Safe RPM for coming down a steep grade?

[CoastyAV8R]

Gettin' ready to head to Colorado for a 2 week camping trip and I anticipate going over Monarch Pass (11,000 ft) a few times with the trailer. On my other CTD's I had the exhaust brake on the truck so it wasn't much of a concern but on my current truck I don't have one so I was wondering what the concensus is on a good safe sustained rpm for coming down a pass with about 8,000 lbs of trailer pushin' ya with no exhaust brake. Usually I don't like to take the revs much over 2300 rpm as I hate to hear the engine howlin' but I also don't want to go flyin' off a cliff with my brakes on fire...



Thanks,

Pat Daniels

 

[GWBourne]

well... . i was GOING to say i have come down passes pushing 3200 rpm... with my exhaust brake on. . but yeah... ya have not gotten to that point yet on this rig or are nto going to... .



umm, i would say between 2000 and 2600, i know the diesels dont have any compression braking like a gasser w/o an e-brake, BUT it seems to slow a bit easier in that range... .

grant

 

[klenger]

I think you would be OK up to 3k.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I think you would be OK up to 3k.

We returned from a trip to the Colorado "high country" in late June. I manually down shift my 48RE to keep the RPM higher to increase the engine braking. I have to keep the RPM above 1,800 for the torque converter to remain locked. I don't let it get over 3,000 to 3,100 RPM, and as long as the torque converter remains locked, it holds the truck back amazingly well.



I've found the old saying/rule of thumb that you descend the pass in the same gear that you use to go up doesn't apply because of the power of the 3rd gen trucks. I am using a gear lower than I use to go up!



Bill

 

[Blu-meanie]

Pat. I wouldn't think you would own a truck without a brake after your last episode. After I burned up a set of brakes, I adjusted the brake controller a tad tighter and kept the speed down. Then I bought a Dodge and added a brake. Then I bought another Dodge and put a brake on this one too.

Keep safe chasing those hurricanes and have a good trip.

If you ever get back this way (Lincoln) you won't believe the growth.

Gary

 

[CoastyAV8R]

Thanks guys, we should be fine after my episode I had in California as Gary mentioned, I take it pretty easy.



Nice to hear from ya Gary. I haven't had much of a need for an exhaust brake here in Texas as its so damn flat. I'm getting transferred next year and the senior chief job in Sacto is going to be open so I may be back if things work out. My wife has her old job waiting for her but I guarantee you our old house isn't. We drove around Lincoln last year when we were out there for a wedding and I got lost in the new housing developement, it's nuts.

 

[jelag]

What I was taught is you go down the hill in the same gear you went up the hill in..... and with a light trailer maybe one gear higher..... Allow the engine to handle some of it but without an exhaust brake expect to go down the hill slower, in a lower gear and between 2600 and 3000 rpm...