'.
~
9
DRIVIN~
& VEHICLE CONTROL
Page 3
of6
DRIVING ON DOWNGRADES
Driving on winding or mountain roads is not difficult
if
done
with reason-
able care
..
Controlling vehicle speed is vital to safe maneuvering in hilly or
mountainous
areas. Driving slowly will help you keep your motor home under
control.
Always operate in the proper transmission
range:Do~rishift
on hills to
avoid engine and brake overheating or undue engine loads. Downshift whe
l1
descending grades. Engine compression and friction will help control vehicle
1>peed,
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 and gear using the tachometer. Refer to the
Chassis
Owner's
Mannal
for downhill driving technique.
USING THE ENGINI;
TO
SLOW
THE MOTOR HOME.
To
use.the engine as a braking force, select the next lower gear.
If
the motor
home is
ex~eeding
the maximum RPM for this gear, use the 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 horneis
heavily loaded, or the downhill grade
is
steep, preselection
of
a lower gear
prior
to
the grade
maybe
desirable.
GEAR
PRESELECTION'
Gear preselection. means selection
of
a lower gear to match the driving
conditions you encounteror expect to encounter. Preselection will give you
better controlon slick or icy roads and on upgrades or downgrades. Downshift-
ing to lower gears increases engine braking. The selection
of
a lower gear often
prevents cycling between a gear and the next higher gear on a series
of
short
up~and-down
hills.
© 1996
Fleetwood
Enterprises
Inc.
American Eagle
Wide
Body
ISSUE DATE: 6/96
/'
AU
rights
reserved
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