Driving down steep grades in icy conditions

These guys have more patience and fortitude than I ever will. If it ever got that bad for me as far as driving conditions went, I'd probably be sitting at home filling out apps and stretching whatever's left of my budget.

 

I've never run a tractor trailer over roads like that but I absolutely love driving them in my service truck. My favourite service calls are the ones that take me out on the ice roads in the bush. Usually flooded muskeg that's been graded down smooth. Only traction is blown snow. Couple times I've slid clear across the road on turns at slightly above idle. Gotta keep up momentum to clear the small hills and pipeline bridges as well.

 

Well, if it's a smaller vehicle with the proper equipment for those roads, of course I'd take it. Once I'm done paying off this mountain of a pickup payment I have, I'm looking at getting one of those old school, ex-military Blazers with that 6.2 Diesel inside it. Mixed reviews on it, but a somewhat useful tool to have around should I find myself having to trudge through less than stellar conditions.

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

This is a gravel road. Far better than paved when dealing with ice.
One thing helps alot. Make sure your tires have good siping. I've had half worn tires, siped in the fall.

 

You must be spoiled by newer trucks with ABS and electronic fuel injection; Only then will the jake automatically shut off when wheels loose traction. Thats the problem giving the advice with using the jake in slick; you aught to give a qualifier that describes the operation of it depends how the truck was designed.

If your sliding, 8 more brakes are not going to help you.

You need to get off the brakes and/or jake and straighten the truck out. Just getting off the brakes and on the fuel if needed is a whole lot less monkey motion then what you describe, way quicker, and way smoother then screwing around with the jake switch.

Entirely possible to gain a feel and modulate braking force with peddle. Once you do, any margin and speed is on you and your skill set. Recovery is quicker and you don't have to monkey with a switch.

 

They can actually install an override switch to shut off the ABS when off road. My old man had that on all his trucks. He told me the last thing you wanted was for the jake to cut out when you've got 140k pushing you down a 12-15%. I guess its better to control the wheel lock yourself while you still have hold back on the jake than suddenly losing everything and being forced to get on the brakes before it runs away on you I guess.

 

and dont trust a cattle hauler when you ask him if the roads are bad. his reply, nah, just a few slick spots here or there. BULL!!! more like 5 to 7 mph for 20 or so miles due to nowhere to get off the road in s.d. yes i did the 511 & google maps. it was worse than anyone showed. popped my cherry so to speak. lol

 

Excellent advice. That's letting the truck work for you. We need more wide spread word of this type of driving. Good job driver.