Steep grades

[Lorinelowery]

We are in Garryowen Mt staying at 7th Ranch RV park, nice park accepts big rigs. Here to see battle of little big horn, heading to Cody Wy next. Question, the least steep grades to Cody from here? RV seems to overheat a little on major inclines. Highway, road recommendations, suggestions please, thanks in advance.

[desertdeals69]

Make sure your radiator is clean.

[wildebill308]

1 hour ago, Lorinelowery said:

We are in Garryowen Mt staying at 7th Ranch RV park, nice park accepts big rigs. Here to see battle of little big horn, heading to Cody Wy next. Question, the least steep grades to Cody from here? RV seems to overheat a little on major inclines. Highway, road recommendations, suggestions please, thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum. Yes it is a nice park I have stayed there before. We did the Indian guided tour of the battlefield and it was very interesting. 

As DD said if your radiator is clean you shouldn't have any problems. (If you put your RV in your signature it will help get better answers.) Just keep an eye on your temperatures and if they start to climb just manually downshift to bring up your RPM and increase fan speed and water flow. I don't recall any major hills in that area but sometimes the long slow climbs can cause overheating especially when on cruise control. I had it happen to me one time west of Williams AZ. I was running on CC and not paying attention to close because it wasn't down shifting. Well the CC was doing it's best to maintain speed in top gear and had called for max boost and throttle to do it. I dropped down a couple of gears and was able to get everything cooed off. Long way to say just keep an eye on things and you will be fine.

Bill

 

[richard5933]

Sometimes you have to drive using your temp gauge and not your speedometer.

[wildebill308]

2 minutes ago, richard5933 said:

Sometimes you have to drive using your temp gauge and not your speedometer.

That is true. I  had no indication I was climbing till the hi temp buzzer went off.Bill

[wayne77590]

I learned long ago that if you see the grade coming, press on the accelerator until you are matching the cruise control speed then take it off of cruise control and never, I say never, move your foot.  As you climb the grade you will slow down and you transmission will do what it is supposed to do and down shift keeping the rpm's around 2000 or a little higher and keeping the temperature down.  Hey, works for me.

[docj]

9 hours ago, wayne77590 said:

As you climb the grade you will slow down and you transmission will do what it is supposed to do and down shift keeping the rpm's around 2000 or a little higher and keeping the temperature down

On very steep grades I will often manually downshift to 4th.  My rig easily does 60 in 4th and the manual downshift avoids having the transmission "hunting" gears as the speed and grade vary.  Using the lower gear pretty much eliminates any heating issues.

[manholt]

docj. Agree, but it works best on your engine and mine...I have gone to 5 in NM on 2 grades, but it was because of a long curve that was slanted to the out side on one and a slow car on the other!  On I-70 from Grand Junction to Denver, I spent most of my time in 3rd, Cummins 425 at 1,250 torque...very slow up to the pass!  I want to do it again now, Cummins 600 at 2,050 torque!  Bet I won't have to go below 5th!

Wayne, your way is what I did on my 425 and before that on the 450! Even the ISM 400 on the WB Tour was a PIA on long grades!

[wildebill308]

Gee all that big HP being bandied about. I did it with a little ISB 300 HP 475 ft pounds of torque. Just use your gears. Most of the time top speed was controlled by slower traffic. I know of several steep hills I probably could have been faster on but finished in 3ed at about 35 behind a truck. 

Bill

[manholt]

Yes, but compare the weight to torque ratio! 

You should have tried Rt. 31 on the Gaspe peninsula, they have a couple at 27 Degrees, either way, your puckered. 

[wayne77590]

3 hours ago, docj said:

On very steep grades I will often manually downshift to 4th.  My rig easily does 60 in 4th and the manual downshift avoids having the transmission "hunting" gears as the speed and grade vary.  Using the lower gear pretty much eliminates any heating issues.

Doc, If the grade is consistent and not up and down I use the throttle method, but as you said if the speed and grade are changing it is better to downshift.

In my last life I had a Cummins 340 and towing a LIncoln MKX it didn't like the grades to much. Don't remember the specific grade going out west but on one of them I was in 2nd and 20 mph.

In my present life it is a Cummins 450. Haven't been on any real steep ones but on the rolling hills it doesn't even hiccup.

[docj]

7 hours ago, wayne77590 said:

If the grade is consistent and not up and down I use the throttle method, but as you said if the speed and grade are changing it is better to downshift.

One place where I find downshifting really helps is in rolling terrain on 2-lane roads with speed limits in the 55-60 mph range.  I like to drive with my compression brake on but it downshifts to 4th when it engages. By manually downshifting to 4th, the Jake engages and disengages without any shifting which makes for a smooth, easy ride.

[manholt]

Even today it's hard to beat a Beaver Patriot Thunder!  Back in 2000 it only had two competitors, non custom made, Safari Panther and Country Coach!

[docj]

31 minutes ago, manholt said:

Even today it's hard to beat a Beaver Patriot Thunder!  Back in 2000 it only had two competitors, non custom made, Safari Panther and Country Coach!

I agree. The 12 liter engine in a 34,000 pound MH makes it a dream to drive!  People who've never driven a big block diesel with that much torque don't understand how it affects drivability.

[wayne77590]

22 hours ago, docj said:

One place where I find downshifting really helps is in rolling terrain on 2-lane roads with speed limits in the 55-60 mph range.  I like to drive with my compression brake on but it downshifts to 4th when it engages. By manually downshifting to 4th, the Jake engages and disengages without any shifting which makes for a smooth, easy ride.

Yep! And I take it out of "overdrive" but if it is still shifting up and down I'll drop it down a gear.

Thanks.

[rsbilledwards]

Dang I should have piped up sooner Carl, I was going to offer to help you find out which would get to the top the quickest. Yup you guys have it figured out and now I am going to share this thread with Janet. As was offered as a description " big bock" diesel is quite right, a real hoot to drive and a LIGHT WEIGHT COACH make all the difference in the world! I generally drive all the time with the MODE switch on, cruise on as it is a fuel saver and the jake off unless needed, silky smooth. It has not seen a hill it did not like, . by the way loaded under 31K and with the Jeep, as stated 34.3K...Rollin, Rollin, Rollin,.....   

[manholt]

RSBILL, did you stop hauling the big trailer?  One off these days, we need to come to your Mountain Top and you'll need to stop by the Ranch on your way to FL!!!

[rsbilledwards]

No but because of the severity of the ankle issues we have not been playing as hard as were trying to. Can not manage the canoe or much weight. We have been going to Fla and that is a long way to haul it, so flat towing the Jeep you directed me to. This season I plan on the ankle surgeries 90 days apart. Now that said I am in the middle of the last Porsche restoration I am going to do, my own 1955 coupe we have had for 48 years. It has been on a pallet rack since 85, time's up. If I do not get it done now I never will. Wednesday morning finished the metal work and now into the filler. When I get it completed the big trailer will be in steady use. Think HOT ROD, no stock 356s for Bill like the Big Block coach it will fly. Will paint it Turkish Red, original color, a dark sophisticated red with a caramel colored interior. We will be back to playing Porsche too.

As for your visiting us and the cabin, come on, getting that big hooter up here will be a bunch of fun but you are a driver so piece of cake, pad is unoccupied as my coach is inside now and  at the shop.plugged in and happiiy asleep.

By the way sold the 2001 Zanzibar and got almost all the asking money, YES! They are tickled pink and had no issues getting home. I can not figure out how to get back into that screen to delete the note.

Edited June 27, 2020 by RSBILLEDWARDS
addition

[manholt]

RSBILLL,  Porsche "Hot Rod?" Never seen one!  Will you modify your current engine or drop in something else?  

I did a Lime Green, Opel station wagon, once!  1960, mated to a Buick 401 V8...we put it in the rear and blacked out the rear windows...real trick was to keep it cool and plenty of fresh air.  Built a fire wall, between me and it.  Was it safe? NO!  Fast? OMG yes! Friday evenings it would take the run from Santa Monica to Big Bob's Drive Inn, in San Fernando Valley!  Lot of "Rod's" there, in 1964.

Sorry, Herman/Joe...Back to Steep Grades in RV's! Please, Please, don't delete us...🙏🙏