[Richard]

This is sort of a poll/question to determine interest in a seminar topic plus take home project.

One of the best mods I made to our coach was to alter the switch on the jake brake to allow two modes of jake operation. The first mode is the one you are familiar with, let off the accelerator and the jakes activate. The second mode is the jakes only activate if the brake pedal is pressed, and they release as soon as the brake is released.

I use the second mode extensively for two reasons. The first is that the second mode keeps my jake and cruise control from fighting each other, and the second is that I hate for the jake to come on when I roll over a crest and coast down the other side, that is the sound of money going out the exhaust.

I only use the first mode in the mountains when I want the jakes on but I don't want to ride the brake pedal.

The modification involves the use of a standard automotive relay. There are a bunch of them on Newells.

If you are interested in having a seminar topic on how relays work, and how to use them, I could do that one day. As a hands on, you could build your own setup for the jake brake modification as part of the seminar.

Let me know if you are interested. If interested I will post a parts list. Total cost of parts is less than 30 bucks.