Jacobs Electric Retarder

[imgetnab2]

Greetings All!
I had a mechanic looking at the underside of my 1983 FC today, and
he was checking out the electric retarder. He was familiar with the
Telma brand of retarder and was concerned that there was grease
showing inside the flywheels of the retarder around the driveline
joints. His familiarity with the Telma's was that they had sealed
bearings and therefore, you shouldn't see grease leaking from the
joint.

My retarder is a Jacobs brand, and after looking at it further,
there is a grease fitting that seems to feed the driveline joint.
If that's the case, should I be concerned that there is grease
showing on these joints? I haven't had any troubles with this and
the retarder has worked fabulously to this point. It doesn't seem
to be loose, binding or showing any other signs of bearing wear or
fatigue.

I'd be interested in what others who have these retarders on their
machines have experienced

Thanks as always for the advice!

Ken Johnson
Midland, MI
'83 FC 33

[bus2nut]

Your Jacobs electric retarder should have three greese nipples.Greese
them often with high temperature greese.You will see greese around the
undercarrage.Thay run VERY hot.It is better to see greese than a dry
burnt bearing.
Ken Kalmakoff
Richmond BC
1982fc 35

[imgetnab2]

Thanks Ken for verifying what I thought. I'll grease it tonight!
Ken Johnson





--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bus2nut" wrote:
> Your Jacobs electric retarder should have three greese
nipples.Greese
> them often with high temperature greese.You will see greese around
the
> undercarrage.Thay run VERY hot.It is better to see greese than a dry
> burnt bearing.
> Ken Kalmakoff
> Richmond BC
> 1982fc 35

[Peggy & Ed McStay]

i have been working on my retarder - have found that the relay box
under the bus has a burned relay in it. i now need to find someone that
can rebuild the relay box or i will have to buy a new one. i have a
call in to bb but no reply yet.{i know they are busy}. my question is
does anyone know where to get the relay box worked on or where i can
get a new one.

ed and peggy
83FCRB 35FT.
"lonesome dove"
Lake Charles,La.

[Gary Miller]

Ed and Peggy,

I haven't had to work on the relay box, but if I were in a state of
needing something repaired on it and unable to find an original part,
I'd remove it and take it to a generator shop. I believe the retarder
is basically made out of generator parts.

Out of curiosity, how do you suspect this happened?

Gary Miller
83 FC 33 - For Sale
Milwaukee area

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Peggy & Ed McStay"
wrote:
>
> i have been working on my retarder - have found that the relay box
> under the bus has a burned relay in it. i now need to find someone
that
> can rebuild the relay box or i will have to buy a new one. i have a
> call in to bb but no reply yet.{i know they are busy}. my question is
> does anyone know where to get the relay box worked on or where i can
> get a new one.
>
> ed and peggy
> 83FCRB 35FT.
> "lonesome dove"
> Lake Charles,La.
>

[Peggy & Ed McStay]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gary Miller"
wrote:
>
> Ed and Peggy,
>
> I haven't had to work on the relay box, but if I were in a state of
> needing something repaired on it and unable to find an original
part,
> I'd remove it and take it to a generator shop. I believe the
retarder
> is basically made out of generator parts.
>
> Out of curiosity, how do you suspect this happened?
>
> Gary Miller
> 83 FC 33 - For Sale
> Milwaukee area
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Peggy & Ed McStay"
> wrote:
> >
> > i have been working on my retarder - have found that the relay
box
> > under the bus has a burned relay in it. i now need to find
someone
> that
> > can rebuild the relay box or i will have to buy a new one. i have
a
> > call in to bb but no reply yet.{i know they are busy}. my
question is
> > does anyone know where to get the relay box worked on or where i
can
> > get a new one.
> >
> > ed and peggy
> > 83FCRB 35FT.
> > "lonesome dove"
> > Lake Charles,La.
> >
>



Gary Miller-----
thanks for the reply. i know that i didn't return the lever to the o
position. with that said a lot of heat built up in the relay box and
melted the first relay. it was a bad deal but on the 83 they did not
have a on/off switch,only had a light on the dash to tell you when it
was on. you can bet your next pay check that when i get this thing
repaired and back in it will have a good on/off switch and a small
alarm that will sound when its on. thanks again for your reply.

[Gary Miller]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Peggy & Ed McStay"
wrote:
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gary Miller"
> wrote:
> >
> > Ed and Peggy,
> >
> > I haven't had to work on the relay box, but if I were in a state
of
> > needing something repaired on it and unable to find an original
> part,
> > I'd remove it and take it to a generator shop. I believe the
> retarder
> > is basically made out of generator parts.
> >
> > Out of curiosity, how do you suspect this happened?
> >
> > Gary Miller
> > 83 FC 33 - For Sale
> > Milwaukee area
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Peggy & Ed McStay"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > i have been working on my retarder - have found that the relay
> box
> > > under the bus has a burned relay in it. i now need to find
> someone
> > that
> > > can rebuild the relay box or i will have to buy a new one. i
have
> a
> > > call in to bb but no reply yet.{i know they are busy}. my
> question is
> > > does anyone know where to get the relay box worked on or where
i
> can
> > > get a new one.
> > >
> > > ed and peggy
> > > 83FCRB 35FT.
> > > "lonesome dove"
> > > Lake Charles,La.
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> Gary Miller-----
> thanks for the reply. i know that i didn't return the lever to the
o
> position. with that said a lot of heat built up in the relay box
and
> melted the first relay. it was a bad deal but on the 83 they did
not
> have a on/off switch,only had a light on the dash to tell you when
it
> was on. you can bet your next pay check that when i get this thing
> repaired and back in it will have a good on/off switch and a small
> alarm that will sound when its on. thanks again for your reply.
>

Ahh yesss. I've done that one.

Our maiden voyage with the 'bird. We were about a mile out of the
East entrance of Yellowstone. The kids were all excited (I was too),
and in the excitement I had left the retarder on after a descent. I
couldn't figure out why we were having so much trouble climbing the
grade to the entrance. Fortunately, it was only briefly, but long
enough to really lose a lot of energy that would have helped the
climb.

On one of Jeff's remodels he installed a switch under the accelerator
pedal to shut off the retarder. It's a complicated retrofit.

I would think a delayed chime of some sort would be good. You don't
want it chiming every time you use it. Or perhaps a second light
closer to the dashboard so you notice it sooner.

Gary Miller
83 FC 33 - For Sale
Milwaukee area

[Betsy and George]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bus2nut" wrote:
>
> Your Jacobs electric retarder should have three greese nipples.Greese
> them often with high temperature greese.You will see greese around
the
> undercarrage.Thay run VERY hot.It is better to see greese than a dry
> burnt bearing.
> Ken Kalmakoff
> Richmond BC
> 1982fc 35
>
We have been having a problem wth ours.. Jacobs Manufactured and we are
now awaiting arrival of new relay box. Ionly see 1 grease nipple, on
pilot side. Where are the other two? George Bush..visiting Ernie Ekberg
in Livingston, Montana. 1983fc31