Downgrades in the snow

Ahhhh, Ling Cod...you had me at Ling...

 

That's very true.

I was teaming with my brother a few years ago when he woke me up from the sleeper berth because the Jakes had stopped working on a long, steep downgrade. While he downshifted and brought under control I opened the glove compartment and started looking at the fuse box. Once I identified the fuse for the Jake control I started to wiggle it out. As soon as I wiggled it the Jakes reactivated. After that we went through the entire set of fuses, blowing out the dust, and made sure all fuses had continuity.

This of course meant "we" violated another of those idiot pieces of wisdom, "Never downshift going down a hill". That's advice that can get a driver killed. Learn how to downshift on a downgrade. Learn how to compensate for sudden loss of Jakes. If you don't do that PRACTICE then when the real deal is on you the likely result is you will panic.

Practice driving in the ####. You never know when the #### will happen.

 

Part of the situation must lie in Thermal. The storage or banking of beneficial temperature and immediate removal of those other temps not welcome to the entire system.

If you are in winter and you are running down say Virgin River on our interstate system in one corner of AZ in the snow pack, you will find that you probably can go ahead and extract more speed and make more time within the traction limitations because you can brake harder and cool off faster than ordinary due to the piled snow around you. At the time time If you did not have a best practice of chancing or habitual use of these tips you would introduce additional problems into your home.

For example you never touched your brakes on down grades. (This is a wild and outrageous assumption bear with me) the 18 wheeler will simply freeze and forget how to use the brakes when you finally have need of them. God forbid you have emergency need of them and in the stress of the moment you could not be doing well sometimes. (I know I don't)

If you did use smooth gentle breaking on a snowy downgrade you are adding in cold braking just for the asking from the precip, cold metals and piles of snow plus wheel and tire spray ec. Those brakes have a actual chance to do a good job what with the cold weather parts.

 

People can use the engine brakes if they want. It is just not something I would do in snow and ice. If you drive an auto shift transmissions today you may put yourself in the ditch. Because the new auto shift transmissions drop a gear or two and go to 2,200 rpm

The brakes will not over heat at 10 psi. That is why I say you ride ride the brakes all day because most think they will. It sounds like a crazy statement. That why trucking companies that run out west spec their truck with brake pressure application gauge. It not a standard gauge.

I understand if people don't believe me or do it another way. Another reason you don't use the engine brake, for the engine brake to work better you have have higher engine RPMs. To save yourself and the truck and trailer from jacknifing going down will their is only one way to do it and this one people never think about. I never hear drivers talk about it. You have step on the pedal and go faster. You have pull the trailer downhill and get it back behind you tractor.

If your going downhill with high RPMs because your need the engine brake to get you down the hill. You can't pull the trailer past 1,800 RPMs. You would have to shift gears and lose that time to stop the jacknife. You want be prepared for a jacknife and keep engine RPMs low so you you can pull the trailer if needed.

Just something to think about if someone plans on using engine brake in snow and ice.

 

If you’re not generating heat in the drums and shoes, you’re not “braking”. All you’re doing is activating the stop light switch.

It’s likely constant light pressure is generating more long term heat then you realize. Probably enough to harden the linings but not get them to smoke.

 

I'm really reluctant to give advise, because there is no rule that is correct all the time. I know what @Long FLD drives, how heavy he usually is, and where he drives; what he and others have said is well worth paying attention to.

As mentioned before, one must learn to read the road conditions all the time, and realize that they can change drastically between the top and bottom of a hill, in and out of shade, and around a corner or over the crest of a hill that is wind blown. If you are tuned into the feel of your truck you will once in a while get that feeling; that feeling that things are too quiet, that feeling that your truck is loose before it ever actually breaks loose, that feeling that if you do anything sudden you will lose it. @TripleSix described it well being buttery smooth with everything you do.

Here are some tips that have helped me survive driving in the Northwest since 1980:

1. The very most important habit to get into is to give yourself plenty of room so that when something happens in front of you, you have half a chance to react without doing something sudden.
2. Be aware of a place to go without having to stop; sometimes it doesn't exist, but usually you will have an avenue to get past trouble.
3. Watch the outside temperature closely, although in this day and age with the various chemicals and salt that are used, sometimes it is not as easy as it once was, but it is helpful to be thinking about what the surface is; i.e. glare ice, black ice, etc. Hard snow pack @ -10 degrees is way different than snowpack @ 30 degrees.
4. Use the snow that hasn't been run on (shoulder) when necessary.
5. Watch what the trucks from the Northwest and Western Canada do, but don't necessarily try to keep up with them.
6. Too slow can be almost as bad as too fast.
7. Listen to the CB, it can warn you of a problem before you see it ( I think this still applies and that a few folks still use them).

A few other things that I do; not right or wrong, but have worked for me.

1. I definitely use the Jake. My trucks are older and the Jakes aren't quite as strong as some new ones, but you can still use a lower setting if nothing else.
2. I DON'T use the diff-lock going downhill. The reason is that I would rather have just one of the four drivers stop spinning than one on each axle. I have had this happen several times over the years. You need to be ready to gently apply the service brakes with the left foot while giving it a touch of fuel with the right to get the wheels turning again. If you are too slow and you kill the engine you have your hands full to maintain speed with service brakes while getting engine started again. I think newer trucks generally cut the jakes off before killing the engine, but you never know.
3. With a manual transmission, learn to gently hold your speed with the left foot while downshifting so that you do not have to rush a shift. This is very helpful when you find that you are going a bit faster than you want, and allows you to make a smooth shift while not risking missing a gear and making things worse. It also helps prevent jerky movements that can be the beginning of a problem. It pays to practice/use this on dry roads as well.

I am sure that many will think I am nuts, and can cite numerous reasons why everything that I have mentioned is wrong, but it has worked for me.

 

I have never driven an automatic and that's a can of worms I hope to never open.

When I am running down a steep, slick grade I NEVER get the rpm's higher than 1500 rpm's. I DO NOT WANT to have the Jakes anywhere close to maximizing braking power. On slick surfaces it's always best to stay WELL within the parameters of the capabilities of your rig.

I suppose someday I will be called upon to drive an automatic for a customer on a "Drive Away". Your post will help me decide how to "dial it down" and maintain control. My thoughts and prayers are with those that have to drive automatics.

 

^^^ THIS ^^^

Your post is a "must read" for all drivers.

 

The biggest thing that will get you killed or worse is your willful being stupid on that mountain, big or small. IF everyone could run it as well as the Professionals do and no one needed specifically to be truckers in the mountains all would be well. But no, life isn't like that.

Treat every hill you come down as your first. The day you see that steep downgrade and no longer seem to care will more than likely will be your last day among us on earth.

Some will accuse me of being drama etc. I say save it. There is always someone who should not be on that mountain today.

 

I do drive an automated-manual... Pull that B****h into manual mode and your good to go. I refuse to drive an automated-manual that doesnt have a manual mode. My truck is in manual mode 95% of the time... I tell it when to shift or I dont drive it, PERIOD.