I have a commercial driver license and drive air brake trucks
You don’t want to overuse your brakes . . . you might actually run out of brakes, so to speak
@db.go to the bottom of a lot of grades around here and smell the air,I bet a lot of these couldnt stop if they had to,there is no reason to get the brakes stinking on a modern 18 wheeler-Kevin
@db4690…My dad was a long haul trucker and owned both a Mack and a Kenworth. I learned to drive a semi when I was 16 and as you may or may not know…I’ve been a certified diesel mechanic for 40 years. I’m not saying that downshifting is not a good idea…it is in the right circumstance such as going down a long grade. What is not a good idea is downshifting to slow down a vehicle instead of using your brakes.
It seems we’re in agreement
I also choose my gear for the downgrade BEFORE I’m on it
And I also agree that applying brakes is better than downshifting in “regular” situations
And for those non-diesel gearheads . . . downshifting one of those big trucks isn’t always possible going downhill
Using the CLUTCH to slow down is never a good idea.
Using the clutch properly to change gears up or down does not wear a clutch out prematurely.
Using the ENGINE to brake does not wear out a clutch.
Downshifting properly to use the engine to brake does not wear out the clutch.
If anything, it may cause more wear on the throwout bearing, but that will always be arguable, and would certainly not wear the bearing out in 25 thousand miles.
Dont know about that seems like some of these Stirling Moss/tuetonic drivers can go though a clutch pretty fast,dont think anybody said letting the engine hold back hurt a clutch,when I hear the awful gear changing and the engine suddenly on the verge of overevving,makes me wonder who they are trying to impress,do that on a busy multilane with 30 or 40 stoplights and all you get done is change gears-Kevin