Descent on steep grades
05-26-2016, 12:16 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I've just finished planning a trip this fall from OR up to Montana and down through the Utah canyons. I bought a phone app called Mountain Directory. You can get it for West US or East, or both. (15-25$) It shows all climbs and descents that a trucker or RVer might be concerned about and gives good descriptions. My steepest descent will be 14% for 4 miles with 20- 30 mph curves. It's good to know in advance! Planning on running premium fuel, boosting trailer brakes and start descents slow, as advised above.
05-26-2016, 12:33 PM
#12
Senior Member
Yep, lots of good advice here.
I find the single most challenging aspect of towing is descending steep grades.
As has been mentioned, the ecoboost is a small lump compared to the size of the vehicle, hence engine braking is not effective as, say, the 5.0.
I’ve descended 5km (3 miles) long grades of 8% and I really don’t enjoy it one bit. I take is slow and steady, never allowing the speed to get above 80kph (50 mph), braking relatively hard then coasting back up to speed, allowing the brakes to cool. Prior to starting the descent I’ll find a spot to pull over and increase the trailer brake bias.
I find the single most challenging aspect of towing is descending steep grades.
As has been mentioned, the ecoboost is a small lump compared to the size of the vehicle, hence engine braking is not effective as, say, the 5.0.
I’ve descended 5km (3 miles) long grades of 8% and I really don’t enjoy it one bit. I take is slow and steady, never allowing the speed to get above 80kph (50 mph), braking relatively hard then coasting back up to speed, allowing the brakes to cool. Prior to starting the descent I’ll find a spot to pull over and increase the trailer brake bias.
05-26-2016, 01:33 PM
#13
Senior Member
Yep, lots of good advice here.
I find the single most challenging aspect of towing is descending steep grades.
As has been mentioned, the ecoboost is a small lump compared to the size of the vehicle, hence engine braking is not effective as, say, the 5.0.
I’ve descended 5km (3 miles) long grades of 8% and I really don’t enjoy it one bit. I take is slow and steady, never allowing the speed to get above 80kph (50 mph), braking relatively hard then coasting back up to speed, allowing the brakes to cool. Prior to starting the descent I’ll find a spot to pull over and increase the trailer brake bias.
I find the single most challenging aspect of towing is descending steep grades.
As has been mentioned, the ecoboost is a small lump compared to the size of the vehicle, hence engine braking is not effective as, say, the 5.0.
I’ve descended 5km (3 miles) long grades of 8% and I really don’t enjoy it one bit. I take is slow and steady, never allowing the speed to get above 80kph (50 mph), braking relatively hard then coasting back up to speed, allowing the brakes to cool. Prior to starting the descent I’ll find a spot to pull over and increase the trailer brake bias.
Only at the bottom did I realize that I could have increased the calibration voltage as they heated up and expanded going down. They would have been more effective, but they would have just heated up even more! ... so maybe not such a good idea.
Really the best solution was just to stay in first gear and let her rev, keep the speed down and pull over when possible to let the brakes cool off and allow people to pass.
Since then I've traded in the F150 for a diesel with an exhaust brake. This issue was one of the reasons.
05-26-2016, 01:37 PM
#14
Senior Member
When I over-heated my brakes, the trailer brakes were calibrated to just about lock the wheels at the top of the descent. By the time I got to the bottom I really had to work the brake slider to get anything out of them, the drums had expanded so much from the heat.
Only at the bottom did I realize that I could have increased the calibration voltage as they heated up and expanded going down. They would have been more effective, but they would have just heated up even more! ... so maybe not such a good idea.
Really the best solution was just to stay in first gear and let her rev, keep the speed down and pull over when possible to let the brakes cool off and allow people to pass.
Since then I've traded in the F150 for a diesel with an exhaust brake. This issue was one of the reasons.
Only at the bottom did I realize that I could have increased the calibration voltage as they heated up and expanded going down. They would have been more effective, but they would have just heated up even more! ... so maybe not such a good idea.
Really the best solution was just to stay in first gear and let her rev, keep the speed down and pull over when possible to let the brakes cool off and allow people to pass.
Since then I've traded in the F150 for a diesel with an exhaust brake. This issue was one of the reasons.
05-26-2016, 02:10 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I guess another strategy will be to empty the water/holding tanks before getting into the steep sections and shifting cargo to maintain a good TW %. I had the trailer brakes and wheel bearings done recently, so good to go there.
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BRUTE448 (05-26-2016)