JBForbes

So I have a question about the proper way to tow my travel trailer on a highway that has some sections that have an 8% grade to them (both up and down).


First off, I have a 2013 F-150 with EcoBoost that according to Ford can tow over 1100lbs and has Max Tow (not Max Payload). My trailer is just over 5000lbs loaded and wet, so that's not a concern. My Payload is 1750lbs, so with family, hitch and tongue weight, I am should be good as well.


I'm fairly confident on the going up. Just go as fast as I feel comfortable (anywhere from 70km to 90km) and keeping the transmission temp down. What I am more nervous about is the going down part. Does anyone have any good suggestions? I'd like to not ride my breaks all the way down as it does take a while to get down, even on an 8% grade.


Thank you in advance!

sunset

Think if you use the tow/haul the truck will down shift and help maintain a safe speed.

uzikaduzi

you're wise to stay off the brakes but you don't need to avoid them... disk brakes can heat up quickly but their design allows them to cool quickly as well (well i have seen some northern trucks with the cooling fins rusted pretty much shut, I'd imagine that would affect cooling considerably) locked in a gear that will give you some level of engine braking should be the first step though

Tystevens

Yep, for going up, just go as conditions permit. We often tow up and down quite steep grades here in Utah at elevation. My truck does a great job selecting the right gear going up the hill. No gear hunting or other issues. No overheating issues, either. We have a favorite spot at about 10,500 ft elevation, and to get there we climb about 5000 ft over 30 miles or so. Lots of 8%+ grades. The transmission doesn't heat up at all, but stays put at 200-205*. The only time I've been able to get it to heat up at all is at freeway speeds up a long steep grade (think 70 mph at 6-7% for 7 miles). Slower speeds don't seem to affect the temps at all.

Going down, you're right -- stay off the brakes. Use the gears to slow and hold your speed. At slower speeds in the mountains, I've found that the automatic grade braking isn't aggressive enough, and have had to manually downshift to get it where I need it to be. That said, I can come down from the aforementioned spot without hardly touching the brakes, just working through the transmission gears.

Good luck!

miniceptor86

Start the down grade slower than the speed limit or speed you normally feel comfortable driving, use engine braking, as speed approaches your desired max use brakes gently to scrub off about 5 mph then let the speed increase under engine braking and repeat. That's paraphrased from the Iowa CDL manual as best as I can recall.

miniceptor86

I might add that in hilly areas where you are going up and down I coast as much as possible down hills. The I use the momentum and as little throttle as possible to gain the next hill top. I might be below the speed limit by the time I get to the top.

130428

engine braking on the EB is quite bad until you drop it in 2 or even 1st I think redline in 1 is around 50-60 kmh, no? that might be a little slow, so 2 purring at 4,000 rpm should do just fine

acadianbob

2nd gear does some good with the Ecoboost. Then I use short, hard stabs of brake intermittently if needed. The short, hard stabs slow the vehicle without excessive heat buildup.

miniceptor86

Short hard stabs sounds like my dad! Meanwhile the passengers are lurching forward, my wife would be yelling "Enough, Paul" (my dad's name). Gentle intermittent braking generates less heat in the rotors as the heat from slowing the vehicle is generated over a longer period of time allowing more air to pass over the rotors to carry the heat away. Hard stabs when braking on down grades is no different than hitting the brakes at the last moment before the stop light.

brulaz

All of the above is good.

But what's very important is to check your trailer brakes. Make sure they are all adjusted and working properly. You want that 5000# trailer to be able to stop itself.

On the vast majority of 8% grades with relatively high speed limits, you'll be fine with just the tranny down shifting in Tow/Haul mode and the occasional brake application.

But on extreme slopes and especially those with hair-pin curves, even with engine braking in first or second, I need to use the brakes a lot more. The trailer drum brakes will heat up worse than your truck's disk brakes. At the top of one slope the trailer brake adjustment was set at 7 where it would almost lock the trailer brakes. By the time I got to the bottom I had it up to 10 (max) and the trailer's drum brakes were not locking because of heat expansion.

If you start smelling your brakes, it's time to pull over and let them cool down, if you can. And/or drop to first gear if you are in second and let the engine roar up to 5000 rpm or so. Just be sure not to get into the rpm redline when doing this. There's no rpm limiter when engine braking.