Downhill Shifting

[LargeMarge]

1997 Ford CF8000 cabover housetruck
Cummins 8.3 250/800
Allison 3060

Maybe you passed us. We are in the slow-lane puttering along at 52mph and 1750rpm. Climbing a grade, we putter along at about 1750rpm irregardless of road speed.

Descending a grade, we maintain 1750-2000rpm. Any time we get close to that 2000rpm, we use our service brakes to slow to 1500rpm or so.

Since a diesel engine is an open pipe with zero inherent braking, a compression brake or exhaust brake adds a way to use the engine system as a supplemental brake... supplementing the service brakes.

[oatmeal]

Originally Posted by mak1

Yes...flashers on...good point.

If you have an exhaust brake, check to see if it makes your brake lights come on. If it does, it might override your flashers and from behind, you just look like you're riding your brakes.

lwmcguire says it's not like that on a 2016 Thor, but it is on my 2003 Alfa.

I don't like it, but at least I know it, so I don't think my flashers are on when they aren't. When I stab my brakes, I know it doesn't look any different to the people behind me.

[A Traveler]

Originally Posted by slickest1

It is not the vehicle going slow(safely) down the hill that causes accidents!! It the impatient guy that wants to 70 that will be the problem!!

Not when the SPEED LIMIT IS 70!!

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by A Traveler

Not when the SPEED LIMIT IS 70!!

So, it's snowing and blowing. Just another wonderful winter nite on I80 outside Rawlings, a route I drove every other week for 14 years between Cheyenne and SLC. Speed limit is 80. I'm doing 45, maybe less. Am I unsafe? And why the need for yelling?

[firedoc]

Just musing...since we have an M &G air brake system for our toad, the toad only brakes when the my service break is used and proportionally to how hard the peddle is pushed. Using our exhaust brake will slow the rig down but not use service brakes or toad brakes. The brake lights on our mh will go on when the exhaust brake goes on. Haven’t checked if toad brake lights go on. Guess it depends how it is wired. I’ll have DW run along behind and look, or maybe not. The MH can be ‘flashed’ so that the brake lights only come on when the service brake is used. Might be a better way? Or if toad brake lights are not wired to come on when my brake lights come on but sheen service brake is used (is this possible), might be the best of both worlds as then flashers on toad may be usable? I’m just confusing myself, but that’s what muses do!

[RayChez1]

Originally Posted by A Traveler

Not when the SPEED LIMIT IS 70!!

Anybody doing 70 or 80 on a motor home towing is not very cerebral.

[oatmeal]

Originally Posted by A Traveler

Not when the SPEED LIMIT IS 70!!

I was going to suggest that you review the thread and see that this has been addressed already.

But then I did it myself, and realized it was YOU who brought that up before. Maybe it'll help if I shout back: THE SPEED LIMIT IS NOT 70 FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE TOWING!! IT IS 55!!

[Gordon Dewald]

Speed limits are not always set using sound practices. Many times they are set by politicians for various reasons at times defy common sense. But they are popular with a vocal group.

Engineering standards are used to design highways and design speeds are used to set criteria. Many of the highways constructed years earlier used lower design speeds. Speed limits now can be at or above the design speeds taking out in some instances the "safety" factor that we originally built in.

I spent some time during my working life managing a road network. One of the less attractive sides of the job was to inspect the sites of fatal accidents looking for any attribute of the highway that was below standard. None of the accident sites I reviewed had highway deficiencies. Most the police reports listed excessive speed as the main contributing factor.

[Ret.LEO]

Originally Posted by mak1

Leo...Agree totally on the braking, but not on the driver. We all started some where, some time including you, so give her a break...Jeez. If anyone is at fault, it's her husband for putting her in that position......but we don't know really. He may have said, honey, let's wait until my arm is better so I can fix the brakes, then we can go....but she said.....

The real safety issue was a new driver on a stretch of road that would be challenging for most drivers.THEN add no brakes on her toad..........just like a semi truck w/o brakes on the trailer. Not safe period!

Did way too many accident reports during the winter months with snow or ice............the usual reason given by the driver (if they survived) was "I thought I could make it"
Agreed..........if her husband encouraged her.........shame on him. Everything is good until something happens. It was a unsafe rig Period...........what if she had loss control and either killed herself, husband or worse yet..........some family who was driving safely. Not only are responsible for our safety and preservation but the others who share the road with us.
Nuff Lecture It's my Birthday

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by soberskier

Being relatively new to driving a 40' DP towing a fairly large SUV last season over 1100 miles to our Snow Bird location...hubby had a broken arm and was unable to drive..I found myself on a freeway in Calif. that had a steep downgrade, combined with lots of curves. I used the exhaust brake all the way down, but still had to use the brake off and on to hold my speed down to where I was comfortable. The posted speed was 70 mph ...and I held to only 45 mph. Hubby wanted to know why I was going so slow...my response "because I want to." I knew our auxiliary braking system for the toad was not in use, due to a failure of the "plug" for the cigarette lighter, so it was just sitting in the back seat.
We got down that looooong steep hill safely, but slowly...and no overheated brakes.

If this is the post you guy's are talking about, it seem's to me she did everything right, and I don't think she defied imminent death and destruction at all !

[Jake21]

Originally Posted by Ret.LEO

The real safety issue was a new driver on a stretch of road that would be challenging for most drivers.THEN add no brakes on her toad..........just like a semi truck w/o brakes on the trailer. Not safe period!

That is a little much. Not really the same as a semi without trailer brakes. My toad is roughly 10% of the weight of my Coach. I doubt the most semi trailers when loaded are 10% weight of the tractor pulling them. She kept her speed down and from the story, kept everything well in control. Seems like she kept her cool and operated within her comfort level. I wish more motorhome drivers drove like this.

[Ret.LEO]

Originally Posted by Jake21

That is a little much. Not really the same as a semi without trailer brakes. My toad is roughly 10% of the weight of my Coach. I doubt the most semi trailers when loaded are 10% weight of the tractor pulling them. She kept her speed down and from the story, kept everything well in control. Seems like she kept her cool and operated within her comfort level. I wish more motorhome drivers drove like this.

That speaks very poorly I'm afraid. A inexperienced driver forced into a driving situation she wasn't familiar with.......really????? That's scary!!!

A toad that was illegal AND unsafe which decreased the tow vehicles braking capability.
I guarantee you had there been a accident and someone was killed or hurt when it was brought into evidence that the toad didn't have the brakes connected, control box in the backseat there could be possible criminal repercussions. In civil court they could possibly lose everything they have worked for and will ever have.
You wish there were more drivers like this? Really? There goes responsible safe operators with safe equipment!
She made a bad choice.
Same as the driver that decided it was okay to text and drive that hit my 24 year old nephew head on...............my nephew left behind three little kids.......one was 6 months old.
Then my 27 year nephew who just bought a house, just got engaged, just became a journeyman electrician when he was killed by a inexperienced boater...................my nephew still has not been found. The other operator made a bad choice also.
Point being if you want to risk your own life and safety.......oh well. BUT when you risk the lives and safety of others on the road it's a whole different deal.
If you wish there were more inexperienced drivers with toads without braking, you might want to reevaluate your line of thought.

I have cleaned up more than my fair share of human carnage which was the result of someone making a bad choice. Glad I don't have to anymore.........I have enough nightmares already.