Mountain Towing Question
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Dade City, FL
Mountain Towing Question
Hey guys,
I'll be headed to the midwest in a couple of days with the 34' fiver. Our longest towing mission so far. This will require climbing some of the mountains/very large hills when passing through TN and KY.
Climbing is easy. Keep the RPMs up and the EGTs down. I'm a little concerned about the best way to descend. My mods are in my sig. I have a bone stock 4R100 with 206k mi. which has never given me a bit of trouble. Fingers crossed.
It sounds like the DP tow tunes keep the TC locked to a fairly low speed even with the OD off. I don't have the EBPV decel tune. My understanding is that the best thing to do is to cancel the OD, maybe even drop into 2nd gear, and use the (new) brakes just enough to control my speed and to make sure I don't float a valve or crash.
Correct? This may sound like a stupid question, but at this point I'm more concerned about stressing my aging tranny than anything else, especially the brakes.
Thanks as always.
I'll be headed to the midwest in a couple of days with the 34' fiver. Our longest towing mission so far. This will require climbing some of the mountains/very large hills when passing through TN and KY.
Climbing is easy. Keep the RPMs up and the EGTs down. I'm a little concerned about the best way to descend. My mods are in my sig. I have a bone stock 4R100 with 206k mi. which has never given me a bit of trouble. Fingers crossed.
It sounds like the DP tow tunes keep the TC locked to a fairly low speed even with the OD off. I don't have the EBPV decel tune. My understanding is that the best thing to do is to cancel the OD, maybe even drop into 2nd gear, and use the (new) brakes just enough to control my speed and to make sure I don't float a valve or crash.
Correct? This may sound like a stupid question, but at this point I'm more concerned about stressing my aging tranny than anything else, especially the brakes.
Thanks as always.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 7
From: Belgrade, MT
Use the brakes
I have been towing in the west/rockies for 20 years, you have a good set of brakes under that truck, and I hope a good/operational set on the trailer as well. A brake job is relatively inexpensive compared to a tranny, use the brakes as needed, keeping in mind not to over heat them. Just running with OD off gives great engine braking with minimal wear and tear on the tranny. you shouldn't need 2nd often in my opinion, at leat on typical highways, one lane windy passes may need 2nd, but just drive responsibly, things will be fine.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,708
Likes: 5
From: Kiowa CO
I have been towing in the west/rockies for 20 years, you have a good set of brakes under that truck, and I hope a good/operational set on the trailer as well. A brake job is relatively inexpensive compared to a tranny, use the brakes as needed, keeping in mind not to over heat them. Just running with OD off gives great engine braking with minimal wear and tear on the tranny. you shouldn't need 2nd often in my opinion, at leat on typical highways, one lane windy passes may need 2nd, but just drive responsibly, things will be fine.
The only time I've used 2nd gear is either in Yellowstone and those windy roads there or following a semi or another RVer that's riding their brakes hard. All I can say is you can use your sense of feel when towing and you'll know when things are going a little fast. Just don't ride your brakes.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,863
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From: Hoschton,GA
Hey guys,
I'll be headed to the midwest in a couple of days with the 34' fiver. Our longest towing mission so far. This will require climbing some of the mountains/very large hills when passing through TN and KY.
Climbing is easy. Keep the RPMs up and the EGTs down. I'm a little concerned about the best way to descend. My mods are in my sig. I have a bone stock 4R100 with 206k mi. which has never given me a bit of trouble. Fingers crossed.
It sounds like the DP tow tunes keep the TC locked to a fairly low speed even with the OD off. I don't have the EBPV decel tune. My understanding is that the best thing to do is to cancel the OD, maybe even drop into 2nd gear, and use the (new) brakes just enough to control my speed and to make sure I don't float a valve or crash.
Correct? This may sound like a stupid question, but at this point I'm more concerned about stressing my aging tranny than anything else, especially the brakes.
Thanks as always.
I'll be headed to the midwest in a couple of days with the 34' fiver. Our longest towing mission so far. This will require climbing some of the mountains/very large hills when passing through TN and KY.
Climbing is easy. Keep the RPMs up and the EGTs down. I'm a little concerned about the best way to descend. My mods are in my sig. I have a bone stock 4R100 with 206k mi. which has never given me a bit of trouble. Fingers crossed.
It sounds like the DP tow tunes keep the TC locked to a fairly low speed even with the OD off. I don't have the EBPV decel tune. My understanding is that the best thing to do is to cancel the OD, maybe even drop into 2nd gear, and use the (new) brakes just enough to control my speed and to make sure I don't float a valve or crash.
Correct? This may sound like a stupid question, but at this point I'm more concerned about stressing my aging tranny than anything else, especially the brakes.
Thanks as always.
So jealous! I want to go on a mid west trip sometime.
Will you be on roads with alot of switch back driving. Scenic mountian driving or just highway? Jody has mountian tunes that work great for the switch back driving.
Diane
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,411
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From: Opelika, AL
i have read on a camping forum of a guy that used to drive big rigs and now delivers RV's all over the country....he suggested.
Use a proportional brake controler (not time based) and keep it at 20% the whole way down...he said that the heating caused by braking-coasting-braking-coasting will do more damage to your brakes and give you less control than just riding them lightly all the way.
havent tried it myself....maybe others here have heard of this or know of reason why you should or shouldnt
Use a proportional brake controler (not time based) and keep it at 20% the whole way down...he said that the heating caused by braking-coasting-braking-coasting will do more damage to your brakes and give you less control than just riding them lightly all the way.
havent tried it myself....maybe others here have heard of this or know of reason why you should or shouldnt
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2010
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i have read on a camping forum of a guy that used to drive big rigs and now delivers RV's all over the country....he suggested.
Use a proportional brake controler (not time based) and keep it at 20% the whole way down...he said that the heating caused by braking-coasting-braking-coasting will do more damage to your brakes and give you less control than just riding them lightly all the way.
havent tried it myself....maybe others here have heard of this or know of reason why you should or shouldnt
Use a proportional brake controler (not time based) and keep it at 20% the whole way down...he said that the heating caused by braking-coasting-braking-coasting will do more damage to your brakes and give you less control than just riding them lightly all the way.
havent tried it myself....maybe others here have heard of this or know of reason why you should or shouldnt
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 453
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From: Dade City, FL
Thanks for the replies everyone.
99.9% interstate. I don't really like do a lot of sightseeing with 12k lbs behind me.
I've never heard of that either, and I don't really like the sound of it. I'm thinking that it would depend on a LOT things, not the least of which would be your vehicle's ability to disappate heat off the brakes. I'd hate to try it and find out that it didn't work for my particular circumstances!
Thanks again. I appreciate it.
99.9% interstate. I don't really like do a lot of sightseeing with 12k lbs behind me.
Originally Posted by bama29fan
...he said that the heating caused by braking-coasting-braking-coasting will do more damage to your brakes and give you less control than just riding them lightly all the way....
Thanks again. I appreciate it.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 2
From: Bend Oregon
I grew up in a trucking family, my father, uncles, grandfather and great grandfather are/where all truck drivers. I spent all my summers between the ages of 9 and 18 hauling lumber with Dad and or Grandpa from norther California to all points south. I started taking the left seat after dark at the age of 13.
I state all this give background to say if I had ever ridden the brakes all the way down any decent grade they would have come out of the sleeper in a panic either when they smelled the brakes burning or I piled it up when I lost the brakes.
If you start down the hill at appropriate speed, use engine braking to hold the load back and the service brakes to slow when necessary you will be fine. If you ride the brakes all the way things will get hot and stay hot resulting in brake fade and/or warped rotors.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Opelika, AL
humm, riding them all the way down IMHO would generate way more heat than applying/releasing.
I grew up in a trucking family, my father, uncles, grandfather and great grandfather are/where all truck drivers. I spent all my summers between the ages of 9 and 18 hauling lumber with Dad and or Grandpa from norther California to all points south. I started taking the left seat after dark at the age of 13.
I state all this give background to say if I had ever ridden the brakes all the way down any decent grade they would have come out of the sleeper in a panic either when they smelled the brakes burning or I piled it up when I lost the brakes.
If you start down the hill at appropriate speed, use engine braking to hold the load back and the service brakes to slow when necessary you will be fine. If you ride the brakes all the way things will get hot and stay hot resulting in brake fade and/or warped rotors.
I grew up in a trucking family, my father, uncles, grandfather and great grandfather are/where all truck drivers. I spent all my summers between the ages of 9 and 18 hauling lumber with Dad and or Grandpa from norther California to all points south. I started taking the left seat after dark at the age of 13.
I state all this give background to say if I had ever ridden the brakes all the way down any decent grade they would have come out of the sleeper in a panic either when they smelled the brakes burning or I piled it up when I lost the brakes.
If you start down the hill at appropriate speed, use engine braking to hold the load back and the service brakes to slow when necessary you will be fine. If you ride the brakes all the way things will get hot and stay hot resulting in brake fade and/or warped rotors.
Yeah i can't say that it work or doesnt i have never pulled in the mountains so havent tried either way. i was really just adding it to generate some discussion. the guy swears by it himself...i think he put a video of him using the technique on utube.
thanks for your insight
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,411
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From: Opelika, AL
Elder User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 650
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From: WV
you would have to measure the temperature of the brakes after descending the same hill twice, once using each method to see the difference.
That guy probably had enough braking power that his brakes were able to dissipate the heat they made without an issue.
That guy probably had enough braking power that his brakes were able to dissipate the heat they made without an issue.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 2
From: Bend Oregon
in the beginning of the video he talks about learning this technique from an old truck driver that learned to drive truck in the 30's, 40's and 50's....this technique makes sense for trucks from that era.
Big trucks in those years didn't have engine brakes and had fairly weak service brakes some didn't even have air brakes, if they where lucky they had air over hydraulic. Some also had water tanks mounted behind the cab with a valve in the cab so you could flow water over the drum brakes on a long hill to cool them down, I would hazard a guess that is where this "technique" originated.
Big trucks in those years didn't have engine brakes and had fairly weak service brakes some didn't even have air brakes, if they where lucky they had air over hydraulic. Some also had water tanks mounted behind the cab with a valve in the cab so you could flow water over the drum brakes on a long hill to cool them down, I would hazard a guess that is where this "technique" originated.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 612
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From: Iowa
I think maybe you are overthinking things. If your trailer is in decent shape with good brakes interstate driving should not require such technique. Blip off the o/d if it makes you feel more comfy, but I'd try it just seeing how the cruise handles it first. I have had 12k behind the excursion before... no issues at all on a bumper hitch, but on relatively flat ground.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,708
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From: Kiowa CO
Interstate driving is a piece of cake for these trucks. Now getting around strange towns, looking for a filling station that can accommodate a long trailer, fast food restaurant parking lots and getting in and out of camping spots is where the trouble lies.