Took some video of the truck using the hill descent control. It doesn't look like it but it was a steep mother hill...

YouTube - 2011 Ford Super Duty Hill Descent Control

 

First class video Epic.... Now we need a how to video to change the fuel filters and towing the 5th wheel, and etc....

Wow... I just hit 1k posts!

 

I don't really get the point of the hill descent control. If it used something other than the wheel brakes to slow the vehicle, I'd be a big fan. But since it uses the brakes, I think my foot on the pedal gives greater control. Why use the computer gizmo?

Good video of the system in use though!

 

can you explain how to set the system up? everytime I hit the button from a dead stop, it will say its active, but my truck will just zip on down the hill.

 

I think you have to be in 4LO for it to work. I could be wrong though. And yes, you can do the same thing with your foot but there is something about it that makes the experience easier. It takes care of a lot of the work and you can just enjoy the downhill ride a bit more.

This heresy coming from an old Moab rock crawler.

 

I have used it in 4hi. It works but you have to be on a real hill and if I remember right it's a little like the tow/haul deal where it will take over once you tap the brake. Like, set your speed, then touch the brake and it will take care of the rest.

It's cool enough but will be rarely used by me.

 

I have used it in 2WD. There is no mention in the manual that you need to be in 4 wheel drive. I played around with it a bit and I think the grade needs to be around 7% or so. To use it, just activate the switch and either accelerate or decelerate to the speed you want. You are limited to a 2 to 12 mph range and it deactivated at 20mph.

Lurker - I think it was designed in the belief that you want to spend your time steering rather than managing the braking. I agree, in a technical terrain, the foot on the pedal method works best. Where I found it is useful was going down really steep grades with snow on them. The ABS activates and you can spend your time steering.

 

Epic - "Dad, I'm hungry". What a classic line! As always another great video. Did you worry at all about your Titan on the way down? I am about to take the plunge on the tank. Just trying to see if a fabricator friend of mine can make a metal skid plate that will fit under the Titan. I don't think their solution will hold up. You have any pictures that you can post of how low the tank sits?

 

I tried it yesterday in 2wd yesterday. I pushed the button went down the hill and tapped the brakes and we creepy crawled all the way down. Very Cool feature.

 

Thanks everyone for chiming in on when the hill descent works. This is only the second time I've used it and the other time really didn't count. I just thought it would be fun to try it out.

Marauder - I was sweating bullets about the Titan tank the entire time. I probably checked my side mirrors a hundred times just looking for a trail of leaking diesel. Turns out I never even scraped it once and you can judge for yourself the severity of the terrain. The couple of parts that my wife video'd were relatively smooth. Anyone who may has been to Tower arch in Arches Nat'l Park would know that the bulk of the access "road" is loaded with large, sharp protruding rock. The Titan skid plate was never tested.

When I think about it, the cross-linked polyethylene really does provide a tremendous amount of protection. If I were to rub over a rock, sharp or dull, the Titan tank and skid plate will flex quite a bit before rupturing. A metal plate or tank can't do that. They will bend only a little before failing. I don't have any data to support that theory, but it makes sense.

Having said that, it's not like I'm going to go bombing over boulders. I'm still going to drive to protect the tank, consciously or not.

 

I watched the video again. There was one external scene where you went over a pretty steep ledge. If it didn't hit on that, it probably would take a bit to hit it. I think I also could make out the bottom of the tank in that same scene.

Having Jeeped a number of years, I have seen my fair share of undercarriage damage. One of the Jeeps I still own has a plastic tank and a sheet metal skid plate over it. I doubt seriously that I will be in terrain like that with my F350 but would like something covering it just in case I do. Did you buy the Titan skid plate cover? It is made out of plastic I think.

 

Nice video, thanks for sharing.

Maybe a silly question, but does hill descent control work in reverse? Mmm, launching a boat from a ramp, for example. Not that I'd trust the computer to keep from getting dunked.

Just curious. My truck is still on order so I don't have a manual to refer to.

Thanks,
Bit

 

I'm sure I could have found something to press into the tank but I was trying to avoid those... lol.

I do have the skid plate so that effectively gives me two layers of poly material. It is made out of the same material as the tank.

Good question and I don't have the answer. Someone needs to try this.

 

Nice work Epic! Always enjoy your productions....

 

Epic, With all the twisting of the frame, did you pop your tailgate?

I thought folks hauled toys down to Moab, So they could leave their trucks parked at the trailheads and ride either their mountain bikes or ATVs up those trails. You're a brave sole to drive your nice truck down those trails.