On our coach there is a switch to select whether or not the retarder is able to be activated. When that switch is "on" the retarder can be activated by pressing the service brake pedal or by moving the "joystick" to a forward position. The more forward the joystick position the more retarding force is provided. If I have the joystick in a forward position there is no retarding force until the throttle is released, and then the retarder is activated when the throttle is released.
Edit: I need to check to see whether it moves forward or backward to activate the retarder. Its operation is so second-nature at this point that I don't even think about the direction it moves!
Additional Edit: After checking the joystick I realize I had suffered some form of brain fade. The joystick normally rests in a forward position, and I move it toward the rear to activate the retarder.
Interesting that David's joy stick is mounted 180 degrees from ours. We pull back to increase retard and go full forward to have zero retard.
Now you have made me stop and think! I'll need to double-check, since at this point the joystick operation seems to be so second-nature I'm not even certain about which direction it moves!
Pull back for "whoa"
Mine is push forward to increase its braking effect.
My buddy relocated mine to the middle of the nine switch panel where my arm naturally falls during driving.
We also just moved our joy stick back one slot where it is easier to operate.
Mine is "Pull Back"
Ours is push forward to activate. [Keith Resch (now at MOT) said that while he worked at FOT he had installed all retarder joysticks this way (forward to slow) until someone at FOT told him to start doing it the other way.]
Mine is a push forward. When Gary O was checking me out in it he said that was weird. His is a pull back. ^.^d
I agree with craneman, pull back for whoa. Had a freind who took a driving coarse at an FMCA rally and was actually told that the brake set button was pulled to set the brake because you pulled on the reigns of a horse to stop it. Must be a company that's been in business longer than FT. ^.^d
Great grandpaw Fore built wagons in Nac
I suppose it's down to what one learned with. I could see that going forward for more retardation could make sense as when you use the treadle valve, You push it forward to activate it. So why not the joystick.
I installed mine and mounted it to retard when pulled back (or actually down) as I mounted it in the dash to the left of the steering column. I thought it to be in the way if mounted with the rocker switches.
Mine is where your aux light yellow switch is now on yours.