Driving On Downgrades; Gear Preselection - Fleetwood 1993 American Eagle Owner's Manual

9
DRIVING & VEHICLE CONTROL
Page9-30f7
Driving On Downgrades
Driving onwinding or mountain roads is not difficult i{done with reason-
able care; Controlling vehicle speed is vital to safely maneuvel:ing in hilly or
mountainous areas. Driving slowly will help you keep your motor home under
control.
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Always operatein the proper trallsmissibn range. Downshift on hills to
avoid overheating or undue engine loads. Downshift when descending grades.
Engine compression and friction will helpcontrol~ehicle speed, and relieve
some of the strain on the brakes. DONOTEXCEED MAXIMUM ENGINE
RPMfor the gear ~angeyou are in. Serious cOITlPonent damage could occur.
Shift the transmissioIito a lower gear b,efore starting down the grade. Match
speed and gear using the tachometer. Refer
to
thy Chassis Operator's
Manual for downhill driving technique.
USing the Engine to Slow the Motor Home
To use the engine as a braking force,select the next lowe;gear. If the motor
home is exceeding the maximum for this gear, use the service brakes to slow
down. When a lower speed is reached, the transmission Electronic Control
Unit (ECU) will automatically downshift the transmission. Engine braking
provides-good speed control for going down grades. When the motor home is
heavily loaded, or the grade is steep, preselection of a lower gear prior to the
grade may be desirable.
Gear Preselection
Gear preselection means selection ofa lower gear t9 match the driving
conditions you encounter or expect to encounter. Preselection will give you
better control on slick or icy roads and on downgrades. Downshifting to lower
gears increases engine braking. The selection of alower gear often prevents
cycling between a gear and the next higher gear on a series of short up-and-
down hills.
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American Eagle
© 1992 Fleetwood Enterprises Inc.
ISSUE DATE: 9/92
All rights reserved