Instant O/O and Load boards

I know this episode had to scare the crap out of ya, but I had to smile abit. In 1978 I was a snot nose kid driving a cattle truck off of Hatchet Summit on 299 out of Redding Ca into a town called Burney. I didnt know a mountian from a moll hill. About 3/4 of the way down I looked like an out of control missle that somebody should shoot down. First my red button popped out, and then my yellow button did the same, and I was still picking up speed. Thank God I was young and dumb and had know idea what was happening. I also thank God there wernt any stop lights like there are now in Burney. I kept rollin and finally the flames and smoke stopped. I not only delivered my load of cattle in Bieber Ca., but I just completed another class at the school of hard knocks. Best school I ever attended.

 

Don't feel bad, Pharm. I just smoked my brakes earlier today coming west bound down Vail summit, and I'm only 78k lbs. I think that's only a 7% grade.

 

The guy that's teaching me right now is showing me the, (what he calls 5/3) braking technique. Which is apply the brakes at a pressure for three seconds that will slow the truck down 5MPH, release the brakes and when you reach your predetermined speed again repeat the 5/3 braking technique.

 

While I never called it that, that is the same technique I use. Depending on the grade and the weight, it won't always work.

 

Yeah, I also witness him using the steady pressure, about 15 pounds or so. I just a green horn, but I think this is one of the reasons we have to keep those air leaks at a minium if not nil.

 

I use steady pressure. Try not to use more then 10 - 12lbs. Its always worked for me. But before anything, on a significant hill, I always use my gear box first. But this is just me. We all do it different.

 

I was going to say that that works just fine on fancy gap (I-77) or the gourge (I-40) but it was completely useless on this range... but I think there was a key phrase there "at a pressure" that will slow down 5mph... I think it's likely now that I was pussyfooting the brake until it slowed down the 5 instead of making sure it only took 3 seconds. I'll have to try that next time...assuming I don't turn down any runs coming anywhere close to US-58!

 

The gear box is crucial, and that's where I screwed up. I should've stayed in 7th, but upshifted when I thought I was down.

 

i always go down a mtn in a real low gear the first time

 

glad u made it out man this thread is teaching me so much u wouldent believe. keep up the good work man