I don't use my brakes going down long steep grades.  That's one reason why I don't drive automatics.  I know some of the newer automatics are supposedly great in controlling speed downhill.  But I prefer manual transmissions, I put it in 3rd or 2nd, and go down the hill - never touching my brakes.  You have a lot more control of your rig if you have a manual transmission, downshifting helps your overall control, in all situations.

 

I'm always amazed watching people ride their brakes down a mountain pass, sometimes I get to see them sitting by the side of the road near the bottom, with smoking overheated brakes.  Of course, most people drive automatics now, even in trucks -- they don't know how to shift and maybe are too lazy to really know how to drive, they just want to put it in "D" and press the accelerator and brake.  So they have to brake all the way down the mountain.  A very bad idea.

 

I saw a semi tractor trailer catch on fire from overheated brakes on Monarch Pass one time, he must not have been used to driving passes; experienced truckers downshift and don't use their brakes.

 

Carla Richardson

Colorado

 

On 1/28/09, Tx Trigger <txtrigger@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

kat is right, the trailer brakes should be doing their job, and adjusted correctly. But the first time you are going down a long or steep grade and for some reason those trailer brakes go out, you will be glad when your truck weighs more then the trailer, and your truck brakes are beefy enough to handle the load to stop when needed in an emergency. And if you have never had issues with your trailer brakes, or trailer lights (same plug) you don't trailer enough.  ;-)

 

Jonni