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9
DRIVING & VEHICLE CONTROL
Page
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-3 of7
DRIVING ON DOWNGRADES
Driving on winding or mountain roads is not difficult if done with reason-
able care. Controlling vehicle speed is vital to safely maneuvering in hilly or
mountainous areas. Driving slowly will help you keep your motor home under
. control.
Always operate in the proper transmission range. Downshift on hills to
avoid engine and brake overheating or
u~due
engine loads. Downshift when
descending grades. Engine compression and friction will help control vehicle
speed, and relieve some of the strain on the brakes. DO NOT EXCEED
MAXIMUM ENGINE RPM for the gear range you are in. Serious compo-
nent damage could occur. Shift the transmIssion to a lower gear before starting
. down' the grade. Match speed arid gear using the tachometer. Refer to the
pla~sis
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 nextlower 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 downgrades. 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 of a lower gear to 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 a lower gear often pl'events
cycling between a gear and the n,ext higher gear on a series of short up-and-
down hills.
Mountain driving or desert temperatures can put extreme demands on drive
train components. Under extreme heat conditions you may need to turn off the
vehicle air conditioner to improve engine and transmission cooling.
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American Dream
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© 1994 Fleetwqad Enterprises Inc.
Wjde Body
All rights reserved
ISSUE DATE: 12/94
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