Downhill braking question

[TowBoss]

Ok, folks. Has anyone gone done the Ceder Breaks grade into Cedar City (highway 14)? I vacation up there in the summer, and with my new rig I'm a little nervous about doing it. The grade is rated at 8%, and goes from 6000' to 9700' over about 15 miles. I weighed my truck and trailer at a CAT scale, and maxed out at 26k! I'm pretty sure my rig can get it up the hill (although a little slow), but I'm worried about coming down. When I had my 01'350 towing 4500#, I had no problems, but this 18k 5er is a whole different beast. I was wondering if anyone has towed a similar rig on this type of grade?? My rig is bone stock, and the trailer is electric brakes on 3 axles. Also, what do you guys recommend coming down the hill as far as what gear, let the TS shift on its own, speed, etc.
Thanks for the input!!!

[TowBoss]

Ok, folks. Has anyone gone done the Ceder Breaks grade into Cedar City (highway 14)? I vacation up there in the summer, and with my new rig I'm a little nervous about doing it. The grade is rated at 8%, and goes from 6000' to 9700' over about 15 miles. I weighed my truck and trailer at a CAT scale, and maxed out at 26k! I'm pretty sure my rig can get it up the hill (although a little slow), but I'm worried about coming down. When I had my 01'350 towing 4500#, I had no problems, but this 18k 5er is a whole different beast. I was wondering if anyone has towed a similar rig on this type of grade?? My rig is bone stock, and the trailer is electric brakes on 3 axles. Also, what do you guys recommend coming down the hill as far as what gear, let the TS shift on its own, speed, etc.
Thanks for the input!!!

[xc-mark]

I dont have a ford/powerstroke but I know my duramax has a lot of engine braking at high rpm dont be afraid to down shift 1 or 2 gears early and start into the grade at 45~50 mph max so you can use the lower gears like 2nd gear at 4000 rpm. pump the brakes dont ride them they will just over heat and not slow you down. on the steep sections a few taps on the brakes and there is a good chance just the motor will hold it back enough in the lower gears that you dont even need brakes. If you enter the hill to fast and you cant use the lower gears there isnt as much brakeing action from 4th and 5th gears. be safe read your road signs and plan for long grades that are steep and your will be fine.

[buckeyes]

Also make certain that your brake controler is properly set so the trailer brakes engage a split second prior to the truck brakes. There is no disgrace in letting the trailer hold you back by manually using the brake controler with a few taps, nothing hard, just taps. Better to be held back, than pushed where you don't want to go.

[Richard K]

I have an '07 F-250 with the Tow Command system. If yours has it, no worries. Before I towed our 5r the first time I was wondering if I'd need an exhaust brake. I've since towed up and down some 8% grades in the Colorado Mtns. and the Tow Command works great with the Tranny in tow/haul mode. Tap the brake and it automatically downshifts.

[K-Star]

Towboss

My `06 F350 has the towboss package so I know it comes with the integral brake system. Like buckeyes said, works great. I can't say I did an 8% grade, but have done some smaller hills and with the tranny in tow mode, I haven't had any problem. Little scary to hear (and see) that PSD go up to 4K RPM, but I figure the computer knows what it's doing.

[TowBoss]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I posted on "thedieselstop.com", and everyone there pretty much said the same thing: Brake early and the tranny should hold you back. I just wasn't sure how well the torque shift worked on grades like that, but it sounds like it does a pretty good job. Thanks again, and I'll let you all know after Memorial Weekend how it went.

[skooter driver]

I am carrying about the same load as you and I have been down Wolf Creek on the west side which is about nine miles of 7 to 9 percent. Let the transmission do the work. I have the tap shifter on the Allison and I spent most of the time in 1st gear at about 4000 rpm. Only problem was the transmission will heat up some. I used almost no truck brake and some trailer brake. Good luck, err on the side of caution I say.

[powerboatr]

my 06 towboss has gone down some 8% grades loaded at 24 k
yep it scares teh pants off you when it down shifts and runs up the rpms near 4k. then a tap on teh brakes and she slows down enugh for another down shift

we hit the bottom of 231 in 2nd gear at 4100 rpmsweird part was it upshifting when i got back on the throttle, BAM back in 5th
just remeber its easier to stop a slower moving load than a fast one, i would try to be slowed to 45 at teh top before you run down the hill.

oh and a better place is www.superdutydiesel.com
more friends, less BS and very little BANNING for being human

good luck towing

[lrgrdrvr]

As I do not get on the net often I hope I am not to late to add my 2 cents.I am a truck driver that started well before Jake brakes and not real good brakes sometimes,I learned from my father to start off of a montain slow enough and in a low enough gear that I know I can get down safely the first time down and adjust speed gears ect.as I learned the grade.I have been very lucky as I have over 3 million miles without an accident.

[Greenie]

Two months ago a brake spring in the left rear tire on my F-250 broke allowing the self adjuster to tighten the shoes to the point of boiling the brake fluid and a loss of truck brakes (front and back, due to a porportioning valve). This happened while towing our 27' travel trailer through the Sierra Madres on Mex 40, right at the top of the Devil's Backbone.
We kept on descending, slowly, using the trailer brakes and the automatic transmission in low. We must have driven 100 miles down very steep grades and 100's of hairpin turns until we got back on flat terrain.
Had we not had the travel trailer to use for brakes, we would have been in worse trouble. Trailer brakes, in this case really impressed me with the punishment they took.

[TowBoss]

Well guys, it made the trip just fine. I manually locked the tranny in either 3rd or 2nd, and came down the grade doing 30-35 with no problems. I hardly had to touch the brakes. The tranny was doing about 3500 rpms in 2nd, but it held the truck back pretty well. Going up was a little hairy, as I had it floored and was only doing 30 most of the way up. It got it there, though. All 27,000lbs of truck and 5er. I weighed it at a Cat scale before I went up. Thanks again for all the good posts.

[Cheddarhead]

Glad to hear you had a safe trip down and up. I'm surprised you could only get 30 on the way up though... I imagine your mileage wsa in the gutter on the way up as well.