Going downhills advice needed.

Jakes may be used in inclement weather, if you are experienced enough, and know what you're doing. When jakes are not available, or not used, gear selection is even more important. I think that you should have used at least 1 and most likely 2 gears lower. You can always shift up a gear, however, it's very difficult-if not impossible- to downshift. Please get more training on this from your company, or another driver that knows !!! Be careful !!

 

What is the grade there? The general rule of thumb is to subtract the grade from 10. For example, if the grade is a 6, 10-6=4th gear. Then you brake slow down to 5mph below the speed limit, let off and hit the speed limit, then repeat. No stab braking downhill.

At least that's what the book says.

 

Stab breaking? Going downhill? You are joking ... you ARE joking ... aren't you???? Something here tells me that you are serious ... DEAD SERIOUS. Well ... since you are serious ... I've always wanted to know why yall Kamikazi pilots wear helmets?

Try this if you are afraid to use the jake ... a nice low gear and CONSTANT, EVEN brake pressure. Don't be taking your foot off the brakes and letting it speed back up and then apply again ... that will only crystalize your brake pads and it will take more and more pressure to achieve the same amount of slowing power ... by the time you get to the bottom you'll be standing on the brakes and going 150 mph. Don't PLAY with steep grades.

Like jtrnr1951 said ... get some more training from your company or another driver before you end up becoming nothing more than bone splinters and hamburger. PLEASE!

 

I got a 18 speed???

 

There ain't no book that is going to take you down a hill. You learn how to survive by experience, and the right experience.

Before "Jakes", the rule of thumb was a constant pressure on the pedal and the right gear. Now, the only problem with this, if you have a couple of brakes out of adjustment, you just might overheat the ones that are actually doing the braking. And this is the reason you should check the adjustment on your brakes. Before all this electronic controls on trucks, the "gearing down" worked much better than on the modern engines.

Since the modern engines, you don't have as much "holding back" as you did before. Years ago, I used the "constant pressure" system, but in recent years, I have switched to the "stab" system, along with the "Jakes". Yes, I use "Jakes" in bad weather, but I usually reduce it from all 6 cylinders to either 4 or even 2.

 

I think that all those folks that end up in the runaway truck ramps should answer this. Then just don't do what they did. However, most of those drivers are in another line of work now. SAMUEL2006ok, I give YOU credit for asking. Many folks are to proud and end up in trouble. Good Luck !!

 

Notarps4me ... I can see that you've wrestled with reality for quite some time now ... glad to see you finally won out over it

 

Grouch ... thanks for the education. I don't have a jake on my truck. Since taking up gasoline delivery in 1987 and doing mostly local (within 175 miles of Charlotte, NC) deliveries, I havn't had much experience with downgrades recently as it is pretty much rolling hills around here. Prior to that I ran alot of east coast/west coast refer work running the grapevine and cabbage on a fairly regular basis ... and the low gear/ constant even pressure technique was what I was using at the time. Sorry to have give our newbie friend the wrong advice ... it wasn't intentional ... I wouldn't play games with something as serious as that.

 

To start off slow down before you start down, go over the edge in a gear lower than you think you need slower than you think you should be. If you do not have trucks passing you your going to fast. Slowdown drop another gear before you start down. If you think your going to slow your probably about right. The heaver your are the slower you start down. You can always pick it a little next time.

You can be to slow alot of times, but you can only be to fast once.. as much as I hate this little saying it stays true...