GPS for steep grades

[Sandy___Shirley]

Are there any units or phone apps that will warn us when we are approaching a steep grade? Would love to hear something like, “7% grade 5 miles ahead”. We will be traveling from Maryland to Oakland and back again this April and May. The plan is to unhook the toad and drive each unit separately up or down steep grades. None of the road atlases we have seen seem to give a good definition of what grades are where, we have heard that there are apps and systems that will do that.

Any help pointing us towards the products we should consider would be appreciated.

Thanks

[BigRabbitMan]

Mile High wrote:

BigRabbitMan wrote:
The brakes are not to control speed when descending whether you have the toad hooked up or not. The engine is what is to control your downhill speed. Gear it down at the top of the grade to a gear low enough that you do not need to touch your brakes going downhill. If you are gaining speed press the brakes hard one time to bring your speed down enough to get into a lower gear. The engine will rev very high but it will not hurt the engine.

I can't say for that Foretravel drive train, but current technology will force an upshift to keep from over-revving the engine, gas or diesel. Our Cummins/Allison will "force-up" to the next gear at 2,400 rpm. I do have to brake on CO passes to keep it at the 2,000-2,200 rpm range. It's a hard and short braking, but braking non the less.

In my opinion you are still too high of a gear. If the coach is gaining speed to the point that it forces an upshift to higher gear, you were one gear too high. Yes, you can stab the brakes but if that is needed then you are in too high of a gear to start with.

I recently traveled from Oregon to Southern California wherein I went over the Ahland grade in Oregon and the Grapevine in CA going both ways and never touched the brake pedal on any of the downhill grades. The northbound Ashland grade is 7 miles of 6% grade with some 45 & 50 mph curves thrown in for good measure.
Touched

[doxiemom11]

I also have not had the best information from flattest route. We have the mountain directory west and it has the type of descriptions for grades you are looking for. It won't talk to you though. You will have to research your route with the maps and markers indicating either steeper inclines or declines.

[Sandy___Shirley]

ArchHoagland wrote:
Sandy & Shirley....I'm curious where you are staying in Oakland...RV parks are scarce in that area.

My girlfriend, 15 years now, and I are going there to visit my 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren :B and my ex wife :(. One of my daughters has a large enough driveway to let us park the motor home next to her house. We will sleep in the motor home and use her house for showers etc.

And YES, they do know that we are proud members of the S.K.I. club and are happy for us, well at least the children and grandchildren feel that way!

[Mile_High]

BigRabbitMan wrote:
The brakes are not to control speed when descending whether you have the toad hooked up or not. The engine is what is to control your downhill speed. Gear it down at the top of the grade to a gear low enough that you do not need to touch your brakes going downhill. If you are gaining speed press the brakes hard one time to bring your speed down enough to get into a lower gear. The engine will rev very high but it will not hurt the engine.

I can't say for that Foretravel drive train, but current technology will force an upshift to keep from over-revving the engine, gas or diesel. Our Cummins/Allison will "force-up" to the next gear at 2,400 rpm. I do have to brake on CO passes to keep it at the 2,000-2,200 rpm range. It's a hard and short braking, but braking non the less.

[OLYLEN]

OP you really need to learn your RV's capabilities. 1000's of MH's crossing the 7% grades everyday towing. Yours is no different. That V-10 is built to do the job and if in reasonable shape, your's looks in great shape, will do the deed. If you don't have one installed get a braking system on the towed, although unless using the service brakes mine does not come on going down the grades. Going up and down will be a bit of a learning experience. Up pick a gear you can hold 4000 RPM or a bit more and sit back and relax for the few minutes, watch for over heating although you should be fine, plan the big climb's for cool hours of the morning. Down hill rule of thumb, same gear as going up using quick harder braking with service brakes on the way down if needed to drop a few MPH. As to wear on the MH, it is built for the job as long as you do your part. I have been towing for 54 years and have never unhooked for up hill or down with the exception of hunting in the mountains with snow and ice, logging roads.

LEN

[ArchHoagland]

Sandy & Shirley....I'm curious where you are staying in Oakland...RV parks are scarce in that area.

[BigRabbitMan]

To OP. I live in the west and there are grades just about any direction I go. I have been to the East coast and back. On uphill grades, I feel that you best be served by just gearing down as needed and grinding your way up the grade. I’ve done it.

My concern is your comment about having brakes for going downhill. The brakes are not to control speed when descending whether you have the toad hooked up or not. The engine is what is to control your downhill speed. Gear it down at the top of the grade to a gear low enough that you do not need to touch your brakes going downhill. If you are gaining speed press the brakes hard one time to bring your speed down enough to get into a lower gear. The engine will rev very high but it will not hurt the engine.

Try the above on the first few grades that you come to and see how it feels for you. A southern route will have fewer grades than a northern route but to get to Oakland you cannot avoid all grades.

Have a safe trip. I used to live 50 miles from Oakland.

[Tax_Man]

To answer the OP. I have the Garmin RV660. Used it to get from Iowa to Fresno CA. Pulled the toad up and down hills. Took I-70 from Denver. Did not unhook. there were several hills that slowed us to 35mph. Just keep plugging along. Have fun..

[hohenwald48]

Every time this whole "what do I do about driving up and down a mountain pass" conversation comes up I can only think "much ado about nothing."

Some folks just gotta have something to worry about.

I do like the "crank the toad and push the motorhome" up the pass idea. That's a good one. If I ever find a pass that a motorhome and toad can't get over I'll give it a try. 🙂

[wolfe10]

Actually, once you have learned how to drive your coach on grades (speed, use of transmission, comfortable RPM, etc), this becomes MUCH less of an issue.

Been on grades from zero (like across Louisiana on I 10) to 22% for 3 miles to a friends home in the mountains above Durango, CO. Never overheated, always got there, and the majority of that was in a 1993 Foretravel 36' with 250HP Caterpillar and Allison 6 speed.

[time2roll]

I can understand knowing the grade for trip planning... Otherwise I can see a mountain a solid 20 miles into the distance.

While all RVs and drivers are different I give no concern until the grade exceeds 10%. And yes I am slow up 6%+ grades especially at elevation.

[Lwiddis]

"on my way to Bakersfield"

Sorry to hear this news, JMichael.

[rgatijnet1]

jplante4 wrote:
(Tongue firmly implanted in cheek)

I'm surprised that no one suggested putting the DW/DH in the car and dropping it in gear to help push up the hill.

We had a transmission line rupture while at the check-in for an RV park. Our solution was for the DW to go into the toad, put it in gear, and slowly push us in to the nearest vacant site. It worked fine since we were going very slow and the RV park was level. I then unhooked the toad and went and got some oil-dry and cleaned up the mess I had just made on their driveway. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box and we have solved several issues like this in the 54 years we have been married. I don't think it would have worked well pushing the RV up a highway grade. :B

[Sandy___Shirley]

jplante4 wrote:
(Tongue firmly implanted in cheek)

I'm surprised that no one suggested putting the DW/DH in the car and dropping it in gear to help push up the hill.

That would have been a great idea with my ex-wife! Not so good with my new, 15 years now, girlfriend!