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Hello Ladies,

What are your tips for safely driving in the mountains?

Stay in Louisiana! JUST KIDDING!!! You have to go up a steep mountain to get to the AR GTG!

Gear down before you start down, use the 5mph rule when braking. If downhill speed is 40mph, allow your rig to get to 45, apply brakes firmly until you reduce speed to 40. Let off brakes and allow them to cool while you return to 45. Never ride the brakes..ever.

Check your p/u manual. Mine has instructions on climbing up and climbing down - so to speak. But I haven't climbed very many high mountains yet. Did with the TT but not with the big rig. Lots of signs about engine braking being illegal. I know it applies to RV's but ....... I figure they need to stop me on that score.

Reading this avidly to learn more, too! Thanks Carolyn for asking that question. Thanks everyone for your responses.

Basically what Sharon said. I will go faster on the downhills than the 5 mile rule - IF I feel I can safely do so. But not in highly trafficed areas. Then I follow that pretty good. And not crazily faster.

One other thing - if you have a truck behind you - you might sometimes have to go faster than you want. They cannot stop on a dime - so keep your distance.

Driving in mountains is something I love - so much great scenery - but remember, you're driving - don't get too carried away looking.

Just a reminder - no matter where or how you're driving - NEVER EVER ride your brakes or overuse them. You have less control over your vehicle when you are braking. At all times.

Hello VickieP,



I guess I am in for a new experience.

Thanks for the replies. I will be researching and reading about this topic!

If anyone has more input, let's hear it!

One other tip - maintenance - but you should do these all the time - make sure your tires are properly inflated. And that your brakes are in good working condition.

I don't know if this advice is for those who tow vs. MHs, but I was told that I should descend a grade at the same speed I was able to climb it.

So, if I'm tucked in with the semis climbing a grade at 45 mph, I go down the grade on the other side a the same speed -- regardless of whether the speed limit is higher.

And my braking practice is different. If the speed limit, for instance, is 40 mph, I'll allow myself to get up to 45 ... THEN brake down to 35. Then creep back up. I'd always be on the brake if I was jockeying back and forth 5 mph.

On Edit: Also, I have started to take my transmission out of overdrive on the downhills. The compression helps keep my downhill speed under control.

Quick question: on an automatic: when you say to shift down before starting down the hill, what gear should I downshift to? I'm never sure to go to the lowest one (D1) right away or to choose D2. My brain says use the lowest only if it's a very steep grade..but I can't always believe what it tells me!

I found when I geared down to the lowest gear it slowed me too much. So I only geared down to 2. Let the transmission do the work of keeping you slowed down, not the brakes. Use the brakes only as a backup to slow or control. Hot brakes going downhil can be disasterous. (sp) So work with your transmission doing down, just like you do going up.

Same as Nan, I only gear down to 2. Only have had to gear down to lowest level a couple times.

I've never heard of not going faster than you can go going up the hill. Not sure I understand that at all - and would really po trucks etc behind you if the speed limit is 65 and you go 45 for that reason. Would be interested in why someone suggested that. If it's a hilly road - constantly up and down - I let my rig speed up on the downhills so that it's not as much effort (or gas) on the uphills. That's what I was taught to do in cars years ago - and follow it now.

Dang, had a really nice answer and it is floating out in cyberville somewhere.
Carolyn, you are not going to have any trouble driving the mountains you are gonna find in Arkansas. They are very mild mountains.
Agree with other girls, don't ride your brakes. If you try to go down to first gear while going too fast, you could do some damage to your transmission. So go down step by step. You will know when you need to slow down as your transmission will begin to make some really loud whining sounds, this is your signal to slow down. When you do use the brakes, USE them, no litTLE tappy tappy stuff. Step on that brake like you mean it. It is all just a matter of getting used to it.
I forgot which area has the problem coming into Petit Jean. Can someone help me here.
We are planning to do 425 to 65 and then to I40. Good roads all.
Give me a call so we can talk about route while looking at a map.
Jim may need a double shot of the Alligator Piss once we get there.

Not all mountain roads and steep grades are the same. I have only driven cross country once between here and San Fran.... There are the steep grades that are open and fairly straight through the mountains that didn't even make my think too hard...then you have the steep grades that are twisting around the sides of mountains...and it is still an interstate! ....When I can't see around the bends in the downhill grades (or see exactly where all the traffic is)....I go a lot slower....

I have a Ford 450 V-10 engine for my 30' class C. I can, if I punch it, go up a steep hill pretty fast. Downhill I first take it out of overdrive, then if I feel I'm going too fast I downshift to D-2. So far, I've never needed to downshift to D-1. I usually don't need to brake if I'm in D-1. If I do, I brake till I'm 5mph or more under my comfortable speed. NEVER, NEVER ride the brakes or they'll give out on you from the heat.

How high a mountain road are we talking about here? 3,000 ft, 5,000 ft, 10, 000 ft?????