Mountain driving

[dumkid]

You can engine brake with an automatic, it just isn't as strong as engine braking with a manual

 

[wander2039]

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.

Most likely a difference in truck and van pcm's. Probably they go cheap on vans. But I know it doesn't. On 5% grades downshifting to 3rd it'll hold speed without touching brakes.

 

[ls1mike]

Most likely a difference in truck and van pcm's. Probably they go cheap on vans. But I know it doesn't. On 5% grades downshifting to 3rd it'll hold speed without touching brakes.

Would be odd for sure. GM typically used the 3/4 ton and up van/box truck tuning, but they have done stranger things

 

[UG_Passat]

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

Brakes are cheaper, but brake fade (pad and fluid) is a lot more dangerous

 

[CanAmAndMore]

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.

I live in some of the most mountainous terrain on earth, and like you very rarely see anyone over heated, or brakes smoking. I truly believe that some of it has to do with people here understand mountain driving well, because they do it regularly, not just occasionally.
If on a flat, straight stretch of road, it almost makes me uncomfortable for some reason.
I'm mostly used to super twisty roads, and steep hills.

 

[KrisZ]

You can engine brake with an automatic, it just isn't as strong as engine braking with a manual

Old ones with only top gear TQ lockup, yes, but a lot of the new automatics lock the torque converter in lower gears, so they can compression brake just as well as manuals.

 

[wander2039]

I live in some of the most mountainous terrain on earth, and like you very rarely see anyone over heated, or brakes smoking. I truly believe that some of it has to do with people here understand mountain driving well, because they do it regularly, not just occasionally.
If on a flat, straight stretch of road, it almost makes me uncomfortable for some reason.
I'm mostly used to super twisty roads, and steep hills.

I'd say both of you drive typically when the locals are out. I was on I70 on a Saturday and most appeared and acted like tourists. Flat stretches are extremely boring unless you can open it up. I'll take the moderately twisty road and less than 1k altitude changes in my area.

 

[Vil_Riker]

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!

I think most automatics have the ability to engine brake - even the older ones had a "low" mode. Not sure if the drivers know about it, though. The brakes are cheap and will help for a very long time. The danger is when the overheated brake pads create a pillow of hot smoke between the pad and the rotor and reducing friction. I would say it's quite rare for that to happen but less rare than fluid boil.

 

[UG_Passat]

I live in some of the most mountainous terrain on earth, and like you very rarely see anyone over heated, or brakes smoking. I truly believe that some of it has to do with people here understand mountain driving well, because they do it regularly, not just occasionally.
If on a flat, straight stretch of road, it almost makes me uncomfortable for some reason.
I'm mostly used to super twisty roads, and steep hills.

Out here in SoCal, when the flatlanders visit the San Bernadino mountains, when they go home you can smell the brake pad fade.

When I had my 02 Golf TDI 5MT, engine braking was nonexistent, since there was no throttle body to create the vacuum for engine braking, so you had to use the brakes. Upgraded the brakes and problem solved.