Mountain Driving 101: Match the truck gear and speed to the grade (Episode 4)

[@ImportedFromSerbia]

"ignore that pressure from traffic behind you". a key element.

[@CrotchRocket78]

For a new driver who will be concerned about that heavily, its paramount. People behind you will make do, or go around.

[@daMillenialTrucker]

That's the part I struggle with, even driving for 8+ years, I try to stay out of people's ways but sometimes I'm in a jam where I have to be and I feel bad 🤣🤣🤣 the whole time I'm feeling terrible about being in their way but physically I'm like "screw them, they can wait!" While still feeling bad

[@The_One_Over_There]

@@daMillenialTrucker i'm the exact same way, But when it comes down to it, They'll have to accept it sometimes no matter if they like it or not.

[@larryparry302]

I'm am currently struggling with this 😢

[@Reloadeez]

​@@larryparry302 That's their problem, if they don't like it tough, you got a job to do. I had a buddy that use to put a magnetic placard on his dry van door that said "tailgate me and watch me go even slower"

[@CSTA2024]

I have run the mountains in Canada and the U.S.A. for a bit of time. The truck I drove, a Freightliner Cascadia, did not have a very strong Jake and it certainly had its moments for sure. I gave up on mountain hauling as the headaches I got every time I got over 10,000 feet and up to like 15,000 feet elevation were severe. So I stayed more mid-west and east coast. In 2014, I had kidney cancer and had one removed. My wife asked if I could stay closer to home, which I did. I didn't do the U.S.A for very long out of my 50 years of trucking and stayed in my province of Ontario. What I have learned is that trucking is divided into groups. Territories, Mountain West, Prairies, Northern/Southern Ontario, Mountain East, and Atlantic groups. Each has its very own challenges and all are very distinct from one end of our country of Canada, to the other. Respect to all of you.

[@francescobaruffi999]

No one cares

[@CSTA2024]

@@francescobaruffi999 do I, after all these years, I don't care anymore...

[@carlfuller8092]

I always take my time going down I’ve been driving over 30 years it only takes one time going down the mountain too fast and you’ll understand I started driving in 84 and lost my brakes once no engine brakes and I’m still here to talk about it but it’s something I’ll never forget respect the mountains there dangerous

[@barrylaite8821]

There’s a lot of drivers that run between Calgary and Vancouver that should seriously take note and watch this video! Well done gym. I run a dedicated linehaul run between Calgary and Vancouver twice a week and believe me, I just shake my head at some of the drivers that I see trying to slow themselves down in areas like Rogers Pass and the Coquihalla. I’ve seen more than my fair share of inexperienced drivers with their brakes smoking, LOL!

[@cody3482]

And you find that amusing do ya?

[@libertycabbagemusic]

Trucking is an artform and I can't imagine how difficult driving a big rig up and down mountains is.

[@genderbendersfuckingdie]

I just drove to Salt Lake city I-70 all the way, scary shit. IT WAS THE OTHERS DRIVER'S THAT WORRIED ME THE MOST. THEN THE SNOW.

[@Gert-DK]

First time I tried something like this, was in early 2000s in a Renualt Magnum 440, fully loaded. It was in Germany, the Kassel Hills. They are called hills, but don't be fooled, these hills are steep and there are runaway ramps. It was also at night and it was raining. It was scary as hell. But I knew the theory, so it turned out all right. Ohh boy it was nice to get out of theese hills, but later it gave a nice feeling of have done something difficult the right way. So if you are a new trucker, just do as they do here in the truck. And as said, completely ignore traffic behind, you can't do anything for them.

[@jordans201]

My first run ever as a new trucker was through the rocky mountains yesterday, im team driving so my partner was asleep, i was on my own and not knowing what i was doing to much. I survived it but it was nerve wrecking

[@miltoncordova6446]

You supposed to wake up your partner/ instructor

[@rosamik]

Ask questions before driving, bro.

[@genderbendersfuckingdie]

I-70 scary in Colorado

[@susithwagaarachchi9280]

Thank you so much for sharing this very important tips

[@RicardoKerr]

I learn so much from this video thanks a lot

[@johncajiao1308]

Thank you very much Jim, I really appreciate your information. Greetings from Colombia, here we move with 52k kilograms in 6 axles trucks

[@jrbcjim]

That's real trucking. Stay safe, John.

[@johncajiao1308]

Thanks Jim!

[@TodaystruckingMagazine]

Nice work!

[@JohnDoe-nn9jv]

How did the drivers in the old days drive these mountains without an engine brake?

[@CrotchRocket78]

The weight of their balls dragging on the road slowed them down. Manual transmission, you can select your gears, you had 10-18, so you can creep down.

[@scottblah2147]

I drove in the late 70s early 80s (they didn't have engine brakes) and went to MCT training class and was trained by guys who drove in the 50s 60s and 70s. This was the official training for mountain driving. Usually the gear you go up in is the gear you go down in, or one gear lower. Here is the part most people don't get, but I believe this is how all the Corn Flakers did it too. You use a gear low enough that you put 20 PSI on the brakes using the gauges to keep track of pressure on the brakes. No more than 20 PSI and a low enough gear the the engine will hold at 2000 RPM with 20 PSI on the brakes. This is no shit. You can ride the brakes all the way down the hill with that steady pressure and they won't over heat. If you have to use more pressure on the brakes to hold the rpm down, you will lose your brakes. I did it once. We were not absolutely do not FAN the brakes. I've been over many of the hills going west from California to Washington.. We only went west.

[@alvarogaitan2529]

fantastic demonstration for safe drive up hiills appreciate your information thas s real trucking stay safe

[@MrFahrenheit99]

Great video! Thanks for the lesson

[@jameswhite5948]

Thanks videos came in handy

[@joemaxxcapri1799]

Thank you so much this help clear up a lot of things you guys very appreciated

[@TodaystruckingMagazine]

Glad to hear it!

[@konstantinmelkumyants2426]

Great lesson. Thank You!

[@TodaystruckingMagazine]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leovsleo2198]

Thanks for this lesson. I never been down a hill more then 5% grade. I also never knew the proper way to use the engine brake. With this lesson and many days/weeks that I’ll be studying from this video it would come together for me to get down some upcoming challenging hills in my future ; safely for the people on that road and myself. Do you have any videos on how to get down these type of hills in snow/wet conditions?

[@daMillenialTrucker]

Brother I've been driving for 8 years and I'm watching this too. You'll never know when you'll need certain information, I started out in a manual and for the last 6 years I've been in an automatic which you won't even need this video but I'm back in a manual and gotta 5% slope with 40,000lbs in the box and I've made the choice to just go ahead and be in 8th gear and forget about the traffic behind me 🤣 always keep educating yourself driver, you'll learn and you'll forget SO MUCH in this industry, be safe driver

[@daMillenialTrucker]

Also the steepest slow I've gone down was a 2 mile 11% slope my first year trucking 🤣 ofc I had a top heavy load of paper rolls the giant ones

[@leovsleo2198]

@@daMillenialTrucker appreciate you. I’m on my 3rd year. You be safe out as well

[@leovsleo2198]

@@daMillenialTrucker 11% grade 🫠☠️ 🤣

[@HETFIELD]

​@@daMillenialTrucker10 years of just linehaul and I'm watching too. Nothing wrong with trying to learn. 😂

[@sghitza1]

I don't get it. You guys are doing it the hard way. Set cruise control and engine break in auto and let the truck do its job. Why are you using the manual mode ..idk.

[@DrinkingRegrets]

Whatever gear you climbed with determines the gear you descend in. Never shift gears while descending. Example: If you climb in 7th gear you descend in 6th. This is basic information you're tested on when testing for your CLP.

[@jrbcjim]

It's basic information, and it's a reasonable guideline, but it assumes your load will be the same in both directions. The reason we did this video was to dispell some of those myths. Do what you need to do to pass the test, but don't try that in the real world. Use your engine brake and gear selector properly and you'll never have to touch the brake pedal, or worry about remembering which gear you climbed the hill in. Just sayin'.

[@Bugs11000]

Depending on your load when going down hill what you need to check is the tilt of the vehicle in the curves. I always retain my load Depending on the weight and avoid tilt in the curves. That is I drive with no tilt.

[@elsalvador007]

Very nice video.

[@Daniel.garciA_138]

Im always at a nice and safe speed going down any grade i dont care who gets mad behind me. One time i was driving down a grade had flashers on this car behind me then another trucker behind me he fell to the side of the grade not paying attention.

[@veraleroy1587]

U have done a brief concise, v profesional video Liked it, i did Subscribe

[@HamzaHaji-eq6fs]

My instructors informed me on using the engine brake levels in the mountains but told me to never put the volvo in manual mode.. So should I control the gear in manual mode as well?

[@trashratt]

Its just great to be in BC !!

[@paul9912]

If that's the case how come all those truck drivers up there keep coming down to the United States taking our loads????

[@philhartman6036]

@@paul9912 That's not how it works. Canadian driver can only take loads going from Canada to the U.S and loads coming back. Those loads are meant for Canadian truckers or for any Americans that choose to come to Canada which is usually rare. It is illegal for Canadian truckers to pick up any loads that go from one point in the U.S and is dropped off in another point in the U.S. Same thing applies for American truckers in Canada.

[@georgewilson1184]

Automated manual there is no point to this video you should have used a manual transmission truck

[@victorbernier4765]

Hard to do when all companies are going auto

[@lammy9733]

It's useful to me I drive an auto and locking in 8th gear is a good spot

[@timexcape7961]

Yeah no point, when 99 percent of semi trucks use an automatic.

[@julieverma1865]

Use lower great before you go down it and have your Jake break

[@Supe063]

Sure wish Mack's mdrive tranny would let you do this in manual mode. Maxi brake only seems to work in auto mode.

[@geraldp4204]

Do Break lights come on when using the Engine break ?

[@seaboi425]

Nope

[@losoj30]

please keep in mind that volvo has a 12 speed tranny..

[@cody3482]

Do you have a video on an automatic transmission?

[@CrotchRocket78]

This was automatic, just with manual select.

[@cody3482]

@@CrotchRocket78 the Manual select seems hard to do because the buttons are on the dashboard vs on a stick or steering column.

[@trollstar5418]

I never go past 1500 !!! Lol 19-2200 that’s crazy

[@jean-lucpicard3012]

Depends on the engine, most Cummins and paccars are good in that range, not sure about volvos.

[@matthewpeckham9035]

What if your truck doesn’t have a Jake brake

[@tayeescobar5689]

If your truck doesn't have a Jake brake and it's fully loaded going down a 6%-8%, probably shouldn't be on the road.

[@Daniel.garciA_138]

Its never a race going down a mountain or grade.

[@DJSTOEK]

😷😳😎

[@colt2206]

Let em get mad. The madder the better. They drive to fast and think they are way more important than they are. The closer they get the slower I go😂

[@3HonestGoat3]

automatic , lol

[@David-lo2gq]

Automatics suck

[@orcenx]

"we're going slower than we need to" -- this is when i shut this bs video off..