Cost and difficulty of adding a jake brake to a GM4106

[harleyman_1000]

I am thinking of buying a Gm 4106 bus without a jake brake and driving it home(from Idaho to Missouri) I will be having all the rv systems checked out at a rv shop and the engine and tranny checked out at another shop. I am wanting to have a jake brake added to this bus. What is the difficulty and cost of having this done?

[luvrbus]

You run the wire from the front to rear for a single stage or 2 stage for a set with a new buffer switch not a fast idle,buffer combo you should get it done for 2 grand complete  

If they can find a good set of bridges for 8v71 they are hard to find and new if you can find a set of 8 will cost 119.00 dollars each the last ones I bought anyway  8x119 ==  big bucks

good luck

[harleyman_1000]

Wow 2000 for the jake brake, 2500 for new tires, and 6000 for the converted bus......... Is the jake something that is a must?

[John316]

Wow 2000 for the jake brake, 2500 for new tires, and 6000 for the converted bus......... Is the jake something that is a must?

Bus reality check (sorry, I tend to do this).

What else can go wrong on the bus? Idaho to Missouri is quite a test run. What happens if the engine overheats and you crack a head? What if the tranny lies down on you? What about the brake system, does that need to be redone?

2K for jakes might sound like a lot, but it is simply a drop in the bucket. Are you prepared for if something big happens, or a bunch of little things happen?

FWIW

John

[harleyman_1000]

Well hopefull the shop that checks the bus out in Idaho will check it out good, and if something happens I will just call you.........

[John316]

Well hopefull the shop that checks the bus out in Idaho will check it out good, and if something happens I will just call you.........

You da man . What shop did/will you use up there?

[harleyman_1000]

Not sure the rv place that is checking the rv systems knows of a shop. I am not going to buy the bus, if everything isn't right, since I will be getting ready to fulltime shortly after I get back to Missouri

[luvrbus]

Is in the Boise area ? if so take it to Smiths Detroit the 2000 for the Jakes was using a good used set you start rebuilding the masters and drones with all new bridges it will get over 3 grand in a hurry 71 series bridges are like gold even a clean used set learn to drive by down shifting and taking your time

good luck

[gus]

I have both a 4104with 4-speed and a 4107 with AT, neither has a Jake.
I crossed the Rockies, the Alleghenies and numerous ranges out west for five years every year with the 4104.

I've done the same with the 4107 for two years

The 4104 with 4-sp has plenty of engine braking and I always used 4th gear..

The 4107 I use second gear if I've just topped a pass, otherwise I let it go in whatever gear it happens to be in, usually third lock up.

However, I always start the descent at no more than 45-50 and don't let it get over 55 ever.

I just completed a 5600 mi trip from AR to WA and back crossing three mountain ranges both ways. I had the brakes adjusted in MT on the way home and the guy said they were very little out of adjustment.

So, I think a Jake is nice with an AT but not absolutely needed, and not needed at all with a 4-sp unless you do most of your driving in big mts.

[Geoff]

I've been up and down the steepest mountains between Washington state and Arizona and have done fine with my factory brakes and 12k trailer with electric brakes.  But then I have an RTS with oversize brake shoes and drums.

--Geoff

[harleyman_1000]

 What is a RTS?

[Geoff]

The RTS was the last bus General Motors built after dropping their inter-city buses due to a falling market.  The RTS was designed to be a inter-city bus and well as a Suburban commuter bus.  It is an a well-built bus designed for the roughest roads and rough conditions with a stainless steel modular body, and 30-40 years of GMC experience building buses.  There have been twice as many RTS buses built as MC-9's.

Here is a couple of pics of my RTS bus during conversion

http://web.archive.org/web/20041023002236/http://www.cris.com/~nolids/rtsmain.htm

--Geoff

[OneLapper]

Ok..... I recently installed Jakes on my 4106.  

I bought them used with a pair of tall valve covers from the parts dude at Fleetpride; $500
Jake rebuild kit for masters and drones; $280
Jake micro and contol switches; $180
Machine shop work to make custom plug for oil vapor separator for front valve cover; $50
New tall valve cover (for rear bank) with no holes for oil separators; $260
Labor to adjust jakes and re-run the rack; $300

I rebuilt and installed them myself

Total cost; $1,570.00.

In my opinion well woth it, but I agree with Clifford, at 65mph in fourth gear you don't feel it much.  Downshift to 3rd at 60 and wow!  Second gear, 9% grade and you'll need to toggle between Hi and Lo to keep the speed up!

[RnMAdventures]

Ok..... I recently installed Jakes on my 4106. 

I bought them used with a pair of tall valve covers from the parts dude at Fleetpride; $500
Jake rebuild kit for masters and drones; $280
Jake micro and contol switches; $180
Machine shop work to make custom plug for oil vapor separator for front valve cover; $50
New tall valve cover (for rear bank) with no holes for oil separators; $260
Labor to adjust jakes and re-run the rack; $300

I rebuilt and installed them myself

Total cost; $1,570.00.

In my opinion well woth it, but I agree with Clifford, at 65mph in fourth gear you feel it much.  Downshift to 3rd at 60 and wow!  Second gear, 9% grade and you'll need to toggle between Hi and Lo to keep the speed up!

Great info. Thanks for posting the info. Are you a mechanic or did you find a breakdown of everything that needs to be done to install them? I have considered installing jakes on mine because it is an automatic, but I did not like the S&S price tag and I have limited experience with DD's.

If I had a manual transmission in my 4106, I wouldn't even consider Jakes.

[luvrbus]

See this where the Jake deal gets sticky you need the right valve covers,you need the right (new) wiring harness underneath the covers and a solenoid will cost new over 100 bucks if you have 1 bad  and new fuel lines should always be used those will cost a set of valve cover gaskets will cost over 50 bucks  

Just be careful buying used Jakes sometime 500 or 600 bucks will just buy you some ugly @$# paper weights fwiw,Jake sells different levels of rebuild kits they can cost over 700 bucks 

Shop time that would have been charged included that onelapper done himself I can see 2000 in his set easy lol  


good luck