Driving through mountains in big rigs can transform your adventurous experience into a nightmare if you are too neglected to follow directions or take into consideration required safety tips.
In this blog BP Auto Spares India, largest Mahindra Scorpio Parts dealers will be going over top 4 things you need to keep in mind before driving through the steep mountain grades and risky winding passes.
Trip Preparation: As an obvious thumb of rule, before beginning your journey, you must take your truck for a safety inspection and if not, you can do it yourself. Just make sure your truck is in a perfect condition to fight the odds of the mountain region. Check the tires, brakes, engine and look for possible leaks, noises or if something is out of place. Check your tire chains, fluid levels, and wiper blades. Make sure you have enough food and water to last an entire journey.
Tire Chains: It is vital to get your tire chains inspected before and after each use. Make sure you are carrying an extra pair of tire chains or other repair parts. In case you are using chains try to keep your speed under 30 mph. Your truck speed must be low enough and your distance should be proper enough to keep from locking up the brakes.
Ascending a mountain: When driving a truck up a mountain, it is advisable to down shift gears to help maintain a steady control of the trailer. Ascending a mountain with wrong gears can make your truck come to a complete halt which will lead to your truck backpedaling and worse a collision.
Descending a mountain: When you are descending a mountain opt for a gear lower than what you should have chosen when cresting the mountain. If your truck is equipped with a jake brake or engine retarder, use it to maintain a safe speed limit when you descend a mountain. But don’t try to use jake brake when you are driving on a slippery slope. Use foot brake and gears during this situation.