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Old 10-23-2017, 11:36 AM   #1
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taking a steep grade downhill

I am going to be traveling east on I-24 from Manchester Tennessee this week. If you have taken your RV over Mt. Eagle Mountain, how did you take the downhill grade? Did you do it in first gear or just let the brake assist handle that steep downhill grade? I am driving a 2013 Thor 37ft class A gas MH pulling a small car on a dolly.

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Old 10-23-2017, 11:43 AM   #2
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Put it in tow-haul mode (press the button on the end of the shifter). On the downhill grade simply tap the break--the trans will downshift every time you do so.
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Old 10-23-2017, 12:13 PM   #3
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What Jamie said, tow/haul mode all the way. In a 37' with the V-10 I would start down at around 50mph tops, the engine will soon find the right gear. When the rpm's start letting you pick up too much speed you can use a little brake to take some speed off and force possibly another downshift, just don't ride the brakes or you will eventually experience "brake fade" because they will get too hot.
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Old 10-23-2017, 01:43 PM   #4
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X2 for Jamie's answer. Tow/Haul is the answer.
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Old 10-23-2017, 02:25 PM   #5
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x3...
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Old 10-23-2017, 02:27 PM   #6
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That is great advice guys. I had another advise me to shift to first gear at the top of the downhill grade. They have a place to stop before heading down. What do you think of 1st gear?
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Old 10-23-2017, 02:35 PM   #7
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That is great advice guys. I had another advise me to shift to first gear at the top of the downhill grade. They have a place to stop before heading down. What do you think of 1st gear?
This is an Interstate, right? Minimum speed limit of 45 mph? In first gear?

Start at 45 mph, tow/haul mode, cruise control. At 50 mph the cruise will downshift automatically to slow you down. If that isn't comfortable you can downshift manually by tapping the brake as Jamie said.

Slow down early, slow down hard when you do brake.
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Old 10-23-2017, 02:44 PM   #8
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Tfryman, thanks for information. That answers my questions.
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Old 10-23-2017, 03:43 PM   #9
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It's good to hear that your apprehensions have "slowed down"!
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Old 10-23-2017, 04:11 PM   #10
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When the rpm's start letting you pick up too much speed you can use a little brake to take some speed off .
I've never tried this as I generally set my cruise at 50 on the steep grades and forget it but I do have a couple questions on this. Does braking not drop it to yet a lower gear? Is there something in the system that prevents you from shifting down too much and over revving the engine?
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Old 10-23-2017, 04:38 PM   #11
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As stated above the tow/haul mode was designed for just this situation. On my 2016 Miramar, F-53 V-10, there is no red line on my tachometer. I’ve asked the Ford technicians about the tow/haul mode and the what seemed to be very high rpm’s while descending a steep grade.

He explained to me that this is engine is de-rated so much, there was no need to place a red line on the tach. He said if I use the engine as designed under normal driving conditions, I would never have a problem.

I too was concerned with the screaming of the engine while descending a steep mountain grade, 4500 rpm’s for several minutes. They assured me the engine was designed with this in mind!

I’ve observed all engine parameters available to me while descending grades and have noticed no changes to coolant temp, transmission temp or any other parameters. She just purrs like a kitten when she shifts back into low gear!

I’m fully loaded at approx 21,800 pounds while flat towing a Honda CR-V.
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Old 10-23-2017, 04:57 PM   #12
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We've been up and down Monteagle - absolutely no problem for your V10. Our coach fully loaded and pulling a 2013 Explorer is about 13 tons. If you want a real lesson, head on out to the Yellowstone Park area. Boogity Boogity!! It makes Monteagle very easy to do. Heading into the east side of Yellowstone out of Cody, or pulling the mountains up and into Ten Sleep from the east provides a graduate degree in V10 driving. Once you have the hang of it, no worries. (IMO) It is all about not hurrying up or down.
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Old 10-23-2017, 07:07 PM   #13
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Critical on any steep downgrade, never allow speed to get away from you. Decide what speed is safe and work your transmission and light braking(gasoline) DP let the Jake work its magic, do not under any circumstances pump an air brake system.
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Old 10-23-2017, 07:27 PM   #14
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Yup! Keep the situation under your control, and you'll never regret the results!
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Old 10-23-2017, 08:15 PM   #15
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I've never tried this as I generally set my cruise at 50 on the steep grades and forget it but I do have a couple questions on this. Does braking not drop it to yet a lower gear? Is there something in the system that prevents you from shifting down too much and over revving the engine?
Thanks Brian, though a bit disconcerting at first I knew this was a high revving engine but I would really like to get my questions answered. If I'm already turning 5000 rpm's, hit the brake as was suggested by Joe-FL and it shifts down yet again I'm guessing one of two things are going to happen, the rear wheels are going to start skipping or the engine is going to over rev and unless there is a failsafe of some sort I guarantee you any engine can be over revved.
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Old 10-23-2017, 08:24 PM   #16
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The point of using brakes momentarily is to slow down enough so that when transmission does downshift one more gear, you'll be back to 5,000 RPMs or less.

It's key to remember that the lower the gear, and thus the lower the vehicle speed, the more engine braking force will be developed at wheels to prevent a runaway situation.
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Old 10-23-2017, 08:34 PM   #17
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Thanks Brian, though a bit disconcerting at first I knew this was a high revving engine but I would really like to get my questions answered. If I'm already turning 5000 rpm's, hit the brake as was suggested by Joe-FL and it shifts down yet again I'm guessing one of two things are going to happen, the rear wheels are going to start skipping or the engine is going to over rev and unless there is a failsafe of some sort I guarantee you any engine can be over revved.
If you are already at 5000 RPM hitting the brake will not downshift you to a lower gear, the ECM (computer) will not allow it.

In fact, most transmissions will automatically upshift if you crank the RPMs up with your foot, even if you forgot and left the shift lever in first or low.
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Old 10-23-2017, 08:46 PM   #18
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Thanks Tfryman. I suspected there was something but the way mine winds up on a steep grade I didn't want to even try this without being reasonably sure.
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Old 10-23-2017, 10:20 PM   #19
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We've been all over the US through lots of mountains - never had a problem. Start the downgrade in Tow/Haul mode at the posted truck speed (there is reason it is posted lower than cars). In the case of Monteagle it is 35 MPH I believe. Once your coach begins to get a bit over that, I depress the brakes fairly sharply. That may cause a downshift but ofter it doesn't. Between the engine braking and the hit on the brakes occasionally, no problem.
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Old 10-23-2017, 10:21 PM   #20
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I can't believe that Ford didn't design the transmission so you can't damage the engine. Every other manufacture does.
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