Anyway I answer you will not listen. I do wish you a wonderful life, and my best to your family! Im back out!!!!

you haven't. Your the expert. Why did the DOT decide to change? You offer your opinion to proper braking. Offer a your opinion on why the DOT changed their suggestion of mountain braking.

No the key phrase here is"

Brake how ya want Ben but if they are smoking at the bottom of a hill, or before, (or on flats) then something is wrong, weather its the way you brake, adjustment, gear selection, whatever....and what matters most is you make it down safely and you still have the ability to brake when its all said and done. John might be an expert but I just dont agree that "his way" is the right way and one of the reasons is this statement of his....... "allowing the truck to speed up to the maximum safe speed as it descends the hill; third, applying the brakes hard to slow the truck down 5 mph; and then repeating this process to the bottom of the hill." To me this makes absolutly no sense but to each his own

Sasquatch?

There were some scientists
Trying to figure out the Sasquatch riddle,
Then they figured out it was a missing link.

In search of Sasquatch,
that was a kick-ass In Search Of
with Leonard Nimoy
kickin' out the jams...ha!

He captured imagination,
Of people all around the globe.

His name was Sasquatch, so I'm told.

His legend's ancient
in the ancient scribe of the Indian tribe.
Apache tribe.

Scientists have proven that the Sasquatch, he is real.
Take a look at the plaster cast of his foot, now you know he's real.
Listen real close to the audio tape, not human no you know he's real.
Couldn't be a man in gorilla suit, no effin' way.
No, you know he's real.
Real, real, real real, real, real, really real, real.

8)

I know he's real, he's Gigantopithicus. But how does he get into the truck?

You are too hard on yourself. You appear to be one of the experts in this thread.

The ONLY way to descend a grade is to not use the brakes. Find the gear that will take you to the bottom without a brake application, and you have the right gear.

Now, you may have to apply the brakes lightly, if you find you are in too high a gear so you can down shift, or if the grade changes, but that will be fine. You may have to use 10 lbs for a few seconds but that will probably be all you need.

As far as someone else saying that if the brakes are not smoking, then you are ok, well that is just plain wrong. Just because they are not smoking, does not mean they are not overheated.

When you get to the bottom of the grade, and if you cannot hold your hand on the brake drums because they are too hot, then you simply used your brakes too much.

Back in the day, we use to use controlled braking, now they say snub braking.

I teach No braking.

If you use proper road management, you will need to use your brakes seldom.

I actually tell all of my students that it is not a brake peddle, it is a stop peddle.

With good thinking skills, the brake peddle actually becomes an "Emergency Device".

Sizzle & RockyMtnProDriver: You're correct--start down the hill in the right gear and you rarely need to use your brakes.

Just make sure you're ass-end has a big blinking neon sign saying "Caution: This driver utilizes proper downhill gear selection." (for the other goofballs driving lickity-split past you) :P JUST KIDDING! :P