Mountain Driving

[Scuba78]

Just info from on rookie to the other rookies. If your training and you are running all 48 or going to run areas with mountain passes/steep grades, make sure you what your rig is capable of.

After my little experience last week coming out of California, I have healthy respect for steep grades. I was always told to go down the hill two gears lower than what I went up the hill in. Problem is, I went up the hill with a very light load and was really heavy coming down.

I was schedule through that area again next week, but some things came up and I will be taking an over size to IL on Monday. I found out that there are some grades on I-44 in MO. I'm not really excited about that, but if I want to drive, I need to suck it up and deal.

So if your going east bound through that area and you see an over size crawling down in 2nd gear, that's probably me.

 

[patriciajnsn]

What mountain in Calif did u go thru?Was is Donners Pass?I hate that mountain.I go thru MO alot and I dont think any of the grades are too bad there.But I could be wrong.I just can't recall any real bad grades that i've ever been on.Just take your time and you'll do just fine.I drive alot of moyntains and I can drive so much better if relaxed.Here in TN on I 26 they have 2 back to back escape ramps but these mountains was'nt bad at allI'm not real crazy driving the mountains at nite but I did last night.

Just info from on rookie to the other rookies. If your training and you are running all 48 or going to run areas with mountain passes/steep grades, make sure you what your rig is capable of.

After my little experience last week coming out of California, I have healthy respect for steep grades. I was always told to go down the hill two gears lower than what I went up the hill in. Problem is, I went up the hill with a very light load and was really heavy coming down.

I was schedule through that area again next week, but some things came up and I will be taking an over size to IL on Monday. I found out that there are some grades on I-44 in MO. I'm not really excited about that, but if I want to drive, I need to suck it up and deal.

So if your going east bound through that area and you see an over size crawling down in 2nd gear, that's probably me.

 

[Rigjockey]

some of the better drivers will give u a wide birth with an oversize i don t know much about flatbedding. i know haulin heavy what kinda weight u carring?

 

[Scuba78]

What mountain in Calif did u go thru?Was is Donners Pass?I hate that mountain.I go thru MO alot and I dont think any of the grades are too bad there.But I could be wrong.I just can't recall any real bad grades that i've ever been on.Just take your time and you'll do just fine.I drive alot of moyntains and I can drive so much better if relaxed.Here in TN on I 26 they have 2 back to back escape ramps but these mountains was'nt bad at allI'm not real crazy driving the mountains at nite but I did last night.

This is where my adventure took place. Doesn't look like much, but it is.

I google mapped it: Map

 

[Scuba78]

some of the better drivers will give u a wide birth with an oversize i don t know much about flatbedding. i know haulin heavy what kinda weight u carring?

We were 76k +. I know you can go heavier, but I'm glad we weren't.

 

[greybeard]

Dont you have Jakes?

 

[Scuba78]

Dont you have Jakes?

Yeah, I just had to high of a gear. Dumb Dumb on my part.

 

[Rigjockey]

We were 76k +. I know you can go heavier, but I'm glad we weren't.

u lost me r u sayin 76 kg or grossing 76l000bs?

 

[Scuba78]

u lost me r u sayin 76 kg or grossing 76l000bs?

Lbs

 

[patriciajnsn]

Heck you'll do fine.Just a few times driving the mountains and it won't even phase u you're on the mountain.When I first started driving,talk about scared and nervous.I hated it out here.Now it's all second nature.

This is where my adventure took place. Doesn't look like much, but it is.

I google mapped it: Map

 

[patriciajnsn]

That's right you're oversize so it could be much different then dry box.

 

[peabody]

just make sure, all yer brakes are adjusted the same, go as slow as you feel safe at. i've been known to go down cabbage , vail, wolf creek.etc.. with jake on, and never touch the brakes. maybe feather em a bit, but not much.

but i've also driven all those big hill's with no jake, n' shiney 290 hummins cummins, or a 238 detroit. no jakes.
gross weight 73.280 back in those days, then we went to 80.000.. and still no jakes..lol.

i remember going down gunnison pass, with 80k potash windwagon, old junky GMC astro cabover, 2nd gear, left door open, and one foot draggin..lol

used ta judge how hot yer brakes where,by how much smoke was coming off em...lol !!! but with todays truck's its pretty eazy. just start off the top slow, u b ok.

hill's on i-44 ? springfield to st,looey ? piece of cake.

peabody

 

[Scuba78]

That's right you're oversize so it could be much different then dry box.

Luckily that load wasn't oversize, just a little heavy.

 

[Scuba78]

just make sure, all yer brakes are adjusted the same, go as slow as you feel safe at. i've been known to go down cabbage , vail, wolf creek.etc.. with jake on, and never touch the brakes. maybe feather em a bit, but not much.

but i've also driven all those big hill's with no jake, n' shiney 290 hummins cummins, or a 238 detroit. no jakes.
gross weight 73.280 back in those days, then we went to 80.000.. and still no jakes..lol.

i remember going down gunnison pass, with 80k potash windwagon, old junky GMC astro cabover, 2nd gear, left door open, and one foot draggin..lol

used ta judge how hot yer brakes where,by how much smoke was coming off em...lol !!! but with todays truck's its pretty eazy. just start off the top slow, u b ok.

hill's on i-44 ? springfield to st,looey ? piece of cake.

peabody

Thanks for the words of encouragement !

My uncle told me about cabbage, said that's one he has a lot of respect for. Also said he smokes a cigarette and drinks a cup of coffee before he goes down it.

I couldn't imagine going down them with no jake brake.

 

[boone315]

Just info from on rookie to the other rookies. If your training and you are running all 48 or going to run areas with mountain passes/steep grades, make sure you what your rig is capable of.

After my little experience last week coming out of California, I have healthy respect for steep grades. I was always told to go down the hill two gears lower than what I went up the hill in. Problem is, I went up the hill with a very light load and was really heavy coming down.

I was schedule through that area again next week, but some things came up and I will be taking an over size to IL on Monday. I found out that there are some grades on I-44 in MO. I'm not really excited about that, but if I want to drive, I need to suck it up and deal.

So if your going east bound through that area and you see an over size crawling down in 2nd gear, that's probably me.

Let me tell you from experience, it is not only 'rookies' who make this mistake, all it takes is unfamiliar roads or misjudging a grade, however the edge that experienced drivers have is they have made this 'rookie' mistake enough times they know what to do not to burn up the brakes or blow an engine (most times)

 

[Johnny99]

This is where my adventure took place. Doesn't look like much, but it is.

I google mapped it: Map

That particular hill on I 8 is a real booger due to its length. I 44 thru Missouri has a few hills that are kind of steep
but not very long. The rule I used for downhill was anything over 5% and more than 3 miles was 25mph if I was
over 72,000 gross.

 

[diehard]

an old guy told me once not to go down a hill that you cant get up. i think he was yankin my chain. ha ha ha.

 

[Scuba78]

That particular hill on I 8 is a real booger due to its length. I 44 thru Missouri has a few hills that are kind of steep
but not very long. The rule I used for downhill was anything over 5% and more than 3 miles was 25mph if I was
over 72,000 gross.

Thanks for the info !

 

[Scuba78]

Do you any of you know much about I-17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix ? Looks like I will be routed that way this time.

 

[patriciajnsn]

Hopefully the roads will be clear for u.I remember when I first got my dog,Flagstaff restarea was then when I found out she loves snow.Those