Using 4wd to slow down

craig7h wrote:
I was reading the last issue of trailer life, the article a couple wrote about looking for a new truck. In the article they said that when going down a step grade they will put their truck in 4wd low and low gear to help slow down. I would like to know if this is common practice. I would have never thought about doing that, is this something that the trucks transmission can handle.

Everyone here seems to only think about their own rigs, on the highway, pavement, etc.

We didn't read the article, and it might not have gone into detail anyway. But the couple could easily own a truck and trailer for off-road use. There are plenty of pop-up trailers designed for getting off-road. And yes, going into low range on a steep descent works great at holding the load. If you need low range to climb the hill, you probably need it for descending as well.