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04-10-2018, 05:40 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 6,788
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I agree with Edge (above). I have a RAM 3500 diesel with 6 speed auto and exhaust brake and Tow/Haul option. The 5th has disk brakes, makes a hughe difference on the down grades. Living and having grownup in the Southwest and rockies I do also have many years driving our mountains. As others have said, our rigs and loads are different, so what works well for one may or may not work equally for someone else.
I almost always use the tow/haul when I'm towing the 5th. Going up grades I'll usually let the truck decide what gear it wants. That has always worked well. At the top of the grade I'll slow down, engage the exhaust brake, downshift to a lower gear and proceed. My goal is to have an easy relaxing drive down with my speed under control at all times. I'll shift up or down as the grade changes. Frequently, I make it to the bottom with no or very little use of the service brakes. Keep in mind your job is get you, your passengers and rig down safely. If traffic builds up behind me, I'll pull over when and where there's a safe place to do so or slow down in a clear straight section of road and let them pass. My job is my rig and not someone else's time line. Always operate your rig within YOUR comfort zone.
I also was told to use the same gear going down as up, but experience has taught me to use one gear lower.
With my truck and 14000+ lb 5th I can usually summit most of our passes at or near the posted speed limit and then my speed on the decent WILL be lower than the speed limit. I'm glad I don't tow with a gasser anymore.
Have fun and be safe.
__________________
Fred & Denise (RVM157) New Mexico
2007 Excel Classic 30RSO & Coach House 272XL E450
2007 RAM 3500, Diesel, 6Spd Auto, SWD, 4x4, CC & LB
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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04-10-2018, 05:47 PM
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#30
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rarebear.nm
I agree with Edge (above). I have a RAM 3500 diesel with 6 speed auto and exhaust brake and Tow/Haul option. The 5th has disk brakes, makes a hughe difference on the down grades. Living and having grownup in the Southwest and rockies I do also have many years driving our mountains. As others have said, our rigs and loads are different, so what works well for one may or may not work equally for someone else.
I almost always use the tow/haul when I'm towing the 5th. Going up grades I'll usually let the truck decide what gear it wants. That has always worked well. At the top of the grade I'll slow down, engage the exhaust brake, downshift to a lower gear and proceed. My goal is to have an easy relaxing drive down with my speed under control at all times. I'll shift up or down as the grade changes. Frequently, I make it to the bottom with no or very little use of the service brakes. Keep in mind your job is get you, your passengers and rig down safely. If traffic builds up behind me, I'll pull over when and where there's a safe place to do so or slow down in a clear straight section of road and let them pass. My job is my rig and not someone else's time line. Always operate your rig within YOUR comfort zone.
I also was told to use the same gear going down as up, but experience has taught me to use one gear lower.
With my truck and 14000+ lb 5th I can usually summit most of our passes at or near the posted speed limit and then my speed on the decent WILL be lower than the speed limit. I'm glad I don't tow with a gasser anymore.
Have fun and be safe.
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Exactly. Well said!
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04-10-2018, 06:18 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Syracuse Ut.
Posts: 692
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It really depends on the rig. With my current ram CTD towing 15k I generally just use tow haul, engine brake and cruise control on the freeways. It does pretty a good job most of the time both up and downhill with freeway grades which rarely exceed 6 to 7 percent. With other rigs I’ve owned getting up a steep hill was pedal to the floor, 2nd or even first gear and hope I kept forward momentum. Coming down could be scary as most gear combinations wouldn’t provide enough engine breaking to prevent the engine from going past redline and you had to use judicious brake application and hope you didn’t overheat your brakes. Fortunately you pretty much don’t have to worry about this anymore with higher powered modern vehicle with much better brakes as well. You’ll figure out after a couple hills what works good with you setup. Just make sure you error on the side of caution and slower speeds while you’re learning.
__________________
2016 Bighorn 3270RS, 2015 Ram 3500 CTD/ASIN
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04-10-2018, 06:37 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Titusville, FL
Posts: 5,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rarebear.nm
With my truck and 14000+ lb 5th I can usually summit most of our passes at or near the posted speed limit and then my speed on the decent WILL be lower than the speed limit. I'm glad I don't tow with a gasser anymore.
Have fun and be safe.
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With my 20,000 pound V-10 Ford motorhome pulling a 5,000 pound Wrangler coming up Freemont Pass on 91 I was lucky to hit the top going 4 MPH. But I did it. Thought I might have to crank the Jeep and push. I never have any trouble hitting the speed limit on the down side.
__________________
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
2023 Grand Design 2600RB, 2022 F-350 King Ranch tow vehicle, Titusville, FL when not on the road
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04-10-2018, 06:43 PM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lynnmor
You need to understand the chart showing your horsepower. You will have the most power to climb the mountain at the peak horsepower and that is always at a higher RPM than peak torque. Of course I don't expect agreement from the torque fan crowd.
Now the idea of going down the mountain in the same gear you went up is somewhat out of date. With the power of recent engines, the gear required might be quite different.
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Oh the old torque vs HP debate.
Maybe it depends on what brand tires you run...
Or whether you use Syn vs dino oil...
Syn us "better" so must improve performance...
need to modify the power equation to account for the emotions as well as the physics. [emoji12]
Sorry couldn't resist... the devil made me do it
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
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04-10-2018, 06:53 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Mesa/Payson, Arizona
Posts: 887
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danford50
When driving in the mountains is it necessary to drop out of drive to a lower gear, if so when would you do it? and also while in the mountain and with no toad can i used my tow haul switch and allow it to choose the best gears to be in.
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Do some research.....as you obviously do not understand how Tow/Haul works, or how to use it. It requires some operator input.
It will not 'choose' the best gears to be in.
__________________
2023 Entegra Esteem 29v
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04-10-2018, 07:57 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,580
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoneToTheDog
Do some research.....as you obviously do not understand how Tow/Haul works, or how to use it. It requires some operator input.
It will not 'choose' the best gears to be in.
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I don’t know what you drive but some trucks do a good job of selecting the proper gear. The only input might be the driver using more accelerator or brake and then the truck follows thru changing gears as necessary. Of course without the driver using the foot pedals, the truck cannot know if it needs to increase or decrease speed. When using cruise control, the required speed is already known.
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04-10-2018, 07:58 PM
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#36
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Central Alberta
Posts: 193
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lynnmor
You need to understand the chart showing your horsepower. You will have the most power to climb the mountain at the peak horsepower and that is always at a higher RPM than peak torque. Of course I don't expect agreement from the torque fan crowd.
Now the idea of going down the mountain in the same gear you went up is somewhat out of date. With the power of recent engines, the gear required might be quite different.
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Haha. Charts are only helpful when you know what you're looking at.
__________________
2004 Winnebago Journey 36G 330Cat
2004 Grand Cherokee BlueOx towbar
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04-10-2018, 08:02 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lynnmor
If you could just share your vast knowledge, instead of such gibberish, we minions could learn something.
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My point is these debates are endless and most contributions are typically touting why their position / opinion is superior.
They are far from educational...
Mostly emotional opinions...and nobody changes their position as a result.
How many torque vs HP debates are necessary to learn from?
A far better discussion would be...
For any single MH combo engine whether gas or diesel and given trans gear ratio what would be an ideal operating range for hard pull hill climbs.
To talk generalities across different combos is pointless and to confuse gas and diesel in the same discussion is pointless as they are apples & oranges.
So not much worthwhile in the way of learning.
'Nuff said
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
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04-10-2018, 08:15 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 212
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In the RV if the grade is really steep I go up with my foot to the floor. When I crest the summit I go down with the Jake turned on. Usually I don't need brakes on the way down. However, I don't drive 20mph under the speed limit on the flats either.
To summarize my Allison seems to pick the proper gear on its own.
Mike
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04-10-2018, 09:44 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,937
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Watch your gauges, save your brakes. Your rig will tell you what to do. If you see smoke coming off around your tires, you need to change your ways and hope their is no fire.
Love these conversations, but I'm done now. Thank you.
__________________
Larry & Sheree & KD the CAT
2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30SFS Lewis County, Wa.
USN 1964-68, USS LEXINGTON CVS-16
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04-10-2018, 10:04 PM
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#40
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rarebear.nm
I agree with Edge (above). I have a RAM 3500 diesel with 6 speed auto and exhaust brake and Tow/Haul option. The 5th has disk brakes, makes a hughe difference on the down grades. Living and having grownup in the Southwest and rockies I do also have many years driving our mountains. As others have said, our rigs and loads are different, so what works well for one may or may not work equally for someone else.
I almost always use the tow/haul when I'm towing the 5th. Going up grades I'll usually let the truck decide what gear it wants. That has always worked well. At the top of the grade I'll slow down, engage the exhaust brake, downshift to a lower gear and proceed. My goal is to have an easy relaxing drive down with my speed under control at all times. I'll shift up or down as the grade changes. Frequently, I make it to the bottom with no or very little use of the service brakes. Keep in mind your job is get you, your passengers and rig down safely. If traffic builds up behind me, I'll pull over when and where there's a safe place to do so or slow down in a clear straight section of road and let them pass. My job is my rig and not someone else's time line. Always operate your rig within YOUR comfort zone.
I also was told to use the same gear going down as up, but experience has taught me to use one gear lower.
With my truck and 14000+ lb 5th I can usually summit most of our passes at or near the posted speed limit and then my speed on the decent WILL be lower than the speed limit. I'm glad I don't tow with a gasser anymore.
Have fun and be safe.
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Well said. Savvy advice.
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04-10-2018, 10:10 PM
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#41
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hohenwald48
With my 20,000 pound V-10 Ford motorhome pulling a 5,000 pound Wrangler coming up Freemont Pass on 91 I was lucky to hit the top going 4 MPH. But I did it. Thought I might have to crank the Jeep and push. I never have any trouble hitting the speed limit on the down side.
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Yup, been there-done that. Which is why I have the set up I do now.
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04-10-2018, 10:35 PM
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#42
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YooperVer
If one says things like "...develops more torque than horsepower" they do not understand power charts perfectly, that is for certain. No disrespect intended, but would recommend you review definition of physics properties of Force and Power and rethink the problem.
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I don’t need to review anything. There is no problem. It takes hp or torque to climb a hill. Gas engines produce more hp, diesel engines produce more torque. Having had both pulling heavy loads, I choose the diesel. Got tired of pulling long grades at 15 mph.
Different strokes for different folks.
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