Jake Brake in EC market push
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• After many years of selling its Jake Brake engine retarder through a UK franchisee, Jacobs Manufacturing has set up a wholly owned UK importer in Sheffield as part of its plans to increase its penetration of the EC truck retarder market.
Jake Brake EC will provide Jake Brake kits for Cummins and Caterpillar 10 and 14-litre engines as well as for two and four-stroke Detroit Diesel engines, including the latest Series 60 and the Mack E6 and E7s.
As well as sales it will offer parts, technical back-up, training, installation and warranty services.
By providing extra retarding power on top of a truck's service brakes the Jake Brake is designed to reduce lining wear, maintenance costs and tyre wear. The retarder kit weighs around 35kg and fits on the cylinder head.
The Jake Brake operates by converting an overrunning engine into a compressor, popping the exhaust valve just before the piston reaches top dead centre, The forward motion of the vehicle forces the piston back down for the next compression stroke, absorbing energy.
A variety of levels of retardation can be pre-selected. The brake can be activated by a dashmounted switch, or in conjunction with the throttle, or by a separate foot pad.
Jake Brake kits will be shipped in from Jacobs' Bloomfield, Connecticut plant, but some UKsourced parts are used.