My First Scary Situation

Well i definitly got my wake up call to keep me from being a super trucker lol. I learned that when i see signs out west talking about the hills i need to watch my speed a little better. I was happy that i had enough sense to pull over but it was still the first time ive ever smelled my own brakes. They werent hot enough to smoke or anything but still, i take pride in the fact that i have pulled thru the mountains of ny, pa , and wv and havent smoked my brakes. I was on i 17 from Albuquerque to Phoenix and i started in 9th and did fine then decided that i was gonna put it in 10th for the last 8 miles or so. Well needless to say i felt my brakes starting to go and pulled off into the rest stop to let them cool for a bit, and when i got out of the truck i could smell them grabbed my flashlight to check for smoke, but yeah i was pretty disappointed in myself for falling to the trap of trying to go faster than i should have.

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

What is the ideal speed??

The best area to learn braking skills is Vail Colorado,huge signage warning you to stay in low gear..the best one being the last one,near the bottom. Attention truckers..your not done yet..still more miles at 6% grade,of twisty roads.,,

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

What is the ideal speed??

Murderxxx wrote 5th gear low- so answer is- less than 15mph, because when you slow down, you downshift at 15 mph which is 6th gear.

The rule is, when downshifting, downshift at the following:

6th gear at 15mph note the number 15- 1+5= 6 therefore 6th gear

7th gear at 25mph 2+5= 7th gear

8th gear at 35mph 3+5= 8th gear

9th gear at 45mph 4+5= 9th gear

10th gear at 55mph 5+5= 10th gear

I have not driven this road, so someone who has driven it could volunteer the mph.

This is a well-known Trucker saying: You only go down a hill once TOO fast, but you can go down it many times slow. Also applies to curves, and you probably can think of other situations.

I've run that section of highway a few times and yeah, it'll give a truck a good workout. During the summer, it's not uncommon to see trucks pulled off the side boiling over the radiator. I'm pretty sure the smell of hot brakes just lingers in the air around there lol.

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

What is the ideal speed??

It was not a safe speed problem it was the engine brakes did not have enough beakeing power. So I would have to use the brake to keep from over reving the engine. I know that dose not answer your question. But a safe speed is so relative, its not something that is a yes or no answer. There are so many things that must be considerd to figer a safe speed. Equipmemt, kind of load, road conditions, how comfortable you are. My mentor told me this you can go down a hill a million times to slow but only ones to fast.

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

What is the ideal speed??

Murderxxx wrote 5th gear low- so answer is- less than 15mph, because when you slow down, you downshift at 15 mph which is 6th gear.

The rule is, when downshifting, downshift at the following:

6th gear at 15mph note the number 15- 1+5= 6 therefore 6th gear

7th gear at 25mph 2+5= 7th gear

8th gear at 35mph 3+5= 8th gear

9th gear at 45mph 4+5= 9th gear

10th gear at 55mph 5+5= 10th gear

I have not driven this road, so someone who has driven it could volunteer the mph.

This is a well-known Trucker saying: You only go down a hill once TOO fast, but you can go down it many times slow. Also applies to curves, and you probably can think of other situations.

5 low tops out at 25 mps on that truck. 13 speed tranny.

Jake brake has a lot to do with gear selection,a truck with powerfull jake,will be able to use a higher gear,and more speed,and be safe. A truck with weak jake,will need to downshift another gear,which means top speed,will be less.

There is an old saying pilots say that applies to trucking as well you start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill your bag of experience before emptying your bag of luck. That hill is no joke. I used to hall 44k down it 2 times a week. Even in 5 low I would have to pull into that rest area often to cool down my brakes. You made it and know a little somethimg extra good job.

Thanks yeah i made it down safely and now i know not to get too overconfident no matter how many other trucks are passing me. And now i also know how much the brakes can take. So the bag of experience is a little more full now