Pac Brake

[Gizzard]

Pac brake wants their moving parts to be lubricated with a silicone oil on a regular basis. Very difficult but i can access thru removablr floor panel on my 05 Phaeton. Can anyone tell me how to activate cylinder so it can be lubed?

[wolfe10]

Originally Posted by Gizzard

Pac brake wants their moving parts to be lubricated with a silicone oil on a regular basis. Very difficult but i can access thru removable floor panel on my 05 Phaeton. Can anyone tell me how to activate cylinder so it can be lubed?

Disconnect the positive wire to the Pac brake air solenoid. May have to put an insulated male/female junction to make this easy in the future-- like one of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-...153P/300374156.


Then from any 12 VDC source in the engine room apply 12 VDC positive to the solenoid end. This way, you activate the Pac brake but don't back-feed the rest of the system.


For those who are not aware of the lube recommendations:

https://pacbrake.com/product/c18037-superlube/


BTW, one bottle of lube will last the life of the coach.

[Cuda67bnl]

What he said^^^^^^.
You can also pry it out a little by hand to lube it.

[Out N About]

I remove the air line at the unit and the fitting as well . Then I put a threaded valve stem into the PacBrake and use my compressed air to operate it while applying the lubricant. It takes me about ten minutes and I can operate the brake easily. My solenoid is accessible only from underneath the coach and I can not work the solenoid and lubricate the brake at the same time .

[bizzerbiz]

Following and thanks wolfe10 for the answer to OP.

[RKins]

If you can access the PacBrake (PB) through the access hatch I would lube PB the with engine off. You can reach the lube points.
Now, you asked how to activate the PB. You don't need to activate it to lube it but you do want to observe if it's working or not. You can do that by getting your wife or a buddy (or someone else's wife) to shine a flashlight on the PB to watch and see if it activates while driving over 11-15mph with the Exhaust Brake switch on (enables the PB and the Allison interface to downshift and such). Let your foot off fuel pedal and watch the PB work.
If it is stuck, follow the directions in what Wolf posted. (I smacked the pivot pin with a hammer a couple times and it freed up and has been working since).

[Bigd9]

I use a large Vice Grips and move the brake valve. I also have to access the brake by removing the bedroom floor.

[Troglegs]

Hi folks… I realize I’m replying to a very old post about PacBrakes…. I’ve got a problem with a sticking PacBrake - robbing me of power and ‘rolling coal’ at a stop sign with my Exhaust Brake switch on. In Nov 2001 I bought a new one from PacBrake thinking that it was defective. If I’m descending a steep mountain grade AND I’m using the PacBrake, it seems as if as long as I stay at 45-60 mph and I turn off the switch I do not lose power (meaning the gate gets properly opened, giving my engine breaking room again to accelerate)… HOWEVER if I exit the Interstate or if I leave the switch on and drive around town with it on, I’m afflicted by the loss of power and black smoke. My new PacBrake does the exact same thing so I have a sinking feeling I threw away $1000 putting in a new PacBrake when it’s probably some silly little component or air valve that’s bad!

I know all of our rigs are different and even the day of the week at the factory can even introduce changes based on the guy or gal putting it all together - but I’m hoping since it’s a 2002 Freightliner Custom Chassis (XC) with a caterpillar 3126E engine that many of you just might have similar components. Supposedly a recent tech at a shop I just left looked at the air line and supposedly it’s not leaking, burnt, cracked, or damaged. He did lube the brake using PacBrake lube. Plus my new brake is only 6 mo old and hasn’t been subjected to seaside or humid corrosive air… been out west in arid conditions.

If you’ve got ANY ideas as to where I could locate any other components I’d love to know where to look. I’m in vernal Utah heading over the Rockies in a few days and would LOVE to get my exhaust brake back in full service. Right now it I Russian Roulette as to whether it’s safe to use it or not.

Thanks guys n gals…. My tech details of my coach are listed below:

—2003 model year Alfa SeeYa diesel pusher 38’ long, build #70930
—2002 Freightliner XC Chassis
—2002 Caterpilar 3126E engine with PacBrake exhaust brake installed on it
—Allison 3000 transmission


Thanks

Tom Rogers aka “troglegs”
TSR@rogershome.org

[Bigd9]

When you replaced the PACBrake, was the activating air cylinder also replaced? That cylinder is mounted on top of the PACBrake.

Another thought or two, have you replaced the air solenoid that send the air pressure to the air cylinder? Mine is mounted on the frame near the rear axle.
Also, do you know if the Engine Transmission Control Module programing has been changed? The module exhaust brake programing can changed the way the exhaust brake operates. Maybe a previous owner had it changed?

Question, when going down hill and the exhaust brake activates, does the transmission automatically downshift?

When you are in town, and you say the engine feels sluggish, does the transmission also downshift?

[wolfe10]

When the PacBrake stays engaged when is shouldn't, what does the Allison shift pad indicate-- 6th or the lower "pre-select gear".


That will give you an indication if this is an electrical problem or air/mechanical problem.


And, yes, verify that your new brake came with new air cylinder.

[1bestins]

what areas of the pac brake need to be lubed. Does it need to be taken apart?

[wolfe10]

Originally Posted by 1bestins

what areas of the pac brake need to be lubed. Does it need to be taken apart?

What to use and where to use it-- no disassembly needed:


https://pacbrake.com/product/c18037-superlube/

[Ray,IN]

FWIW, we bought this MH in 2013, it had been parked in a barn for 8 years. When we got it home I lubed the exhaust brake. It has been working flawlessly ever since,never lubed again.
If it is used often it should not stick, only when it is unused will rust form on bare metal parts. I do not recall ever driving our MH without using the exhaust brake every time I slowed-providing it was not a panic stop because some idiot cut me off, ran a stop sign, etc.


A side note, with regular use of the exhaust brake your service brakes should last up to 300,000 miles according to Spartan.