Quote:
Originally Posted by vettenuts
How does the F53 handle the "downhill" with the tow haul engine braking? That is my biggest fear with a gas coach and I have been looking at DP's for this reason. However, if it does well then maybe I can still include gas.
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An excerpt from a previous post of mine......
I enjoy the "challenges" associated with mountain driving.
You have to enjoy being actively engaged and focused, managing your speed, rpm, looking at curve geometry, managing dynamic weight transfer, brakes and braking points; it's much like driving a race car / sports car at speed on a road course race track, but in slow motion.
You just have to take control and “actively” drive the coach yourself, use “tow/haul” mode, and no cruise control. In most cases going up steeper grades it’s easy enough to lock in at the 4250rpm range and then your speed is what it is; ocassionaly you'll end up in the next higher rpm bracket, but you’ll seldom have to run there for any length of time; it’s just up to you to control it with your right foot. You are not going to win any races, but you’ll get there.
At the extreme end of going down steep grades (something like the beginning of going down Wolf Creek Pass southbound) to keep it in 1st gear which will hold until about 35mph, you’ll need to start down at about 15-20mph and you just have to realize it’s ok to be at 5000+ rpm and you are not damaging anything.
Just one other thought on driving downgrades. When having to use the brakes, and to minimize heat build up / maximize brake cooling, brake agressively, on them hard (and I mean HARD, real hard) then get off them immediately once you've reached your target speed. Yes you'll get some noticeable nose dive, and if you don't, you didn't brake hard enough. You do have to be cognizant of anyone closely following, so you might want to give a short tap on the brakes as a warning before jumping on them hard so as not to surprise the following driver.
Brake in a straight line BEFORE the corner, and slow enough for the tightest part the corner before you get to the corner; “trail braking" through a corner in a large RV isn't a good idea........
Some of the roads with significant grades we have taken in our gasser (~22,600#s fully loaded) always pulling the toad (~4,500#s) include:
I40 over the Smokies in both directions
I77 over Fancy Gap in in VA both directions
Both of which are “introduction mountain driving”
And then there are the “real mountains”:
I70 eastbound in eastern UT
Vail Pass eastbound
CO9 southbound from Breckinridge
Up and down to Estes Park
UT12 Bryce to Torrey
Wolf Creek Pass southbound
CO149 / Slumgullion Pass southbound
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slumgullion_Pass
Slumgullion Pass, elevation 11,530 ft (3,510 m), is a mountain pass in Colorado traversed by State Highway 149 east of Lake City. The north side has the steepest grade of any continuously paved road in Colorado (9%)
As well as some some fun grades in Quebec along the St. Lawrence, and across New Brunswick.
We’ll be heading back to the Rockies and west coast this coming summer.....
DW.
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