Smartbrake available as a GM option

Smartbrake USA, a leading maker of engine retardation brakes, announced that its Smartbrake unit is available as an option on new General Motors diesel-powered trucks.

The product is available for Duramax and Caterpillar engines through Monroe Truck Equipment, the official GM modification facility.

Unlike fixed-orifice exhaust brakes that use a butterfly design, Smartbrake’s sliding gate design always returns to an open position and remains completely outside of the exhaust flow, the company says. This means it does not create any backpressure on the engine when it is in the open position.

Butterfly-type devices can stick in the closed position and they also reduce the exhaust pipe opening by approximately 23 per cent, thus increasing unwanted backpressure, the company claims.

Smartbrake is available in a Spring-Set and Air-Set model. The Spring-Set unit has a fixed setting designed to deliver the maximum level of retardation when it is activated. The Air-Set Smartbrake allows a driver to vary the amount of retardation needed even while the vehicle is moving. Using a microprocessor and dash-mounted control, retarding power on the Air-Set model can be adjusted across a wide range of settings. This allows Smartbrake to be adjusted to match changing road conditions or rapidly altering terrain, but never exceed criteria set by the engine manufacturer. The Air-Set unit also can be used to increase warm-up time of an engine in cold weather.


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