Upgrade & downgrade shifting & braking question?!?!!?

I don't run in "grade-intense country" for the most part, but I'm not totally without knowledge/experience in that area.
In the video, the most "telling" information (besides the grade% and load) is his tach & speedometer readings. Freeze-frame the video and look at those. He's running about 45mph, and about 2000 rpm. That should give you a rough idea of HIS truck. What gear is he in?? Only he knows for sure. Why?? His/your truck may have different axle ratio gearing, tire size (diameter only), and type/gear ratio of transmission (10 speed, 13 speed, 18 speed, etc).
So there is no "correct gear" for any certain downgrade/upgrade. It depends on these variables, plus more. Sometimes the right downhill gear may be not just one, but TWO lower gears than what you need to go up the hill/grade.

Study & know the bottom and top speed of each gear on YOUR truck. Know your RPM's as well! That will help you know the correct gears for any gearing situation.

 

Usually I keep the rpm about 13 or 14 and the engine brake on, usually keeps me at a good pace. But yah, gear choice depends in your truck and load a lot.And i don't thin k you'll see any 9% ers in the south east

 

Like others have said it depends on the Truck. However it also depends on the length of the grade,how many curves ,ect. 45mph on a 9% is too fast unless it's less than a mile long and straight. At least for me. I'd like to be able to stop in an Emergency. I highly doubt that it is a 9% grade. At 79k on a 9% at 45mph you wouldn't have any brakes left in a very short time. I do have off/on road Mountain driving experience. But there are some drivers that will disagree.

 

I get razzed on the radio all the time on downgrades cuz I'm always going slow. ...

 

The whole "gear lower than you climbed the hill," idea is total bull. What happens when one side of the grade is 8 miles at 4%, and the other side is 2 at 8%? I always go down at a speed that I can safely navigate the turns and stop at any time. Do people blow by me in trucks? You bet. Do I care what they think? Not a chance.

What will determine your speed, is the grade, turns, truck, weight, and your confidence level/familiarity with the grade.

 

The gear lower going down then up thing is also outdated because of engine improvements and such...

 

I use to haul oversize loads around Colorado for 10yrs to include up and down Pikes Peak and you want to go down any hill in a gear where your Jake brake can hold your truck around 1400-1500 rpm with out u touching the brakes. Its nice to have cold brakes at the bottom of the hill.

 

Imo, I want my tachometer reading around 1900-2000 rpm for good engine braking.. I just get my truck geared down before I start down the hill and proceed sensibly. I want to be geared down low enough that my engine can hold truck speed at steady speed without touching brakes. We don't have many bad grades in the south. Monteagle on I-24 in Tennessee and Old Fort Mtn ( some people call it Black Mtn ) in NC on I-40. It's just common sense if you have an engine brake. If you don't have an engine brake , then you need to know what you are doing. No engine brake ? Go really slow geared way down and watch your mirror for smoke. If u see smoke, pull over and stop til brakes cool off. I drove 48 states for 3.5 years before I ever had an engine brake. If u got a jake, u got it made when it comes to hills.

 

Forget the Jakes. Use them but be in a gear that if/when they fail you are still in full control. Drive as though you don't have Jakes and you will be fine.