[VAL] Hydraulic brakes...

["Mark" <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

As far as the drum brakes are concerned, they don't care if they're electric,
hydraulic or pneumatic.  All they care about is being pressed up against the
drum enough to do the job, but not so much as to exceed their ability to
transfer the heat they'll be generating.

Hydraulic brakes are fine, plus you can set them when you're parked and
they'll hold just fine.  Not quite as easy with discs, as they can't lock up
as tight as shoes and drums do.

The main thing to remember, regardless of how they're activated, is how to use
them when you need them, especially down long grades.  We just had a big
discussion on the Revcon list about downgrade braking, and there were two
'schools of thought at first:

"Feathering", or slowing way down, then coast to let them cool until it's
going too fast, then slow way down again,

versus

a constant, steady application (set by speed) all the way down the hill.

The latter won hands down, with science on it's side, and an interesting
not-so-little rule-of-thumb evolved:

If you settle in at a constant speed, and the brakes start to fade (overheat),
pull over, let them cool, then proceed at a somewhat slower speed.  If they
still fade with the new, lower speed...rinse and repeat, going a little slower
yet.

If you stick to one constant speed, and make it all the way to the bottom, and
they DON'T fade...you probably could have gone a little faster.

I love rules-of-thumb.

The steeper the grade, the slower you'll have to go but, once you really get
to know your rig, the right speed for the hill at hand will probably come
naturally in short order.  It's all about inertia and momentum, and all those
fine things.

I hope that helped...

Mark in Modesto