Going downhills advice needed.

In my humble opinion. I believe you are incorrect on almost everything based on 27 years and 3 million miles. Engines are improved a diesel by design does not have any power to hold you back , never has never will otherwise a compression brake would have never been invented, Back in the day when I was taught to drive apply and release was what was taught, I think it was sometime in the end of the eightys that continued pressure was being taught. I still prefer apply and release personally. As to a rule of thumb on use of engine brakes, A new driver would be better off keeping the engine brake off in sever weather conditions, If you have the experience and judgement to set up and use it, then it's what ever works for you. But I'm presuming you are not a new driver. This is bout keeping the new guy and all thats around him safe till he gets enough experience to handle it by instinct.

Good Luck and be Safe.

 

I use a combination of ,steady pressure on the brakes, Jakes and watching my speed on downgrades. I get passed all the time and sometimes I get comments on the C.B. about it but There's nothing funnier than seeing the guy that gave you #### about your downhill speed sitting in a turnout halfway down with all of his brakes smokin' like a forest fire!

Anyone with a brain knows that stopping with hot brakes is an invitation for a serious brake fire...I've seen it happen quite a few times over the years.

 

every engine, every truck, even within one manufacturer is different with the jakes. The jakes on my old '00 Mack weren't worth a ####, MP7 engine, 355 hp, going down Vail or Eisenhower, grossing anymore than 50,000 lbs and my jakes were worthless unless I was in 5th gear or lower. Our '04's, one of them had excellent jakes that could almost put you through the windshield, the other one had horrible jakes. My new truck, I've come off those passes at 79,500 in 6th and 7th gear with jakes on high and barely touched my brakes.

My rule of thumb has always been to start off in a lower gear then I thought I needed, if I felt comfortable I would upshift. Turn on your hazards and take your time. Oh and turn the CB off, don't ever let some driver tell you how fast to come off a mtn. pass. Unless his truck is identical to yours in every way, shape, form, weight, engine, etc., ignore him and go at the speed that you feel safest at Anyone familiar with Wolf Creek Pass here in Colo. can tell you that. There is a sign at the top of Wolf Creek that gives different speed limits for semi's depending on how heavy they are. I've come off there 15 mph above what is posted for my weight, but, I'm also more familiar with my truck and have confidence in it, famous last words I know.

 

I agree it's the simple pleasures that are the best.... Gee bud how did that hill work out for ya...

 

That depends on how the truck is equipped. I've had Jakes that worked great and allowed me to never touch a brake and I've had them that just made a little noise and did very little to help with braking.

 

I certainly hope somebody has their terminology wrong. The correct braking method to use in decending steep grades is SNUB braking.
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To do snub braking, you apply the brakes harder than light steady pressure but not emergency braking. Think you are coming up on a traffic light that is changing. The concept is to activate all the brakes, slow to 5 mph below your safe speed, release the brakes and when your speed increases to your safe speed, repeat as necessary. Infrared testing has proven that snub braking results in significant lower brake temperatures than any other technique.
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The light steady pressure technique is no longer accepted as the best way to do it. The problem with light steady pressure is that not all the brakes will be activated because of tolerances in the brakes or an out of adjustment situation.
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This is why on the written CDL test the use of light steady pressure is a wrong answer. Guaranteed! The correct answer is snub braking or the definition of snub braking.
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Emergency braking techniques include both stab and controlled braking.
In stab braking, you apply the brakes hard enough to lock up the brakes, then release the brakes long enough to get all the wheels rolling and reapply the brakes. In controlled braking, the brakes are applied hard but without locking up the brakes.
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On the written test, when discussing the decending of a step grade or mountain driving; the only correct braking technique is snub braking. Light steady pressure or any emergency braking technique are all wrong answers.
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When in doubt read the current mighty fine Commercial Drivers Manual.
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I have had good results from balancing the load between the trailer tandems and the drive tandems. It seems that the speed of the truck does not increase as quickly. Thus allowing a longer period of time between brake applications and cooler brakes.
I calculate how many holes to slide the trailer tandems like this. Take the trailer tandem weight and subtract the drive tandem weight. Then divide by 500. The result is how many hole to slide the trailer tandems. If the result is a positive number, increase the trailer wheelbase. If the result is a negative number [drive tandems heavier than the trailer tandems] shorten the trailer wheelbase.

 

Tolerances in the brakes?
An out of ajustment situation?

This is what happens when you learn how to drive a truck by reading a book!

If your brakes are out of adjustment...Adjust them!
Light steady pressure may not be the currently accepted way of doing it but it has worked well for me for over 4,000,000 miles. I have never come near losing my brakes on any hill ever!

I do see the guys with their brakelights flashing on and off periodicaly gettin' them hot and smokin' them when mine are cool so I'll just stick with the old way that works!

Absolutely....Because some guy who never even sat in a truck that's sitting behind a desk, writing a book knows exactly what it takes to keep brakes cool on a grade!

 

Then don't listen to me.... All I know is 10 speeds.

 

But how are they staying cool if they are on the whole time???