Old timer told me to stop riding the brake on a steep pick

I was setting a 12 ton AC unit on a roof in downtown Portland last month. This guy with 30 years on me walked up and said 'you're burning those brakes out if you feather them on the way down.' He showed me how to use the engine and gear ratio to control the descent instead. Has anyone else switched techniques like that and seen a difference in brake wear?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.margaret18d ago

Downshift before you hit the hill and let the engine do the braking for you.

the_vera18d ago

That 18-wheeler doing that on the interstate last week? I saw brake lights flickering all the way down, not a single downshift. My buddy drives for Swift and said they don't even teach that technique anymore, just tell new drivers to ride the brakes and replace them later.