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What I learned from hauling loads over the Rockies
The altitude really cuts into horsepower on long climbs.
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the_faith1mo ago
What about when you're in a regular car trying to climb those steep grades? I remember taking my dad's old sedan through the Rockies last summer. It had a V6, but above 10,000 feet, it felt like a lawnmower engine. I was barely hitting 40 mph on the inclines, and trucks were blowing past me like I was standing still. It really drives home how much power loss you get when the air gets thin. Makes you wonder how anything makes it over sometimes.
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the_jamie1mo ago
Ever try downshifting earlier than you think you need to? I found that keeping the RPMs up before the grade really steals your power helps a lot. It keeps you from bogging down completely when the air gets thin.
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robinson.max1mo ago
Yeah I always waited too long and would lose all my momentum... tried downshifting way earlier last trip and it was a total game changer. Let the engine work while it's still strong instead of gasping for breath later. It really does keep you from that awful bogging down feeling.
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