Mountain driving

[wander2039]

Typically we take either 40 or 80 for the majority out to California and back. This time took Highway 50 and I70, for some reason thought it would be more straight shot and pretty much the same I was wrong on a lot of levels. For the most part I've driven the RV a lot of miles and know how to watch the temp and to stay off the brakes and gear down. Fun fact for the first 8 years I didn't know I needed to manually downshift on the 4L80e even in tow/haul mode, I think the E Series does it automatically. I'll admit I grew up in MO and had to learn mountain driving. The ole 6.0 still managed to pull 13k up the Vail Pass at 45mph, it was churning. (I think that was the steepest).

It simply amazed how many cars overheated near the top and the sheer number riding the brakes going down. I could smell the brakes on way too many. It makes me wonder how many lost brakes occur on a daily basis! All the signs telling trucks to gear down they need to start including all vehicles!

 

[dumkid]

People bring me their minivans with warped and sometimes blue rotors, 70% of the time they just got back from a trip to (or over) the mountains a few hours away
I wonder if they downshift for the descent

 

[wander2039]

People bring me their minivans with warped and sometimes blue rotors, 70% of the time they just got back from a trip to (or over) the mountains a few hours away
I wonder if they downshift for the descent

On 80 I was behind a Odyssey with visible smoke from the brakes.. I'd say no!

 

[Kira]

We bought a 2002 Saab 9-5 wagon with 56K on the odo from a lady who lived in wildly mountainous terrain.
The records showed 3 complete brake jobs.
Everything down there was new, I gotta say.

 

[CKN]

Typically we take either 40 or 80 for the majority out to California and back. This time took Highway 50 and I70, for some reason thought it would be more straight shot and pretty much the same I was wrong on a lot of levels. For the most part I've driven the RV a lot of miles and know how to watch the temp and to stay off the brakes and gear down. Fun fact for the first 8 years I didn't know I needed to manually downshift on the 4L80e even in tow/haul mode, I think the E Series does it automatically. I'll admit I grew up in MO and had to learn mountain driving. The ole 6.0 still managed to pull 13k up the Vail Pass at 45mph, it was churning. (I think that was the steepest).

It simply amazed how many cars overheated near the top and the sheer number riding the brakes going down. I could smell the brakes on way too many. It makes me wonder how many lost brakes occur on a daily basis! All the signs telling trucks to gear down they need to start including all vehicles!

That's really quite unique. I pull a travel trailer all over the Rocky Mountains and very seldom (almost never) do I see broken down vehicles at the side of the road.
It should be noted most vehicles made within the last several years automatically downshift when a brake is applied under given circumstances descending a mountain. It's programmed in to the ECM/PCM.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

I know that aroma well. I worked a few summers in northern Wyoming and drove up and down a 10% grade about once each week. My 2001 Silverado is a bit high-geared with 3.42s, so I went down in second and had to brake a little into the switchbacks. A lot of vehicles had the brake lights lit almost the whole time, often minivans with Iowa or Minnesota plates.

 

[c502cid]

We bought a 2002 Saab 9-5 wagon with 56K on the odo from a lady who lived in wildly mountainous terrain.
The records showed 3 complete brake jobs.
Everything down there was new, I gotta say.

I can definitly say that is true. Brakes and tires get replaced a little more often than when I lived on the high plains.

 

[supton]

Just remember, people on here will insist that brakes are cheaper than transmissions (I'm not one of them).

 

[Kira]

Automatics are stronger than manuals by their nature.
You select a lower gear and put it into said gear range.
You don't slam it into a lower gear.
Slow it down, select a lower gear and easy does it for as long as needed.

Hey, we haven't had a "Nobody knows how to drive" thread in a long time.

 

[brianl703]

Just remember, people on here will insist that brakes are cheaper than transmissions (I'm not one of them).

Transmissions are cheaper than body work and medical expenses.

 

[wander2039]

Transmissions are cheaper than body work and medical expenses.

That's how I'd look at it. Properly maintained and properly downshifted should be just fine.

 

[D60]

My wife grew up driving manuals but didn't know you could "shift" an automatic until she met me at age 33. And she grew up in Colorado all her life.

We were dropping down Wolf Creek one day and she found it curious I was moving the shifter on her 4R75, so she asked.

Now-- in fact literally today -- she drove (alone) our 6R140 with trailer down a descent in M using the gearing to maintain her speed. I told her she could also use Tow/Haul but apparently she preferred to control it herself.

Now she tells all her friends "you can shift an automatic!"

Sadly, I'm not sure how that works on something like a Subie CVT where you get "D" or "L"?

 

[meep]

My wife grew up driving manuals but didn't know you could "shift" an automatic until she met me at age 33. And she grew up in Colorado all her life.

We were dropping down Wolf Creek one day and she found it curious I was moving the shifter on her 4R75, so she asked.

Now-- in fact literally today -- she drove (alone) our 6R140 with trailer down a descent in M using the gearing to maintain her speed. I told her she could also use Tow/Haul but apparently she preferred to control it herself.

Now she tells all her friends "you can shift an automatic!"

Sadly, I'm not sure how that works on something like a Subie CVT where you get "D" or "L"?

Mine is the same. she drives a crv with the CVT. In dense traffic I’ll move to Sport mode, which is surprisingly excellent for what it is in the rather bland suv. It affords better gearing, higher rpm’s, and real engine braking. There is also a Low range - haven’t used it, but I would expect it to be both dynamic and also make good use of the CVT. Remember, honda started using “grade logic“ 20 years ago to bias shift points a little based on what information it could gather about the driving conditions around it. I’m not exactly sure, how and how much sway the algorithms had, but they managed limited engine power well with that approach. I’ve been surprised enough by her CRV’s CVT that I’d bet L is reasonably useable.

 

[IndyIan]

My wife grew up driving manuals but didn't know you could "shift" an automatic until she met me at age 33. And she grew up in Colorado all her life.

We were dropping down Wolf Creek one day and she found it curious I was moving the shifter on her 4R75, so she asked.

Now-- in fact literally today -- she drove (alone) our 6R140 with trailer down a descent in M using the gearing to maintain her speed. I told her she could also use Tow/Haul but apparently she preferred to control it herself.

Now she tells all her friends "you can shift an automatic!"

Sadly, I'm not sure how that works on something like a Subie CVT where you get "D" or "L"?

I think for quite a few years now, you get D and M for manual mode. If you are using cruise it engine brakes automatically to try to maintain speed, or you can use M and pick a ratio. Or you can just hit the downshift paddle while in D, and it will hold that ratio until you hit the gas for a while.
I've never towed near a full load in hills but it seems to do well enough with a full car and 1000lb trailer going up and down 6-7-8% grades in cruise. We do have a lot of "aero braking" truckster mode with a canoe and two kayaks on top, and a couple bikes on top of the trailer, so that helps on the downhills!

 

[PimTac]

With all the technology in modern cars today I would thing that CVTs can use the info from the computer to adjust the CVT ratio. Modern automatics do it.

 

[ls1mike]

My old 02 2500HD had the 6.0/4L80E, it downshifted itself in Tow/Haul mode. That does not seem right to me.

I will tell you my current truck has the 6L90E with grade braking. I just let it do its thing. It works so nice when towing. I don't use the brakes near as much as I did with the 4L80E.

 

[97prizm]

Automatics are stronger than manuals by their nature.
You select a lower gear and put it into said gear range.
You don't slam it into a lower gear.
Slow it down, select a lower gear and easy does it for as long as needed.

Hey, we haven't had a "Nobody knows how to drive" thread in a long time.

I'd much rather have a manual transmission on a long steep descent. Engine braking works wonders. Think about semis. The large majority are still manual transmissions. Torque converter automatics don't have engine braking if they did you could push start one.

 

[PimTac]

I'd much rather have a manual transmission on a long steep descent. Engine braking works wonders. Think about semis. The large majority are still manual transmissions. Torque converter automatics don't have engine braking if they did you could push start one.

Are you talking about compression braking or jake brakes versus downshifting the transmission?

My CX5 automatically downshifts on grades. It also does on flat roads when coming to a stop. It’s all programmed into the computer. The SkyActiv transmission has a tiny torque converter.

 

[paulo57509]

Every automatic that I've owned from 1963 - present has engine braking when a manual range (ex. 3-2-1) is selected.

Cars with the older Hydra-Matics could be push started because they had two fluid pumps; one driven by the engine and the other driven by the output shaft.

 

[brianl703]

Torque converter automatics don't have engine braking if they did you could push start one.

You could in fact push start a torque converter automatic IF the pump is driven off the output side of the transmission.

Most aren't, they're driven off the input side, and therefore you can't, because you need the pressure to engage the clutches that will make the automatic go into gear.