Cat 3408 brake saver

[Kenny B]

I have a question for you.

On the old Cat 3408 engine they never had a Jake brake on them. I read somewhere that they had a brake saver.

Was the brake saver a hand valve on the right side of the steering column or on the dash or was it a switch on the dash.

Ken.

[Muncie]

talk about rare...3408 with a brakesaver has to be way up there on the list for a highway truck.

The brakesaver is a hydraulic retarder.  It adds about 4 inches to the flywheel housing.  Hoses, fittings, oil cooler for the retarder, things like that, larger radiator.  If I remember right (know I don't remember it all) it was both a switch to enable the brakesaver and a hand valve to activate it on the dash.  Clutch and brake switches to turn it off.  With all that complexity, it was very expensive so somebody had to really want one.  should be some info and images out there an the internet

 

Edited July 22, 2015 by Muncie

[DRIPTROIT 71]

It seems that I'm always looking for the odd information as well. You might try asking the guys over at Hank's Truck Forum. Someone may even have some pictures....Just a thought? In the mean time I did have a 3406 service manual (if I can find it) if it would have any info. Hope you find what you are looking for....Brian

[Kenny B]

What I'm looking for is a hand valve that is on the right side steering column I think just below or above the trailer service hand brake. I have a picture that someone had posted but don't remember the reason he added it to the column. I thought it was some kind of brake saver or engine retarder on a cat 3408. I'll up load the picture.

Here is the picture that I'm talking about. I don't remember the story behind it.

Ken.

[Kenny B]

I did find what I was looking for. I new what I wasn't loosing my mind after all. The third handle is infact a cat brake saver.

I did find some interesting reading materal on it. For any one interested I posted  the links below.

http://forums.aths.org/PrintTopic67945.aspx

Thanks to all who tried to help.