What is a Jake Brake and How Does it Work?

A Jacob's brake, jake brake, compressions release brake, whatever you want to call it, is actually fairly simple in how it works. To put it really simply, it just uses the engine's compression against itself to slow down the engine speed and ultimately slow down the vehicle.

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[Dustrunnersauto]

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[danvye]

Studies have proven that the sound of a Jake Brake is significantly quieter then the sounds of a truck coming through your house or car! I live in the mountains, and love hearing trucks on the Jake!

[ConnieFan]

I'm a trucker and my brother was asking me what was that loud sound on trucks. Not being a mechanic myself, I only knew it all happened in the engine, so I'm sharing this with him so he can understand. He has worked on gasoline engines, and he's a Master Technician This is a perfect video explanation for me, and now, for him
Thanks!

[Maverickt]

Growing up, my dad owned a grading company and at his peak he had 25 Mack trucks with belly dump trailers and 6 end dump trucks, all with Cat engines. Sometimes on days when I was off school, I’d ride around with the different drivers, or sit in the cab of a bulldozer with the operator. Sometimes they’d let me drive a big twin engine 627 Cat scraper or 953 front end loader or some other pieces while sitting on the lap of the operator. By the time I was 14, I was pulling those big Mack’s into the lube bay at the shop, doing oil changes and greasing them under supervision of one of the mechanics. I loved the sound of the Jake’s coming on, man. That quick little clip brought back many fond memories.

[BlindBatG]

I’ve lived close to a highway for over a decade and there is nothing better than hearing a fully loaded, pre-emissions log truck hammering on the jakes.

[mirceahotaransb]

Engine braking is fundamentally linked with compression ratio. In Europe we can also compare this pretty easily since we often drive manual transmissions and petrol, as well as diesel cars. A diesel has a lot more engine brake compared to a petrol engine of similar size. Jake brakes, exhaust gas brakes, retarders, etc. are used only on trucks since the available engine brake would not be enough for the weak power to weight ration of a fully loaded truck.

[sidcostello]

Jake brakes. Designed by Cummins founder Clessie Cummins and was about the only thing he was able to take with him when he lost his company.
After loosing the company, he knew his financial salvation was to be the engine brake, unfortunately, he didn't have the money to build them. He went everywhere trying to come up with financing to make it happen. Finally he approached Arthur Jacobs of Jacobs drill chucks, who was thrilled by Cummins invention. He promised to bankroll the operation....one condition being his name would be front and center in all advertising and communications .hence 'Jacobs engine Brake'....or 'Jake Brake' for short

[Madison.Cruz.Shooter]

I'm too excited that i found people who love the sound of Jake Brakes as much as I do.
The Peterbilt 🤤😍🤯😘

[Goetterdaemmerung]

Once place I lived there was a road behind my street, I'd hear trucks used their jakes all the time, always a symphony of various engines, miss that place, loved the sounds.

[TheLoneWolf-wulp]

I live in the country! Id love to hear that symphony coming through my town! Especially that Kenworth rolling across the screen!

[RedneckHillbilly-homd]

I definitely DO want to hear Jake Brakes in my town. I grew up next to a hill on a major highway in Central Pennsylvania and I absolutely loved hearing those Jake Brakes all day and night!

[avega]

The sound of that Jake brake is music to my ears.

[diogeneslantern]

You explain what a Jake Brake is but don't even give a real world example throughout the video. Kudos my man.

[coffeeisgood]

During my short trucking career in the 1980’s I drove an Isuzu truck with an exhaust brake. I loved it. Thanks for the great lesson on braking.

[zucinnied]

I was litterally watching jake brake videos last night. Love me some loud jakes

[blauer]

A jake brake is a really cool sound and it works when you flick the switch

[tsilb]

~2:20 I used to work on fighter jets. We had a mneumonic to remember the 4 stages of jet engine operation, which are pretty analagous to 4-stroke engine operation.
"Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow" - Intake, compression, combustion, exhaust. This was taught in the official training.

[GHohn]

True story: the inventor of the "Jake Brake" was one Clessie Cummins. Yes, THAT Cummins. He couldn't convince the executives at the company he founded to buy his idea, so he sold it to the Jacobs company. Hence the name.

[johnphillips]

For those that enjoy the twisted history of diesel engines, the story of Clessie and his betrayal by the Miller family (again) led to the formation of the company we know as Jacobs, as in Jake brake. That personal story of the Jake brake is even more interesting than the Jake brake by itself. The betrayal and feud exists to this day, a century later.

[dandable]

I’ve tried watching videos on how Jake brakes work and never really got a good understanding until this video. Finally I understand Joe they work. Thanks