drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix

[larhee]

I will be driving my Jayco Redhawk, 25 ft, from Flagstaff to Phoenix in Oct. I hear about the steep changes in elevation. Do I need to take special precautions? Comments/suggestions. Thanks!!

[CAG]

Originally Posted by larhee

I will be driving my Jayco Redhawk, 25 ft, from Flagstaff to Phoenix in Oct. I hear about the steep changes in elevation. Do I need to take special precautions? Comments/suggestions. Thanks!!

Use tow/haul, set you cruise to 50-55, I recommend 50 because it will creep up about 5 mph before it starts downshifting to maintain the cruise setting. Stay off the break because that will knock it out of cruise and send you down the hill faster.

The first downhill is above Sedona and about 6-8 miles worth. There is then a long climb out of Verde Valley and then a long steep drop off of Sunset Point a bit later.

Don’t do it on a Sunday. Middle of the week is best. Two million people try to come back from the mountains on Sunday. One crash and a 20 mile backup.

[Jagiven]

On long grades, I like to downshift and use the transmission and engine to help control my speed more than the brakes.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

On long grades, I like to downshift and use the transmission and engine to help control my speed more than the brakes.

The best results with these Ford 450s is as I mentioned. Let the Tow/Haul and cruise do the work. It will keep the speed at your cruise setting plus maybe 5.



Besides the two major downhills that I mentioned, I also come off of the Rim into Payson and then from Payson to the desert via the long, steep, winding US87 to the desert floor. If you try to do the downshifting yourself, you will be on the brakes before you know it, overheat them and be in trouble. Those truck runaway ramps are there for a reason.



When I had the toy hauler and the Duramax, the turbo brake, tow haul, and cruise would keep me at 50 all the way down all of these. In the case of 87 there are several 25-30 mph switchbacks.

[Yooper906]

Originally Posted by CAG

The best results with these Ford 450s is as I mentioned. Let the Tow/Haul and cruise do the work. It will keep the speed at your cruise setting plus maybe 5.



Besides the two major downhills that I mentioned, I also come off of the Rim into Payson and then from Payson to the desert via the long, steep, winding US87 to the desert floor. If you try to do the downshifting yourself, you will be on the brakes before you know it, overheat them and be in trouble. Those truck runaway ramps are there for a reason.



When I had the toy hauler and the Duramax, the turbo brake, tow haul, and cruise would keep me at 50 all the way down all of these. In the case of 87 there are several 25-30 mph switchbacks.

Sounds to me like you are familiar with these roads. Good advice, I've been down that way just once with no problems, just taking things slow and letting the exhaust brake do a lot of the slowing. Thanks for posting.

[pconroy]

All of the above is correct. Stay off the brakes, use tow-haul. Go slow. If you smell something, for Pete's sake pull over and let things cool.

[larhee]

Thanks for your helpful advice. My brother in law will also be driving this route in a Jayco Pinnacle. Does your advice also fit his rig? Thanks again
LaRhee

[larhee]

Originally Posted by CAG

Use tow/haul, set you cruise to 50-55, I recommend 50 because it will creep up about 5 mph before it starts downshifting to maintain the cruise setting. Stay off the break because that will knock it out of cruise and send you down the hill faster.

The first downhill is above Sedona and about 6-8 miles worth. There is then a long climb out of Verde Valley and then a long steep drop off of Sunset Point a bit later.

Don’t do it on a Sunday. Middle of the week is best. Two million people try to come back from the mountains on Sunday. One crash and a 20 mile backup.

My brother in law will also be driving this route in a Jayco Pinnacle. Does your advice for me apply to him as well?

[Marine71-76]

Originally Posted by larhee

My brother in law will also be driving this route in a Jayco Pinnacle. Does your advice for me apply to him as well?

Absolutely same advice. Tow haul is your friend. We haven't been to Arizona in several years. Have been over the Rockies & the Appalachians and definitely needed the tow haul. Even the "hills" going from Blythe to Julian (which technically we should not have been on) required slow and tow haul. The trip reminded DW of "The Long Long Trailer" movie.

[CAG]

I’m not familiar with the pinnacle but most modern cruise controls will shift down to maintain what you set in for speed. Use the Tow/Haul and cruise to avoid having to brake. Leave the cruise set at your preferred downhill speed while you are on the flats between downhills and stick with the foot throttle. That allows you to be all set up for the next downhill and not have to try to reset everything while trying to keep your speed under control. Let off the gas and let the cruise take over. It will downshift you to 50 again.

With most cruise controls if you do hit the brakes, you can hit resume to get to you last setting.

[larhee]

Thank You!

[TomC_AZ]

Just wanted to say ditto to what CAG said, he described both of those routes very well. I would just add that in tow/haul mode just a tap of the breaks (not holding) should down shift for you. At least on newer vehicles. I have found that my cruise control will do it as well but not all the time, it depends on the hill. Driving up and down the Eisenhower tunnel route in CO, our truck just had to have one tap on the breaks it down shifted and it controlled all the way down. That is the steepest and longest mtn/hill we have seen and done. Thankfully nothing like that here in AZ.

[SmokeyBear]

Is "tow/haul mode" the same as "Overdrive" on my 1997 E-350?

[Yooper906]

Originally Posted by TomC_AZ

I would just add that in tow/haul mode just a tap of the breaks (not holding) should down shift for you. At least on newer vehicles. I have found that my cruise control will do it as well but not all the time, it depends on the hill. Driving up and down the Eisenhower tunnel route in CO, our truck just had to have one tap on the breaks it down shifted and it controlled all the way down. That is the steepest and longest mtn/hill we have seen and done. Thankfully nothing like that here in AZ.

We did that tunnel route last year. like you say, 1 tap on the brakes. While going downhill and listening to the exhaust brake, and being from a northern climate, can't help but thinking that if the roads are slick or icy,exhaust brakes don't seem like a great idea.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by SmokeyBear

Is "tow/haul mode" the same as "Overdrive" on my 1997 E-350?

Actually, T/H keeps you out of overdrive.The lower gears keep you from burning up the transmission when towing/ keeps the transmission from gear surfing. Will also help with braking when descending. I run T/H in urban (town) traffic ( 32'Alante) towing or not, it greatly helps with braking. There was a member on here a few months back who said he always runs in T/H w/no toad. Said, after all I'm driving a house down the road. Made sense.

[SmokeyBear]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

Actually, T/H keeps you out of overdrive.The lower gears keep you from burning up the transmission when towing/ keeps the transmission from gear surfing. Will also help with braking when descending. I run T/H in urban (town) traffic ( 32'Alante) towing or not, it greatly helps with braking. There was a member on here a few months back who said he always runs in T/H w/no toad. Said, after all I'm driving a house down the road. Made sense.

You answered my question properly, I just asked the wrong question. This is what I should have said.

Is "tow/haul mode" the same as "Overdrive Off" on my 1997 E-350?

Anyway, I got the point. Thanks.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by TomC_AZ

Just wanted to say ditto to what CAG said, he described both of those routes very well. I would just add that in tow/haul mode just a tap of the breaks (not holding) should down shift for you. At least on newer vehicles. I have found that my cruise control will do it as well but not all the time, it depends on the hill. Driving up and down the Eisenhower tunnel route in CO, our truck just had to have one tap on the breaks it down shifted and it controlled all the way down. That is the steepest and longest mtn/hill we have seen and done. Thankfully nothing like that here in AZ.

The only problem with not using cruise is the vehicle will run away on you if you cannot get get it to downshift by touching the brake and I have had that happen, by the time you get it to downshift you are 10-15 mph over what you want to be on some of those hills and now standing on the brakes trying to get it back down. Not a good place to be. Trust me, leave it in cruise and tow/haul. I always am in T/H anyway with a Jeep on behind.

50+ years of driving those hills, back to when they were two lane and much steeper. You don't want to get out of control with a big rig or towing.


Try Wolf Creek Pass. In a snow storm

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Yooper906

We did that tunnel route last year. like you say, 1 tap on the brakes. While going downhill and listening to the exhaust brake, and being from a northern climate, can't help but thinking that if the roads are slick or icy,exhaust brakes don't seem like a great idea.

Exhaust/turbo brakes are a wonderful idea. It does not lock wheels, spin wheels, it simply slows the engine and in a very efficient manner.

I could depend on the exhaust (2004 Duramax) or turbo (2014 Duramax) to kick in, with the cruise set at 50 and keep me at 50-55 down some very slick and snowy mountain hills out of Flagstaff or Payson. It is so much more safe that stepping on the brakes on a 6% hill with 14k of toy hauler behind me. Can you say jackknife?

[Stavman]

Pin it to WIN IT I always say

Done that trip both ways a zillion times in my class C RV...easy peasy.
All downhill from Flag to PHX with the exception of the uphill at Camp Verde.
I pull a Toad, and barring getting caught behind a dead slow BigRig I'm at 50-55 the full hill

Down hill is easy too, the 18mi downgrade isn't really steep, a couple short 6%, hit tow button if you want but I don't, I'll hit maybe 70mph a few times, tap the breaks a few times and back to 63

You'll be fine

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Stavman

Pin it to WIN IT I always say

Done that trip both ways a zillion times in my class C RV...easy peasy.
All downhill from Flag to PHX with the exception of the uphill at Camp Verde.
I pull a Toad, and barring getting caught behind a dead slow BigRig I'm at 50-55 the full hill

Down hill is easy too, the 18mi downgrade isn't really steep, a couple short 6%, hit tow button if you want but I don't, I'll hit maybe 70mph a few times, tap the breaks a few times and back to 63

You'll be fine

It’s more Sunset Point he needs to worry about but as I said they have truck runaway ramps on the other for a reason.

Not to mention the big rig last week that lost its brakes, went down the Sedona off ramp, crushed a car at the stop sign and burned up the four people inside it.


Sorry, I was trying to do that on my IPad and it kept dropping me.



The point is we may do those mountain routes often and be used to them but it really is not something to downplay to someone who is going to do them for the first time. They are steep at some sections with curves and turns that should not be taken at 70. There are some coming off of Payson and the rim that have 35-45 mph curves. Use tow/haul, stay off the brakes, use cruise.