Drove through the Appalachians on interstate 64 going to Virginia Beach in the car and noticed a 7% grade east of Beckley, WV. I'm not sure I want to tackle that in my truck with my 5th wheel without an exhaust brake. Does the route through Asheville (I24 I think) have similar grades?

I've driven I-26, I-40, and I-77 and they all have 6% grades at some point along the way. I don't have an exhaust brake but I use my truck's tow haul mode and the trip(s) were not bad pulling our 5th wheel. I've made the trips many times and I think you'd do fine even without tow-haul or exhaust brake.

I take it you have an auto trans? It's doable but you'd be much happier with an exhaust brake. There are ways to add it to your 05 that include installing a transmission controller.If you have a manual trans then it's a no brainer.Well worth it IMHO.EDIT: misread your post, since you have an 07 and EB is a simple install and the trans is set up to work with it.Installing an EB was the best thing I ever did to my truck. You wont ever find anyone who did so and said it wasn't worth it. For less than $1500 you could enjoy the safety and pure towing joy of using a good exhaust brake.

People out West are having a good chuckle about the long grades. Granted Mount Eagle on I-24 and Fort mountain on I-40 are pretty long even by western standards. Gear it down and do not worry about it but do not ride your brakes.

Use Tow / Haul and you will be fine. Can also use lower gears to control speed.

Long grades in the Appalachian's | Good Sam Community

Showme_5vr
Explorer
Dec 23, 2014
smkettner, the 7% grade is 5 miles long. I'm sure there are longer grades especially out west.
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 23, 2014
7% ? For what a whole mile? Cake walk. Just use the brakes moderately firm to slow 25 mph and let it coast up again.
Tom_N
Explorer
Dec 23, 2014
Down shift to a lower gear or two.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2014
Showme 5vr wrote:
Drove through the Appalachians on interstate 64 going to Virginia Beach in the car and noticed a 7% grade east of Beckley, WV. I'm not sure I want to tackle that in my truck with my 5th wheel without an exhaust brake. Does the route through Asheville (I24 I think) have similar grades?

On 40 Black Mountain (Old Fort) is the steepest, and much more tough than Slauda Grade on 26. You will need to hold it back to 35 MPH, an exhaust brake would be your friend with a diesel.

I-26 heads South from Ashville toward Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach.

I-40 heads East From Ashville toward Hickory, and Wilmington NC.

Not real bad unless you are not paying attention.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2014
WyoTraveler wrote:
Didn't know they had any 7500 ft hills back east like in WY:B

Interstate Grades are the same all over. Off the interstate is where it gets steep, and twisty. I've driven al the way to the Pacific, and back. The Rockies are higher, but no steeper.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Dec 23, 2014
Didn't know they had any 7500 ft hills back east like in WY:B
Mike_Taverniti
Explorer
Dec 22, 2014
Use Tow / Haul and you will be fine. Can also use lower gears to control speed.
ScottG
Nomad
Dec 22, 2014
Deleted - misread.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Dec 22, 2014
People out West are having a good chuckle about the long grades. Granted Mount Eagle on I-24 and Fort mountain on I-40 are pretty long even by western standards. Gear it down and do not worry about it but do not ride your brakes.
ScottG
Nomad
Dec 22, 2014
I take it you have an auto trans? It's doable but you'd be much happier with an exhaust brake.
There are ways to add it to your 05 that include installing a transmission controller.
If you have a manual trans then it's a no brainer.
Well worth it IMHO.

EDIT: misread your post, since you have an 07 and EB is a simple install and the trans is set up to work with it.
Installing an EB was the best thing I ever did to my truck. You wont ever find anyone who did so and said it wasn't worth it.
For less than $1500 you could enjoy the safety and pure towing joy of using a good exhaust brake.