PRXB Exhaust Brake Testimonials

The truck that the Pacbrake PRXB unit is installed on is a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500, 5.9L Cummins. I would like to start out by saying that purchasing the Pacbrake PRXB for my truck was one of the smartest things I have done in recent history! I do a lot of towing from fall to spring, towing Anhydrous Ammonia for custom agriculture applications. These tanks weigh fully loaded in the 16-18K range and keeping them in a speed range between 30-45MPH is important due to the tires are AG rated and not meant for highway speeds. So I can't go the posted speed. While some or most people haul on good roads I do not. The terrain ranges from curvy, hilly blacktops to hard packed gravel roads that wind and dip through the country-side. Before I had the Pacbrake PRXB I would play hell keeping my truck and load under control. Now I rely on the exhaust brake in combination with service brakes. I can now maintain a safe and comfortable speed going to my destination and not over-work my service brakes. While I have excellent things to say about the PacBrake, I had a solenoid separate from the compressor. I contacted customer service and BAM! Two days later I had another one at my doorstep. The folks were super helpful. I have been recommending your products to everyone who tows with a diesel. Keep up the good work! - Missouri

Wow! Few purchases of aftermarket products live up to the advertised promises. Your PRXB unit for our 2004 Chevy Duramax is one of those rare products that really is impressive. Thanks for the great product. - Van

I purchased a new 2006 2500 Dodge with the Cummins in 2006. I had a lot of heavy hauling with several trailers including a 30ft triaxle flatdeck loaded up, driving through the mountains. I decided on a Pacbrake, as it has an air compressor, and is better at lower engine RPMs. The truck now (July 2012) has 130,000 hard pulling kms on it, I have never had to do the brakes, there is likely 70% remaining on the lining. The engine warms up to operating temperature on the gauge in any temperature, in little over 5 minutes. My wife wishes our Montana vans had the Pacbrake! One of my best investments. - Tom

I have a 2001 F350 with 7.3 Powerstroke and have had a kit installed to use the turbo warm up valve as a supplemental brake. I upgraded my turbo and with that lost my previous exhaust brake of which my wife told me you have to have an exhaust brake. So I purchased a C40019 kit which I was impressed with the instructions, fit, finish and how complete it was. I have now drove the truck and am glad that I upgraded the turbo in the truck otherwise I would have not known how weak my previous exhaust brake was. The Pacbrake is WOW! and it stops so much better than ever before. It is so controlled going down hills and in traffic. It is a pleasure to drive. I wanted to say thanks for such a great product and anyone pulling any kind of load should look into a Pacbrake for their vehicle. - Rob

I recently installed a PacBrake inline PRXB exhaust brake on my 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. My truck has the LB7 Duramax and I was looking for increased braking since I tow a 14,000 lb. 5th wheel camper. The installation on my particular truck was straight forward. The installation manual could use a few more pictures of better quality, but other than that, there were no difficulties. I am relatively handy with tools and took my time with each step of the process. The only thing I needed help with was the welding of the flanges on the exhaust pipe. All of the parts are of high quality and everything needed for the installation was included in the kit. When I first used the brake, I was amazed. Working in conjunction with the Allison transmission in the tow-haul mode, the effect of the brake blew me away. The exhaust brake and downshifts are strong and it’s amazing how quickly it slows down the truck without the use of the service brakes. One thing unique about the PacBrake system is the sound. You don’t get the pop-pop-pop sound like big trucks. Instead, there is a whistling sound that sounds as if someone put a rag over the end of the exhaust pipe. When I bought my 2003 Chevrolet, it was my first diesel. After towing with this truck, I tell friends that I will never again tow significant weight with a gas engine. After seeing how well the PacBrake works, I will never again tow without an exhaust brake on my vehicle. If you tow heavy loads and don’t have a secondary brake system, get one. The peace of mind is huge knowing there is another system onboard that will help control speeds when towing in mountainous areas and will save the service brakes from overheating or extended use. - Tim

Let me say two things about Pacbrake. Great product and excellent customer service. I had a Pacbrake installed on my 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel 13 months ago. I have never turned it off! What a great accessory to have on a diesel truck. It changed the way I drive and I get so much more life out of my truck's and fifth wheels brake life. I recently had a problem with the system and made a phone call to Chris in the service/sales department. He diagnosed the problem over the phone and had a replacement part sent to me on the road in two days. My warranty had just ran out by 32 days but the shipping and part were free of charge. Now that is customer service. I stand by this product and company 100%. Thanks for letting me say my two words and if you are thinking of buying a exhaust brake for your diesel truck please go with Pacbrake. A choice you will not regret. -Brad

I recently purchased a Pacbrake for my 7.3 litre diesel '99 Ford automatic transmission. On a recent trip to the Rocky Mountains in Colardo this brake was a tremendous help in descending steep mountain roads pulling a fully loaded 3 horse GN trailer. It was especially nice on steep gravel mountain roads in the backcountry as I was able to use low range 4WD along with the Pacbrake. It performed flawlessly I don't know how I was able to do this before the Pacbrake. Don't leave home with the Pacbrake!. -Alan

Your advice regarding exhaust brakes and the difference it could make while towing our ten-thousand pound fifth wheel trailer was right on the money! I was delighted my wife felt as safe and secure as she did while we drove down those hills - and we hardly had to use our brake pedal! Amazing, wow, incredible, fantastic, unbelievable...w eused words like these over and over during our trip. Thank you again for introducing this great product to us. -Clint

I want to express my thanks to Pacbrake for the excellent support and service. What a feeling to have a company provide service and parts like you did, even when my warranty was out of date. -Dave

A few months ago I installed a PRXB exhaust brake on my 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 truck that has an automatic transmission. Let me first say that I have been driving turbo diesel Dodge trucks for about 10 years now, and have always been a little nervous on mountain roads towing a travel trailer. I took my first trip with the PRXB over this last weekend and went over the mountains of Virginia on two lane roads with switch backs, and I had to use little to no service brakes at all on turns that previously I had to use service brakes heavily on. The PRXB held my speed steady or decreased it depending on the gear I selected for the amount of steepness and turns. I was truly impressed. I wish I would not have waited so long to get one. The brake job I did on my travel trailer this Spring would have paid for the exhaust brake. Along with the confidence and safety this system gives, I am looking forward to a longer service intraval on my service brakes.

I did have a check valve go back on my compressor a few months after installation on my truck. Your customer service guys took care of me right away in diagnosing the problem and getting a replacement part out to me within days. I appreciate the great customer service. Thanks for a quality product. -Jason

I recently purchased a PRXB for my 2003 Dodge 3500 through one of your dealers. I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you how impressed I am with your product. I installed it myself and the directions were fairly clear. The product fit well and installed easily. Overall I am very satisfied. -Clint

I installed the PRXB brake on my 2003 Dodge Diesel about 2 years ago and I have used it to tow my 24ft trailer and for all around driving and I would not want to drive without it. I live in the Northern California mountains and in town or on the highway it is just great. Thanks for making a fine product. -Jim

Thank you for getting the compressor sent my way really fast. My Pacbrake is up and running again. The other day I thought it would be time to change my front brake pads. My truck is an '06 Dodge with an automatic transmission. I just knew at 93k miles with steep and winding mountain roads, it was time to change the pads. Pacbrake shines through again. The factory pads had plenty of wear to go.
Pacbrake is safer too. The moment I take my foot off the fuel and go for the brake my Pacbrake is already there doing it's job. So I wanted to tell you thanks... for the super fast service that is second to none. Thanks for taking the time to hear and diagnose my problem. Thanks for the way you represent a great product and a great company. "A truck without a Pacbrake just ain't complete". -Charles Castle

Recently installed the PRXB unit on my '99 Dodge/Cummins 2500. My RV brings my gross combo weight to about max (20K). The brake is awesome! The retard efficiency of the PRXB is excellent right down to 1100 RPM. I keep the transmission in Drive while pulling the RV; doing so keeps the RPM higher and enhances the retard... The retard function will bring the rig down to about 28 MPH, at which point it cuts out. This retard unit makes a huge contribution to highway safety. Stopping distance is greatly reduced, service brake materials are still at low temps, and therefore more efficient when application is made... PRXB is a great improvement in retard function... -Robert G.S. Plant, E8, USN, Retired

…Since we installed the Pacbrake we noticed a dramatic change in braking performance. My truck is a single axle 5 tonne that hauls 20,000 lbs 90% of the time. It is a real asset to have a Pacbrake exhaust brake assist in safe stopping reliability every time. It is very quiet, which is great around the city. I have experienced very minimal downtime with my Pacbrake equipment. I would recommend it for any small motor application in the city. -Mike Siwak

Reliable, efficient, good stopping power which helps to preserve service brakes. Your product has helped me in my day to day driving and operating. I often recommend your system to other drivers. -Jerry Stevens

The PRXB is a world of difference! I have noticed that this new Pacbrake is more aggressive in the 50 MPH range. I now leave the Pacbrake switch on all the time… the end result is that I use the actual brake pedal much less now than ever before. This can only mean less wear on the motorhome brake system. -Ken Hawk

Very noticable difference when driving through city traffic and on hills. Far exceeds the standard exhaust brake when slowing to a stop. I put the PRXB on, it dropped to 4th gear, RPM went to 2500 which is 200 RPM less than before. It also seems to be a smoother transition. -Del Eaton

On mountain declines, I depend on Pacbrake… it works, it lasts, and Pacbrake stands behind it. -Bill Watts

The new PRXB brake feels materially stronger than the original factory exhaust brake at lower RPMs. The brake performed perfectly. It feels more like a compression brake, in that you do not need to run the engine RPMs at or near redline to achieve adequate braking force. It made the most material difference on moderate grades, where adequate braking force was acheived below 2,000 RPMs. We hit Houston rush hour traffic at the end of a 400+ mile day (In I-10 from the west and our I-45 south). We were in freeway speed down to 5 MPH and back up to freeway speed... repeat 25 times... for about 40 miles. I only had to use the service brakes twice. The new PRXB was strong enough to slow us the rest of the time. -Brett Wolfe

Your company's product works so well on my new truck, I just can't imagine driving without it. I pull a 39ft 5th wheel travel trailer and I consider the exhaust retarder a must, especially in the mountains. -Arizona

I have great respect for the way you represent your companies great products and will recommend your products highly. -California

An exhaust brake was recommended to me as I have towed boats and trailers for many years and replaced tens of thousands of dollars in brakes during that time. I researched the brands and found that PacBrake was the superior choice based on reputation for quality and service. When I purchased my 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually 6 speed, I took the truck immediately to have a PacBrake installed. At the dealer I was offered a brand new model, the PRXB exhaust brake which was has more braking power than its predecessors and the competition. My PRXB has exceeded my expectations many times over. I leave the brake on all the time as it requires me to use the service brakes only half as much, whether I'm empty or towing. The best news was revealed when I rotated my tires recently and the brakes still look like they’re new with 17,500 miles on them! At this rate it will pay for itself within 2 years! I strongly recommend the PacBrake PRXB for any diesel truck used for towing.
-Geoff Parker

The Pacbrake works great! the holding power thru out the rpm range is amazing! This is the best exhaust brake I have used to date! I look forward to trying other Pac brake products Keep up the good work! -Bill Zielinski

I had the Cummins Jacobs brake on this truck until I heard about the Pacbrake PRXB. I installed it at 42000 miles. The pacbrake is by far the best. I have better braking at lower rpm. In fourth or fifth gear I do not have to use the brakes on truck. It was much easier to install. I would highly recommend the Pacbrake to anyone. -Darrell Waite

Elaine and I left for Oliver, BC and the wine festival via the Hope-Princeton highway the day after you finished the pacbrake installation on our 2004 GMC 2500. This stretch of highway is a great test for the pacbrake. In my experience sales people usually over sell their products but this is an exception. The pacbrake did every thing you said it would but I'd have to say that my experience exceeded everything you told me. I only found a couple of slopes long enough and steep enough to require the use of my truck and trailer brakes to control my speed and the braking required was minimal. The control we experienced made our trip comfortable and gave us the greatest feeling of safety we've ever had while RVing. -Don and Elaine Calnek

Having been in the trucking buisness for several years, my wife and I decided to go on the road as a team when she retired. We decided to give up the tractor-trailer end of the business and try the expediting field. We shopped trucks for about 4 months and finally settled on a freightliner M2,with a C9 cat engine and an allison trans. We were surprised to learn, after the purchase, that no engine brake, trans retarder, or exhaust brake had been installed on this truck. We studied our options and after talking to the pacbrake rep., at the Louisville truck show, we ordered our pacbrake and had it installed by the freightliner dealer. It has been the single best investment on the truck. We have nearly 200,000 miles on the unit and the brakes on the truck are still over 90%. We would like to recommend this product to any one who has a need for after market brake assistance on any class truck. The cost of this investment was minimal compared to the added safety, from the brakes preformance, and the ease of operation. -Jerry Coolman

What a difference! From the very first activation of the PRXB, I knew those long downgrades would no longer cause me concern. I now approach steep downgrades with confidence knowing the PRXB will help keep the coach at a safe speed with little, if any, use of the service brakes. Incidentally, when my wife and I took our first trip after the installation of the PRXB, she commented on how she could feel the difference in the braking and that I used very little of the service brakes while descending the hills. And we all know how important it is for our partners to be relaxed and confident in our driving abilities! -George Baucom

I can now descend hills in 5th gear at a much lower engine RPM with much improved braking and almost no truck brake assistance. Additionally, the engine braking in the 1500–2000 RPM range is now substantially better than before with the original brake, a great benefit for both highway and in-town driving. -Don Kessler

I purchased your premium Pacbrake PRXB at the FMCA rally in Perry, GA this spring to replace my existing Pacbrake that was installed on my motor home from the factory. Your technician was fast, efficient, and courteous, and it only took minutes for him to complete his task, installing it on a Monaco Camelot with a Cummins ISC 350 engine. Now after driving my coach for about 1200 miles since installation, I am completely satisfied with the operation of the new premium exhaust brake. It’s just as good as a Jake Brake only without the noise. As usual the brake works well when slowing from higher speeds but the improved low end slowing and stopping power is fantastic. -Daniel Asch

We ordered the new PRXB while on our trip so we could have it ready to use on our return to California and give it a real-world workout. It was a very simple procedure to change out the old Pacbrake for this new, improved one. Needless to say, the new PRXB performed just as advertised and Glenn was extremely pleased with the increased braking capability in the lower-end RPM range.
Now, as we get ready to leave once again for a trip East, we are very happy to know that we have the PRXB onboard as our exhaust brake. It definitely gives us more braking power and control, particularly on some of those long downgrades through the mountains. Thanks for a great product!! -Glenn and Kathy Henderson

I can honestly tell anyone who is interested that this is by far the best dollar I have ever spent on any rig I ever owned and I'll swear to that. The feeling of coming down a steep hill with a heavy load and being 100% in control of your rig and knowing you could bring it to a dead stop at a moment's notice is worth 10 times what I ever paid for this PacBrake. So now instead of just depending on a whack of over heated brake linings, hot transmission and over revved engine to insure the safety of myself, family and those ahead of me, I have the compression of that big diesel holding me back via the PacBrake and my cooler brakes available for an emergency situation. Best thing since sliced bread and my only regret is that I didn't install one of these on my other trucks years ago. -Barrie Blake

My vehicle was equipped with a Pacbrake 2 years ago and I will not tow a 5th wheel or horse trailer without one! After having a harrowing experience I immediately installed a Pacbrake. Now when I come off 'the blues' in Oregon or down Highway 4 I can stop! Future rigs will have one too! -Dave Fleming

We tow a 16,900 lb 5th wheel trailer to Yuma each year with our Hino 238. We took a road this year between Boise, Idaho and Jack Pot, Nevada that has a downhill run on better than a 6% grade for 17 miles from 6700 foot elevation. The exhaust brake left us in 5th gear at 40 mph and never used the brakes. We have the brake on all the time and it has saved us on our brake's quality.
We also have a 2005 Hino work truck with the same brake. This truck has 110,000 km on it and the brake pads still have 75% lining left. With this truck it is used off road 50% of the time. -Robert

What a great thing to have! I have no complaints. Towing 10-12K, no touching of the brakes over the grapevine, in fact I had to hit the go-pedal to shut the brake off at times it's so effective... I consdiered the Jake, but was scared of the vacuum pump. I'm glad I bought my Pacbrake. -2007 Dodge Owner

Just installed my Pacbrake last week. It works GREAT with my very heavy trailer. Great product! -Scott Fitzgerald

I pulled my 40 foot gooseneck weighing about 20,000 lbs with my '07 Duramax. I also had a few boxes in the bed of the pickup. Going up the grapevine on the south side, the roadway is a little bumpy and apparently moved the boxes in the pickup around and knocked loose the electrical cable to the trailer. Going down the north side I did not yet know that I had no trailer lights and no trailer brakes. I was keeping my down grade speed at about 40 MPH with the Pacbrake (no way my pickup brakes can keep this much weight under control). After going down about a mile I wanted to tap the electric brake controller just to maintain speed and control. Nothing happened. I tried again and when nothing happened I got a cold chill down my back. However, the Pacbrake was able to keep my vehicle under control without any help from the service brakes. Speed was at or below 45 MPH the entire down grade. You don't know what a relief it was to get to the bottom and still be alive and well. -Al Bronzini

Since the installation of my Pacbrake on my 2004 Dodge Ram 2500, I used the truck to pull my trailer for a round trip to the Maritimes. The entire trip covered 17,000 km. The Pacbrake worked fantastic whether I was in city traffic as Montreal or slowing/maintaining speed on long steep hills during our jounrey. On return I had the truck inspected and the brake use had not changed from the start of our journey. Your installation did not require any adjustments during the entire trip. I checked the unit periodically as you suggested but no action was necessary. Thank you for your great service. -Bill Miller

I have a PRXB installation on my 05 Dodge Cummins and I don't know how I lived without it. I can't wait till my wallet lets me put on a set of your airbags. The springs on my back of my 1 ton are getting weak (too many heavy loads I guess). -Clayton & Helen

Several months ago, I purchased a Pacbrake for my 05 Dodge Ram. I use the truck to tow my 3-axle trailer which has always given me an uneasy feeling in the past, as stopping my large rig hasn't been the most enjoyable part of the trip, especially while navigating through the mountains as often as I do. Since getting the Pacbrake, I enjoy my trips much more because the entire feel of the truck is more solid and I find I don't use the truck brakes nearly as often as I had in the past. My only regret is that I didn't purchase the Pacbrake on the same day I purchased my truck. Thank you for a great product!!! -Steven Glasser

I drive a 2001 International eight bay straight truck with a GVW of 32,000 lbs. I am usually hauling around 29,000-31,000 lbs of lead acid batteries on a daily basis. While driving this truck in the past I was constantly braking, even with the stock engine brake engaged. My city driving was always a pain because of the lack of deceleration from this brake. I would drive down a 5 mile long 7% grade and by the time I made it into town my brakes would likely be smoking because of the lack of engine brake performance.
A tech at Nicholson Diesel Service told me about your brakes and the great performance they had to offer a driver in a position such as mine. After a long discussion, I gave the go ahead to put one on my truck. I must say that the end result was nothing short of extraordinary! While coming down the 5 mile long 7% grade I would normally have to brake from 2700 RPM down to 1200 RPM at least 6 or 7 times with the stock brake. Now I brake no more than 3 times taking the same hill loaded to the max!
My brake performance during city driving is also remarkably better. I use my truck brakes half as much as I did before with less outgoing expenses to continually adjust the drum brakes, replace the drum brakes and service the old engine brake. I want to thank you and your company for having a great product. -Scott Beal

My '05 2500 HD GMC Duramax with PRXB. 155,000 km / 96,000 miles. Just rotated the wheels/tires and had a look at the pads, still 80%, rotors have no grooves or scoring.
I pull a 10,000 lb 5th wheel up/down every hill and mountain pass in BC, WA, OR mostly without the use of my service brakes, or minimally on a sharp curve.
I believe I will get to 300,000 km easily on these brakes. About 3 years ago I met a couple in Oregon with a DMax dually, packing a 10ft camper and they had used up pads/rotors on a trip to Alaska and were using up their second set... in their first year! I think they probably have a Pacbrake now. -Bruce Sebring