Descending down a mountain

One more thing, if you're going down a hill with lots of sharp 20mph turns, that can be a lot harder on your brakes than a steeper, but straighter and faster descent like on the Interstates.

And the drum brakes will fade faster on your trailer than the disk brakes on your truck. The trailer brakes will need constant re-adjustment via your controller as they heat up. On the western descent with all the hair-pin turns down the pass in Great Smoky Mountains N.P., I kept increasing the voltage to my trailer brakes as they heated up so the trailer would keep doing its part. I also started manually operating them to give the truck brakes a break. That was all in 2nd gear. All the brakes were stinking hot by the time we got down. Probably should have pulled over to let them cool.

sacmarata wrote:

proxim2020 wrote:

Passin Thru wrote:
BB is 6% for 5 miles, some interstates are 9%, but no more out west. Never saw anyone descend up a mountain!

All "interstates" must be AASHTO compliant and restricted to 6% grade. Waiver can be issue from the Federal Highway Administration for mountainous regions, but restricted to 7% with speeds under 60 mph. The Eisenhower system is designed to move military equipment across the country quickly and efficiently. When moving heavy or sensitive equipment, grades are important.

Are you a state highway official?

Nope, but I enjoy researching and reading about all kinds of things. You can check out "A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System" for all of the standards that are applied to interstates. Also you can find copies of "The Green Book" online which show standards for road and highway design.

HERE is one source.

And another

sacmarata wrote:

proxim2020 wrote:

Passin Thru wrote:
BB is 6% for 5 miles, some interstates are 9%, but no more out west. Never saw anyone descend up a mountain!

All "interstates" must be AASHTO compliant and restricted to 6% grade. Waiver can be issue from the Federal Highway Administration for mountainous regions, but restricted to 7% with speeds under 60 mph. The Eisenhower system is designed to move military equipment across the country quickly and efficiently. When moving heavy or sensitive equipment, grades are important.

Are you a state highway official?

don't have to be. It's public knowledge. Your's for the reading.

BurbMan wrote:
Use your tow/haul button and watch the speed limit on the road. If you shift manually to 2 it will hold your speed to about 45 mph. Drop down to 1 and it will limit you to about 30, no matter how steep the hill is. but that engine is gonna rev! If no sharp curves, I would put it in 2 at the top and let it go. Tap the brakes as necessary. If you see signs for sharp curves, you can brake to 25 or so and drop into 1. Try to use the brakes as little as possible, and watch the trans temps as you descend the hill.

Good advice here.
The only other thing I can add is that if you aren't confident going into a situation, then you probably need more seat time with this rig before tackiling anything that makes you pucker. Experience pays dividends and talk is cheap.
It all says easy but does hard if you are new to the situation and in the moment.
Don't forget, you can manually control just the trailer brakes if needed.
Also, regardless of what others may tell you, there is an unsafe minimum speed on interstates. Don't get too carried away and creep down an interstate grade so slow that you are a hazard to others.

proxim2020 wrote:

Passin Thru wrote:
BB is 6% for 5 miles, some interstates are 9%, but no more out west. Never saw anyone descend up a mountain!

All "interstates" must be AASHTO compliant and restricted to 6% grade. Waiver can be issue from the Federal Highway Administration for mountainous regions, but restricted to 7% with speeds under 60 mph. The Eisenhower system is designed to move military equipment across the country quickly and efficiently. When moving heavy or sensitive equipment, grades are important.

Are you a state highway official?

Use your tow/haul button and watch the speed limit on the road. If you shift manually to 2 it will hold your speed to about 45 mph. Drop down to 1 and it will limit you to about 30, no matter how steep the hill is. but that engine is gonna rev! If no sharp curves, I would put it in 2 at the top and let it go. Tap the brakes as necessary. If you see signs for sharp curves, you can brake to 25 or so and drop into 1. Try to use the brakes as little as possible, and watch the trans temps as you descend the hill.

Thanks to all of you.

As others has stated gear down or use tow haul. You did not state which mountain you are going down but if it is I-40 out of Black Mountain about 6% for 5 miles levels out nicely at Old Fort. Good Luck and happy travels.

I was more concerned about the engine turning ~4000 RPMs going up the mountain. I backed off, and kept the engine closer to 3000-3200 and was much more comfortable.