Towing up the mountains
I'm in the middle of purchasing a new truck and came across this website and watched a few of videos testing trucks on the IKE Gauntlet (A long steep Mtn grade): TFL Truck I have only been in the ...
Forum Discussion
Most mountains I have towed in are steeper than interstate grades, and have far too many twists and turns to go fast i.e. roads in Yosemite, Sequoia, Angeles forest. These roads are not straight enough to see how fast you can go up the hill.
Going up I usually manually shift to an appropriate gear and leave it, otherwise every time I let off the gas for a corner the trans will shift up followed by a downshift after leaving the corner. Going down I do the same, manually select a gear that will for the most part hold the hill, jab the brakes as necessary for corners and just take it slow. I have been up and down roads where I have had to select 1st for parts.
Also remember that modern OHC small block V8s are made to rev, and are much happier in a lower gear at 4000rpm than a higher at 2000rpm, plus the fan will pull more air through the coolers.
If I am on an interstate or straight highway climbing a grade, I will try within reason to hold the speed limit and put my foot on the floor. Hurts nothing but gas mileage. I can maintain speed on the I5 g****vine. One of the more difficult ones I remember was the Sherwin grade out of Bishop on 395. It is a fairly long straight 6-7% but it starts at 4150ft and ends at Sherwin summit at 7000ft with a gradual climb the remaining way to Deadman summit at 8036ft For the steep part of this ascent I was in 2nd at around 40 with my foot on the floor.
Is it just me or are the filters working overtime? g r a p e vine? really? I also saw on another post S c r a p as S**** :h
Going up I usually manually shift to an appropriate gear and leave it, otherwise every time I let off the gas for a corner the trans will shift up followed by a downshift after leaving the corner. Going down I do the same, manually select a gear that will for the most part hold the hill, jab the brakes as necessary for corners and just take it slow. I have been up and down roads where I have had to select 1st for parts.
Also remember that modern OHC small block V8s are made to rev, and are much happier in a lower gear at 4000rpm than a higher at 2000rpm, plus the fan will pull more air through the coolers.
If I am on an interstate or straight highway climbing a grade, I will try within reason to hold the speed limit and put my foot on the floor. Hurts nothing but gas mileage. I can maintain speed on the I5 g****vine. One of the more difficult ones I remember was the Sherwin grade out of Bishop on 395. It is a fairly long straight 6-7% but it starts at 4150ft and ends at Sherwin summit at 7000ft with a gradual climb the remaining way to Deadman summit at 8036ft For the steep part of this ascent I was in 2nd at around 40 with my foot on the floor.
Is it just me or are the filters working overtime? g r a p e vine? really? I also saw on another post S c r a p as S**** :h
