Driving down steep grades in icy conditions

I came across this video, which IMHO is solid gold. Great scenery and great advice.



First of all, note that this veteran of driving off road (this is a dirt road) USES HIS JAKE BRAKES. I emphasize that point because all new drivers are told to never use Jakes in slick conditions. Good advice IF you don't know how to use them.

Notice he demonstrates and talks about the importance of using the light or medium Jake setting in conjunction with a constant, light application of the service brakes, about 5 psi. He does go to the high Jake setting for slowing before curves or hitting the slick 10% downgrades.

He also talks about the danger of going TOO slow on banked curves or longer steep downgrades. On banked turns if you go too slow you slide sideways to the inside of the turn. On long downgrades you can only hold it back so much before you start sliding. Go with the right speed to maintain traction.

Practice. Learn all the tools and what they can do.

 

Amen.

To which I would add the defining moment of Allen Iverson's career:

"We're talking about PRACTICE!"

Once you learn the limitations of traction with the Jake, you learn to play that thing like a piano, changing from High, Medium, to Low or NO Jake as the situation requires.

Here's the thing. All drivers WILL be faced with a similar scenario if they drive long enough. You might start driving westbound from Denver in t-shirts and shorts weather, approach the Eisenhower Tunnel with NO chains required, but be in a blizzard the last few miles up and down because mountains make their own weather. You will have to be able to deal with that SAFELY.

One thing the OP video didn't cover, which I think is important, is to cancel the Jakes altogether and LET IT FLY if you feel even low setting is starting to slip. Then get on the service brakes to slow it down to low rpm's, reengage the Jake on low setting and start all over again controlling your descent.

 

Absolutely true.

This is why on the big road you see truckers hauling logs, cattle, or oil field equipment that might be driving a tad faster than you. That's because the challenges they face getting to and from paved roads is often a magnitude of difficulty greater than the simple act of keeping it upright in slick conditions. That's the time to light up a smoke, drink some coffee, say a prayer of thanks for not needing to call a tow truck or bulldozer to haul you out of a snow bank miles from nowhere, and be patient while the big road drivers sort it out.

By NO means am I the fastest driver on the road in a blizzard. I pay attention to space management. I pay attention to what other drivers need. I slow way down if I am getting passed and might speed way up to expedite a pass. Everything is all about separating myself from drivers that may or may not have skills and mindset to handle the conditions.

 

No. If you descend an icy grade that is two digits in percentage, you will need to control that descent. Service brakes alone is a bad idea.