braking on big mountains...

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by elharrison, Feb 8, 2008.

  1. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    Thats another reason why I wouldnt buy a fleet spec truck. Ever driven a big powered diesel with a monster jake? Hit the jake and get launched towards the windshield monster jake?

    The jake on a 550-650+ HP truck is completely different than the one on a 430-470 HP fleet truck.
     
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  3. brinkj23

    brinkj23 "Asphalt Cowboy"

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    Oh yeah way different from company to company, and also different between brands in the same company. I drove a 07 KW t6 with a 475 cummins and super 10 trans, I could put it in 9th and not have to touch the brakes all the way down donner loaded at 76k or so. That truck had an awesome jake and really strong. Now ive talked to other guys within the same company that were driving internationals and they would have to be in 7 or 8th depending on weight to be in control on donner.
     
  4. JChors

    JChors Medium Load Member

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    It's possible an engine's displacement has more to do with how 'strong' the engine brake is than it's HP rating. An example: I had the 12 Liter Volvo engine in my last 780, rated at 465hp, and the engine brake was a dog. My prior 780 had a 14 Liter Cummins in it, rated at 450hp and it had amazing engine braking. Those two extra Liters give you bigger pistons and bigger firing chambers pushing out larger volumes of air, hence creating greater resistance when the engine is retarded.
     
  5. LostSoulCA

    LostSoulCA Medium Load Member

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    snub braking is the correct answer on the California test.
     
  6. primexample

    primexample Light Load Member

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    I disagree.Controlled Braking method at a lower gear & speed light steady pressure 3 to 5 psi, with the right gear with, and no jake. a 10 speed transmission 4th or 5th gear by keeping the brakes closed. The heat your brakes accumulate has a better path to git rid of the heat.The little bit of heat you are creating will transfer threw the whole wheel assembly, but snub braking, by you going and putting 20-30 psi on the brake shoes, and than backing off, then your brakes are only getting hotter, and hotter, than red hot, than air hits them, then they catch fire because your feeding them the fuel they need to catch fire. which is AIR. + there is not a large enough conduction path to dissipate the heat from your shoes when you separate the shoe from the drum.your drums are ok but the shoes are hanging in free air not getting rid of the heat as quick as your are letting them get hot. heat flows from warmer to cooler. the greater the temperature difference the faster the heat will flow,it has been told .you can drive coast to coast with your brakes applied with 3-5 psi and never smoke your brakes.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2009
  7. primexample

    primexample Light Load Member

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    Camp Verde grade
     
  8. primexample

    primexample Light Load Member

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    Hope your not in a 8 speed with no jake your gonna go a lot faster than 25 mph. you need to get to the low side of the transmission.
     
  9. jlkklj777

    jlkklj777 20 Year Truckload Veteran

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    Disagree all you like, it makes no difference to me. I "know" what works based on over 2 million miles of driving through 48 contiguous states plus 2 Canadian provinces with no problems in regard to braking on mountains.

    The schools teach snub braking because it is considered to be the safest method for descending mountains. I have found this to be true based on my personal experience over the past 17+ years.

    According to your profile you have been driving 2 years. That is a good start but you're still a beginner.

    Perhaps when you have reached your first million miles you will have enough real world experience to actually realize which method is more reliable.
     
  10. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    We appear to have arm chair driver here, or some really misinformed drivers to say the least. The number of gear you need to drop depends on the grade and its length, its not a automatic drop 2 or 3 or 4. And actually my jake will hold back up to 121,000 with a small amount of brakes pressure (3 to 5 psi continuous pressure and they DO NOT get overheated), 80,000 I do not need to use m brakes at all the jakes will completely hold the weight of the truck. The whole trick is to slow down before starting the decent.

    If your loaded at 121,000 and start down thru the gorge in Utah fan braking your going to overheat your brakes, guaranteed. Light steady pressure will down the trick. If our fan braking and they start to get hot, smoking do not stop just apply 3 to 5 lbs of pressure, just enough to keep the shoes touching the drums, continuing to fan brake smoking brakes will cause complete brake failure, also very well may catch them on fire. Braking is an important issue, if you don't know don't comment your going to kill somebody with your bad advice.
     
    primexample Thanks this.
  11. primexample

    primexample Light Load Member

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    Im talking about with out a jake brake.fanning your brakes is not a good idea.
    Maybe your school taught you that way.my school at Stevens transport taught me to not use snub braking, and to use the controlled braking method when no jake is available. and with a 10 speed 10 minus the % of the grade= the gear to descend the grade in,you can go 1 gear higher.but 2 is asking for it, and keep rpms around 2100, with light steady pressure all the way down.
    After driving 16 months with no jake in all 48 states. and never smoked my brakes but once with my trainer which he said to stay in 6th gear instead of 4th, and they smokedafter going half way down grapvine northbound.than he reached over and flipped on the jake brake an it took over the rest of the way,but it was only to teach a lesson to be sure to stick with the formula to be in the correct gear, so i think this formula works pretty dam good,so i think i know what im talking about.
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2009
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