winter driving mountains

You are describing "snub braking" and yes it does indeed work. Travel at 1 to 2 gears LOWER than the gear you used to climb the hill and keep the rpms in the normal range. Out west you will be required to chain up before going over a snowy pass and the speed will be about 25 to 30 miles per hour going down to maintain control.

 

After a little experience, you will know what gear to take compared to how heavy your load is. You will get to know the mountains each very well. The main thing you have to remember is to pick a gear that you don't have to use the breaks that much. You need to try out things (without getting radical, start extra safe and work up) and find a happy medium. What I try to do is find a gear that allows the RPM's to climb slow enough that I stay off the breaks as much as possible. Then once its a bit high, use a small tap of the brakes to push the RPMs back down a bit and start all over again. After some practice, you will be able to descend Vale, Cabbage, Mounteagle or whatever the road throws at you and do it by barley touching the breaks. Thats your goal.

 

Yes as the above poster said, chains are required or you don't move. Simple.
Also once you find that happy medium you should also be able to stay away from the foot brake once you become a seasoned driver IF your truck is equipped with at least a 3 stage jake brake. (sp) I have successfully used this going down many mountains (loaded) and never touch the foot brake.

 

wet roads.... mountain or no mountain. I'm sure you've learned this in school. just want to emphasize it !! pay attention to your trailer as you brake as well as going around the bends, especially when you're empty.

 

My rule with snow and mountains .... if there is a chain law in effect .... I am parking and waiting .... you spend as much time chaining .... slow driving .... unchaining as sitting

There are to many things that can happen .... aint no load worth taking a chance

 

Especially when it is my truck that is at risk.

 

Many of the things you are taught about downhill driving apply to snow covered mountains also. Brake usage should be minimized as much as possible.

Things that can't be taught, experience, can kill you.

First, you'll need to find your comfort zone. Everyones is different when driving in snow and ice. Then stick to it, regardless of how often you get passed by others. Don't be tempted to speed up because of other drivers. Stay within your own zone. Chains really make a HUGE difference, speeds should not exceed 35 mph with chains.

Ideally, you want to maintain a steady RPM. But that's near impossible on some grades. Too much compression (read lower gears and simple engine compression) is equally as bad as applying too much brake with a heavy load on steep grades.

To give you an idea of the extreme... Last winter, I was forced to use the shoulder as part of my comfort zone. My weight would not allow me to pull out onto the "ice covered" asphalt. Every time I tried to get back onto the main roadbed, the truck would speed up, as it was sliding down the mountain, tires not turning...I used the shoulder all the way down.

Then parked my happy *** for the rest of the night.

 

Example .... Wed the the 21st .... I was headed east down Homestake Pass outta Butte .... speed limit is 25 (posted for trucks) .... I came down it doing 27 (6th gear with the jake running) .... I had at least 6 trucks pass me hitting the brkaes constantly as they went down

Down remember Butte just got snow .... so the right lane was the best condition .... the left was ice and sand .... but the "super truckers" just didnt want to get behind me and wait .... I never touched the brakes the entire way down

Rule of thumb .... 6 or 7% down grade use minimum 6th gear with the jake .... if you cant use the jake use at least one more gear lower .... let the fools pass you .... it does get tempting to speed up .... but it aint worth it

I believe it is Ashland Pass just after you get into Oregon on 5 north .... speed limit is 18 for trucks 70 - 80,000 .... i maintained 18 - 23 coming down .... lost track of how many passed me .... but at the bottom there is a scale house .... every truck that passed me was sitting in the house .... and being yanked in the back .... i got the green prepass .... and as i went past waved and smiled

Most states such as Oregon know what you are doing coming down the grades .... why chance it

 

If anything, you need a tractor equipped with a full Jacobs Braking. Usually three stages. Flip all of them up find a gear that keeps the rpms and braking to where you are maintaining a constant speed downgrade without touching your brakes at all. Every grade is different.

You describe what I call snub braking. You can do that once in a while but not too often. Ideally you don't need to do it. Certain grades like I-40 NC Black Mountain requires you to be at 30 or less for 5 miles or so with a big truck. As long you are there and have a plenty of air plus jacobs balancing the downhill speed you can do this all day long.

The problems begin out west when you are required to have chain. I do not have much experience with chain believe it or not. Having been lucky a number of times. My last storm was in St Georges Utah going for Las Vegas against two feet of wet barefoot. I needed to be through there and coming down to the drier air etc out of the storm before it really got ferocious that night.

If you do not have a jacobs brake or any thing at all, then you fall back on the old rule. You go down in the gear you came up OR... in your case two or more gears lower. Remember you have your trolley in the trailer first then the tractor but by that time you usually should be at the bottom.

If anything else such as snow, ice etc is involved then your operation of jacobs is in doubt and you fall back to the old rule same gear coming up and over minus two. Or even more. with a third. You must keep a eye on that trailer, especially on curves and inside shaded areas which will usually be ice believe it or not. Idaho-Montana Lookout pass comes to mind.

Pay attention to the weather. Especially if the weather man says snow level 3000 feet one foot, snow level 5000 feet two feet. If a mountain is 6000 foot on a pass then you know for sure you have snow coming up from the west usually and then there is usually battle with ice then sleet then rain on the other side when you come out of the snow line.

I can go on. But I cannot write everything into one post. Mountain work for me is very rewarding and something of a joy. The main thing is keeping a stable truck without brakes at all. Keeping the brakes cold for the moment you really must stop now. (Sandstone I-64 comes to mind unfortunately, this mountain has blood on it.) and there is white sulphur springs where there is actually a truckstop at the bottom, or nearly so. They still sing songs about that mountain pass there.