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Retarder

Ok so the retarded is new to me. I like it. Not sure it is working correctly. Is it normal for it to initiate when I take foot off of throttle? It seems that some times I coast forever and other times it engages quickly. Please educate me.
1996 U270

Re: Retarder

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Breaktime –
Ok so the retarded is new to me. I like it. Not sure it is working correctly. Is it normal for it to initiate when I take foot off of throttle? It seems that some times I coast forever and other times it engages quickly. Please educate me.
Ok I am retarded. Meant retarded.
1996 U270

Re: Retarder

Reply #2 –
Retarder is the correct word for it.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Retarder

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Breaktime –
Ok so the retarded is new to me. I like it. Not sure it is working correctly. Is it normal for it to initiate when I take foot off of throttle? It seems that some times I coast forever and other times it engages quickly. Please educate me.

When its pulled back(on mine) 1 position or 2nd position it coasts

Pull it back more and its more aggressive as you release the gas

Re: Retarder

Reply #4 –
Do you have a joystick? It brake only activation?
Tim Fiedler    2025 LTV Unity MBL on Order
2000 Chevy Tracker 2 Door Convertible 4WD Now lifted 4.5"
1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston
Murphy Rebel on wheels with 175HP Titan
Cessna P337
1980 48' Westport MY (!/4 Share)

Re: Retarder

Reply #5 –
Let's see... I'll give it a try. One of the rocker switches on the panel to your left is labeled "retarder." When you switch it on the retarder is enabled. Then when you press the brake lightly the retarder will provide 1/3 of its braking power; press harder it goes to 2/3; press real hard and it goes into full retard. If you have a joystick you don't need to press the brake; just click the joystick back from its first position (no retard) to its last position (full retard). When the retarder is retarding, the light on the retarder rocker switch illuminates. Anyhow, that's how I understand it. Pretty neat system.

There are lots of discussions on the mechanics involved and driving techniques so search around and you'll come up with some great info.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Retarder

Reply #6 –
We have joystick. Can't seem to find a constant on how it reacts. Can get down the road and mountain passes fine just don't get when and why it is engaging? Not consistent. Sometime immediately at throttle release other times much delayed.
1996 U270

Re: Retarder

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Breaktime –
We have joystick. Not consistent. Sometime immediately at throttle release other times much delayed.
Are you returning the joystick to the full forward (not engaged) position after each use?  Your comment about immediately at throttle release sounds like the joystick is in a medium to high i.e 3-6th retard position.
97 40' U320 #5017
2004 Saturn Vue
Bella & Jesse in charge of security

Re: Retarder

Reply #8 –
If you leave the retarder switch on and leave the joystick in any position except all the way up, the retarder will engage when you let up up the accelerator.  You don't need to depress the brake.  The lower the notch on the joystick the faster the retarder will slow down the coach.  Every time you come to a stop, push the joystick all the way up.  If you don't want to use the joystick you can activate the retarder with the brake pedal as Jor has explained.

John M.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Retarder

Reply #9 –
And has to be zero throttle for it to engage.
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide

Re: Retarder

Reply #10 –
Think I got it. Thank You. Will dial in technique on wolf Creek pass Friday!
1996 U270

Re: Retarder

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Breaktime –
Think I got it. Thank You. Will dial in technique on wolf Creek pass Friday!

Just remember that the retarder does cause the transmission fluid to heat up - don't rely on it/ride it alone for steep descents.  Downshift as appropriate as well.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Retarder

Reply #12 –
Will do thinking 250° for high temp level.
1996 U270

Re: Retarder

Reply #13 –
A thought or two that you need to know being new to a retarder and it's operation.  If you do start to overheat the trans. fluid from over using the retarder the trans. will start to shed load.(less retarding) What you see on your dash gage can/will be different than what the retarder temp. probe sees. Your coach also has an alarm that should sound if you are getting to the max temp.  If you ignore these warnings the trans. will completely drop out the retarder to keep from burning up the trans.  Now if you get to the point of dropping the retarder before you are half way down WC pass it till cause you to ruin a pair of underpants.

Pamela & Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Retarder

Reply #14 –
One other consideration. The lower gear you are in the more braking the retarder will provide. If you are going down a hill and just leave the transmission in 6th, you will get some braking but not as much as you need and your transmission fluid will heat up quickly (as Michelle indicated earlier). When you have played with it for awhile you'll understand the relationship between the gearing and retarder position. If you have a VMS it's gets really interesting.

Just thought of something else that I don't think was mentioned. You shouldn't use the retarder in slippery conditions.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Retarder

Reply #15 –
Quote from: jor –
You shouldn't use the retarder in slippery conditions.

Curious to know what the reasoning is for this?  I don't remember encountering this tidbit during readthroughs of the applicable manuals.
James
w/ DW Erin, sons Gideon and Tobias, cats Oscar & Oliver
Fulltime 1999 U270 34' #5508

Re: Retarder

Reply #16 –
We went through Wolf Creek pass twice last summer. The speed limit is 45MPH, I have the speed limit on my citation. I should have used number three position on the retarder joystick and fourth gear instead of using fifth gear. Fifth gear was just too fast for the speed limit. I used fourth gear after getting my ticket.

As usual YMMV.

Bob
Bob & Suzy
2000 U320 4010 SPEC
2006 Honda CRV

Re: Retarder

Reply #17 –
Quote from: Blinded04 –
I don't remember encountering this tidbit during readthroughs of the applicable manuals.

But also important to note that DW says I have a selective memory
James
w/ DW Erin, sons Gideon and Tobias, cats Oscar & Oliver
Fulltime 1999 U270 34' #5508

Re: Retarder

Reply #18 –
Quote from: Blinded04 –
But also important to note that DW says I have a selective memory
You don't want just the rear tires locking up. The retarder is not linked to the abs.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Retarder

Reply #19 –
The rear end of the coach is the heavy end. If the tires slide on snow or hydroplane they lose traction and the heavy and wants to swap positions with the light end of the coach. There is actually an accident in a passenger bus attributed to the use of retarder in Raine at hydroplaning as a result.
The advice is not to use the retired or in heavy rain or icey /snowy conditions
Tim Fiedler    2025 LTV Unity MBL on Order
2000 Chevy Tracker 2 Door Convertible 4WD Now lifted 4.5"
1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston
Murphy Rebel on wheels with 175HP Titan
Cessna P337
1980 48' Westport MY (!/4 Share)

Re: Retarder

Reply #20 –
I did this the first month I owned the coach.  Came in hot for what turned out to be a very short rest stop off ramp on East I 20 south west of Abilene.  Rain and speed created above conditions and back end broke lose and began slide.  Credit my time with my VW and its rear engine as making the difference in keeping control.  Lesson learned but really tested my Metropolol script.
George and Steph
1997 U270 36 Build 5081 "Honu"
1180w Solar 400A lithium all Victron house system
Motorcade 17670, SKP 128300, FMCA F459019
73 VW Camper, 79 VW Camper, 2363 Sunline, and an Arctic Fox 25P

Re: Retarder

Reply #21 –
Alarm at 250.  Load shedding at 300. 

As was posted revving the motor in a lower gear helps the retardation. 

You will not damage the trans at 250 or over for short periods.

I tested my alarm on purpose several times.

When the downgrade flattened out and I allowed the upshift it took two miles for the trans temps to drop enough to turn off the alarm.

Non issue.  Made for trash truck continious medium heating use.

I intermix the wheel brakes just for testing purposes to verify the brakes stopping ability and to give the retarder a  moment off.

Either system should be able to almost do a fairly long grade by itself
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Retarder

Reply #22 –
Quote from: Beerslayer_24 –
We went through Wolf Creek pass twice last summer. The speed limit is 45MPH, I have the speed limit on my citation. I should have used number three position on the retarder joystick and fourth gear instead of using fifth gear. Fifth gear was just too fast for the speed limit. I used fourth gear after getting my ticket.

As usual YMMV.

Bob

Where did they stop you? Did they wait until you got to the bottom?
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Retarder

Reply #23 –
I was headed West and it seemed I was about a third of the way down from the summit. He was in the same spot on the way back through about a month later.
The road was just starting to steepen and I was on the shift pad and the joystick and starting to slow down when I saw the lights in my mirrors.
Bob & Suzy
2000 U320 4010 SPEC
2006 Honda CRV

Re: Retarder

Reply #24 –
in a descent with the retarder on, using a lower gear will also keep the engine revs up which will produce more cooling for the transmission cooler.

Also, the retarder will not engage while the cruise control is engaged. (this should be obvious).

Love the retarder.
Rick and Wendy Green
1998 U270 3600 The Coach Formerly known as Princess
Build# 5336
2007 Ford Explorer