Winter weather advice from veteran drivers please!

You said it: Slow down. More accidents can be avoided or recovered from by slowing down than any other technique or protocol.

Don't be afraid to chain up. If chains aren't required, but it's still hazardous, consider throwing iron on the drives... even singles help.

I use a chunk of wood under the inside drive tire; I drive up onto it and that lifts the outer wheel up where you can wrap a chain around the wheel without having to drive onto the chain 5 times trying to get it linked up.

 

So what about the engine brake for going down hills?????? Seems to me it would be a good idea to use it instead of the brake pedal. What do the veteran drivers say??????????

 

It's not a good idea! Remember engine brake only effects drive tires, so think of hitting the brakes and only it applying to drives, that means then you have the trailer pushing you and that's bad. When you apply brakes then all axles are being slowed at the same time.

 

Ok, but look at it this way........The engine brake won't cause your trailer wheels to lock up and possibly come around on you. I understand that it can cause the tractor to get sideways, but if you are going downhill I don't see it happening. Also, the engine brake won't overheat like the wheel brakes will. I am not arguing, just making my case. You have way more time in than I do. This is just one of those things I have always been curious about.

 

If the trailer starts pushing you, the truck will jack knife just the same because then the truck is in the way of the trailer which will be going faster. As far as over heating the brakes, use a lower gear and go slow, crawl if you have to. I assume your in no rush to die so take it easy and make it down safe. Don't let anyone "push" you verbally I mean. Shut the cb off if need be and let those super truckers go on by. If you go slow there is no worry over heating the brakes. And don't brake around a bend or corner, make sure you slow down before as physics has a habit of taking over.
To add yes going downhill it will happen. When I was brand new it happened to me coming down I-70 west bound after Eisenhower tunnel. Luckily I was going really slow and pushed the clutch in shut he jake off and got straight again.

 

Ok. Point made. Thanks.

 

No problem we are all out here to try and help. At least I hope so.

 

you can run your jake especially if its just snow and not ice. just keep it on a lower setting than normal and use that to keep you slowed down instead of the break pedal. when i trained my trainer has been doin this for 42 years and he ran with his jake on even some icy roads. if you keep it at a low setting yo uwill be fine. ive found that when im running in snow its better to use the jake than the breaks. too easy to put too much pressure on the pedal and lock it up. not saying what i say is gospel but do know from experience that running your jake is possible and not a bad thing

 

just a little tip for when you stop at nite, when you get parked for the nite, run the trk back and forth several times to cool tires and make a path to get out in the morning, that is if you have been running in ice and snow. and also dont set the trailer brakes. jakes on icy roads have never been a good thing, if you think you must use it, would only run it on the lowest setting and you control it with the switch on the dash. just remember slow and easy is the way the game is played. lots of luck