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U are correct sir i stay goin east , i was on that us- 40 last week up, down, left, right, lots of curves 9% grade 10 mph (smh) i think i was in 3rd gear an it felt like i should be in a lower gear cause truck keep gaining speed , its got signs for miles saying check breaks , .... choose tha wrong gear an thats your #####, escape ramp a do u no good u want make it.....

 

Chuck and IP can probably correct me on this, But Grapevine is on I-5 at Tejon pass and if I recall correctly the speed limit is 35 mph, Siskiyou Summit is in Oregon on I-5 long downgrade, can't remember the speed limit. Cabbage is on I-84 in Oregon, speed limit varies depending on weight. Donner west bound is in California on I-80 Long downgrade and speed limit is 40mph and CHP really keeps an eye on it. Vail pass east bound is on I-70 going into Denver, steep sucker, watched more than a few trucks smoke their brakes.
This is for EViL and CWC if they get out this way.
I never spent much time out on the eastern part of the US, but am sure there are a some steep grades there also.
Hope this helps you guys.

 

Where is the one I have heard people call the Sisters?

 

Wyoming on 80 I believe.

 

OK folks it's like this... you will not "overspeed your engine" by downshifting and descending a grade against your Jake and the transmission. You could very possibly heat your brakes to the point of smoking them, causing a brake fire or encountering brake fade by coming down these grades in 10th and riding the brakes down. They weren't designed to take that kind of abuse on a hot day up around GCVW on a long 6 or 7% grade. Couple that with some misadjusted trailer brakes and a dead-man's curve at the bottom, and you could be in for a thrilling ride that might be your last. I've seen trucks come down these grades out of control and roll! If you get into brake fade, you're at the point where the brakes cannot dissapate the heat you're building up, and pressing harder on the pedal will not slow you any more... and you can start accelerating down the hill.

Before you hit the start of the grade, get shifted down to the right gear, turn on your four-ways, and engage the jake. You should only have to use slight braking if at all if you're in the right gear to control your speed and RPMs.

What's the right gear? Depends on your truck. 7% and 74,000 in my full-sized Cascadia is 8th. Go up to 8% and 79,000 and I'll want to be in 7th. But that's not a Prostar or a mini-Cascadia. You're going to have to experiment a bit. Once you start down stay in the gear you started with. If you try downshifting on the grade and miss a gear, you may not be able to get it back in gear. Then you're up the creek.

 

[QUOT=cardinals1970;3959981]US-40in efrom Maryland into PA comes to mind as it as 4 or 5 one miles 9% downgrades and the last downgrade is 4-5 miles long with a posted truck speed of 10 mph.

To answer another question he had Monteagle in on I-24 in TN right before you get to Chattanooga going east.[/QUOTE]




Yeah buddy.... I-40. Where I was broken in during PSD. Instuctor said there was an easy way, and the way I was going to go. Said I'd probably hate him for it, but would thank him later. He was SO right. Really got my shifting down there along with winter grade driving. Great learning experience I will always remember. At least I have blood flow in my knuckles now when I am back there!

Many interesting western grade hit early on.....like Cabbage, Sister's, Donner & other's. Pretty much taught along same lines IP relating. I will always be greatfull to both my trainers for giving me the proper training to hopefully stay in one piece.

 

IP I think that is what he is misunderstanding in that if you are in the correct gear before going down with the jake working with the transmission as you said 99% of the time it won't over speed the engine. I can go down cabbage in 7th with the jake on and my RPM's will hold right at 1500. Doing it that way. I may only have to use the brakes on e or twice the whole way down.

 

Wyoming on I-80 between Evanston and Lyman. It's the 2 consecutive long downgrades followed by steep upgrades, not a lot of curvature to them.