I26 to I40 to Maggie Valley

hvacpro wrote:
We are planning a trip up to Maggie Valley this fall ( September). We will be towing our Gearbox with the Spyder. I have done a good bit of flat land towing but no mountain towing. How is the route from Asheville west to 19/Maggie Valley? Any steep grades to be concerned with? I am a gas rig so no exhaust brake. 2500HD 6.0. I'm not over weight but I am towing heavy. Any information would be deeply appreciated.

It's gas? You don't need a exhaust brake. Exhaust brakes are for diesels to make them do what a gas engine ALREADY does. All you need to do is drop to a lower gear coming down you have all the engine braking you need. You just use the lowest gear you need to hold the speed you want. It will bleed up a little. Use the brakes lightly to bring it back down. IF you have towhaul. It will do most of it for you.

Remember to start down the hill at the speed, you want to hold, and the gear that will hold it. Don't start down fast, and try to slow it down. If needed, gear down as you go down.

I have come down 8% grades using 1st gear, and barely used the brakes. As for interstate grades. Depending on how many gears you have. 2nd if it is a 4 speed, or third if 6 speed, should hold you fine.
In any case NEVER, NEVER, EVER ride the brakes on the way down. Use the gears. Use the brakes only to slow for curves, and for the little bleed up it will do.

From the I-26/I-40 interchange at Ashville it's pretty flat relatively speaking.

i guess i am a little confused, i thought you were asking about from asheville to mv. that is nothing.

Thanks for the information. I'm a little nervous but I'll make it. I rarely run over 60 towing and my rig does fine on the flat. I will drive at my comfort level and let the Mario Andretti's go around. I'm more concerned with the down than the up. I have good trailer/truck brakes, I've just never come down a grade with 9k lbs behind me. I have the 4l80E trans not the allison so my rig engine brakes in manual first and second. It will engine brake in third but speed may be a factor as it will hold second to 45 with tow/haul on.

You will have one severe grade known as Saluda Grade just after you get into NC. All uphill but shouldn't be a problem. I usually stay one lane from the right and manage 50-55 mph. If you do decide to get in the right lane, watch out for the semis which can get as slow as 15 mph so you catch them very quickly.

Next will be the dip into Green River which has a posted speed limit of 55 to help reduce accidents in the prestine watershed. You may wan to down shift one gear to let the engine help hold the speed down.

Rest of your trip will be pretty peaceful.

Biggest thing about mountain driving is to keep your speed down a little more, downshift as you crest the top of the big hills (usually you bleed speed at the top so you can downshift two gears), and don't ride the brakes. A good rule of thumb is you will want to use the same gear going down as you used climbing the hill. And remember, it's easier to upshift to reduce engine braking than it is to downshift when you find you need more.

But don't worry about this trip, while it is a good practice run to learn how to do some things, there really isn't any hills that will get you into trouble as long as you hold your speed down within the limits.

Have fun.

The Green River crossing is you biggest challenge. You will have the truck lane if needed.

I-26 West

I-26, NC, MM 65, Uphill grade, Truck lane
I-26, NC, MM 62, Top of uphill grade.
I-26, NC, MM 61, Uphill grade
I-26, NC, MM 59, Downhill
I-26, NC, MM 56, Cross the Green River Bridge, begin 7% uphill grade
I-26, NC, MM 54, Top of the grade.