Is the hydraulic retarder worth installing?

Hydraulic retarder is an auxiliary braking device, also called hydraulic buffer, hydraulic retarder, engine retarder, etc., mainly composed of rotor, stator, working chamber, oil storage tank, heat exchanger, etc. Component composition.

When the hydraulic retarder is working, it can lead the high-temperature working oil to the cooler for cooling, and then replenish the cooled oil through the oil pump, so that the vehicle can achieve constant speed or deceleration.

According to different media, hydraulic retarders can be divided into two types: oil medium and water medium. Among them, the water medium fluid has small self-weight, fast response, large torque, low power consumption, flexible installation, and convenient maintenance, but it is expensive. The reference price is about 30,000 to 50,000 yuan, and there are still many technical difficulties that need to be overcome. , such as poor lubricity, high temperature and easy evaporation, etc., so most of the hydraulic retarders currently on the market are mainly oil medium, and the price is about 15,000-30,000 yuan.

According to the regulations of JT/T1178.2 of the Ministry of Communications, from September 1, 2020, newly produced tractors must be equipped with hydraulic retarders or other auxiliary braking devices, but in reality, many car owners are unwilling to use hydraulic retarders. , expensive is the most important factor.

From an objective point of view, compared with the traditional sprinkler device, the weight of the liquid sprinkler is reduced by 1t-1.5t, and the volume is also smaller, freeing up more loading space. In addition, fuel consumption has been saved to a certain extent. There is no need to add water during the process; secondly, after the installation of the hydraulic buffer, the service life of the vehicle brake pads, tires and other wearing parts has also been extended to a certain extent, which can reduce the number of replacements. From a comprehensive analysis, after installing the hydraulic retarder, you can save about 20,000 yuan a year, and basically the installation cost of the hydraulic retarder can be recovered.

In addition, the hydraulic retarder has a large braking torque, smooth braking without impact, and can maintain the stability of the vehicle. 90% of its braking form is carried out in a wear-free state, which can keep the braking system in a cold state to the greatest extent. The uphill and downhill constant speed control function can greatly reduce the risk of overheating failure caused by continuous braking when the vehicle goes downhill for a long time, and improve driving safety.

In addition to long downhills, the hydraulic retarder can also decelerate through the maximum brake gear in non-emergency braking situations that can be predicted in advance, such as toll stations, traffic lights, and traffic jams, instead of stepping on the brakes.

But car owners also need to pay attention, although the hydraulic retarder is easy to use, it is not a panacea.

During use, try not to pull the hydraulic brake to the highest gear, because the braking torque of the hydraulic brake is greater than that of the engine brake and exhaust brake. If it suddenly enters the full open state, it will easily lead to excessive drop. speed, causing the vehicle to roll over; if you pull it to the highest gear, the water temperature will rise sharply, and the coolant will lose braking force due to the continuous high temperature of the coolant, resulting in dangers such as pushing the head. Since the braking torque of the hydraulic brake acts on the driving wheels, in some extremely bad weather, when encountering wet and slippery roads, icy and snowy roads or dark ice roads, the friction coefficient is reduced, and slipping or rollover is prone to occur. Use caution or even disable hydraulic retarders.

In addition, when using the constant speed gear of the hydraulic retarder, it is generally necessary to keep the engine speed above 1500 rpm, because the higher the engine speed, the faster the water circulation, and the high temperature of the working oil is not easy to occur, so that the hydraulic retarder The decelerator plays a greater role; when the vehicle is going downhill with a full load, due to the greater gravity, if the vehicle speed is still accelerating in the state of constant speed gear, then the owner should step on the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle. Turn the hydraulic slow handle to the maximum gear,

Keep one thing in mind: the hydraulic retarder cannot replace the brakes. When necessary, it is necessary to rely on the brake pedal to slow down or stop the vehicle. In some special transportation conditions, relying solely on the hydraulic retarder to assist braking is not reliable When using the spectrum, it still needs to be equipped with other auxiliary braking devices.