As your going east bound down Monteagle Mtn. You pull off in the inspection area and stop at the light. I think, the signs say it's a 6% grade. How does the amount of weight your carrying and the grade determine which gear you will use going down the mountain. Which gear would you use carrying 20,000 lbs compared to 50,000 lbs.
East bound Monteagle Mountain and gear choice.
Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by camaro68, May 15, 2013.
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enough to hold itself back to take the hill with little or no brakes.
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well in my automatic
i put it in manual so it wont shift up automatically
it is a 10 speed so i put it in 8th with jake brake on high
a couple of light taps on the brake gets me to the bottom at 45mphcamaro68 Thanks this. -
20k I'd be in 11th with jakes on, probably never tap the brakes. I like to drop off monteagle in whatever gear is necessary to hardly ever touch the brakes. If I'm heavy I may be doing 30mph, if light or empty 45mph. Went over it 8 times last week always cross it at least once or twice a week. A truck hit the runaway ramp last Wednesday night.. it's such an easy grade what are these wheel holders thinking. Back in the 70's and 80's before they filled that deep gulley and straightened it, it was curvy and real dangerous Seemed like every other week A driver lost his brakes and ended up killed.
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Two weeks ago, the bear got someone speeding or not stopping at the inspection.
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I watched a guy a couple months ago in the right lane try to hit the runaway ramp.. which is off the left lane.. he missed.. caught the bank on the side of the ramp.. it pushed him off.. How he didnt roll right there I still dont know.. Anyways he flew across both lanes.. went up on the cement wall along the edge.. his truck high centered between the steers and rode probably 30 yards down that wall. He had to consider a career change after that. I still dont know how he didnt flip the first time or go over the wall. Im just glad I didnt lose my brakes coming to a stop on the main grade avoiding it all. People underestimate that little mountain. BTW this was my first time taking a mountain fully loaded.. had 47k pounds of beer on and was in " training" at that time being taught how to take a mountain. What a lesson lol.
As for the brake check.. I try to use my jakes and downshifting to get in there without heating up the brakes much.. I frequent that mountain alot since I been in my own truck. We have a terminal in North Georgia. In 8th gear jakes on high my truck will hold 79-80k at 45mph. If im under gross I can make it without ever needing brakes really. Just start in a low gear.. If its holding keep it there. If its too slow then up one gear.. If it wont hold her speed down..then your in too high of a gear. I would rather brake my truck down once and grab a lower gear then try to keep her slowed down in the wrong gear and burn up my brakes. But thats just what works for me and im pretty new.camaro68 and scottied67 Thank this. -
watched a guy smoke his brakes up good just yesterday going towards nashville
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