed aftermarket?

[Old Trucker]

I am a retired cross country trucker. Exhaust brakes are nice, a jake break is better. A cat does not hold back on the downgrades very well, Cummins better on this subject.Cat may out pull a Cummins. Pac Brake Headquarters is in Vancoover, BC Phone 800 663 0096, Jim is extremely knowledgable. I would contact Poulson. . Wilson Co in Portland, Or. for info, parts and installation. They are a distributor for Jake Brake, much less than many dealers Consider the areas you plan to travel. Hope this info will help. old trucker.

[wb6epp]

I too am a ex-trucker. I would not turn down a good deal just because it does not have the "EXHAUST BRAKE", but at a later date, I would install one. Now let me tell you something that does not get passed along much. Exhaust brakes tend to fail at times. The reason is that when people run on the flats, they tend not to use then much. The butterfly in them builds with carbon and freezes the butterfly open. Then when decending a hill, the switch is flipped, and nothing happens. So to keep your exhaust brake in good working condition, 'USE IT', even on short runs on the flats.
Yes I would have one on my M/H, especially if I was towing anything.
my 2 cents worth!
Happy Motoring, Ron