By Dave Kendall
Dear RV Travel,
I’m writing this about towing because it has become dear to my heart, and is probably the most important issue for towing RVers. What really stimulated my thinking is my experience towing a travel trailer for 22,000 miles and towing a 5th wheel for about 15,000 miles all in the past five years. We recently returned from a trip across the U.S. – north into Alberta and British Columbia, down the West Coast and back to Virginia. I towed through just about every terrain: mountains to plains, sunshine, wind and rain. I’m still learning.
Even more, I am writing because I have become aware that various organizations offer towing classes that only teach people how to back up an RV. That’s good, but it greatly concerns me to think that once someone is given instructions on how to back up an RV, that they are now “trained” to tow. Occasionally a person will tell me, “I hand the keys to my spouse and then I sleep!” Out of curiosity, I might ask a very basic question and realize that the driver knows very little. Someone hooked up the trailer and did all of the checks and then handed the keys over. Considering my experiences towing, that’s a scary thought!
Towing 6,000 to 18,000 pounds is serious business with potentially serious consequences. I’d rather ride with someone who does not know how to back up a trailer than someone who doesn’t understand towing, doesn’t observe road conditions, is impatient, and passes other vehicles frequently. Backing up might be only 5 percent of what a person should know.
The most dangerous aspect of towing comes when we’re driving, understanding what the tow vehicle is doing, what it is capable of, and what the trailer is doing. Driving a tow vehicle with no understanding of what’s going on is dangerous. Towing is physically tiring, requiring 100 percent of your attention. You’re constantly listening to your tow vehicle, watching the road ahead, avoiding obstacles, keeping the trailer tires on the road, being aware of your truck brakes, being aware of your trailer brakes, watching for overhead obstacles, watching traffic behind you, knowing where you can pull off, knowing the height of your trailer, knowing about tire pressures and tire loads… whew!
Here’s a quiz. If a driver cannot answer these basic questions, they are at risk for problems:
- Do you know what kind of fuel your truck uses?
- Do you know how to measure your tire pressure and what the pressures should be?
- How often should you check tire pressure? Can you do it?
- Do you understand how a tire pressure monitor works and what it tells you?
- Do you understand your truck engine’s RPMs and when the engine is working hard?
- Do you understand the transmission options for shifting gears on your truck and when to use them? (Regular automatic shifting, tow/haul mode, manual shifting…)
- Do you know how to read engine or transmission temperature?
- Do you understand engine and transmission temperature and can you determine when they are running hot?
- If your engine and/or transmission are running hot, do you know temporary techniques to reduce their temperature?
- How many feet do you think it takes to stop your rig? Can you visually describe how far that is?
- What techniques do you use to manage your rig’s speed on downhills?
- Do you know how to adjust trailer brake gain?
- Do you know when you might add or subtract trailer brake gain?
- Do you know how to test your trailer brake adjustment?
- Do you know how to visually inspect truck wheels for excessive brake pad wear?
- When you see a sign on a hill that reads, “Cars may need to turn off their A/C,” why is that?
- What should you do when you see a sign on a hill that reads, “6-degree grade next 10 miles”?
For experienced people who tow, I watch as they zoom past in the fast lane, merging in and out of lanes, exceeding the speed limit for RV tires. I feel my own 5th wheel being affected by road conditions (wind, bridge approaches, rough roads) and watch as their trailer sways like the Mayflower sailing ship… and they don’t slow down. I watch as they zoom downhill at 65+ mph on steep grades, unable to see the turn ahead, wondering if their rig is going to be the next viral RV YouTube accident video.
I really wish the RV community would promote “Towing 101.” If we don’t educate our drivers, the government will eventually do it for us.
— Dave Kendall, Fredericksburg, VA
##RVT949
This looks like a great source for a new column. I know many of these but some I will be looking up. Thank you for a thought inspiring article.
“You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink” Applies here also.
I have towed a 26′ travel trailer for just under 25k miles and did very well on the quiz with one exception: 9. If your engine and/or transmission are running hot, do you know temporary techniques to reduce their temperature?
I do not know the answer to this question and a quick Google search did not provide answers (changing the transmission fluid or adding an additional cooling mechanism do not qualify as a temporary technique).
The only thing I can think of is to find a pull-out to let things cool down. If there is a better answer, I sure would like to know. I travel through a lot of mountains and when on steep passes, check the oil temp and transmission temp regularly. Fortunately I have never come near the ‘red zone’ on either so have not had to do anything.
Thanks,
Michael
Slow down ,drop a gear, turn on heater it will help cool the water ,acts like adding some more radiator to the system.
turning AC off and turning up the heat is one way to help cooling engine and trans .
it help radiator to cool liquids faster. done it in a car while stuck in traffic in July . not so good for the occupants .
Downshift your engine to a lower gear. This increases RPM and decreases load on the engine. Lower load plus higher air volume flowing through the engine lowers EGTs (exaust gas temperature) which lowers engine temperature.
As a note, you should consider installing a EGT gauge. This will let you see your engine heating up much faster then watching the coolant temperature gauge. And will let you avoid damage to the engine by letting you adjust before your coolant system is overloaded.
As a side note, while the engine temperature will hover around 200°F. Your EGTs will vary from 200 to 1500 depending on load and throttle. This is especially important in a built engine. As your EGTs can go from 200 to 1500 really really fast.
As a note, I’m a mechanic of 5 years plus graduating from Universal Technical Institute’s diesel program. I’ve also built both of my diesel pickup trucks.
Hope this helps.
Slow down and or use lower gears which, I believe, puts less strain on the cooling system.
If your engine or transmission starts to overheat the first thing you should do is activate your cabin heater and place it on full hot, fan on high speed to bleed off some of the heat. You should also shut off your air conditioner if it is on to decrease the load on the engine.
Great quiz. I’m not the one driving and my husband isn’t all that good at explaining some of these. But he can answer them and I feel safe riding. But I would really love to know the answers. Especially about grade.
Dave Kendall asked the towing questions but failed to follow up with his definition of the correct answer. Not sure his answer would track with mine. Not sure he asked all the right questions also.
Hmmm, not sure as Bruce is doing the right thing. Bruce seems to know all the ‘right’ questions and answers, but he’s not sharing them with any of us. Come on, we want to know too!
Sorry, I don’t usually get in between people like this in these comments, but I just can’t help myself this time. 🙂
Dave,
Those were great questions. I hope a lot of people see this article. I think the answer to the transmission question is to shift to a lower gear manually and keep a steady speed. I also think overheating is due to constant “hunting” for a gear by keeping overdrive engaged and not being aware of your engine rpm’s “sweet spot” to gain best torque, etc. – is that correct?
Looking forward to the follow up articles!
I have taken the safety classes from both the Escapees and the Aliners, many of their subjects are the same, many are different. Speed -sixty, tires-proper inflation, check your rig every time-ask a stranger to do a walk around, always look for a place to pull over so others can pass, take breaks often and learn from older RV’ers experiences !
Excellent points. And yes – if you can’t answer those questions, you have no business pulling a trailer! It ain’t all about backing it up…
As someone who is researching what kind of tow vehicle I would need to tow the 5th wheel I’m considering buying, I would love to know the answers to these questions and where you found the answers. We all start out being new at something and have to learn, but many of these questions are not ones that “one-the-job-training “ is how you want to learn.
Thank you for your thought-provoking article. I really do hope that there will be a follow up article (or more than one).
All excellent points, well made. I would only add to that list an understanding of the effects of adverse weather conditions. My scariest experience towing was a case in which a long bridge iced before the road did just east of Kansas City. Two small sedans lost control simultaneously, and swerved in front of me smashing into the jersey barrier on the left side of the (construction-limited) lane. Fortunately I managed to get 17000 lbs of truck and trailer stopped on the ice 10 ft short of the nearest car, by then stationary and facing me. The woman inside had eyes as big as dinner plates and likely needed a change of unmentionables.
The effect of high wind and heavy rain on big broadsided 5th wheels and trailers is difficult to understate, and many modern 1/2T and larger pickup trucks have ample power to use the cruise control while towing. Not recommended and not good when combined with bad weather.
Some very valid points . Maybe a article addressing each of his point would find favor within this venue.
This article makes a bold statement about our ability to tow, yet provides no information to assist in this regard.
After all, this is an educational article, is it not?
Quote from the author:
I really wish the RV community would promote “Towing 101.” If we don’t educate our drivers, the government will eventually do it for us.
So who is the ‘we’ the author is referring to?
Apparently not the author.
I very much dislike ‘educational’ articles that ask questions, yet do not provide the answer,
or at the least, links to the answers.
It seems to me that the author merely wants to seem to be the smartest person in the room.
To the community: What is the answer to #16?
Living in Florida for the past 26 years, I haven’t had much of an opportunity to see signs like this. 😎
My queries to Google provide no useful answer.
Thanks.
Update: For some reason this system filtered out my text indicating frustration, not hostility. It kept a smiley, but the rest of the text-based lighheartedness was removed. Please do not infer this as an attack.
Steve- I was wondering the same thing when I finished the article. While I felt confident with my towing knowledge, I’m always eager to learn and would have welcomed additional information to be provided!
Steve, my understanding is 16 refers to a steep grade where the possibility of over heating exists. Relates to question 9. Turning off a/c reduces load on engine and radiator.
Great article… Thanks! Maybe a few of those RVers running 85 with a 40ft 5th wheel will read this and slow down.
Probably not, I know some of those people and they have told me to either mine my own bussiness, or they can handle anything that might happen.
So… I kind of hated and enjoyed this article. It felt like it was only 10% written. Great into, but I need you to provide resources for answers to your quiz.
I like to be educated. I dont like feeling condemned for my ignorance. I hope you have a follow up article for every question posed and update this one with a link to your answers.
Please. ☺️
Excellent comment James, hopefully there is a follow up.
The purpose of the article was not to answer every question but to show that there ARE questions that people need to think about. If you google any of them you will find plenty of answers. The internet is full of them. The problem is that many Newbys do not ask the questions. Nor do they look in their owner’s manuals, which seems like an easy thing to do. Start there and you’ll find answers. There are many more questions that need asked about every aspect of your RV and towing. Keep reading these newsletters daily and you’ll learn about many of them.
I learned the answers to some of these questions long before I even thought about buying a 5th wheel because the techniques are applicable whether towing or not.
The one technique that I know for #9, is to turn on the heater. It helps the engine stay cooler by “pulling” heat off/away. This would also help on question #16. Running the air conditioner while driving up a long and steep incline in a hot area, (like a desert) will cause the engine to overheat.
I think another important question for a person to be able to answer, is do you know the speed limit/rating for your trailer? Basic trailer tires are rated between 55 and 65 mph. You can spend more money and upgrade the trailer tires for 75 mph. And pay attention to the tow vehicle’s tires, and rims, load rating.
Lots to know and learn when towing, or just driving.
hey Charlie R – thanks for the tip for #9 – it was one that I had no clue.
I believe that a lot of the faults of towing lie with the selling dealer. Most people don’t understand the need for weight distribution bars and loading the trailer to get proper weight on the hitch, both 5th wheel and travel trailers. The purchaser goes cheap and doesn’t want to spend money on weight distribution equipment or sway bars. So down the road they goes, half equipped. The dealer should insist they have them, know how to use them and be aware of limits on speed and weight on tires. I’ve seen travel trailers going down the road like a Hula dancers hips. God help us.
Perhaps there should be a licensing test on towing knowledge before a TT license plate is issued by the state.
I’ve never seen weight distribution for/on a fiver. What am I missing here?
shoot, the dealer I bought from sent me on my way with severely under- inflated tires – I’m a newbie – didn’t think to check the dealer on something so basic.
Good, you just got your first lesson in safety…
#1 thing to know before you even try to match a tow vehicle and trailer .. GCVWR .. Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating. This can be found online in many places and sometimes in a vehicles Owner Manual under tow specs. A simple example: If your tow vehicle weighs 7500 lbs when fully fuelled, loaded for a trip, and the weight of all occupants added in .. and your trailer weighs 6500 lbs with full propane, water as much as you want to haul, and all your gear (clothing, food, tools and toys) for a total of 14000 lbs (7 tons!) and your tow vehicles GCVWR is 13000 (1000 lbs OVERloaded) then you have the 1st determining factor of the rest you need to know in place. You would be dangerously overloading your tow vehicles capabilities in pulling up even slight grades and more importantly being able to most effectively use your brakes and steering. Not to discount the fact that in the event of an insurance claim due to a wreck of any severity you would most likely be denied coverage because of neglectfully loading your rig.
The above is just one thing you HAVE to know and understand as a trailer towing RVer. The 110+ other MUST knows are found the same way .. research, ask questions, and don’t take a vehicle or trailer salesperson’s word as gospel. If you are not internet savvy then get the assistance of someone who is. You don’t have to be a Good Sam member to go on their site and read some of the links posted there on towing. I am sure clubs like Escapees and dozens of others all list resources too.
I found an interesting tidbit under my truck’s GCVWR when I read in the owner manual that it could tow 300 lbs LESS as a dually 1 ton than a single! (that is because of the extra weight of the 2 added wheels and tires. (2003 Chevy 3500 with 6.0 engine and crew cab).
#2 .. your tow set-up is only as safe as its worst tire .. (under/over inflated, improper weight capacity known generally as ‘load range’ and also in small print on the tire sidewall).
#3 .. well, you get the idea ..
As a newbie to the RV world I would love to see a Towing 101 follow up article with answers to these questions.
Heh heh Very good Carol ! …but I think the author is suggesting you do the research on your own! 🙂
I think this is an excellent topic feature for RVTravel.com. But one still needs a practical sit-down and driving class to re-enforce and enhance the skill sets. And the government needs to set PROPER Standards (which can never happen. It would take 500 years).
An overall good article BUT question #17 is not written properly. Nowhere in North America will you find a sign listing a “6 degree grade next 10 miles”. It should read “6 % grade next 10 miles.” They are not the same. A 6 degree grade over 10 miles will have you climbing 5519’ and a 6% grade over 10 miles will have you climbing 3168’.
My apologies that should be descending, not climbing as highway signs only list descents.
Unless, of course, you’re headed downhill…where most of the signs like that are located.
Overloading is just as bad as all the things you have mentioned as it can cause some of those issues as well. I am amazed that on the forums I frequent we will often get a Newby who says, “I just bought a trailer. Can my truck tow it?”. THAT is a question you should ask BEFORE You buy, ,not after! I’m amazed that people who are otherwise intelligent or who do research on other issues don’t seem to do it regarding RVs. They are emotionally charged up and don’t ask the basic questions before even buying a rig. Not everyone should tow. In fact, horror of horrors, not everyone should have an RV because some are too irresponsible for that (your example of speeding down the highway over “tire speed”). People, if I can give two pieces of advice it is this – (1) ask your questions before you get an RV. And (2) read your TV’s owner’s manual. It will give you many of the answers you need regarding tow weight, etc. Don’t come and ask your fellow RVers something that you should know for yourself if you will bother to look in the owner’s manual for yourself. Happy camping!
All I have to say is I’ve been very lucky!! Woe is me, I could answer few of those questions. I don’t tow often as I have a class A. But I have in the past and will learn to tow before I hook up my 16′ car trailer. My question is, where would that be?
One source:
http://www.escapees.com/education/
Most of the questions don’t have a single answer. Answer varies with type And quality of equipment, load, drivers ability, etc. so each driver needs to find the details for their particular setup.
He wasn’t looking for a single answer, he asked if anyone would know the answer or answers to the question.
Yea, I was more thinking of the people that wondered why the author didn’t provide the answers.
The author, in my opinion is trying to get people to think about themselves and their skills or lack of skills when it comes to towing their RV. He wasn’t trying to be exhaustive, but likely could have been. A possible “wake up call, ” in other words.
That’s why it should be mandatory to take a class BEFORE getting a license or BEFORE making a purchase. This includes smaller units as well. How many times I have seen jackknifed trailers and those running without tail lights or blinkers. Many don’t know about safety chains or how to calculate the size chain or restraint. And again, many don’t know about load levelers or braking distances. So much to be considered before just jumping in. What about a proper drivers license?
The one thing I see people do wrong, is ignoring the payload capacity.
Your truck may rated to tow 9,000 lbs but may not have the capacity to tow 8,000 lbs camper when your family is in the truck ready to go.
1,600 lbs payload runs out fast with 1,000 lbs of tongue weight.
Adjusting the braking system is a subject that rarely gets adequately addressed. Most people don’t realize that the braking system needs frequent adjustment, testing and experimentation. Driving on a dirt road? You will need to adjust. Mountain curves? City driving? Brake pads wearing out? Many factors!
A lot of people set it and forget it…As you pointed out, there are reasons to monitor and adjust accordingly.
As a truck driver I agree with a lot of poeple not being trained right for trucks or rv. And yes I have a 36 ft montana also
Wow another article to make people feel dumb.
Tire pressure depends on vehicle, load, and terrain. Carry a rapid inflating compressor (it won’t plug in your car charger port sorry) cause in dirt, mud, sand, snow, etc you want 10-25 psi but highway 32-40 psi (in vehicles I have drove some rigs go up in 100s psi) depending on your vehicles specs.
Now brake pads sorry but I gotta pull the wheels off to get a good look at how much pad I got left, do it every 6000 when I rotate tires. Stock brakes or oversized aftermarket, so many variations to change stopping in 100ft or 1000ft.
You failed to mention checking your shocks and springs, how much did the rear sag, do you have overload springs or leveling bags.
What class receiver do have is it rated higher or lower than your vehicles towing capacity.
And if you can’t back that trailer DON’T PULL IT!! You will kill someone when you’re forced to back up because the gas station pump is too close to the building for your 4door lwb dually and that 30′ camper to pull out and swing a turn.
This article was pointless as it answered nothing just tried to make people feel dumb.
So your tires 3 ply or 10 ply sidewalls??
Half ton, 3/4, 1ton truck?
Bumper pull or gooseneck or 5th wheel, they pull differently.
If you want to make it like your smart write a book and explain all the differences including truck size, dually or single tire transaxle vs single on both vehicles and trailer.
Load leveling (when is it needed and not)
And throw in how much extra fuel you should carry due to the loss in mileage for towing. Some camp sites may be more than a tank from a gas station.
But I rarely pull a trailer maybe a couple thousand miles in 24 years what could I possibly know. Not like my dad or uncles who had years of experience ever sat me down and explained stuff to me.
Bottom line if you are going to pull a trailer get someone with experience to teach you preferably in an open lot or field where the worst that could happen is you jackknife bend up your truck and snap a tongue.
Mr. Kendall’s ask questions of the reader but taught us nothing, a useless article
So no one has the responsibility to find answers for themselves anymore? Only whoever writes thought provoking articles are the ones responsible to answer their own questions? Impossible, what with answers all varying to each specific rig. Next thing, you’ll be suing the author for his answers pertaining to an 8,000 lb rig, when something happens to you and your 15,000 lb rig. Unbelievable! Take responsibility for yourselves, folks, and stop being lazy! If the author knows the answers, you should be able to find them, too. I don’t think he was trying to be condescending, just trying to get you to think and be aware. (For some reason, I keep thinking ‘Entitled’. Would probably complain if the answers were handed to you on a silver platter, instead of a gold one.)
Not useless if it got someone to think and 4ealize how much they didn’t know. The author was trying to stimulate thinking not educate completely.
Not everyone has your body of knowledge. I think the article is a good reminder to those of us just learning that you can always learn more in order to stay safe.
Thank you for adding to the list of things I now see I need to learn. I’m sorry to see, however, that your delivery style is less than respectful of a fellow traveler on this planet. I didn’t have the benefit of your all-knowing relatives and I’m grateful for Mr. Kendall taking the time to bring these things to my attention.
I agree with Kathryn. Like so many of these type social media locations there is always someone with their ass on their shoulders. The original post gave good points for folks to consider. Mr. Kendall did a service for many. On the other hand RON, you make a butt of yourself with your condescending manner.
The writer of the article is not trying to make anyone feel dumb. Quite the contrary.
He is merely trying to help through asking valid and relevant questions while making the further point that if one does not know the answer(s); take the Towing 101 class.
So Ron, It sounds like you are who the article was talking too!
Every set up IS different, which is why he listed these questions. This blog is to promote safety and help people learn. Why the snarky reply??!
Ron, I think you missed the whole point of the article! It’s not to “make people feel dumb”; It did not ask that everyone know everything about every vehicle, but rather, do you know the important things about YOUR OWN vehicle?
All those things are things each of us should know about OUR vehicle, not everyone else’s. Safe, happy travels to you!
Why such an antagonist attitude?
Dave Kendall’s article on towing was right on. I have 2 million miles as a class A driver, accident free! The government mandated training for commercial drivers today does little more than teach them to pass the driving test. Please be aware of these dangerous CDL drivers on the road with us. Not all of them just the ones that have not had the time or correct training.
Good questions but you need to add a few, like is your trailer ball the correct size and greased, is your vehicle hitch of the proper weight class, are your mirrors or camera adequate for the tow, if your tow is a toad is the tow bar attached correctly and appropriate for the load, do the towed lights work, is the safety chain hooked up, is the trailer near level on a flat surface so the hitch isn’t overloaded, etc.
Having been in sales at a horse trailer dealership for over 6 years I saw some very dangerous situations. When people asked the weight of the trailer in the beginning of the conversation I came to understand that, most likely, they had too light of a pull vehicle. I would ask the question “what is your towing capacity”. Probably 80% of these people had no clue what I was talking about and the balance of the conversation was used to educate and get their sights set on safety for them and their horses as well as other people on the road.
Towing capacity is set by the OEM and cannot be changed by adding lift kits, beefing up engines, etc. I always liked the answer “oh, my truck is a beast, it can pull it”…….really? How about getting it stopped? And how about in the case of an accident that you were not at fault, but because of being overloaded on tow capacity found to be liable?
Learn your vehicles towing capacity. I fault the
OEM’s for making it difficult to determine in their owners manuals and lack of training for their dealership sales people. I personally have talked to numerous dealership salespeople in trying to find an older trucks TC and they tried to give me GVWR……it’s not the same and much higher. There is also a difference between 5th wheel and gooseneck towing capacities.
Have a safe season.
What is the difference between gooseneck and 5th wheel towing capacities? I had no idea they were different since both tow from just over the rear axle. I had a standard 5th wheel hitch but bought a new truck and installed an Anderson hitch to the gooseneck ball in the bed. Does this equal a gooseneck hitch?
I believe the reference is to goose neck and fifth wheel towing capacity is different from “bumper pull” ratings. The goose neck/fifth wheel ratings are the same.
Great comment from a knowledgeable person! My 2003 GMC Dually lists it in the owners manual as Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR) in the tow section.
One other point about this. Your owner’s manual will doubtless be filled with qualifiers, optional equipment ratings, “ask your dealer” (HA!) admonitions, and other bewildering charts, lists and information that doesn’t provide you with the what you need to know about your actual capacities. And if you buy a used vehicle, the manual might not even be around anymore.
Every manufacturer has a customer service telephone number (NOT the dealer). Call them, read them your VIN number, and they can look up your specific vehicle to tell you all the ratings you need to know. Do not rely on guesswork or your fast talking dealer (“Oh, yeah, that factory tow package can haul anything, don’t you worry.”)
Truck manufacturers are in a race to the top of the HP/torque hill and brag about how much their truck can pull. What they don’t say is how much it can control or stop. My rule of thumb is I’ll never use more than 80% of the trucks towing capacity, some may disagree but I think 20% is a comfortable margin and I’ve never had a situation that I couldn’t handle. I do know if your trailer weighs in at your trucks rated towing capacity you’re an accident looking for a place to happen.
If you don’t know What type of fuel your vehicle uses I don’t think you should be driving at all .
Thanks for the laugh James, but boy are you so right.:):)
Yeah that tidbit of info got me laughing too.
That was some very good questions and some answers may very some depending on the situation but number 1 thing is using common sense I had to learn every thing by myself that I know and it would have a big help would I have had some one to teach me what to check and look for as I started pulling trailers and big trucks i never had something happen but looking back there were somethings that should have been done differently to be safer I’m looking forward to seeing more on this educational and safety in towing
Used to tow a 30 ft. Airstream in the seventies, with a Chevelle 4 door , luckily I had a good teacher, then we went to a suburban, at the time I was still driving a 30 ft. Straight box truck, never had a problem, probably my teacher taught me well, now I have a 29 ft. Jayco motor home.
good questions, couldn’t answer all the questions about my truck — #9 — I’ve googled until my eyes are crossing…still don’t know that answer 🙁
Turn on the heater. Helps remove heat from the engine. Not sure about the transmission; when we towed, I had two transmission coolers in parallel.
My late husband had auxlliary fans he clicked on and or run the heater in the truck, turn off air conditioner
Turn on your dash heater
If you don’t have a heavy duty radiator with the right fan and a heavy duty auxiliary transmission cooler, you need to get one. This is the leading way to reduce heat. Heat transmits to engine and transmission failure faster than a pirahna can clean a beef rib.
2nd… Don’t just shut off your engine when you stop. Gradually slowing down helps best but at least allow the engine and transmission to cool down prior to shutting down. When we need fuel, I coast or slow down a few miles prior to an exit.
Some of the trucks are coming out with a shutdown timer. Ram has it as an option in their truck line.
Lower the loading where possible. Use a higher gear on manuals, ensure automatics are in drive, not 1 or 2, Turn off auxiliary equipment such as AC. Start the heater even in summer. It removes heat from engine. If these aren’t enough then pull over leaving the engine run open hood and let the drive train cool before shutting off and checking fluid levels. There is more but these will address most overheating.
About the only way to ‘cool’ your tranny when it overheats and you’re on the road is to pull over and give it a rest. This happened to us with our old 97 Powerstroke coming out of Death Valley once. Unbeknownst to me, we were only a block from the top of the hill at the time and probably could have made it. But I guess you could call it being safe, rather than sorry. Having a transmission temp gauge should be a must, especially of you do mountain driving.
Might want to add for newbies keep the engine running, watch the temp gauge. If it goes up you have a bigger problem.
Send the VIN to the Customer Support section of the manufacturer. I did that with my RAM and they sent back ALL the specs.
Great questions — definitely need to consider a series of articles to review these question and provide answers.
Okay… I’m grateful that the light’s been shone and revealed the great gaps in my knowledge of how to RV safely. Where do I sign up for instruction??
Escapees club…They have a week long boot camp for newbies and those looking to improve their skills. They are in Livingston, TX but I think they do training across the US from time to time. Check their website:
http://www.escapees.com/education/
Thanks. I’ve heard good things about them.
Thank you, good check list.
I have read the comments, and I think this article is good because people are talking and showing an interest in knowing more, but you need to do your own homework,just like in school,otherwise you won’t retain it
Descending Grades:
How many people know what a run-a-way ramp is? Do you know how to use it?
When your rig and tow vehicle brakes get too hot from riding them (it’s called “Brake Fade”), you will soon be WITHOUT any brakes. The best thing to do is to avoid the use of brakes or use them sparingly.
First, maintain control of the vehicle by using a lower gear. If you have an engine brake, use it. I’ve been on grades of 8% and more with a 42′ rig and Ram 3500 Dually. You will EASILY pick up speed (and a lot of it!). To avoid the use of the truck brake, I set the engine brake and dropped to 2nd gear. It’s slow. It’s noisy from the transmission and engine whine. Engine and transmission temps will go up. Even with the lower gear, I had to use brakes on occasion. Once your speed picks up and the truck can no longer overcome it, you’ll have to apply brakes (Don’t forget to set your trailer brakes for mountain driving prior to starting down). Apply the truck/RV brakes hard to slow the vehicle(s) and then back off. Let them cool before hitting them again. If its not too much overspeed, you can use the pumping method. On that 8% grade over several miles, I applied the brakes just 3 or 4 times. Mostly just prior to the curves in the road.
Back to the Run-A-Way ramp…
Each can be made of different materials. You are going to make a mess of the vehicles but which would you rather be? Alive or possibly dead? You’ve already lost your brakes and you are in a run-a-way condition.
TYPES OF RAMPS:
Per Wikipedia (Read the article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_truck_ramp)
Arrester bed: a gravel-filled ramp adjacent to the road that uses rolling resistance to stop the vehicle.[1] The required length of the bed depends on the mass and speed of the vehicle, the grade of the arrester bed, and the rolling resistance provided by the gravel.
Gravity escape ramp: a long, upwardly inclined path parallel to the road. Substantial length is required. Control can be difficult for the driver; problems include rollback after the vehicle stops.
Sand pile escape ramp: a short length of loosely piled sand. Problems include sudden, forceful deceleration; sand being affected by weather conditions (moisture and freezing); and vehicles vaulting and/or overturning after contacting the sand pile.
Mechanical-arrestor escape ramp: a proprietary system of stainless-steel nets transversely spanning a paved ramp to engage and retard a runaway vehicle. Ramps of this type are typically shorter than gravity ramps, and can work even on a downhill grade. These systems tend to be costly, but may save expensive real estate in crowded areas, and prevent even more costly crashes. One such ramp at Avon, Connecticut in the United States has an electrically heated pavement surface to prevent snow and ice accumulation.
Alternatives: such as a vehicle arresting barrier.
Here is a great source for mountain driving grades if you don’t have it:
https://www.mountaindirectory.com/
It downloads to your laptop, i-pad or other device to view off line.
Here are a couple of YouTube Videos showing truckers that had to use one…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5KgKebgkwk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk6mvUqqQ6E
Brake Fade Article/Run-A-Way Ramps:
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-problems/brake-failure5.htm
https://www.fullbay.com/blog/runaway-truck-ramp/
Just another item that everyone should know before getting an RV License. It applies to all forms of RVing.
If you don’t know this, now is your chance to start. If you know this, its a good time to brush up before hitting the mountains. Yellowstone, Wyoming has some of the steepest I’ve experienced. Some are 13%.
Here is yet a better run-a-way truck video…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYpIXsbLUgE
There are plenty of these on YouTube to watch.
Just look up run-way truck or RV ramp.
The correct way to use your brakes on a downhill grade used in the trucking industry, put your truck in the lower gear before you start down using the same gear you would normally use to climb the hill, as you start gaining speed step on the brake pedal hard enough to slow you back to a comfortable speed, let off the brakes allowing them to cool, repeat this process until you’ve made it to the bottom, do not ride the brake pedal as that will hold light pressure on the brake pads and discs keeping them hot.
What RV License?
Near where I live, two truckers died using an Arrester Bed a few years ago. Seat belts? Air bags? Speed?
It’s a shorter ramp that heads uphill steeper than most so that must have been a factor.
Safer than going over a cliff but has it own dangers.
Another test question…Can you select the correct axle ratio for your tow truck? How does the axle ratio affect mpg and performance?
See these informative websites about selecting a proper axle ratio. Many may not have considered this before…
https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/how-to-choose-the-right-axle-ratio-for-your-pickup-truck.html
https://www.forconstructionpros.com/trucks/trucks-accessories/article/10288893/select-the-correct-pickup-axle-ratio
https://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/understanding-axle-ratios/
Its a package deal in most consumer grade trucks 1/2-1 ton. You choose your tow rating and it matches engine, transmission, and differential options spaced out by, oh you know, an engineer. There may be certain situations where you may want a tall or short gear, but generally, for most RV towers with consumer grade trucks, knowing you payload and towing capacities is much more important.
That’s well and good if you’re buying new. If you all ready own a truck you better know you axel ratio before looking for a trailer. Don’t listen to a salesman because their goal is to sell whether it’s capable or not.
Not necessarily true. Our salesman strictly checked side of driver panel of our tow vehicle and told us which TT’s on lot to look at. His dealership had a strict policy in safety and informing customers what they could and safely tow.
Also, everyone who tows anything should know their particular vehicles Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR). That figure is the absolute maximum your entire unit (tow vehicle and towed or carried unit) can weigh as it is ready for travel. This includes all passengers, pets, food, clothes, tools, water, various fuels, kitchen equipment, batteries, in short EVERYTHING!
Also, if you trusted a dealership to order you the right engine, transmission, rear axle and suspension without double checking, independently, you may be in for a nasty surprise. In my humble opinion most ½ ton pickups and SUVs shouldn’t tow anything bigger than a garden trailer or have anything attached to the bed other than a topper shell (hardly any true camper like a 9′ or bigger Lance is light enough)
Excellent!
this article would be more useful if it provided answers to the questions and not just raise the issues.
It’s just a millennial content creator that doesn’t know the answers.
All very good points. I would however like to know how you got into Alberta and British Columbia unless of course you were there before the border closure for non-essential travel came into effect back in March 2020????
If you see a sign that says “6-degree grade” you should probably have your eyes checked before you go much further.
I agree, a 6 degree grade is barely noticeable, a 6 percent grade is much different, personally I have never seen a grade labeled in degrees except possibly a loading ramp in a building.
be careful – 6 degrees is over 10%
I’ve read that a lot of folks are requesting a teacher .. fine and good. But I’ve come to believe the best teacher is an enquiring mind and the self sufficiency to “look it up” aka “ask Google”
We also had a saying in the electronics repair shop where I worked for 35 years “RDM” (Read the Damn Manual) There are less family friendly versions of this saying in other industries I am sure.
My father taught me if at first you don’t succeed try and try again. If you still fail read the manual.
One reason I read rv travel is to get educated about most of the points listed and to discover what I need to research further to avoid trouble
Try driving a school bus for one year. You will be a pro by the time school is over. Also a family friend owned an auto shop so growing up I know what to do even before I started driving.
I drove a school bus for 6 years and it didn’t teach me anything about towing so what is your point? I also drove a semi for 8 years, that taught me a lot.
“How many feet do you think it takes to stop your rig? Can you visually describe how far that is?”
I don’t think there is an answer for this question. At what speed? Uphill or downhill? Nice sunny day or a day with inclement weather? Snow or rain? Inquiring minds want to know . . .
Something to think about… no matter how good of a driver the person is, if they are tired, they shouldn’t drive. Also, the passenger should consider themselves a co-pilot and pay attention. My husband and I were driving across I-90 in ND recently. We had been out late having dinner with friends the night before and had to get up early to get a trailer tire fixed that had picked up a nail. I didn’t realize my husband was tired as we headed across South Dakota. I was reading on my phone when I felt the truck go over a big bump. Turns out, my husband fell asleep, crossed into the left lane and then down into the median area. He finally got the truck and trailer under control and made his way back onto the highway. It was extremely scary and I vowed to always pay attention to the drive from then on.
Dave has attacked the head of the snake with his commentary and quiz. Having also towed a TT and 5er and also have gone x-country, you see a lot of squirrelly things going on. I am no expert but I have never been in a precarious situation. At the same time, I am retired with no rush to get anywhere fast. This is not the case for everyone…
Driving a tour bus for 16 years you learn what to look for in driver’s passing you. oncoming traffic, and the traffic ahead of you generally 4 to 5 vehicles ahead. There are generally good drivers on the road. It is the few idiots that make it dangerous for safe drivers following the rules of the road to avoid a accident. I can tell you I have seen some really unsafe driver’s looking to be in an accident.
I totally agree that we as a community need to promote education of proper towing.
A beginner should take a course that is both book learning and hands on.
I agree with Dave, that the government WILL step in and regulate, given the right numbers for wrecks