By Cheri Sicard
RV towing in the mountains, whether it be a trailer or a fifth wheel, fills many RVers with fear and dread. Especially beginner RVers.
I had a friend who would go hundreds of miles out of her way just to avoid towing in the mountains. It does not need to be that way.
Assuming you have the proper tow vehicle, towing in the mountains need not be difficult or overly stressful.
The video below by the folks at Jaunt Junkies talks about vehicle considerations when towing up and down hills plus a whole lot more. Watching the tips and suggestions in this practical video can go a long way towards building confidence about RV towing in the mountains.
These folks live in Utah, so they have a lot of practical experience with mountainous RVing. In the video, they climb to a more than 9,000-foot elevation.
Along the way, you’ll learn what to watch for and monitor on your vehicle to make sure it is handling the climb. Especially when towing in the heat.
You’ll also pick up some practical driving tips for when towing in the mountains. Following the tips will give you the best results on mileage and wear and tear on your vehicle. They will also help keep you safe.
Along those lines, they also cover the importance of using the tow/haul mode if your vehicle has it.
Lastly, what goes up must come down. Equally important as climbing when towing an RV is going downhill. They cover braking situations and again what to look out for and monitor on your vehicle.
##RVDT2453
The one thing he didn’t directly mention about going downhill was to let your speed slowly build up to the speed limit (or whatever slower speed you are comfortable with) and then brake firmly to a much slower speed. Then, do it over again. That reduces heat buildup on your brakes (truck and trailer).
And the other thing: research your route ahead of time using a map that shows topography (contour lines). Know where the steep slopes are. Especially look out for downhill slopes that end in a T intersection! Make sure you are going SLOWLY before the T!
Yes I think it’s called ‘surge braking’; very helpful.
Thank you, Cheri! 🙂 Good suggestions, especially slow your driving speed. Downshifting to descend, whether using the tow/haul feature, or manually is so important, too. Thank you for the lesson/reminders of this video! Have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
It’s all about having the right tow vehicle to start!
We use a Chevy 3500 diesel towing a 35′ 5th wheel and have gone through the Rockies multiple times.
We set the cruise at 50 mph on the way up and 40-50 mph on the way down, depending on the descent grade. The engine brake will engage and our speed never gets above 55 mph on the way down without ever having to use the truck or trailer brakes.
So safe to ensure that you are “over trucked” for your particular rig.
Did you stop at the top and check the engine oil?
No, what would be the reason for that? I check the oil level every 1500 miles or so and I don’t have any issues.
Might be a good idea though!