Descending Steep Grades

I get to do Grapevine tomorrow morning. The most dramatic downgrade I've done so far is I-40W past Flagstaff coming into CA which is really nothing, so I'm excited and all of that stuff for this upcoming experience. I've been doing my homework this afternoon, checking out the stretch of road and visualizing how I'm going to go down it.

But it got me thinking that we haven't had a thread on ascending/descending steep grades in awhile, I don't think. Was wondering if some experienced drivers wouldn't mind sharing their approach when bringing her down the steep hills.

Best advice I can pass along is just go slow and let the Jake Brake do the work. Never EVER get in a hurry descending a grade. If the posted speed is 35, I'm doing 30 (loaded) with full Jake and when my speed reaches 35 I'm on the brakes enough to bring my speed back to 30. Slower you descend with full Jake the less wear on the brakes. Good luck on the Grapevine! Remember my first time on it well. 44,000 lbs of produce from Salinas.

Dude; the CHP are serious about truck speed limits on this part of I-5. Do not go over it, particularly at the points where it transitions from the summit to the descents.

Going south into LA at Lebec there are a TA, and a Petro, your last chance to stop before you start climbing. Part way up, there is a Flying J. There are brake check areas near the summit.

You ascend steeply going North or South. Either direction has truck only lanes. Do not get out of them - CHP again.

Here is the first link I found on the pass. It looks to have some good information on trucking over the pass. Do not exceed the truck speed limit regardless of your weight, as there are lots of stories of the CHP (maybe I just made them up right now) looking for truckers to catch.

Source: I lived in SoCal for fifteen years and have driven the pass lots of times on my trips between the Bay Area and SoCal. Alas, I've never driven anything larger than a box truck with a car trailer over it. There is a chance it can be closed in the Winter due to snow. Tomorrow is not one of those days, good luck!

Grapevine . . . got it's name from the "serpentine" old road that made its way down from the summit just south of Lebec . . . used to be a "three-lane" road for a while . . . that bright idea killed LOTS of folks before the engineers realized what a huge mistake they made . . . this was in the 30's, long before the I-5 corridor was built (or even thought of) . . . just like Weatherman says, make sure to do not top the speed limit and "snub" the brakes to slow back down to 30 MPH and let 'er drift back up to speed . . . repeat until you get to the bottom . . . the grade starts south of Lebec and then flattens out somewhat where the rest area is only to start the REAL drop just north of there (where the CHP station is!) . . . it's not as scary after you've done it a couple of times - not nearly as long as, say, "cabbage" up in Oregon . . . still nothing to sneeze at . . . I think I went down in 8th gear with the jake on "high" the first time I went down northbound fully packed . . . haven't done the southbound grade yet that drops into the San Fernando valley . . . it feels good to have a few of these "milestones" under your belt . . . it really makes you feel competent - not arrogant, competent . . . good luck!!

Jopa

Grapevine is in all reality, a piece of cake.

The best thing to do is make sure your in the right gear before your go down. If your going N, there is a rest area just before going down. Perfect time to do a brake test and potty. Once you start going, you'll hit a left curve just before and will start seeing signs saying trucks lower speed.. I think its 35MPH down, Fully loaded with jake on high, 6th gear should hold you without the need of the brakes.

Well I made it to the bottom. It was rather uneventful, but that's how we want it. Just put it in 8th, put the jake on high, and didn't have to touch the brakes the whole way down. I went through it on the southbound side though, which come to find out is amateur hour compared to the northbound side. I wanted to flip the truck around and go down the real side, but I didn't think Prime would appreciate that.

Then I drove through L.A. going eastbound as the sun rose. That was incredible.

Then I went to the Ontario T.A. and that was the 7th circle of hell.

I drive the vine all the time. Are you with a mentor? Is he allowing you to jake? If you can jake the vine will be a snap. Just make sure you're in a low gear at 35mp 12-14 k rpm, hit breaks to drop to 25 mph and let truck climb back to 35 mph, rinse repeat. My jake has been out for a few weeks and did the vine with a 45k load. Ya my breaks didn't stop smoking for hour after :-P ...

Well I made it to the bottom. It was rather uneventful, but that's how we want it.

I heard about a lot of these grades out West before I even got to trucking school. I had no idea that right here in PA we have some pretty gnarly grades. For example, when pulling bulk hazmat from the Pittsburgh area, heading eastbound back to my home terminal , I gotta take a hazmat route away from the tunnels on 76 W. On route 30 E, there's a few mile stretch of a 9% grade, and an 11% grade. No runaway ramps. Truck speed limits at 20 mph. I take it in 6th gear, engine brake on high, hovering around 17 mph. I don't have to use the service brakes, in fact, I have to occasionally accelerate - that's being in a good gear. Slow, steady and safe. Definitely uneventful.

Well boys, tomorrow morning is Cabbage time. Wooo!

Well boys, tomorrow morning is Cabbage time. Wooo!

Lucky you, the weather should be good