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9
DRIVING AND VEHICLE CONTROL
Page30f6
DRIVING ON DOWNGRADES
Ddvjng on winding or mountain roads is not difficult
if
done with reason-
able care. Controlling- vehicle speed
is
vital to safe maneuvering in hilly
Of-
mountainous areas. Driving slowly willhclp you keep your motor home under
(';ontro1.
Always operate in the proper transmission rango. Downshift on h.ills to
avoid engine and brake overheating_or undue engine loads. Downshift when
descending grades, Engine compression and fricli6nwill help control vehicle
speed, and relieve some
or
Lhe strain 011 the brakes. DO NOT EXCEED
MAXIMUM ENGINI-; RPM for the gear range you are in. Serious cnmpo-
ucntdamagecould occur. Shift the transmission to a lower gearbeiorc starling
down the grade. Match speed and gear using the tachometer. Refer to the
Chassis Opel'ator'S/Owner's Guide/Manual for downhill driving teeh-
mque.
USING THE ENGINE TO SLOW THE MOTOR HOME
To use the engine as a bnl.king force, select the nextlmyer gear. If the motor
home
i~
exceeding the maximum RPM for this gear, use the service brakes to
stow doWn. When a lower speed is reached, the transmission Electronic
Control Unit (6CU) will automatically downshift the transmission. Engine
braking provides good speed control for going dowll 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 of a lower gear to match the driving
conditions you enconnter or expect to encounter. Preselection will give yOll
bettereontro\ on siick or icy roads and on downgrades. Downshifting to lower
gears increases engine hraking. The selection or a lower gear often prevents
cycling between a gear ami the next higher gellr on a series of short up-and-
down hills.
Mountain driving or deselt temperatures can put extreme demands on dri ve
train components. Underexlremc heal conditions you llllly need to turn off the
vehicle air conditioner to improve engine and transmission cooling.
American Dream
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