GPS for steep grades
Are there any units or phone apps that will warn us when we are approaching a steep grade? Would love to hear something like, “7% grade 5 miles ahead”. We will be traveling from Maryland to Oakland ...
Forum Discussion
Mile High wrote:BigRabbitMan wrote:I can't say for that Foretravel drive train, but current technology will force an upshift to keep from over-revving the engine, gas or diesel. Our Cummins/Allison will "force-up" to the next gear at 2,400 rpm. I do have to brake on CO passes to keep it at the 2,000-2,200 rpm range. It's a hard and short braking, but braking non the less.
The brakes are not to control speed when descending whether you have the toad hooked up or not. The engine is what is to control your downhill speed. Gear it down at the top of the grade to a gear low enough that you do not need to touch your brakes going downhill. If you are gaining speed press the brakes hard one time to bring your speed down enough to get into a lower gear. The engine will rev very high but it will not hurt the engine.
In my opinion you are still too high of a gear. If the coach is gaining speed to the point that it forces an upshift to higher gear, you were one gear too high. Yes, you can stab the brakes but if that is needed then you are in too high of a gear to start with.
I recently traveled from Oregon to Southern California wherein I went over the Ahland grade in Oregon and the Grapevine in CA going both ways and never touched the brake pedal on any of the downhill grades. The northbound Ashland grade is 7 miles of 6% grade with some 45 & 50 mph curves thrown in for good measure.
Touched
