Brakes Usage in game and IRL.

[MaximB]

There are 3 kind of brakes in ETS2:
Retarders
Engine brakes
"Regular" Air brakes

In real world trucks the "regular" Air brakes are not recommended on normal-high speeds. only when the truck is close to stop speed.

How do you use the brakes in ETS2?
And for the Truckers, how do you use the brakes in real life?

In game I use retarders, but I also use the air brakes on not so low speeds, I feel I'm a bit cheating because in real life this trick would not work on this speed (I assume).

IF you do NOT use automatic brakes.

P.S
IRL I only have a C1 license, so I never actually drove a big truck with retarders :( , but maybe next month I will. (really really hoping that all will work well on that front).

[Xyzan]

You use brakes like in real car. When you need them. Main brake - Air brakes are used exactly the same way as in car. Retarder, slows down the truck. It is best to be used when you have a lot of time to slow down, or going downhill. It is used, to not overstress your main brakes. In real live, brakes lose its effectivnes when getting warmer, and driving with foot on pedal brake will warm them really quickly.
Engine brakes are uses like retarder, but they work in different way and makes often a lot of noise ;)

[gallagher4005]

Over here in the states, we real truckers depend on the "JAKE BRAKE".
Can be your true friend going down steep hills.
Never used a RETARDER on a American truck.
Good luck getting your license. You should make good money if you do it right.

[pieperjohanns]

I think it would be helpful if SCS told us whether they mean engine brake, downshifting or exhaust brake when they say "engine brake" (also in the key bindings menu).

[MaximB]

"Jake Brakes" is actually another name for "engine brakes"?
And why American Drivers never use retarders?

Sadly truckers don't get payed too well here (only if they work overtime, which is dangerous),
I'm getting this license not for my main job (I'm actually a devops IRL), but for the Army.
Once or twice a year I love doing something else for a change, currently I'm driving small trucks, but hopefully after this army course - I'll be driving bigger trucks. (but not semi-trailers yet)

[Xyzan]

Most of US trucks do not have retarder ;) I guess that only the newest ones. American trucks are less complicated and have less tech news - not like in europe. Maybe that is why they can do a lot more miles per year without dying to early ;)

[MaximB]

Originally posted by Xyzan:

Most of US trucks do not have retarder ;) I guess that only the newest ones. American trucks are less complicated and have less tech news - not like in europe. Maybe that is why they can do a lot more miles per year without dying to early ;)

I recently drove with a C class driver on an old workstar International truck, it had retarders and engine brakes. and the driver rarely used the air brakes, on lower speed he just lower the gears to brake (it was automatic, with 3 forward gears), and on normal-high speed - he used retarders.

[Xyzan]

As you can see It depends on the driver as well ;) I met drivers in europe, where almost every truck has retarder, that they are not using retarder nor the engine brake... They are stubborn and that was what they learned 20 years ago...

[MaximB]

Originally posted by Xyzan:

As you can see It depends on the driver as well ;) I met drivers in europe, where almost every truck has retarder, that they are not using retarder nor the engine brake... They are stubborn and that was what they learned 20 years ago...

But isn't it dangerous to only use air brakes? they could malfunction if you use them too often and in high speed.

[Xyzan]

On flat terrain, it isn't. It heats and cool down so, they stay operative all the time, however, they will wear faster! More often you will have to visit service of parts exchange, of course. In mountains, it is deadly, as air brakes will overheat very quickly.

[Reese]

Scandinavian trucks, specifically Scania, has been putting exhaust brakes on their trucks. Though it isn't the loud BAAAP we're used to hearing in the United States and Canada. Over the road trucks in the U.S. don't use retarders, but some local trucks are equiped with them.

[flykas]

Ok I think this qestion also fits here : There is a gameplay option for Breaking strength with the slider, so what do you think would be the most realistic setting ?

[Outlaw Trucker]

In ETS2 I use mainly the retarder and down shifting until my speed drops down below 35 km or so. The engine brake I find pretty useless. I've never driven a real truck with an exhaust brake so I can't say as to whether it's acurate or not, I just know I don't use the engine brake in ETS2. ATS on the other hand I use the jake brake like I use the ratarder in ETS2. ATS jake brake is pretty acurate to real ones in my opinion.
I'm pretty sure the "engine brake" in ETS2 is an exhaust brake that blocks part of the exhaust to create back pressure to slow the truck. I'm not too sure as to what ETS2 is simulating for the retarder as there are 2 different kinds of retarder (well 4 if you really want to get technical as an exhaust and jake brake both could be considered a retarder) but it could be either electric or hydraulic. A jacobs brake works by opening between one and three valves to slow the truck, that's why we get the nice blub,blub,blub sound on our US trucks.

[Mike]

Here's what you should do for a realistic experience in ETS2

For slowing down from high speeds you use your retarder as main brake, then, when you're feeling like the retarder is getting a bit too weak and you've reduced your speed a bit already you can use the engine brake (which is really effective in the lower half or 3rd of your speedo) and for a full stop you now use the air brakes

This is what you do in the average European truck...

The exact braking behavior and when to use all of them depends on the truck's actual equipment, load and the manufacturer (e.g. some need the engine brake at lower speeds and some at higher)

And it does work in ETS2 if you drive like that (some say it doesn't, but I guess they don't have the adequate driving style =P)

[Supernovae]

Originally posted by flykas:

Ok I think this qestion also fits here : There is a gameplay option for Breaking strength with the slider, so what do you think would be the most realistic setting ?

I'd say all the way to the left.

[MOMO & YUNA]

Retarder = Best to slow down your truck both on plains and hills without sacrificing the rev. Best for Eco driving.

Engine Brake = Best to slow down on hills. But sacrifice the rev.

Normal Brake = Best to stop the truck completely or emergency stopping.

Trailer Brake = Best to control the dolly when they swing side to side (heavier than the main trailer, but this never happens in the game) or emergency stop.

I could be wrong, i may not be 100% correct. But what i use in the game, i usually use the retarder on approaching anything like red lights, toll gate, exits and apply the real brake when under 20 kmh. Or whenever i feel that i am going too fast i also use the retarder to control my speed.

In real life, if the workers load the dolly heavier than the main trailer, the dolly will try to over take you at high speed, which it will seem to sway side to side when you look at it from the mirror, which is very dangerous. Must slow down until the dolly is stable. That's when the trailer brake is useful too.

Correct me if i am wrong.