Steep grades

[MimiGoodSam2015]

Are there steep grades from Denver to San Francisco, to o dangerous for a 40 foot Tiffin bus with tow. How are the grades from in and around Alaska? How are the grades from Alaska to Yellowstone National Park?

[robertbenita]

Beartooth Highway is a blast and only 6% I think. Our gasser at the time made it, but slowly. Our RV now did not have an issue! Good luck with your trip!

[2gypsies1]

Passin Thru wrote:
No grade is over 9% these days on any interstate.

I would say more like 6% and a few with 7%.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

2gypsies wrote:
If you stay on interstates then you don't need the 'Mountain Directory'. However, there are many secondary mountain highways that a pick up truck could go but an RV is not advised to do so. You don't want to get going on one of those roads and not be able to turn around.

Now, if you're talking about a semi-truck then, yes, if a semi can do it a RV can, too.

We love mountain driving and have done a lot of it but we've also taken our towed car on some roads that we would never take our RV. Common sense.

Not all trips are 100% possible on the Interstate highway system. Having the directory lets me travel where I want to, which is why I bought the RV.

[dubdub07]

You coach is fine. You will have no issues on I-70 or I-80.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Trackrig wrote:

John S. wrote:
So, why do you need a book. The signs tell you as does looking out the window. If it is a main road or interstate and can handle a truck, it can handle a coach.

Drivers that are new to mountain driving are a lot more comfortable if they know what to expect about the road before they get there. As for trucks, I've had my DP on many roads where trucks don't go such as lower Utah and coming into the Tetons from St Anthony. You can't get part way into those roads, see no trucks, and decide to turn around.

Where is it, I believe south of Mt Rushmore, on a road called Iron Mountain Road and then the one that goes up to Needles. I believe the book will tell you not to take anything over 30' (maybe shorter) on those two due the very sharp blind turns on a narrow road. From the amount of scrape marks on the rock besides the road, people must not have read the book. And 13' high MH wouldn't have fit through the tunnels either. The Jeep did just fine.

Just because I go into some areas doesn't mean the next person should or would. And I wouldn't have gone into them if I didn't have air brakes and a retarder.

Forewarned is Forearmed.

Bill

X 2
Exactly right.

Why some don't want others to have these directories is a hard one to understand when it comes to planning your trip. A big rig is a big responsibility out on the open highways.

[luvlabs]

Your Allegro Bus is equipped with everything you need to climb and descend mountains safely - as long as you use it properly. Your Allison transmission has six speeds and you should learn to downshift to keep the engine in its power band (around 2000 rpm) when climbing grades. Your engine and transmission will run cooler and you won't be setting any speed records (you really don't need to climb the mountain at 55 mph, 45 or less is fine).

When descending a grade, use your exhaust brake before you use your foot brakes. You have a 2 speed brake - try it out before you jump into the mountains. The trick is to descend a steep mountain in the same gear and same speed as you went up it. If you do need to brake, apply your brakes hard enough and long enough to snub your speed down to below the speed you wanted to descend at - and then take you foot off the brake and let the transmission and exhaust brake do their jobs. This allows the brakes to cool between applications. Do not ride the brakes as you will overheat them and posssibly lose your braking.

Want some practice - take a drive to Smokies and points north. My favorite "western type" climb and descent is I-77 at the NC, VA border. The area is called Fancy Gap and you have 6-7 miles of grade into VA and, of coarse, 6-7 miles of down hill back into NC.

[Passin_Thru]

No grade is over 9% these days on any interstate.

[2gypsies1]

If you stay on interstates then you don't need the 'Mountain Directory'. However, there are many secondary mountain highways that a pick up truck could go but an RV is not advised to do so. You don't want to get going on one of those roads and not be able to turn around.

Now, if you're talking about a semi-truck then, yes, if a semi can do it a RV can, too.

We love mountain driving and have done a lot of it but we've also taken our towed car on some roads that we would never take our RV. Common sense.

[ncrowley]

I second getting the Mountain Directory West. It is very detailed and tells you what to expect on each road. You can then decide what route you want to take.

[Trackrig]

John S. wrote:
So, why do you need a book. The signs tell you as does looking out the window. If it is a main road or interstate and can handle a truck, it can handle a coach.

Drivers that are new to mountain driving are a lot more comfortable if they know what to expect about the road before they get there. As for trucks, I've had my DP on many roads where trucks don't go such as lower Utah and coming into the Tetons from St Anthony. You can't get part way into those roads, see no trucks, and decide to turn around.

Where is it, I believe south of Mt Rushmore, on a road called Iron Mountain Road and then the one that goes up to Needles. I believe the book will tell you not to take anything over 30' (maybe shorter) on those two due the very sharp blind turns on a narrow road. From the amount of scrape marks on the rock besides the road, people must not have read the book. And 13' high MH wouldn't have fit through the tunnels either. The Jeep did just fine.

Just because I go into some areas doesn't mean the next person should or would. And I wouldn't have gone into them if I didn't have air brakes and a retarder.

Forewarned is Forearmed.

Bill

[John_S_]

So, why do you need a book. The signs tell you as does looking out the window. If it is a main road or interstate and can handle a truck, it can handle a coach. It is the driver and sadly, many are not up to regular driving at times, much less mountains. Heck, I was talking to one motorhome driver who thought I 40 in NC was too steep and she was scared. I have driven my coaches in rain, snow, heat and cold and up and down just about every major highway in America. Gear down going up and down. Watch your temps, don't ride the brake and use your aux braking. And the big thing is to start out slow at the top in a lower gear and stay there. Took 14 out of Yellowstone and I 70 thru Denver and I68 in western Md and do it in 2 or 3rd gear with my retarder and never have yo touch the brake almost all the way down.

[2gypsies1]

No problems with Alaska. Millions of RVers have gone there, including us. 🙂

In fact, all of your mentioned routes are drivable with a towed although I wouldn't take it through San Francisco. Instead, stay outside the city - Napa Valley Expo is nice and take your towed into the city or take a city tour.

Definitely purchase the 'Mountain Directory for Truckers and RVers - Western Edition'. It will help you a lot.

[GREGORYJ]

I agree with pconroy328, I-80 is much easier than I-70 and so I plan my trips to
use I-80. Also on a couple of trips I had to use I-80 because the higher elevations on I-70 had snowy weather conditions and freezing temperatures.

[pconroy328]

We just took I-80 from Denver to San Fran last week. The grades on I-80, I'd call hills not mountains. Much easier than I-70.

Of course, once we got to San Fran, we parked the motorhome and rented a car. 🙂