Anyone who's a Driver and has driven to North Cali knows
how treacherous Donner Pass can be here in the states.
I'd be over-revving 3rd gear the whole way down the Mountain.
I'd see other trucks going by at 60 and guys on CB saying
how stupid those guys were.
There would be numerous trucks pulled over at the bottom
with rear brakes burning.
A whole other story when it's snowing. Scary, white knuckle ride
Oz
Donner pass in winter....another reason the sooner the San Andreas fault let's go and slides that state into the ocean the better off we'll all be.
Last time I went through there I got pulled over by CHP because my trailer axle was 6" out. Then I get into the scale after and I'm over weight on the axles.
So, dude in the scale has me slide the axle back to exactly the same spot for which I got a ticket, and sends me on my way saying I was fine.
"What about this correctable fault ticket the other officer gave me?" I ask
He says, "just do what it says on the back....it's only a minor fine"
Of course.....he never told me that he had to sign off on the fault being corrected.
But anywho....the penny pinchers that spec out trucks for fleets don't understand that the bigger displacements give you much better engine braking. Get into the right gear and a 15 litre Cat will hold your descent.....a 13 litre Cat....well.....welcome to the world of smoking brakes