Downgrades?

To answer your question, the long grades out west are a different animal than the shorter grades on the east side. The difference between a 2 mile grade and a 6 mile grade is significant if it's not dealt with properly. Some of them you can see the "bottom", but it's still 5 miles away and gets steeper as you go.

 

Cabbage is one of those hills and to top it off its curvy. I've more than one truck with smoking brakes at the bottom. q in sac you are forgetting the Siskoyous,Cajon Grade, Cabbage,Vail Pass, the one outside San Diego, and a few more I don't remember the name of.

 

There are lots of steering wheel holders that think it is perfectly fine to have smoke rolling off the brakes when they get to the bottom. Those morons shouldn't be allowed to drive a car, let alone a truck.


The right speed to go down any grade is whatever speed that allows you to not use your brakes or use them very little. If you are starting down an unfamiliar grade, start slow. If you're going too slow, you can bump it up a gear. If you start too fast, you will get your brakes hot right from the start.

 

So if this happened here then how would you ever handle 6 miles of 6% grade? Pay attention the the signs about steep grades, they are there for your safety.

 

I agree with the east coast grades being deciving. Not normally long, well eb i68 into cumberland, md is 13 miles at 6% but got a few steep ones on the state roads and backroads. We got the rollercoasters over here, up and down, up and down. Only been out west once so ill defer advice to someone who has run there alot. Simple advice, gear down before you start down and dont hold your foot on the brakes.

 

If you're smoking your brakes you're going too fast no matter where it is. You should go down any grade with the idea that you may have to stop at any time. You never know where an accident will be or some rocks that have blocked the lanes.

Yes out west you'll find more mountains to go down than back east. Don't let anyone force you to drive any faster than you feel safe. By smoking the brakes tells you something has to change. Either you have a mechanical problem or a driving problem.

 

I have a Prostar, and anyone who has driven one will agree that the Jakes suck on it. I can't rely on them, and had a close call this past weekend. I was on 68 going through Wv/va, and started down a 6% grade in 8th gear. My jakes were non-existant. I'd apply the brakes for a few seconds, then release, apply, then release. By the time I hit the bottom of the grade, my brakes were smoking. Normally, you can get the jakes to hold you back a little in the Prostar, but not last weekend.

I had a load going from Bowling Green, to Baltimore, and took 64/77/ then to 68. There was one part where it was a 13 mile, 6% downgrade, but it wasn't all a downgrade. I mainly stay in the east coast, and so far Sandstone is the worst. US19 in WV is fun

 

Oh yeah.....Don't you just love that one?......