Mountain shifting

Most of the hills out west aren't as bad as the stories so long as you have a jake and follow the posted speed limits.

Another rule is to go down a hill in the same gear that you went up in.

I've been doing this for about 30 years (I cant be that old) and still believe the anology that you can go down a hill too slow every time but too fast only once, when I get passed by Swift on a downhill I dont even give it a 2nd thought... the motorcycle saying about "riding your oiwn ride" is very true here.

One thing I learned a long time ago is to NEVER try to upshift down a mountain until you've learned it.....loosing a gear going downhill can be the kiss of death with ugly results.

 

I never shift going down a mountain.. On the downhill side yeah I will shift.. Like on Raton.. there is a stretch where you go down about a mile then back up for a couple of miles. but once I start down I maintain my gear and road speed to the about 5 mph under the posted speed limit.. I want to come home to my kids on 2 feet not on my back gift wrapped..

The moral of the story is take your time.. There is no proper way to come off a mountain.. Every driver here does it differently.. But just like GOAL is a good way to be safe when backing.. The ole addage that you can go down a mountain to slow everytime but too fast only once applies here..

First load into the mountains I had to go from Pueblo Colorado to Montrose.. Then Grand Junction and finish out he next day in salt lake.... I was so scared of Monarch Pass.. All I had heard about the 9000 foot cliffs and all.. and for the first 15 mintues of pulling it I was scared.. Then I started thinking about it.. It is the bridge affect you get on a 2 lane road .... Where the road appears to be narrower but it really isn't.... So I quit thinking about the mountain and drove the truck.... Don't let the truck work you make it work for you...

 

Well there are some decent downhills in the east as well. Rt 30 in pa 8% , and down in Va there a few and some more further down . The west deff has some nice ones tho. My fav is Cabbage. Awsome views! Fun time during winter season. Donners is PITA, only cause CALTRANs is a PITA. Just make sure u drop 1-2 gears at crest, u be ok.

 

That whole "go down in a gear lower than it took to go up," is such a crock of bull. Mountain passes are not the same on both sides. You might go up a 5%, and down a 7% or vice versa. The important thing is to use good judgement, read the signage, and go down at a safe speed. Whoever came up with the whole "gear lower" idea probably was an instructor at C.R. England. Case in point? I90 lookout pass heading East. The Idaho side is windy and steep. The Montana side, is much less grade, and I go down usually in a gear HIGHER, with the jake on.

 

They will teach you what they want you to know at W/S

 

Isn't the general rule is you are supposed to be in the correct gear first before you begin descending?

 

Here is the answer I'm sure you're looking for. Yes they will teach/tell you the basics but do not expect you to be an expert or even perfect, they expect you to maintain control. If you pop it out of gear and coast down in neutral you fail, if you grind but get in gear they are more lenient. It's not hard to do if you understand the concept of rpm splits.

Dont screw around and listen to everything, it's a short 10 days and they cram a lot of info in. If you show an improvement and willingness to learn they will do their best to get you road worthy.

 

Read Andrews post about W&S. Down hill shifting is double downing. Its very easy and nothing to worry about. I've seen drivers who could barely shift and was able to do it.

 

I live for posts like this. You can go down a mountain 1000 times to slow, But just once too fast. Turn the CB off, and drop it at Your own pace. Cats go to the bathroom in a sand box, I don't ever want to go there.

 

you got that right! Your load, let them laugh, say what they want, as long as you get there safely...