Engine Braking

Engine Braking

Postby PARR » Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:57 am

I discovered in the last couple of weeks that the auto box in the Steppy is NOT GOOD for engine braking - unlike more modern chunks of mechanism.
I went over the Grossglockner pass in Austria (2,400 metres), which has about 12 kilometres of downhill, much of it in the 10 - 12% range (Its total length is 43 kilometres). After about 6 kilometres, despite using low gears and brakes only when necessary, I smelled burning, so pulled off - smoke was coming off the O/S front hub.
Fire extinguisher (HALON - very old) cooled it a bit, stopping the smoke.
As the wheel was hot, hot, hot, I used water on it (avoiding the disc) and by short dashes and repeated water application (I carry 5 litres of water and neat antifreeze) I managed to get to 'ground level'.
The following day a local brake specialist checked things out, and I was reassured to know that he had great experience of such problems, and that all was in fact well - phew. He was chuckling!!
PARR
 
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Re: Engine Braking

Postby Vantastic » Thu Oct 16, 2014 7:56 am

worth knowing .. at least in the UK there are not such large hills .. but I wonder about the interior of Japan? :o
Loving the Steppy! ... my other car is also Vantastic!
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Location: On a hill overlooking the trent valley!


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