The Hills Are Confusing This Florida Boy

I know this is gonna sound stupid but half the time in the mountains, i can not tell if i am going uphill or down hill. I look and think "heading up hill" slightly accelerate and there she goes, back on the jakes. Now have gotton better at just feeling them and able to get by and maintain speeds good. Also have a question for all you expeienced drivers. Do you choose down grades gears by the condition? For instance i was coming through Virginia yesterday and noticed that i was primarily useing 7th low for the 5% down grades. Now i know the one gear lower theory but some of the ups i was in like 6 low. I am a bit confussed on this. Any input would be appreciated.

Your talking about night driving lol I have the same problem its hard to tell if your going up or down.... Wow thought I was the only one.... I can't say much for the down grades cuz I only have 2 months of driving but I know the lighter the load the less Jakes and braking needed.... I went over cabbage with a light load and went down in 6th with Jakes on high and didn't have to touch the pedals at all

I have a hard time too. Sometimes, you are going on a downgrade, that that downgrade is set on an upgrade. Lol.

As for finding the right gear, it depends on how heavy you are and the conditions of the road. If I'm heavy, I'm usually going 5hi on steep upgrades and depending on how gradual the downgrade is, I may be in 6hi or 7lo if it's really steep or 7hi or 8lo if it's gradual. The key is to not rely on my service brakes. If I'm brake checking more than once in every fifteen second interval, I have to downshift so I can get a stronger jake and be more in control of my vehicle. This is especially important to prevent burning the brakes.

Sometimes it's tough to tell whether you're going up or downhill at night just by visual cues. I was having the same problem in Arizona last week, and wishing I had an artificial horizon like pilots do.

HetzelMr, can you please get to work on that?

I have a hard time too. Sometimes, you are going on a downgrade, that that downgrade is set on an upgrade. Lol.

As for finding the right gear, it depends on how heavy you are and the conditions of the road. If I'm heavy, I'm usually going 5hi on steep upgrades and depending on how gradual the downgrade is, I may be in 6hi or 7lo if it's really steep or 7hi or 8lo if it's gradual. The key is to not rely on my service brakes. If I'm brake checking more than once in every fifteen second interval, I have to downshift so I can get a stronger jake and be more in control of my vehicle. This is especially important to prevent burning the brakes.

If you are in your service brakes too much and you decide you need to down shift do you wait for a more level spot to do it in? Only asking cause i am still training and the "down grade down shift" is forbidden.

I have a hard time too. Sometimes, you are going on a downgrade, that that downgrade is set on an upgrade. Lol.

As for finding the right gear, it depends on how heavy you are and the conditions of the road. If I'm heavy, I'm usually going 5hi on steep upgrades and depending on how gradual the downgrade is, I may be in 6hi or 7lo if it's really steep or 7hi or 8lo if it's gradual. The key is to not rely on my service brakes. If I'm brake checking more than once in every fifteen second interval, I have to downshift so I can get a stronger jake and be more in control of my vehicle. This is especially important to prevent burning the brakes.

If you are in your service brakes too much and youa decide you need to down shift do you wait for a more level spot to do it in? Only asking cause i am still training and the "down grade down shift" is forbidden.

Yes but not always there.... What I like to do is down shift straight up like if your in 6th down shift to 5th but again can't always do that.... You will get use to it

I wouldn't say it's "forbidden". It's just preferable to shift before the grade. But let's say you find yourself on a downgrade you're not familiar with (or it caught you before you realized it), I would step on the brakes for three seconds, (softly at one and firmly at three). By doing this, I bring the RPMs down by 500 or until it's between 1000-1200. Then, I downshift, remembering that gravity will automatically raise my RPMs. So, service brakes, bring RPMs down, clutch out, RPMs will rise to 1500 with gravity, clutch into lower gear.

Also, if it looks like a downgrade is coming up, it's much better to overcompensate on your downshift as it'll be easier to up shift.

I wouldn't say it's "forbidden". It's just preferable to shift before the grade. But let's say you find yourself on a downgrade you're not familiar with (or it caught you before you realized it), I would step on the brakes for three seconds, (softly at one and firmly at three). By doing this, I bring the RPMs down by 500 or until it's between 1000-1200. Then, I downshift, remembering that gravity will automatically raise my RPMs. So, service brakes, bring RPMs down, clutch out, RPMs will rise to 1500 with gravity, clutch into lower gear.

Also, if it looks like a downgrade is coming up, it's much better to overcompensate on your downshift as it'll be easier to up shift.

Ok. Thats makes sense. Thank you for clearing that up.

Pay attention to what your body and gravity do. On an uphill slope you will lean back into the seat and on a downhill you will have to make yourself lean back. Sometimes it is only a subtle change but it is there if you are paying attention.

That is unless you are a sloucher and like to sit with your seat on the floor.