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07-22-2018, 02:06 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 264
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Any tips for 1st time driving in "hills/mtns"?
Heading to Asheville, NC in a couple months in our 36' gas Class A (Thor Miramar). Never driven anything this big outside of FL so any tips about driving in the hills or mountains?
TY
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Shawn, Susan (& Maya in spirit)
2016 Thor Miramar 34.1
2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (the "Mango Tango")
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07-22-2018, 02:09 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 8,638
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If you go thru Franklin NC on 441 down shift so not to burn brakes out.
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2007 Fleetwood Revolution LE 40V
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07-22-2018, 02:11 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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Keep it in tow/haul. Tap the brake to force downshifts while heading down hill.
Don't let it get going too fast, and need lots of braking. That gets them to hot.
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07-22-2018, 02:14 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 183
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Use your gears instead of your brakes. Think two steps ahead when you're driving. Much better to go too slow than too fast.
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2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
2016 Ford F-350 DRW Lariat 6.7L PowerStroke
2020 Riverstone 39FK
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07-22-2018, 02:17 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Rigby, Idaho
Posts: 3,902
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Go down the hill in the same gear in which you went up the hill. Plan on it. Going up is easy, take your time, watch your temps, if the tranny is up and down shifting alot, put it in the lower gear and take whatever speed a comfortable rpm gives you. Flashers on when at or below 45mph. Passing is optional, take your time.
Going down is where people get into trouble. Plan on staying in the same gear you went up in; maybe upshift 1 gear as you crest, but be springloaded to downshift if the speed starts to build. Don't let the speed build, firm pressure on the brakes, slow it down to below where you want, downshift if possible, and get off the brakes to let them cool. Don't ride the brakes, ever a little bit. If you are towing, that thing back there better be really light or have its own brakes. If you are towing a vehicle, that extra 3,000 pounds needs its own braking system.
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Cheers,
TonyMac
2006 Monaco Safari Cheetah 40PMT
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07-22-2018, 02:31 PM
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#6
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,626
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyMac
Go down the hill in the same gear in which you went up the hill. Plan on it. Going up is easy, take your time, watch your temps, if the tranny is up and down shifting alot, put it in the lower gear and take whatever speed a comfortable rpm gives you. Flashers on when at or below 45mph. Passing is optional, take your time.
Going down is where people get into trouble. Plan on staying in the same gear you went up in; maybe upshift 1 gear as you crest, but be springloaded to downshift if the speed starts to build. Don't let the speed build, firm pressure on the brakes, slow it down to below where you want, downshift if possible, and get off the brakes to let them cool. Don't ride the brakes, ever a little bit. If you are towing, that thing back there better be really light or have its own brakes. If you are towing a vehicle, that extra 3,000 pounds needs its own braking system.
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X2! Good advice!
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Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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07-22-2018, 02:31 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 264
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Awesome advice and reminders. Thanks all. No tow vehicle for this trip so that's a plus.
__________________
Shawn, Susan (& Maya in spirit)
2016 Thor Miramar 34.1
2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (the "Mango Tango")
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07-22-2018, 03:26 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 183
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyMac
Flashers on when at or below 45mph.
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Just a PSA for the others: In Florida it is illegal to use your flashers EXCEPT when stopped on the side of the road. I know other states mandate that you use your flashers if under a certain speed, but in FL you cannot use your flashers while you're moving.
__________________
2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
2016 Ford F-350 DRW Lariat 6.7L PowerStroke
2020 Riverstone 39FK
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07-22-2018, 03:38 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
Posts: 2,594
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Keep it in tow/haul. Tap the brake to force downshifts while heading down hill.
Don't let it get going too fast, and need lots of braking. That gets them to hot.
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We went through there a few months back towing our RAV4. The RV handled it easily in tow/haul mode. I'd occasionally get going a little faster than I wanted downhill and could just tap the brakes for another downshift.
Pretty country over there. Take your time and enjoy your trip.
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2021 Keystone Outback 221UMD
2018 Tundra Limited 5.7 liter
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07-22-2018, 03:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Tasmania now, USA/Canada/Alaska in April
Posts: 2,473
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Read "Factors affecting coach and RV performance" by caterpillar . Name not exact but should be able to find it on the web.
Then search for SNUB BRAKING and absorb that as well and be prepared to practice techniques.
With those two under your belt you will be the current expert on the subject.
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Tony Lee - International Grey Nomad. Picasa Album - Travel Map
RVs. USA - Airstream Cutter; in Australia - MC8 40' DIY Coach conversion & OKA 4x4 MH; in Germany - Hobby Class C; in S America - F350 with 2500 10.6 Bigfoot camper
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07-22-2018, 04:00 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Tucson
Posts: 1,419
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When I'm driving gassers at work I'm always in tow/haul mode. I turn off the cruise control and go into manual mode (usually 4th gear for the ups and downs). The engine will be above 4,000 rpm's going up hill but that is normal, let it do it's thing.
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07-22-2018, 04:12 PM
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#12
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Community Moderator
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Central, Arkansas
Posts: 11,223
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Take your time and don't rush it. Use the turnouts to let people pass when they are available so you won't feel pressured to push too hard up or down hill.
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2004 Beaver Monterey Laguna IV
Cummins ISC 350HP Allison 3000 6 speed
2020 Chevy Equinox Premier 2.0t 9 speed AWD
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07-22-2018, 04:20 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,674
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Order this book. It comes in east and west versions - for when you do the really big mountains in the west ) .
https://www.mountaindirectory.com/
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Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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07-22-2018, 05:20 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MI
Posts: 4,733
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How to Drive an RV in the Mountains - RV Trippin
Found this and it seems like pretty good advice. We have done some hills but not mountains yet. We are going to SD in a few weeks so I was glad to find this post.
Hope this article makes sense.
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Retired January 4th, 2018 Lynne & Jerry RVM 105
04 WBGO Itasca Sunova (Miss May) Blue Ox Tow Bar
15 Equinox (Noxi) 18 RAD Mini e-bike, 04 Tracker
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