Downgrades with no Jake. Best way to handle it?

Seeing how we were in training at the time, I guess that they instructed us right then.

But I do agree with you... Slow and steady down the hill.

 

Not that opening window bad idea--u use ALL ur sences if u drive properly BUT typically if u (or when) u smell brakes on a grade they ain't urs they r someone in front of u remember ur going forward air moving back--smell tends to travel away--so keep that in mind and don't panic

 

First out some advice given here will get a new driver killed like grabing a lower gear while going down the grade what if they miss and cant find a gear then what well hope to god they got a runaway ramp anyways proper thing to do depending on weight and grade of downhill preselect where you want to be lets say you wanna be rolling downhill at 30 miles per hour because of a sharp curve or something pre select your gear lets say 6th prior to the hill then keep your target speed as you go over that target speed apply the brake for a few seconds to drop aprox 5 mph under the target speed release the brakes and continue doing that till you get to the bottom of the grade that way you dont heat up your brakes and you dont speed out of control

 

Only time running with no Jake was in a 6-speed auto box truck. Started the hill in 2nd and never did get any real stopping power from the motor. As soon as I let up on the brakes the RPM's shot right up and I was back on the brakes. I didn't smoke the brakes but I was on them more than I wanted to be. I wish I could have taken tried it with someone that knew what they were doing so they could tell me what I was doing wrong...

 

about your box truck experience maybe the transmission was not heavy duty enough to slow the truck down sometimes the six speeds can be useless on hills

 

Been said here a lot. Drop your speed down to where you feel safe and let it build 5 mph, use light brake to slow it down when it starts to climb over your safe speed. Take your time and be safe. It is not a bad thing to crawl down a grade, it is a bad thing to race down one.

 

You are probably right...it was like driving a big, overloaded Uhaul.

 

You don't see many trucks with out some kind of retarding device such as an exhaust brake or an engine brake. But when you do.. It used to be rule of thumb what gear you went up.. Was the gear you went down. But with the higher horsepower engines, you are better to select a slower gear than what you want to go. It is easier to shift up.. And trying to shift down going down a hill you have a very good chance of missing the gear, and heating or loosing your brakes. Most hills east of the rockie mountains may be steep.. But aren't long enough to get into to much trouble. It takes about 4-5 miles of 5 or 6% grade or more before you don't have control to get into trouble. When I first started my truck didnt have a jake brake, but just the trucks brakes. Everybody any more is taught to pump their brakes.. That will heat up the brakes.and use up alot of air . Think.. When you pump the brakes , stab what ever you want to call it, puts air in between the shoes and the drum. Ever watch some body like a black smith or a forger, get his fire hot.. They have something like a bellows that blows air in the fire and makes it hotter. The way I was first shown what hot was.. My mentor and I belonged to a gym. We were in the steam room. He told me to rock back and forth.. HUH? Just do it.. So I did a couple of times and ran out burning up. He came out a minute or so latter and asked what happened.. Told him I was burning up. He said thats what happens when you pump your brakes. What he taught me was always have your brakes applied.. Speed up.. Add a little more pressure.. Slow up release a little pressure on the petal.. Not much more applied 1-2 lbs.on your brake pressure gauge.. Normally I will run about 5-10 all the way down.and while your watching your gauge ,you can see if your brakes are heating up to much as you will need to add more air pressure . And when they don't feel right, you still have enough brake to be able to pull over and completely stop and let them cool.. Going down a big hill is not a race.. So just take your time and go as fast as you feel completely in control and comfortable.. Have your rpms about 15- 18 someplace in there. 19 or 20 apply more pressure.. 13-14 release a little.. If you don't feel good about the situation.. Turn off your CB and pull over and take a few minute break.. Going down hills like out of Kingman Az to Bull head city, az. 13 miles 7% grade.. Two run aways.. And now it gets better.. Almost at the bottom is a stoplight. Then you go about another 1/2 mile, still down hill ,to normally a very busy stoplight, where if your going to Nevada, you turn right at. So if you have hot brakes.. You could take out alot of cars. Brake fade.. That is where your brake drums are either getting hot or are to hot , and have expanded out past your brake shoe travel. It can end up no brakes at all. Smoking brakes.. That's where you have gotten either dirty brake parts with oil grease etc , or the brake shoe it self on fire. Most of the time it will quit smoking by itself if you let it cool. I had one many years ago that you needed a fire extinguisher to put out as it was oily. Now today you have two types of brakes... Shoe and disc. With shoe brakes the best you will ever get is at the top of the hill as the brakes heat up and the drums expand out away. With disc.. When you heat up the brake, the disc expands into the disc pads, so with them the bottom of the hill is the best. But something to think about disc.. They generate ALOT of heat.. But they are built for that.. But try not to stop at the bottom..as allof that heat can with no air blowing around the disc, can and has the chance of melting things, like airlines, ABS cables , or anthing plastic or rubber. But if the truck is moving the air will take away the heat. Until cooled ..maybe a mile or so.. Just enough to get the bad heat out of the brake area as. They will normally cool down rather quickly with the air circulating. Just remember if your not really sure.. Don't listen to billy big rigger on how to do it, take your time.. It's easier to go to slow than to fast, and do what makes you fell comfortable.. It's your life.. Not billy big rigs. And respect that hill..now it's not rocket science to do this.. But you can go safely or end up in a ball at the bottom.best of luck in your journeys, and just take your time going down hills. Not billy big rigs time , so turn off that CB. And just a thought.. I used to have to go down that hill .. Had a jake brake, gross 122,000 lbs, went down at 35 mph, never touched my brakes until I got to the stop lights.. Long hill heavy and cool brakes.. It just takes time, and better to slow.

 

3000???!?? Wth. Come onnnnn

 

Dont no who taught or told you that. But as early as the 95 . Lots of trucks didnt even have a jake. Top of the hill down shift one or TWO gears. Then the debate begins, some say around 15-1700 stab brake it down to 10-1200. Other say just apply a light brake to get it between 10-1200. I remember using both methods. Cant say I remember either one being better than the other. Just don't smoke em.