Be careful while driving an RV over steep mountain roads

A motor home or truck pulling a good-size trailer can run great in most areas of the United States, but it can be a different story once you start traversing mountain ranges in some of America's national parks.

Driving down mountain roads can be dangerous.

Before leaving home be sure brakes are in good working order. Many mountain highways and roads have six percent or greater downgrades that require the RVer to maintain a safe speed while perilously driving down a grade at ever increasing speed.

The air gets thinner at higher elevations and an RV's engine loses its ability to produce maximum power. This also results in a corresponding drop in generator output wattage. Different engines react in varying ways.

Diesel engines are able to handle the fuel injection requirements at higher altitudes while gasoline engines do not have that luxury.

Use lower gears and your exhaust brake to save your regular brakes. Don’t wait until you are going too fast to engage the exhaust brake. Turn it on at the top of the grade. Allow plenty of room between you and guy ahead of you. Passing trucks while going uphill is a chore since you are both going slow. Allow plenty of time and distance to pass a truck going uphill.

In an attempt to make mountain driving  safer R&R Publishing Inc. has been collecting information about mountain passes and steep grades since 1993. Over 85,000 copies of Mountain Directory West and Mountain Directory East have been sold. The books have been expanded and upgraded periodically and contain the locations and descriptions of over 700 mountain passes and steep grades in 22 states.

The books are available at www.RVbookstorecom