Motorhome Mountain Driving Tips
Many motorhome road trips will involve driving over mountains. This can seem intimidating, especially to newer RV owners. But with a few tricks and tactics, you can confidently and safely navigate steep slopes.
Keep reading for motorhome mountain driving tips. If you have any questions or want to shop motorhomes for sale, chat with the experts at Golden Gait Trailers & RVs. Our dealership is based in Concord, North Carolina, and we also serve those in Charlotte and Winston-Salem.
Know Your Motorhome
The first step is understanding your motorhome. What's your RV's turning radius? What's it's stopping distance? Are there any unique quirks of the model due to design or age? The better you understand your motorhome's handling, the better you can navigate tough driving conditions such as steep slopes.
If you own a gas motorhome, there are a few extra challenges awaiting you. Gas RVs tend to have less power than a diesel RV or truck. They also tend to lack the advanced engine braking or airbrakes of diesel RVs. Your motorhome will have to work a little harder to tackle the same mountain and you will need to be a little more careful to avoid overusing and overheating the brakes.
Use Tow Haul Mode
Many motorhomes have a Tow Haul Mode. This utilizes different gear shifting, which helps put the engine in a more ideal range. It also helps you engage more engine braking and helps you increase your speed more safely.
Use Hazard Lights As Needed
For many mountain slopes, you will need to reduce your speed. In some cases, you will need to take your motorhome 20 to 30 miles under the speed limit. When that happens, it's wise to engage your hazard lights. This helps alert other drivers of your reduced speed so that they can adjust accordingly. It gives them the heads up that they will either want to pass you or slow down behind you.
Advice For Going Up A Hill
When you approach an upwards slope, the goal is to get enough power to push your heavy motorhome up the mountain. The main strategy is to downshift your motorhome into a lower gear. This packs some extra power, helping you tackle the steep slope.
Advice For Going Down A Hill
When you face a downwards slope, the goal is to avoid riding your brakes all the way down. Doing so can cause damage to your brakes, which will speed up their replacement timeline. In some cases, it can even severely harm the brakes and limit their effectiveness on the rest of the drive - creating a huge safety concern!
In order to avoid this issue, be sure to drastically reduce your motorhome's speed as you approach the decline. Remember that you will pick up a fair amount of speed going down the mountain, especially on a longer and steeper hill.
If your motorhome doesn't automatically downshift when you go down the slope, you can make the transmission downshift by firmly pressing the brake. This increases engine speed and rpm, which helps the engine do some of the braking. That way, you won't need to engage the brakes as much.
It's also helpful to limit the length of time that you engage the brakes. Aim for 15 to 20 seconds at a time. Leaving time in-between brake engagement helps prevent overheating.
We hope you enjoyed this guide to motorhome mountain driving tips. For more advice or to shop motorhomes for sale, check out Golden Gait Trailers & RVs. We are a family owned and family operated dealership here for you! Whatever you need, we are happy to help. Our dealership is located in Concord, North Carolina. We also proudly serve those in Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.