Towing in the Mountains
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2018
- Towing your 5th wheel, travel trailer, or RV through the mountains can seem very intimidating. Living in Utah we almost every trip have to pull through the mountains to get to our next camping adventure. Many people avoid pulling through the mountains because they just don't trust their equipment or have a lack of experience. Mountain towing does not need to be dangerous, intimidating, unsafe, or avoided. These are a few suggestions we have to help while driving in the mountains.
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I own a trucking company with five trucks and I haul caskets from Fontana, Ca to Denver, Co. weekly year-round for the last ten years. Running mountains in the snow or dry are all about knowing your equipment and how it reacts going downhill. A good rule of thumb is to use the lowest gear you pulled the hill to go down the other side. I descend grades with 80K GVW loads using a low enough gear with engine brake (Jake) in one of the three settings to NEVER have to use the brakes 90% of the time. If the jake won't hold it back alone just drop a gear until it will. Another good tip is to never go from braking to throttle or throttle to braking in a turn. Do all your braking before the turn and try to maintain a steady pull through the turn it keeps everything steady. Lastly, never ever ride your brakes once there overheated real bad things happen real fast. Trailer swaying is a problem with weight pushing on the truck as well as weight distribution for and aft over your trailer axle. Having a little more tongue weight will keep it to a minimum as possible. Take your time and go slow it's not a race. You can go around a curve or down a hill a thousand times too slow... But you might only do it once too fast"
I'm a newbie in the mountains 1st time out towing my 1st 5th wheel. Got up to the mountains ok but have a tricky drive ahead. Lots of downhill and canyon roads. I was freaking out when I found your video. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I knew there was the right way and you hit the mark. Especially since Im driving a 2003 F250 FX4 V10 super crew that doesn't have the fancy tow/haul computers like today. So grateful. I'm much more confident than I was 5 min ago. 😊
Tow/haul mode does several things. First off it will increase the line pressure in the trans to apply the clutches with more force. Second, it allows the gears to stay applied throughout a higher rpm range before shifting. While braking it will quickly drop into a lower gear allowing for increased engine braking. This is all done by electronic programming. Love the tow/haul mode!
"Your trailer is going to want to push you... because of gravity." Solid advice!
Yes I love all of what you said, I use my lower gear in coming down a mountain often and I don't have a problem hanging with the tractor trailers going up.
Vary useful information not just for mountains but for towing in general. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for answering all of my questions. Great video.
This has helped me still, as someone who tows fairly frequently in hilly areas. One thing I will add is to activate the trailer brakes. Using your brake controller 's slider, in the event you feel sway. Never stomp on your tow vehicle's brakes! As it will make the sway worse, and cause a wreck. This general practice is used on flat terrain too. However it is important for downhill trailering.
This is coming from a passenger, but it makes me more comfortable when the driver slows down, especially around curves, because their is a lot of weight behind you that you vehicle has to control, great tips!
I’ve driven in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina and the Great Smokey Mountains of east Tennessee during three different vacations pulling a 5th wheel.
Go to the outside line on the curves. Keeps your trailer from wandering out of your lane. Take your time, keep your eyes on the road and your head in the game. Mountain roads hold surprises for those whose attention wanders..
I am about to ascend Cabbage Hill in the Oregon Blue Mts. pulling my 23' trailer. It's a steep grade. I REALLY appreciate the tips. You answered my concerns. Thanks!
Good video. Thanks for taking the time to make it.
Found out the hard way about the GPS in Tennessee. Routed me up the side of a mountain driving a F350 dually towing a 42 foot 16,000 pound fifth wheeler on a two lane undivided road with no shoulders or rails. First time towing through the mountains. Needless to say NERVE RACKING!!!!!!!!
Thank you. Getting ready for my first pull and found your video very helpful
I would love to know new tow drivers watch this. Best video I've seen on towing for newbies.
This is a great video, thank you. I don't tow but I have driven my Sienna through the rockies 4 times and driving on I70 there has always a challenge for me. I change my gears downhill just like you said and that seems to help.
Thank you for the helpful video. Considering the highest elevation in Florida is 345 ft, there have not been many opportunities to practice with mountains. While I have lived in areas with mountains, I have not had to drive anything larger than a car or van.
Great advice. Thanks!
Thank you for this. We just bought a TT. My husband will be watching this. We have used Utube to educate us a lot.