Driving And Handling An Automatic In Mountains, Downgrades Etc.
Topic 23094 | Page 1
Dan, we probably need to know what brand of truck and transmission. That way someone familiar with that setup can give you advice.
Dan, aren’t you currently with a trainer? I suggest posing the same question to them.
Never start down a steep grade in "automatic mode". Always slow to a safe speed, and put the transmission in "manual mode". As Old School said, each transmission has a different way of using that feature.
Warning from TruckingTruth: Bad advice immediately ahead! We'll explain why if you'll follow along
I put the Jake's on high and point the truck down hill. If needed, I can drop a gear put in manual and go as slow as I want. I watch my speed and if needed I can hit the breaks or use the trolley break to bleed off some speed. Stay calm and don't ride your breaks.
Big Scott wrote:
I put the Jake's on high and point the truck down hill. If needed, I can drop a gear put in manual and go as slow as I want. I watch my speed and if needed I can hit the breaks or use the trolley break to bleed off some speed. Stay calm and don't ride your breaks.
I do NOT recommend use of the Trolley Brake as suggested above for slowing the truck descending a grade, especially for a novice, inexperienced driver (Dan is on his trainers truck). Far too easy to smoke the brakes or worse due to the much higher volume (100%) of air rapidly being introduced through the system and the diminished "road feel"when using the Trolley Brake. It should only be used to test the trailer brakes and for moving the tandems.
If you don't believe me Big Scott, as written (below) in the HighRoad Training Manual:
Trailer Hand Valve. The trailer hand valve (also called the “trolley valve” or “Johnson bar”) works the trailer brakes. The trailer hand valve should be used only to test the trailer brakes. Do not use it in driving because of the danger of making the trailer skid. The foot brake sends air to all the brakes on the vehicle (including the trailer(s). There is much less danger of causing a skid or jackknife when using just the foot brake.
Dan asked in another thread about "Trainers Deal Breakers"; this is one of them...
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I put the Jake's on high and point the truck down hill........use the trolley break to bleed off some speed
Wow! Did that come straight from the Smokey & The Bandit Driving School? That's like straight out of the 70's. I just had this sudden urge to grow huge sideburns and a mustache and put on the Burt Reynold's shades.
Big Scott, we love ya, but you come up with some scary stuff once in a while.
Way back in the day, when most of the trucks on the road were owner operators, people would commonly use the trolley brake to slow the truck because the driver owned the tractor but not the trailer. So they'd use the trailer brakes to save their own brakes. Of course some of them killed themselves or burned up their trucks in a brake fire trying this method, but that didn't stop others from trying it. Obviously to this day that horrendous idea is still floating around.
Never, ever use the trolley brake for going down mountains. There is absolutely no advantage to doing that and you're risking over-heating the trailer brakes. Once you overheat the trailer brakes there is no way to slow down the truck using just the tractor brakes, not that you'd want to because that is also dangerous as hell!
OMG I'm hyperventilating.
Owner Operator:
An owner-operator is a driver who either owns or leases the truck they are driving. A self-employed driver.
Dan, here is the official Prime method and there are videos on the prime app
Dan, here is the official Prime method and there are videos on the prime app
Freightliner has tutorial video on YouTube. The same ones showed at Prime training. Search Freightliner DT12. Here’s the url. Just copy & paste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giy9DMr6LIo&feature=share
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Dan, here is the official Prime method and there are videos on the prime app
News I could most DEFINITELY use!!!
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From more experience Drivers I would like some input as to the PROPER process and procedures involved with driving and handling a AUTOMATIC driving in Mountains and downgrades.
Thanks in advance