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Mountain Descents
OK, so in preparation for the ARRC, I'm going over everything to make sure that it is a safe trip to and from the track. Brakes, suspension, cooling, you name it.
I was thinking last night and couldn't come up with the answer, so I though this would be the appropriate place: What do I do when descending the mountains? The easiest would be to use the engine as a brake, much like the truckers do, but I've got Overdrive, Drive, and 1 as my gear choices (Ford E150 Van) and don't necessarily think putting it in 1 is the way to go (the owner's manual does say that it keeps it in 2nd until it is safe to shift into 1st). Should I add the second brake axle to the trailer to reduce the heat buildup in the first axle?
Thanks in advance for the help!
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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
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Is the mountain you are talking about mount eagle pass?
If I wanted to be safe I would slow down to 35mph at the start of the down hill and use 1st gear. If the speed climbs above say 45mph, I would give the brakes a stab to slow down and then get off of them again.
Extra brakes on trailer? A good idea.
All of this assumes that you have a brake problem in the first place. Since you don't know, be extra cautious the first time and work your way up.
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I have no clue about the names of the passes that I'll be taking. It's my first time making my way down there while driving and towing (I've gone to Florida before with my parents, but I was much younger and not driving at the time).
I don't believe I have a brake problem, but I don't want to find out that I do! A little caution will go a long way in my book.
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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
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One rule of thumb that has worked well for us is to try and keep the speed on the downhill portion about the same as what your vehicle can maintain on the uphill. If it only goes 40 mph up the hill, you should try to stay at 40 mph downhill. If the hill is steep and you can only do 35, then 35 is what we use when going down the hill.
When I didn't follow this advice, I have suffered from overheated brakes, and even had a drum-fire once! This was a Class A motorhome with 10,000 lb. trailer - total weight close to 35,000 lbs. Now I use the engine brake, and keep my speeds slow enough to only occasionally need the brakes.
The longer the hill the more you need to really watch the speed, especially at the top. It's much easier to take off a little speed than get going 20 mph too fast and need to drop 25 mph. It's better to do it 5 mph at a time, and allow the brakes to cool between gentle applications.
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More brakes is more better.
When you are on the highway and it's one of those sudden slam stops...instead of saying, "Well, too bad, but at least my insurance was paid" at the end of it, you can say "Well, good thing I added the extra axle!", and drive away.
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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
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Living in the pit of Southern California, 4 of 5 tracks I frequent require a climb over at least one major grade. Major Interstates with the runaway truck sand trap hill things.
These are the steepest/longest in California. My combined vehicle weight is around 19500#. I have a E350 DRW chassis and a tandem axle trailer with brakes on both axles. It is 'adequate' stopping power on the flat. I find that by leaving it in Drive I don't need the brakes to keep it below 60 on the decents. If I do need the brakes at that speed they are not overheated by trying to keep the speeds low. HOWEVER, I am not so heavy that I gain speed on the decent by not applying the brakes. If you are talking about very heavy loads (25-35K+ pounds) then I would suggest pulling into the same lanes as the trucks-grabbing a lower gear and stay off the brakes as much as possible--they stay much cooler that way. Seems like every other trip down one of those grades I see a pickup truck towing something with the brake lights on most of the way down the hill never really slowing down. Move over, scrub some speed and then "GET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND LET THEM COOL!"
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Bill, that last comment wasn't directed at you. Just venting frustrations aimlessly. I hate the smell of overheated brakes...
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Bill,
The best way to deal with it is, not to go over it. I have a way to go down there with out going over the big hills. It does not take any longer and is much easier on the nerves. I'll fill you in when i talk to you about the brake pads. I'm still waiting to here back from them.
Bob
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Not sure where you are coming from, but there are only about 3 passes around NC/SC/GA that would overheat brakes.
1 I-77 at the NC/VA line (Fancy Gap) 7% 7 mile. Easy bends and wide road. Could be a bit$$ because of construction. Check with hiway patrol to see. If no contsruction and the weather is clear, D (not OD) will be fine and 60-65 is Ok with a well balanced trailer.
I-40 in NC (Black Mountain) Wide road sharper bends, one or 2 are decreasing radii, and seem off camber somehow. Overall not bad, maybe a 5-6 difficulty. D is fine here as well and 50-60 should be fine.
I-26 in NC (Near Henderson) Narrower and a few long sweepers, 50-55 is OK. D with some brake tapping should be OK. I-26 is actually worse just S of Henderson where it is narrower wit some sharper turns and only Jersey barrier.
If you're going to try and come down 321, 421, 25, etc. I'd be more concerned.
Nothing is as bad as coming out of the Sierra Nevada into Sacramento with 58K loaded and electric trailer brakes...... ask me how I know
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A few more.... put your racing caps on.....
Higher heat capacity front pads. (like Hawk, PFC or even Axxis Metalmaster (ex repco))
Remover the backing shields from the front rotors??
Why not DUCT?????
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I tow my ITB VW with a MONTANA, yeah, thats right! I am at the limit of its capacity but have been doing it for 4 years with no issues. The transmission is starting to show signs of wear at 85K, no big deal. (Open trailer @ 1000 all seats removed and my teammate carries all the heavy stuff).
I have towed to ARRC 2 or 3 times from Ohio and the mountains we go through are not bad. There are like 2 long gradual climbs.
On the ups and downs I follow the truckers, fast down and not much torque request going up, I don't care if I slow down a bit.
If going down 75, we just graze the mountains and don't go into them.
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I believe the route I'm looking at takes me down 57 through Illinois, to 24 to Nashville, then 75 into Atlanta. If this just grazes the mountains, then I need to stop worrying about it all!
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Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
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That's Mont Eagle pass you will go over on 24.
Its not that bad. I did it in a diesel rabbit without any brakes.
I also did it in a large overloaded moving truck with a tow dolly, and other than down shift and stab the brakes once or twice, no biggie.
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Ah...Mount Eagle pass..it's hairy enough that all the big rigs have to go through a mandatory brake check at the top..not so much carnage at the bottom any more.
