# Braking Techniques



## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Been seeing several threads with worries of braking down hills on here lately.

Been a while since I posted my video. Not saying its the best, but just showing an idea some may not know about.






Carey


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## CA-NYCamper (Mar 30, 2009)

Good perspective. Never thought of it that way but it seems logical. Thanks for the info.


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## Ryeguy (Apr 1, 2009)

Great video Carey I had seen it before but I had a Tekonsha envoy controller and couldn't set it properly. just installed a P3 and now it all makes sense I think. Haven't driven any mountains yet but hoping to get some exp when we go to montana







Thank you


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## Patty (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks Carey.
It's great information for us novice tow-ers. My OB is stored at the folks who live @ 5000 ft. I bring it down to almost sea level just to bring it home. This is very good information for me. Thanks again!


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## letscamp (Jan 22, 2010)

I don't know if its just me, but of all the driver training I have been though "riding the breaks" the entire way down makes no sense. I understand the Idea of 1/4 use the whole way, but when you need 100% you will really only have 3/4 or less available because the brakes are already that much hotter than if you would be in a lower gear using the brakes as needed. I will give it a try, but maybe someone can enlighten me on this?


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Well, in theory, if the brakes can dissipate the heat as fast or faster than it is created, then they won't overheat... I honestly struggle with wanting to know where that point is on a given vehicle...


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Nathan said:


> Well, in theory, if the brakes can dissipate the heat as fast or faster than it is created, then they won't overheat... I honestly struggle with wanting to know where that point is on a given vehicle...


That point is 1/4 braking power on any given vehicle or combination of vehicles.

The limit that a brake pad/shoe will overheat is 1/3 of application. If the brakes are stabbed, then allowed to cool you will see increased brake wear. If a full stop is needed while in the stab mode, you could be in trouble.

Either method will get you down the hill. Riding them 1/4 will get you down the hill faster and with more braking capability if a stop is needed. If the brakes are riden at 1/4 application pressure, you will always have a full and firm brake pedal if a full stop is needed.

At 1/4 application pressure the brakes cant overheat....

Next time you go off a mountain just play with it.. It will quickly make since.

This was a common practice in the early era of trucking.

Nowdays truckers are taught to stab and cool. Why? Its hard to teach people the proper way when they only spend a few weeks in a trucking school.

If you have a newer diesel with a sub 30-32 foot bumper pull, your tranns will just about do the braking for you. But if you are towing a heavy 5er, or are using a light vehicle to tow a large trailer, one will be much safer braking this way than stabbing and hoping they cool quick enough before the next stab application.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> ....The limit that a brake pad/shoe will overheat is 1/3 of application....


Remember, I'm an engineering geek so I always like to review the data.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

letscamp said:


> I don't know if its just me, but of all the driver training I have been though "riding the breaks" the entire way down makes no sense. I understand the Idea of 1/4 use the whole way, but when you need 100% you will really only have 3/4 or less available because the brakes are already that much hotter than if you would be in a lower gear using the brakes as needed. I will give it a try, but maybe someone can enlighten me on this?


You wont have 75% of available brake. You will have 100%. The brakes arent hot if just 1/4 is used.

You must combine this with a lower gear. If you dont, you will quickly see that 1/4 brake application does nothing in slowing the vehicle.

You can go down a hill one gear higher if the 1/4 method is used and the brakes are riden the whole way. I know this is crazy..

The 1/4 brake application must equal gear selection or one will need more than 1/4 brake application to hold the vehicle at a safe speed for the hill. You will quickly see which gear is needed by just using 1/4 of application.

You will downshift until 1/4 or less brake application is needed to descind the hill.

Using the 1/4 method allows the driver to very quickly find the proper gear that is needed for safely descinding the hill.

Many figure out about 1/2 way down the hill, there brakes are getting hot, and they are in the wrong gear. For some its too late to get the vehicle slowed enough to drop into the next higher gear without hurting the engine.

The 1/4 method is the cheaters way of quickly finding the proper gear needed for the hill..... Simple as that.

Carey


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Nathan said:


> ....The limit that a brake pad/shoe will overheat is 1/3 of application....


Remember, I'm an engineering geek so I always like to review the data.








[/quote]

No problem Nathan. One can play with the brake controller and quickly find where the brakes begin to fade. It will happen at 1/3rd application pressure.

In semis we use an air pressure application gauge which winds up being similiar to an electric brake controller to gauge how much brakes are being applied in any given situtation.

Being that I drove company trucks I let the boss pay for my experiments.









Being that the rv I tow aint mine allows me to play also..
















Carey


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## letscamp (Jan 22, 2010)

Well thanks Colorado~DirtBikers It makes a little more sense. I don't know if the larger trucks you drive and the newer semi ones have ABS but maybe that is another cause for trucking schools to teach the different style of breaking. Either way I will try it out this coming week when we go out of town.


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