On our trip down from Montana I got a lesson that I should have figured
out ahead of time.
When I was creeping down a slick icy grade toward Helena, I had the
xmission in 1st for braking. A tremendous cross wind gust hit, pushing
the rear of our van and of course the front of the trailer sideways. By
giving it a little gas, the braking load was removed from the rear wheels
of the van, allowing them to grip and straighten the rig up. Naturally
this made it whip the other way, but quick action with the steering wheel
evened it out and we got straight again. If I had had a manual shift I
would have just released the clutch to let the rear wheels roll free and
stop the skid but with the automatic it is much harder to go to a higher
range. Glad I had made a restroom stop not long before....
Braking (or driving) load on the drive wheels, the middle wheels of the
combination, reduces their side traction. I should have been using the
manual control for the trailer brakes, but on a long downgrade I am
concerned about overheating them - the drums are rather thin and
lightweight compared to the enormous finned drums on the back of the van.
Al Grayson