Hi gang,
as the title says, I need some advice please…Just been allocated a ‘new’ (three years old) FH Globetrotter
You wont often find a manual in a truck, most trucks are driven by men and men don’t use manuals 
We used to have Volvo fh’s and we were told just to leave it in auto ( A ) mode, what I do remember is that the exhaust brake on it was top notch.
Good evening Express Pete. I have a '55 plate Volvo and love it! The stalk is as simple as you speculate.The ‘A’ is for assist and means you have retarder when you use the foot brake;then 1 to 3 are the level of retardation.Be careful if light/empty it has a hell of a grip! Enjoy the big Swede,and don’t be shy with the loud pedal!
thanks fellas 
Express Pete:
'…Can anyone please explain to me how to operate the exhaust brake/engine retarder correctly…?
Practice with it on roundabouts at about 5pm on a Friday? 
Here you have short but enough info about how to use it Welcome to Volvo Trucks and the rest is practice
Hope it helped
If its right at the top its off completely next setting down is (+)auto mode and if its an ishift it may display E+ which is economy plus mode(basically stops box changing gears to fast to save fuel) then you have 1 2 3 settings which are pretty self explanatory…if you push the stalk to the last setting then push it down again it will go into B mode which is basically a jake brake…found it helps fully freighted going down hills saves the brakes
dogthehunter:
If its right at the top its off completely next setting down is (+)auto mode and if its an ishift it may display E+ which is economy plus mode(basically stops box changing gears to fast to save fuel) then you have 1 2 3 settings which are pretty self explanatory…if you push the stalk to the last setting then push it down again it will go into B mode which is basically a jake brake…found it helps fully freighted going down hills saves the brakes
B is also so called emergency brake if I am right
Just a random question, but does using the exhaust brake increase fuel consumption or wear and tear?
When I was in 7.5T I found the exhaust brake pretty useless, but since getting my class II I’ve found it very effective for slowing down or keeping to the speed limit down a hill. Just wondering what the advantage is over using normal braking…
Squiddy:
Just a random question, but does using the exhaust brake increase fuel consumption or wear and tear?When I was in 7.5T I found the exhaust brake pretty useless, but since getting my class II I’ve found it very effective for slowing down or keeping to the speed limit down a hill. Just wondering what the advantage is over using normal braking…
During a hill descent for instance it limits the use of normal brakes and keeps them cool and more effective in case they are suddenly required.
Coffeeholic:
Squiddy:
Just a random question, but does using the exhaust brake increase fuel consumption or wear and tear?When I was in 7.5T I found the exhaust brake pretty useless, but since getting my class II I’ve found it very effective for slowing down or keeping to the speed limit down a hill. Just wondering what the advantage is over using normal braking…
During a hill descent for instance it limits the use of normal brakes and keeps them cool and more effective in case they are suddenly required.
And it also extend brake lining life.
Fuel consumption is not increasing as it uses exhaust gases for that.
Coffeeholic:
Squiddy:
Just a random question, but does using the exhaust brake increase fuel consumption or wear and tear?When I was in 7.5T I found the exhaust brake pretty useless, but since getting my class II I’ve found it very effective for slowing down or keeping to the speed limit down a hill. Just wondering what the advantage is over using normal braking…
During a hill descent for instance it limits the use of normal brakes and keeps them cool and more effective in case they are suddenly required.
Coz until you’ve glazed your brakes on a long descent - you haven’t lived!