I'm considering a 3500 4x4 C&C with a flatbed. Is there an option for an exhaust brake from chevy or gmc? Does anyone use an exhaust brake on the Duramax? Also does anyone know if it will void the warrenty?

thanks for the help

I have a 02 DMAX 3500 4x4 Ext Cab with a 8'x8 1/2" rhino lined flatbed. It started like as a Dually. I removed the box and replaced it with the flatbed. I prefer to start with the dually because the width of the axel is wider. The C&C would require a bed that is 6" narrower. I like the wider bed because I load bins and pallets that require the wider bed so that they don't hang over when loaded. Overall I love this truck. It rides great and hauls a bunch. It is the perfect tow vehicle for my 30' toyhauler or my 26' flatbed gooseneck. I also have a PacBrake setup that works wonders on the downhills with a trailer behind it. I never have to worry about losing control downhill with a heavy load. Just turn on the PacBrake and coast downhill without touching the brakes in perfect control. What a nice setup. My 06 DMAX 2500CC 4x4 is getting jealous. It has not pulled anything since I got the flatbed. I purchased it in 05 and it is just about ready to hit the 30,000 mark. At that rate it will be my last truck in my lifetime.

toyhauler30

I thought the 3500 C&C started as a dualy without a bed? I saw one at a dealer the other day with a steel flatbed. If I remember correctly the bed was just under 96" X 108 or there about. I want to do the exact same thing your doin. I want to pull a 31 fifthwheel.

Do you have a B&W hitch for the fifthwheel or an adaptor? Also how much difference does the exhaust brake make with the auto? I have one on a 5 speed stick and won't buy a truck without one. I'm a little afraid of just using the transmission to hold it back. Never had the opportunity to run with and one without the ebrake to see the difference. I know on mine I wouldn't run without it. What's your take?

Also do you have any idea the height of the bed? I need 52" to the top of the fifthwheel hitch, or there about.

Hey!

I have done a little research but I have decided to go with the banks. Everything I have on my truck is Banks and I am very pleased. If the brakes work as well as the rest of the paraphenilia I am sure its a good choice.

I talked to the dealers in a couple of places and the deal is no exhaust brake on the 3500 C&C. They said it would not void the warrenty unless it was determined the ebrake was the cause of a problem. Yeah right. I'll bet if I had a flat they would say it was the ebrake. To bad it's a great thing to have and will probably be a deal breaker for me. I will have to get a ride in one first with a good load behind and find a good hill to decend. I know gears in my truck now won't hold it back without the ebrake.

how much of a load are you talking about?
I pull fairly light 12k, but I have yet to have any problem with the truck holding speed down long steep grades.
I just use the tow mode with the cruise on and it works fine.

Im sure with enough weight though additional breaking woudl be really nice.

It's been a long time since I bought a truck and I am sure things are different. That's why I say I have take a ride in one first.

I am about 24k GCVW. I had it weighed. I have a 5 speed manual trans. The transmission will not hold the wight back on a steep grade. I can start in first gear and decend the grade and it will overspeed the engine using only the gear box. For the majority of grades I do not want to use my service brakes. I realize these new transmissions are a heck of a lot different and improved over my 17 year ole one but I don't want to make a 40k mistake. I need to hold the weight on a long steep grade and do it reliably and without doing damage to the truck. I hear a lot about the new transmissions but I wonder if anyone has had an ebrake and then tried the Allison and can compair the two.

I only have the allison and I can honestly say that on some of the longer grade 6 hills, like the one going down before you get to Denver on 70 I think it is, I didnt have to hit the breaks one time over the entire drop.
matter of fact, I even had to get on the gas a couple times.

You do however have to accept the sound of the Duramax at 3k.

give it a try, you might be surprised at what it can do for you.

Yep you may be right. I see your in MD. I just came across the top of Md out of WVa. Tell ya what there are some serious long grades up there. Maybe not the rockies but serious grades. With the exhaust brake and at 24k in fourth gear I never touched the brakes and it held just fine. Good thing though my rotors were badly warped and the service brakes were almost useless.

First of all, what year model of truck are you looking for? If you are looking for one that has a VVT (variable vane turbo), which started with the '06 LBZ then you can go with either a turbobrake from fleece (brayden on here) or a speedbrake by Banks (J Barker on here). I personally have the speedbrake from Banks on mine and it is 100% plug and play (no cutting or welding to the exhaust system), so it can be 'unplugged and left at home' if you need to take the truck in for warranty work. It worked great on our trip to Colorado and I was running my 07 classic CC 4x4 Dually with about 31k GCVW. :D

If you are looking at the older models w/out the VVT, then there are a few options (pacbrake, banks and a few others I believe) but I do not have any personal knowledge about these.

Yep you may be right. I see your in MD. I just came across the top of Md out of WVa. Tell ya what there are some serious long grades up there. Maybe not the rockies but serious grades. With the exhaust brake and at 24k in fourth gear I never touched the brakes and it held just fine. Good thing though my rotors were badly warped and the service brakes were almost useless.
Those would be the mountains in Maryland that My truck hiccupped and I lost the turbo on. That was a long hard pull into Ohio when I stopped at a dealership and had them fix it.

for the most part, comparing Western Maryland to the Rockies Ive discovered this.
the Rockies are higher, with longer grades, but, Western Maryland being shorter runs up are steeper overall than the rockies.
I would still rather pull through western Maryland than the Rockies though as far as easy on the truck.

Yeah I think the route number is 40. Like you said pretty steep. The long grades are what kills me. Of course these new trucks have over twice the power of mine even with the mods I made.

Again don't know anything about the turbo brakes or speedbrakes. First I've heard of either. When you "plug" in will it leave a "footprint" on the computer? Also how do these things work?

WOW! I just got back from West Virginia and the New River Valley area. 8% grades, not really long but 4K is singing!!! I'm at the very least 23K total, I haven't officially weighed the 3500 yet, but I was at 22K with the 07.5 2500CC. I would like to have the banks if I do more of that type towing. Since I'm going DPF free soon a regular exhaust brake wouldn't be that back either. What's a decent kit?

I have a B&D ebrake that has been on the truck for about 5 years without a hitch. Now I'm runnin a Cummins with a five speed manual.

What is the deal with these turbo brakes? How do they work and do they leave a footprint on the computer. If I can't get some kind of brake other than the service brakes or the trans it won't work for me.

I have a B&D ebrake that has been on the truck for about 5 years without a hitch. Now I'm runnin a Cunnins with a five speed manual.

What is the deal with these turbo brakes? How do they work and do they leave a footprint on the computer. If I can't get some kind of brake other than the service brakes or the trans it won't work for me.

Turbo brakes operate by using the VG turbo as the "brake". The turbine blades will open and close to vary the turbo speed so they can also be used to increase the backpressure on the engine when your off the gas. What sets ours apart from all the others is the transmission and speed control. You can set how agressive it is for the load your carring, set the down hill speed you want it to hold (sort of like a down hill cruise control), you can set it to come on automaticly or when you put your foot on the brake, basicly set it up any way you need. This kind of system can only be used on the 2004.5 and later trucks with a VG turbo. You can see a full write up on it here: http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=316538

Ok thanks. I will check out the link. This is a big deal to me, both a new truck and being able to hold the weight back. It sounds to me like one poster said the Allison will not hold the weight back like I am use to. 4K sounds like a heck of a lot of rpm and I'm not interesed in that at all. I am assuming you guys at Banks have tried and used ebrakes and can compair the two. You may be a bit predjuice but........... With the turbo brake will it hold a load say 24k on an 11% long grade say 5miles to about 2500rpm. I know this is specific but it's what I need. Also I am to understand this is a plug in mod not like my ebrake. Will this plug in or "chip" leave a footprint on the trucks computer and what is the downside of the turbo brake?

thanks for the help

Let's see here:

Ok thanks. I will check out the link. This is a big deal to me, both a new truck and being able to hold the weight back. It sounds to me like one poster said the Allison will not hold the weight back like I am use to. 4K sounds like a heck of a lot of rpm and I'm not interesed in that at all. I am assuming you guys at Banks have tried and used ebrakes and can compair the two. We have and there's a direct comparison on our website as well. You may be a bit predjuice but........... With the turbo brake will it hold a load say 24k on an 11% long grade say 5miles to about 2500rpm. No problem. set it to "on" mode, on the high setting and it will crawl down the hill. Just take your foot off the gas and the Speed Brake will do the rest. Just like the ebrake the more RPM you have the more braking power you have. The speed brake will up and down shift the trans for you automaticly to reach and then hold your speed. I know this is specific but it's what I need. Also I am to understand this is a plug in mod not like my ebrake. Direct plug and play, no cutting, no welding, no wire splicing. Will this plug in or "chip" leave a footprint on the trucks computer and what is the downside of the turbo brake? None at all. Just unplug it and it was never there.

thanks for the help
No problem:D