I got my CDL six months ago, the first time I was in grapevine it was kind scared. But thanks to you guys all this videos are very helpful. We really appreciate you guys uploading this information. God bless you.
Bros, everytime we take roadtrips my girl and I have fights in these situations. She wants to fly down the mountains but I want to be as careful as possible
Just did my first trip down the Grapevine. In 9th. Now I'm at the bottom and safe at the Petro I can guarantee that will NEVER happen again. I may have peed a little. Took a while to pry the seat out of my ass. I rode the brakes pretty hard all the way down but I lived and most definitely learned.
🤣🤣😂😂 bruh tomorrow at 5am Im being sent by my ghetto ass company being new and all with no experience down a Downhill loaded. Im going to ask my Trucker Dad to go with me Im scared but at the same time I want to do it
Ya Bro ... when I talk about coming down in 7th I was talking about the grape vine ..... 9 th is risking it especially a new driver ...Glad you made down safely Bro from driver to another.... Hey we learn from each other witch is good ... anyway new go to a lower gear especially if you have a heavy load. Safe travels Bro.
I've been going downhill on 6th or 7th gear. I go below the speed limit going downhill. 25 maybe 20mhp, heavy or light load. Whenever I go through this path. Once I saw my wheels smoking, I've become a little paranoid when it comes to going down a mountain! I see lots of drivers going past me at a quick pace. I could care less if in their minds they're thinking that I'm a rookie Or drive like an old lady. Say whatever you guys want. I DON'T GIVE A FUCK! Better safe than sorry. SAFETY FIRST!!!!! Had my license for 10 years But driving tractor trailer for about 5 years. Had to start driving izuzu box trucks , then 26 fters with air brakes and eventually worked my way up to 18 wheelers! I hardly go through these kind of roads. But lately my job has been taking to TULARE from Vernon , CA at night hauling doubles.
@@keithluckett3331 Thank you !! I've been thinking about making my own "placards " : 🔺️ "Don't mind me. Just go around. 🔺️ "make all the noise you want, I don't care " 🔺️ a couple of big......🖕 🖕 🔺️ " Taking extra precautions " 🔺️ "better safe than sorry. " 😆 🤣 😂 Tape them on........before I actually go through these kind of roads, not all day long. Driving downhill on a mountain is no damn joke!! Thank you, again. 👍 👍
@@antonioelaventurero9117. Indeed, I like that. Stay stay safe out there. I drove from 89 to 97, I’m sure it’s a lot different now. In 89, I smoked my trailer breaks going down the Grapevine at night headed southbound. Talk about scared, I couldn’t wait to get down. Was driving a 79 Frieghtliner cabover that my dad owned with no power steering and no jake break. Your welcome, bro. Stay safe and keep on trucking✊🏿💯
@@keithluckett3331 So glad to hear that you made it through and apparently nothing happened! Am I right? 🙏 It's a great damn feeling once I can see 2000 ft clear......to pick up speed and reaching the bottom!!!
@@keithluckett3331 Have you ever had THIS.... Happen to you? Go directly to 1:05.....so you can see the main thing that I want to show to people. Unless you want to hear the whole thing. Blog is in English....and SPANISH....figure that if I can speak 2 languages I might get even MORE views and maybe SUBSCRIBERS!!! 🙏 🙏 As well as share some cool things that I have done or as I get......to do them! Skydiving, cancun vacation( xcaret, chichen itza, SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS!!!) And plan to Blog in both languages to hopefully increase audience! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-82peuUKWgOA.html
Damn Rookies, IF you use a little common sense, there's no reason for hot brakes period. Keep your damn brakes adjusted and use the right gear coming down and you'll always be ok. I ran that hill for 32 years, and in the early days we had no Jakes and we had smaller brakes. Any one who gets in trouble now days better just stay home. Driving a rig takes a lot of steady nerves and whole lot of common Sense. Motor safe and keep the shinny side up. WOLFMAN--- SO. CALIFORNIA. RETIRED AND LOVING IT, PAYED MY DUES.🚛🚛🚛
Hey man think you can help me out, my truck don’t have engine brake and I have to go through the grapevine for my route, I came down with 40,000 pounds in 7th gear going around 25 MPH and my brakes smoked I was braking and lowering my speed my 5 MPH any advice? Should I be in like 4th gear? Going 15 MPH and super high RPM? I would appreciate the advice man really
You want a better challenge, try 95 from i90 down to Lewiston, bottom of hill there’s a traffic light and you are still on a steep down hill , and fully loaded 80000
Why other truck drivers got mad when you are going down slow and carefully ?? I mean it's my life and have family waiting for me ..I don't give a dam if someone else it's in a hurry because he wake up late to his appointments
Lol....well , your not suppose to be riding your brakes. 7th or 8th gear with full jakes on is probably best depending on weight! you should push your brake pedal once in a while! Be careful !
I appreciate this video John. I’m currently going through CDL school on my first month and they just made us sign a waiver that it has been explained to us by the school that we need to stop and check are brakes and always select a lower gear before entering a grade.
New driver here just went down angus hill in ruidoso NM 8% grade a little over 2 miles but very curvy and one mistake you fall of a cliff and you're gonna fall FAR
In 1973 I made my fist trip to LA from from the Bay area. I was 18years old . I had no Jake brake. It was the first of many time's and places like that. One thing I don't think most know now is .Once you start off the top if you let off the brake oxygen gets between the shoes and the drum and it can ignite.
How did you manage to go down the grapevine without engine brake? My truck don’t have it and I tried once and I smoked my brakes, and I need to go down again soon for my route. What’s your advice please??? I’ll appreciate it a lot
My first time down in a freightliner cabover with a double belly set of alfalfa...thought I was gonna die. Learned a bunch that day. Brakes a smokin. The fire station guys at the bottom chased me down, tried to pull me over...wanted to hose me down...nope...kept on truckin. The next time down 2 weeks later used my brakes 4 times.
Got my first speeding ticket going down the Grapevine back in 98 cop was waiting for me and anyone going down he was nice enough gave me the ticket and nothing else paid it and no points on my license that was the best part about those days now you will get the points
If that’s a 10 speed then that would be 8th gear. If it’s a 13 speed then that should be 10th gear for 35 mi per hour. So you chose a proper gear, turn on your engine brake, and use brakes according to the CDL instruction manual.
Drop it to 6th gear so the rpm goes higher so the jake brake to work properly, rpms at 2000 make oil pressure higher, higher oil pressure make jake work good. Ok.
Did my first trip from LA to tulare went down the grapevine in 7th only touched my brakes twice i was only hauling 18 thousand pounds if I was hauling almost 80thousand pounds what gear would i have to be in
Hi bro im a new driver. I go down hill 6% on 9th gear and its seem fast for me i have to apply brake often. But when i tried 8th gear. The rpm is going above 17000rpm with jake brake. Is it normal? Can u give me any advice. Thank you
@@liha1472 Higher rpm the better the engine brake operates at. In fact 1700 to 2000 rpm is good. Over that is bad for engine and could get oil and fluid levels too high for a blowout. It's good. Engine brake on high level and 7th which is 25 mph. But the steepness will make you go around 32 mph. Which is safe. Depends on load and the situation.
I love your videos, I’m retired now me and my wife used to drive as a team. I drove a couple years before she started driving she loved it to we had a ball it was great, it’s not for everyone but we in joy it, I watch your videos and it takes me back when we were driving. Keep on trucking and be safe driver
I just got my license couple weeks ago and i leave here in bakersfield and i went down my first time i was clinching my ass the who whey down i went on 5 gear i think that was too low my rpm were high but made it safe i need too learn more
I've never been on this one. But I have been on the 6% grade in Monteagle, Tennessee quite a few times. It only stretches for 4 and a half miles. 2 days ago I came down that hill and only touched my brakes probably 2 times as well. It's all bout going slow and steady. Some people in trucks fly right on down and I never understand why....
@@zaidchalabi1599 if you are heavy around 75k range, use engine brakes primarily at appropriate speeds around 29 to 35 mph I recommend. It's the south portion of Monteagle that's more dangerous than North side. The first curve is the steepest and sharpest. But after that it's not too bad. But still use caution. If you were going North of Monteagle at the same weight, I'd say 40 to 45mph is ok until you come to certain curves. But DO NOT AVOID the south bound side of the brake inspection area. A guy got a ticket yesterday for bypassing it. And a different guy had to use the escape ramp due to speeding before even starting the descent. 🤦🏾♂️ North bound side doesn't have escape ramps because it isn't as steep.
@@whyguitarguy1 wow cool info bro thank you so much i will definitely stop and do brake check! im usually one of the slower guys lol i cruise down on 6th and 1800 rpm or so alternating between 2nd and 3rd stage jakes usually dont touch brakes with that unless some guy infront of me that is even slower than me which doesnt happen alot haha
@@zaidchalabi1599 Same. I have an automatic because its all my specific terminal had in Atlanta. And I'm governed so I understand. But no problem just take it easy there and be safe.
No one actually “teaches” anyone proper terms which when recalled, make the difference between life or death. - Double down: this term refers to your RPM’s. Whatever rpm is on your tach, that you are comfortable with to shift, be it 200 or 400 rpm, find your cruising speed going down the hill, and take your rpm’s down twice that much. If 1500-1700 is your spot, and your gear shift is 200 rpm, take it down to 1100-1300 rpm. What this does is prevent you from being “boxed out” in the event you need to shift down, when or if your brakes fade. - Gear step - Boxed out - Double down Know and remember these three terms and your downhill slide will be a much happier ride. My personal goal is when I reach the bottom, I do not want to smell brakes. If you’re smelling brakes at the bottom, you’ve done something wrong. Work on it. Oh, here’s a test for you newer guys: try going down these grades without using your Jake brake. Yeah, that’ll prove whether you can be called something other than a steering wheel holder. And yes, I’ve done a few without, that is, my truck was not equipped with a Jake brake.
I just saw a driver smoking brakes going down hill - but he wasn’t going under 40 I would say 50mph 😮- I am about to test this week and I figured I would look into this road asap!
What if your driving an automatic freightliner cascadia ?? Should i just keep the engine brake on and stay away from the brakes?? It has a Detroit in it. ???
@@StayNPray depends on engine but uphill easy. u lose momemtun, you can downshift. just get higher rpm when you in neutral because it drops faster uphill. my truck is 365 HP. some mountains i climb 4th gear lol
@@HO21310 just take it slow and keep your 4 way on you will be fine if u feel it slowing down to much go to 2nd stage . if it picks up speed take back to 3rd stage and u can brake for 3 seconds then let go just to keep it from picking up speed watch rpm dont let it go 1800+ good luck
I've been hauling lil over 75,000 lbs in a 2015 cascadia equipped w/ isx15 I mainly used 8th gear going about 35 mph I find it to be a perfect gear and engine.
It depends on how much you weigh. If you're Gross weight is above say 68,000 lbs.....6th gear would be a good gear. It's really about how fast to go down the hill. A certain speed requires a specific gear. 68,000 lbs or more, no Jake Brake....30 mph is a good speed. Let the truck roll down the hill at 30-35 mph. when it starts to go over 35 mph apply the brakes and bring it back down to 30 mph. There's no need to use the accelerator. Just let it roll down, in 6th gear. If you find that 6th gear is too fast and you're braking TOO much, brake it way down and shift to 5th gear. It ain't no big deal to go 7 miles at 30 mph. We do it all the time driving through towns. You'll be at the bottom before you know it. Safe and on your way. Braking normally at 30-35 mph for 7 miles is no big deal. When your going down a hill like this at 55-65 mph and trying to keep it slowed down that's when you're gonna have problems. Big problems.
On steep down hill grades your supposed to put it a lower gear which can vary depending on total GVW. By doing so it's referred to as using your engine brake. When you reach the posted speed, gently press the service air brakes for no more then 3 seconds to avoid overheating your brake shoes which can lead to failure and fire which could lead to loosing your tires and worse since you may not be able to stop right away to use your fire extinguisher. Jake brake should akso be engaged. If it snows or ices up CHP usually closes the Grapevine down.
