8% grade descent
Newbie Here. F350 and 37' fifth wheel. Yesterday I went down an 8 degree slope and left it in Tow Haul while using the breaks on trailer and truck to slow me down. I was thinking I might have been ...
Forum Discussion
Besides all the T/H stuff:
I know that you should try and stay off the brakes as much as possible, but if I knew we were going to be heading into territory with steep downhill grades, I'd want to know in advance that our TT brakes are in good working order and that the BC is adjusted properly. Too many things can go wrong with brakes on a TT and when you do brake, you'll want to be able to count on both the TV & TT brakes working for you.
I also think it's important make sure to slow down well in advance of a corner before you enter it. You don't want to find yourself in a corner and having too much speed going down a steep incline. Max. posted speeds for corners are based on the heaviest, longest and most difficult of vehicles and rigs so if you enter at corner at or less than the posted speed, you'll get around the corner(s) fine.
We went up and down a mountain pass last week of 10% and 4,000 ft. (I know not bad compared to some). The road on the way down was quite twisty, rough and narrow in sections at 50 - 60 mph. We had shocks installed earlier this year and this was the first real test of them. It is way easier to control the truck now and the TV and TT together are much "tighter" and a lot more predictable.
I love the T/H on our '09 F250 and it's great going up or down steeper roads. Don't know if our V10 works better for engine braking over a V8 but the engine braking is quite effective.
I know that you should try and stay off the brakes as much as possible, but if I knew we were going to be heading into territory with steep downhill grades, I'd want to know in advance that our TT brakes are in good working order and that the BC is adjusted properly. Too many things can go wrong with brakes on a TT and when you do brake, you'll want to be able to count on both the TV & TT brakes working for you.
I also think it's important make sure to slow down well in advance of a corner before you enter it. You don't want to find yourself in a corner and having too much speed going down a steep incline. Max. posted speeds for corners are based on the heaviest, longest and most difficult of vehicles and rigs so if you enter at corner at or less than the posted speed, you'll get around the corner(s) fine.
We went up and down a mountain pass last week of 10% and 4,000 ft. (I know not bad compared to some). The road on the way down was quite twisty, rough and narrow in sections at 50 - 60 mph. We had shocks installed earlier this year and this was the first real test of them. It is way easier to control the truck now and the TV and TT together are much "tighter" and a lot more predictable.
I love the T/H on our '09 F250 and it's great going up or down steeper roads. Don't know if our V10 works better for engine braking over a V8 but the engine braking is quite effective.
