Using the gears to slow

[CarlandHels]

Always low gear for coming down long descents and brakes only when necessary. I was taught by my driving instructors to use gears for slowing down both in car and HGV.

Apparently they don't teach people to use gears anymore. Both our lads were brought up driving tractors and trailers and I taught them to use gears when slowing or going down hills etc. But when they were doing their driving lessons to learn how to pass the test (not learning to drive) they rolled up to junctions & went down hills in 5th gear relying only on the brakes...
Thankfully they passed and now drive using gears again...

 

[mark61]

Using gears/engine braking to slow down for roundabouts, junctions, speed limits, etc is not the same as using a low gear to assist in controlling speed on a very long decent.

 

[mark61]

The newer way of using brakes to slow down for hazards does have advantages. As already said a few times by others, modern brakes are up to the job, it's much smoother, the vehicle is much more balanced as the decrease in speed will be consistent and the braking is done by all wheels not just the drive wheels.
None of that means changing down is completely out the window though.

 

[Tookey]

The newer way of using brakes to slow down for hazards does have advantages. As already said a few times by others, modern brakes are up to the job, it's much smoother, the vehicle is much more balanced as the decrease in speed will be consistent and the braking is done by all wheels not just the drive wheels.
None of that means changing down is completely out the window though.

Especially when it's a works van and you dont pay for pads n discs

 

[Greengrass]

Not unduly, better to hold the vehicle back in low gear than to constantly ride the break pedal. If you've ever experienced complete brake failure due to the drums getting red hot through friction caused by constant use, you would use low gears more. I experienced total brake fade on a fully loaded 8 wheeler going over Snake Pass back in the early 90s, & it definitely opened my eyes...

1963 coming down in to Whaley bridge A6 Commer lorry loaded with ostermilk baby food straight over the lights on red had to change my nappy

 

[Greengrass]

I was taught to come down a hill same gear you went up it, But that was about 1960 less power in those days

 

[maingate]

Round my way we have a lot of 60's into 30's and I tried engine braking and neither myself, van or car behind me seemed particularly impressed tbh

Dropping from 60 to 30 should not put any strain on a transmission as you just back off the throttle and change down through the gears and match revs to your lower gear and lower speed. It will be hairy if you don't know how to do that.

 

[Greengrass]

When riding around New Zealand in 2000 I remember seeing signs on the approach to towns telling trucks to NOT use exhaust braking in the town.

I was told this was due to the noise levels it created.

Can manufacturers do it quietly now and if so how have they achieved it with lower noise levels?

That's the Jake brake works on the engine

 

[RV2MAX]

Using a jake at low rpm and load can harm the engine , an exhaust brake isnt very effective at low rpm either , but is quieter than a jake , Telma retarder or hydraulic retarder are silent but more expensive .

 

[wildebus]

Id rather change pads than clutches and g/box.

The way people are posting on this thread, it makes me wonder if they know their vehicles have that funny stumpy thing on the floor called a "brake pedal" designed to help slow down the vehicle

 

[ricc]

for most of my driving i find thinking ahead and taking foot of the throttle pedal means i rarely have to use brakes to slow down. back in the days i used a company van the garage commented my brake pads lasted about twice as long as most of my co drivers. comes from learning to drive on vehicles with dubious brakes. sometimes the dab on the pedal is just so the idiot behind gets a flash of brakelights to wake him up.
my fathers 2000e cortina had 3 speed auto box, when making progress i used to slip the selector from d to 2 on approaching roundabouts and bends rather than using brakes to make it change down to power through...basically using it like a clutchless manual.

 

[SquirrellCook]

I've had the front brakes on fire in the Rhone alps, but I was late and in an hurry. All was fine apart from the horrible smell. Mercedes used to have a water spray option to cool the brakes.

 

[trevskoda]

The newer way of using brakes to slow down for hazards does have advantages. As already said a few times by others, modern brakes are up to the job, it's much smoother, the vehicle is much more balanced as the decrease in speed will be consistent and the braking is done by all wheels not just the drive wheels.
None of that means changing down is completely out the window though.

They have been breaking on all wheels since 1920, how old is you wagon.

 

[trevskoda]

Dropping from 60 to 30 should not put any strain on a transmission as you just back off the throttle and change down through the gears and match revs to your lower gear and lower speed. It will be hairy if you don't know how to do that.

Read the road and back of throttle, no requirement to change down, unless racing

 

[Greengrass]

Using a jake at low rpm and load can harm the engine , an exhaust brake isnt very effective at low rpm either , but is quieter than a jake , Telma retarder or hydraulic retarder are silent but more expensive .

And weigh a lot more so less payload that's why we don't have many in the UK. I had a exhaust brake that was a blade that went through the exhaust pipe (not a butterfly type) best one that I ever had

 

[mark61]

Read the road and back of throttle, no requirement to change down, unless racing

Good luck with that.

 

[trevskoda]

Good luck with that.

PARA WING would be better.

 

[Nabsim]

I am fairly sure my van has bigger disks and pads on the front and that it’s set to apply more pressure on the front wheels, engine braking allows me to slow the rear wheels more. I don’t use engine braking instead of foot brake but in addition to, just letting your foot off the throttle will slow the vehicle. People should be aware what’s going on around and in front of them and be driving to conditions anyway

 

[trevskoda]

I am fairly sure my van has bigger disks and pads on the front and that it’s set to apply more pressure on the front wheels, engine braking allows me to slow the rear wheels more. I don’t use engine braking instead of foot brake but in addition to, just letting your foot off the throttle will slow the vehicle. People should be aware what’s going on around and in front of them and be driving to conditions anyway

Its designed to be 70/30 - 60/40 split, thats why big disc at the front and small or drums at back.

 

[Caz]

I wonder what British driving instructor teaches on Alpine descents?

British driving instructors don't teach in Alpine regions. Unless they've qualified over there as well.

How would you deal with the situation in an automatic? From a distant memory there was '3rd' gear but I can't remember seeing a first and second option.

All the automatic cars I've driven have had 1st and 2nd gears, one had a 3rd as well. I don't know about trucks.

Using gears/engine braking to slow down for roundabouts, junctions, speed limits, etc is not the same as using a low gear to assist in controlling speed on a very long decent.

Exactly, well said. I think a few on here are getting the two things confused.
"Gears to go, brakes to slow" has been the official teaching in the UK since the early 90s, but then we do have a lot of people here who passed their Tests before then, I suppose.
@Greengrass - spot on as well, if you needed 2nd gear to get up the hill then it's 2nd coming down again.

However, this relates to cars and light vehicles, I've never been taught to drive a big truck.