Grapevine Hill, the Descent

[@hudsondonnell444]

I went down Grapevine once in 2004 with an empty box. I was cooking it down the mountain and this CHP car is sitting on the shoulder in the dark watching traffic. He gets on the CB and tells me to slow down and quit acting impatient, right about the time I saw him and started slowing down. I went through there, for the first time in fourteen years, three days ago grossing 79,000. I think I got passed by every truck that was within ten miles behind me before I got to the bottom.

[@GrabinGears]

There's always that super trucker , you are doing the right thing be safe driver!!

[@outdoordave6304]

Thank you sir, be safe out there as well beother.

[@robertmeade6194]

I have been down that hill more time than he can count, wonder what he do in the olds days without exhaust brakes.

[@helenjackman8984]

THESE KIDS ARE SO DAMED SPOILED. That used to be a scary drive in the good old days lol on the way to work we had to be careful as hell.

[@davidevans9189]

@@helenjackman8984 A lot of us drove 318 Detroits, 335 and 350 Cummins, twin-sticks with no jakes, but we only had 72,380 GVW and a 25 MPH highly-enforced speed limit on sections of the grapevine, as I recall. We later got single-stage Jake brakes on some of our truck tractors, which made the pucker factor a bit better.

[@loganjohnson3589]

I ran that hill twice a week for 5 years from Washington to some where in L.A. in the early 80's funny to see how little has changed .

[@keithbishop3550]

Down at the bottom, there's a Petro & a TA. The smell of warm/hot brakes lingers throughout the whole day. I imagine their profit margins at the shops are way higher than other locations.

[@GTGTO-su8bp]

I've been on the Grapevine a couple of times (North and South), years ago with no jake brake on a COE Pete (The Orange Blossom Special), and in a conventional Pete with one. If I ever had to do it again.... I'd refuse the truck with no jake or engine brake. Money means nothing if your dead.

[@GrabinGears]

Wow no Jake's that's damn near suicide lol

[@GTGTO-su8bp]

Yeah it was back in the 80s. Remember, not all trucks came from the factory with a Jake brake. And owners didn't care if the ones that drove their truck had a Jake brake. The guy I drove for didn't.... and laughed about it. Yeah.. he was an a-hole.

[@floyddickson9974]

GT182/66GTO Didn’t realize anyone owned trucks without engine brakes anymore.

[@helenjackman8984]

I drove over the Grapevine to work for 22 years, never any problems except once and two truck drivers pulled over and helped me get my car back in order. The worst place to have auto problems is on the way to Lake Tahoe, if ya run off the road up there you are doomed and if you survive you will never get your car back. It is a beautiful, gorgeous drive, we have never gotten tired or bored with driving up there.

[@nathangalloway8005]

that is one beautiful view. Have a great forth.

[@geneharden9265]

It's always a pleasure watching and learning more about the industry.

[@outdoordave6304]

Gene Harden I am glad you enjoy thr videos. I try to not bore people to death with them.

[@geneharden9265]

Outdoor Dave it's not boring to me but an educational experience to learn from a professional on how the correct way in handling your truck. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@outdoordave6304]

Gene Harden Thank you for the kind words Sir.

[@geneharden9265]

Outdoor Dave lol Dave I scribed on your channel many of moons ago when you purchased the pink k whooper.... long time and I am still here. Have a safe trip and a grand weekend.

[@bjbeardse]

Northbound! Been over that hill too many times to count.

[@davidevans9189]

Yep. At least southbound has some flatter grade intervals to cool brakes on (we had no jakes back in the day).

[@WayneStcroix]

Going down that hill with out Jake brakes when I first started to drive you talking about holding it lol

[@dennisphillips3059]

Have you been down cajon pass on I 15 where they got set scales halfway down the mountain you really get going down like 6 lanes wider

[@jennangel122397]

Funny thing is you smell brakes on the UPHILL...I have no idea why, but 4 trips a week for years on the GV has been enlightening!

[@guygranger7894]

There are so many variables to decending a long decline. Even the most experienced drivers can get over confident. Some trucks you see passing by going faster may be empty, or very little freight. .Others may not have a good engine break,and may need to just go slower. Or maybe you havent adjusted your breaks recently. A good rule of thumb is to just decend the hill at the same speed your specific truck would pull up that hill with the same load.

[@sizzlean9459]

In the early 80's my Dad's favorite thing to do was take a roll of film going down the Grapevine of trucks either in the emergency runaway lane or cattle trucks with double deckers who lit their mag/alloy wheels on fire and burned a hole through the front of the trailer. Somewhere I have a few pictures of 3 or 4 cattle who fell through the burning hole in the front of the trailer and landed in the drive tires cooking them and grinding them alive. I have not been there in a few decades but I have no doubt things haven't changed much. Okay I had to watch the video twice and take that last thing I said back, at the 6:09 mark and 6:57 mark they are gone and the one at 7:52 is the one I'm pretty sure used to end with a drop off, if you didn't stop by the end there was a rock wall you smashed into and then fell many hundreds of feet. Don't know if you been around that long but that road is totally different now what a trip. Oh well I guess that is what pictures are for huh? Maybe all the chicken haulers are long gone. Peace Sizzlean

[@GTGTO-su8bp]

Back in the 80s trucks were supposed to stop at the top North bound and then start down Grapevine. That I do remember. Truck speed limit was 45 mph down it too back then. I see it's even lower now.... and that's a good thing.

[@caliking1458]

Amazing hill great Smell of brakes I'm in Sacramento CA #New Sub #Safe Travels

[@389pete5]

Always had this question, running the jake that long doesnt hurt anything does it? Is there a limit to how long you can run the jake? Thanksw

[@averyalexander2303]

No it won't hurt anything as long as everything is functioning correctly and you don't exceed the engine's max RPM.

[@truckuhmike2622]

I drive a 2023 579 Pete with a Cummings cx15, and the lowest gear my jake works in is 7th in a 13 speed …. I’m supposed to go down this mountain … last time I went I was in my 2013 kw dd60 and I keept it in 6th gear …. But I was just wondering what y’all think

[@outdoordave6304]

Reprogram your ECM.

[@truckuhmike2622]

@@outdoordave6304 , so just simply reprogram the ecm, mmm kinda nervous about goin down the grapevine I may take the long way and got threw thachapi hills

[@outdoordave6304]

@truckuhmike2622 the Jake should work in every gear, is it doesn't, its due to the way the ECM is programmed.

[@truckuhmike2622]

Yea this new Cummings cx15 is a performance enhanced and motor protection to where in lower gears it has a automatic engine break but it’s weak made for flat land … and in 8th gear when u have the jakes active it works fine but anything lower than 8th and u twist the button on the Jake lever to activate it… theirs no Jake… my boss said it’s designed like that … I just don’t feel comfortable taking 78,520lbs down the grapevine in 8th gear …. That’s about 40mph when my rpms at 1500

[@jameslemon51]

Is good to see your very safe

[@coolbreeze1677]

Slow at the top slow at bottom remember you only get to speed down that hill once

[@forwardthinkingtrucker]

Fun times. I remember doing this

[@jimmyt7514]

Happy 4th Dave, I hope you make it home for the 4th...

[@outdoordave6304]

Jimmy T I am actually setting at rhe house right now. I hope you have a happy and safe Independence Day.

[@jimmyt7514]

Copy Thanks Dave..

[@ruxoneto6560]

Hey alex if you keep Jake brake on for long periods on cummins isx or any engine it will wear the rocker shafts & rocker arms the repair bill on isx can exceed $ 7000 it will get your attention.!!!

[@TBgunsandbutter]

what part of California, is The Grapevine, exactly ? and i mean pin point

[@garyrichmond7857]

If I remember right Dave they're set of scales at the bottom and I know you were in California I used to run down the hill all the time back in the days I hated California but I ran out there with a company put a lot of miles out there halling produce back an I was wondering if it was through 35 miles an hour and I was right that's what used to be back in the days I do not drive a truck no more my health messed up on me 10 years ago I just about had 30 years in but I remember the good time met a lot of people on the road

[@edgarcasillas1144]

Can anyone write down step by step on going down hill. I'm new to the trucking industry. Thanks

[@outdoordave6304]

Choose your gear at the top, and leave it there. Take your time. Don't let other drivers talk you into going faster than your comfortable with.

[@edgarcasillas1144]

@@outdoordave6304 thank you. Once it's on the right gear I shouldn't use the breaks right?

[@Bendigo1]

@@edgarcasillas1144 if you choose the right gear you won't need to touch the brakes. It takes a bit of practice to decide the correct gear first time. The key is to not try to shift while already going down the hill. If you try to shift down you may not be able to and you can get into a bad situation going down the hill in neutral trying to get into gear.

[@edgarcasillas1144]

@@Bendigo1 thank you bro.

[@jamessicat]

Do commercial trucks with 2 axles (26000) have to be 35mph as well?

[@jameslemon51]

I'm sure your co pilet appreciates your experience

[@jameslemon51]

So i see some semis pass you. So is it best to save on maintenance like replace brake pads? No i don't drive big rig yet very interested.

[@rebelsoul5980]

If you brake continuously without correctly using the jake brake you will light your brakes on fire, not good. Slow and steady using the jake for braking is the key!

[@beastbee0118]

hot rod lincoln

[@wayne88keys42]

Where is this Grapevine hill?

[@outdoordave6304]

I 5 in California, Lebec

[@WayneStcroix]

Boi I hate that hill and cabbage patch

[@stephenmartin5766]

Not gonna lie going down this once I there was a solid line of trucks so I didn't slow down to 35 trying to pass the line(I was about the middle of the group) and went down it about 50-55mph or so because I had managed to have a brain fart by the time I passed them and forgot it dropped to a 35 zone lol. I didn't remember until I passed a guy and he said "god damn!" on the cb and I remembered the limit dropped and slowed down(also partially because a truck jumped out in front of me). It was dry and I was in control, I just forgot to slow down after finding a spot to move over lol.

[@ih6601]

Drive safe 💯

[@alexissanchez550]

13 or 18 speed

[@outdoordave6304]

18

[@helenjackman8984]

YOU SHOULD HAVE RIDDEN OVER THIS WHEN IT WAS ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION, a BAD WREAK EVERY DAY..