East bound Monteagle Mountain and gear choice.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by camaro68, May 15, 2013.

  1. camaro68

    camaro68 Medium Load Member

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    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.
     
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  3. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    enough to hold itself back to take the hill with little or no brakes.
     
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  4. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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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 45mph
     
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  5. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    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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  6. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    Two weeks ago, the bear got someone speeding or not stopping at the inspection.
     
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  7. PowderBlue

    PowderBlue Light Load Member

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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.
     
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  8. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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    watched a guy smoke his brakes up good just yesterday going towards nashville
     
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  9. PowderBlue

    PowderBlue Light Load Member

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    and thats the easy side ...
     
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  10. camaro68

    camaro68 Medium Load Member

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    I remember driving by that wreck. We were on a Sunday drive going to Chattanooga. I couldn't believe he missed the runaway ramp. I don't see how he stayed upright.
     
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  11. camaro68

    camaro68 Medium Load Member

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    One of the last wrecks I remember before they redesigned the highway. Was a truck carrying a load of potatoes and he went right off the right hand side of the mountain. It seemed like back then there was a lot of blind curves going down the mtn. And it was a two lane hwy. I bet the guy who owned the wrecker service in Monteagle made some good money back then.
     
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