Full On Panic Stop at 18,000 Pounds & 6% Grade

Only once...

Goining south on I-5, on a downhill slope to the Golden Gate bridge... many lanes wide, all full and doing at least the speed limit.. we were in the third lane from the right. We could see the bridge just in front of us.

I could see the all lanes of traffic in front and slightly below me from the cab of my truck. All of the sudden every lane came to a complete stop... I planted both feet... sliding straight to within inches of the car in front of me. Then almost immediately all alnes resumed moving... there was no accident, no signs, no flashing lights, nothing apparent to cause the stop. Maybe a tourist taking a picture???

Janet held the dash in place... I tested the strength of the steering wheel.

Scared the h3ll out of me afterward.

I was amazed at how straight the T/TC slid... we stayed in the lane all the way. I'm glad that we didn't have a pusher. I have no idea what all was going on behind us.

Haven't made a panic stop in my TC, but did bring a red pontiac Transam from 110 to 55 real quick when the radar detector went off near Midland, Tx in 1980. Got a ticket anyway.

Glad you came out OK.

BTW don't use up Colorado, I plan be there in September.

BradW wrote:
...Bear, passengers and driver continued on their merry way

with the bear as a hood ornament :B

I drove that pass last year, not something to be trifled with. Holding a straight line whole panic braking is exactly what they taught us to do in the Fire Department EVOC class for engine operators

I am glad to hear you stopped in time!

Great brakes on the trailer must of helped.

I have brakes on my toad, and it really helps. Once I wanted to check and see how hard they are applying themselves. So I lightly applied the brakes down a long hill and stopped at the bottom at the rest area I stopped at the week before. I checked the brakes with a infra red temp gauge, and everything was fine. Not to hot or cold.

Fred.

I had to do this coming down Horseshoe Bend hill on the Horseshoe Bend, Idaho side. I don't know the grade, but going up it, I usually can only maintain 45-50mph, so it's fairly steep.

The incident occurred because I wasn't paying attention and was admiring the view of the valley. I looked up to discover that traffic in front of me had stopped for construction. I was driving a new-to-me 1986 F350 with my Lance and a 1988 Four Winns Horizon 210. The total package weighed about 18,000 lbs.. When I stepped on the brakes, there was almost no effect, and I mean close to nothing happened. I immediately started steering toward the ditch and hillside figuring that it was better to ditch it then hit someone. To this day I am grateful that I was driving a stick and that it had a granny gear. By double clutching and revving, I was able to get it into 1st gear relatively quickly and bring it to a stop. When I got out, my front left brake was smoking. I went back to town and had my brakes looked at. The truck had been siting for several years before I bought it and as a result, the brakes were not functioning. The rear brakes weren't engaging at all and the front right had a leaking wheel cylinder. The boat trailer brakes we completely non-functional. In other words, I had one fully functioning brake.

Needless to say, I now make sure the brakes work on anything I buy, especially if it has been sitting around.

Glad everyone made it, that would be very nerve racking

Good that you didn't attemp to swerve. Get into trouble doing that.

Brad I haven't done the panic stop, but did drive from Silverton to Durango today. No bears but plenty of hail, not road, grade or conditions I'd lke to test a full panic stop.

After eating at TH in Silverton I did need to make a semi panic stop.

I have had to do it before and anti lock brakes sure help. Having decent trailer brakes, adjusted properly, also help. The biggest issue I have endured is picking up everything that was tossed around.