Controlled, Stab, Snub, Threshold braking

My experience has been the same. I agree 100%.

 

Whatever gets you down the hill in one piece. This is from a lawyer who sues truck drivers and truck companies. You can bet the lawyers keep up with the recommended methods so they can know where to attack.

DECELERATION AND BRAKING TECHNIQUE
The Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) manual governs recommended braking techniques for drivers operating trucks and other commercial vehicles. When first published, the manual advocated light and steady break application when descending steep grades. Persuasive research by the University of Michigan now suggests that “snub” braking, which requires harder brake application, is preferable for the purpose of decelerating and stopping. Snub braking is characterized by:

Choosing the correct gear
Allowing truck to accelerate
Reaching maximum safe speed
Braking to slow truck down 5 mph
Repeating process as truck descends hill
Distributing energy among all working brakes
Maintaining pneumatic balance at all wheel ends
Because overheating inflicts the most damage to brakes, the old theory of light and steady braking was intended to reduce the amount of heat energy required to slow down trucks. But the manner of braking does not affect the amount of heat produced. In fact, even distribution among the entire braking system produces cooler brakes. Snub braking also eliminates the dangerous imbalance of pressure between relay valves in the tractor drive axles and trailer axles"
www.atlantapersonalinjurylawyer.pro/improper-braking-technique.html

 

Were you using your Jake?

 

Yes.

Varying from low to high, depending on the grade.

 

Where do you find these drivers? There's a bunch of us here that haul gasoline in trucks that weight just over 105,000lbs and I can assure you there is nothing about going down a grade in these trucks that a driver has an attitude that he or she knows it all. Of course we all know how each other drives since we work so closely with each other. When I come up to any grade say the grade that goes down into Laughlin NV (163) I make positively sure all my brakes are working properly. I turn down the CB and turn the FM radio off. I crack both the drivers and passengers window so I can hear and smell better.

Then once I start down I go very slow with a jake. I maybe use the foot pedal once or twice. My senses are keen and I'm fully prepared to stop if there's a rock slide or any other hazards. Once I come off the grade and going into town I sometimes pass the OTR guys that have smoke pouring off their axles. Not all but a few that either have no experience or common sense and from states that have no grades. I don't even stop (forbidden) so I don't know if they're one of those drivers that know it all besides I don't think they like my laughing. Even before that stretch of highway was a divided into a 4 lane road and under construction I still came off with no smoke. There's no recommended truck speed there so you have to know what you're doing. It's deceiving with no truck escape ramp like the one on the other side in AZ. Everyone of the drivers I worked with knew there was always something to learn and if someone did pick-up a bit of information it would get passed around. But it seems to me you do not have that quality to stay open minded and know you'll never know everything, not even close. Good luck.

 

I guess I'm a "snub" enthusiast. But, being from Hawaii I've always called it "feathering" the brakes. Perhaps the terminology has to do with your region. BTW, we don't give a #### what they call it in California...

 

You say tomato, I say tomah-to. Does it really matter?

 

Yah, cuz we say tomatoe, and you say tomato! Go pound cheese silly boy...

 

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