Advice for driving down steep grades....

I disagree with this. I have and do downshift going down grade. I pick a gear for the grade and if I am still using to much brake I will slow down to 1100 and grab the next lower gear.

 

Years ago maybe 15 or so I heard a rule that you go down a hill in the same gear you made it up the hill. Does that still hold true?

 

Very likely that a new driver may have never gone up that hill.

 

To a certain degree yes. But most tractors/trailers are considerably lighter than 15/20 years ago. They can climb in higher gears but might require you to drop two to go down.

 

Step 1. NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHAT GEAR TO BE IN OR HOW FAST TO GO ON A DOWNHILL. Your not them, they aren't driving your truck. It's your butt that's on the line, not theirs. Know your truck, know approximently how fast you can go in each gear, and where your max RPM's for your jakes are.

Step 1A. Turn on your hazards

Step 2. Watch the speed limit signs, if it says 45 mph, do 40 mph, jakes on high, appropriate gear, gently brakes. IF you find this is too fast slow down.

Step 3. If have weak jakes, go a gear lower, and a few miles per hour slower.

 

depends on the truck, the load, the driver. I have times where I'm dropping down in a gear higher than I climbed (if loaded heavy) simply because my jakes are so strong.

 

Rule of thumb I usually use, I go down one gear lower than the gear I would would run for whatever the truck speed limit is for that hill. Its not a perfect system, of course, cause you have to factor in weight, weather conditions etc...but its a good starting point. Its always better to be in a gear too low and take your time down the hill than be in a gear too high and have get yourself in a bad spot.

 

I have only driven cascadias for my very short 1.5 year career.

But I found that the Jake brakes work more, at high RPM, than low RPM.

My suggestion for new drivers is to take their schooling in winter. Then do your orientation and training in spring. Then get a full summer of solo driving before you run into winter weather!

Mikeeee

 

I'm thinking I'll try popping it into neutral and just using trailer brakes the whole way down. Seriously... don't do that.

 

You'll notice the forum name, tirednaz, "Questions From New Drivers". The advice from bighaulc-15 is appropriate for the audience intended.

The experienced driver, when required can and will drop a gear, but new drivers have enough to worry about without putting themselves and others in such a dangerous situation.

There are simple rules of thumb, that you can grab ahold of OP that are mentioned by others here.

1.) Coming down hill, go one gear lower than it took you to go up it, at minimum.
2.) When rpms/speed get close to the legal mark you'll do what's suggested here, and that your instructors at Swift should have mentioned to you called "snub braking", which is the concept that you apply all of the brake at one time, to immediately slow the vehicle down to desired speed, and then release.
3.) If you must shift, it is during this time that you are snub braking that you would make that shift move, but as pointed out above by the other driver, don't do it until you're confident and seasoned enough to accomplish it. Losing gear going down hill is the most dangerous thing you as a new driver can have happen to them. Your immediate reaction will be to hold the brakes to slow you, but they will heat up and lose efficiency and you will lose braking capability. At that point you better know where that Runaway Ramp is. Keep It Simple Student. Don't shift downhill. I know Swift's instructors will tell you the same thing, so don't discount their advice.
4.)Upon snub braking and seeing the rpms/speed slow, release the brakes, let the jakes do their job until they become overwhelmed again and the truck speeds up, and again apply the brakes again briefly until you slow down again. This is why it's called snub braking.
5.)When you reach the bottom, and unclench your white knuckles from the steering wheel and breathe that deep sigh of relief, be grateful you asked here in these forums and that you didn't try to downshift.

Good Luck