How To Drive a Motorhome in the Mountains
Our adventures take us everywhere, but mountains and motorhomes can be a difficult journey to undertake. From steep slopes to constant switchbacks, the task of navigating hilly roads can put a strain on your RV and be extremely intimidating too. Luckily, Sunny Island RV is here to the rescue! We’ve got tips and tricks to help make mountain driving more tolerable and to keep you and your vehicle safe every step of the way.
Understand Your Motorhome
It’s important to know the ins and outs of the vehicle you're operating so that you can prepare ahead of time. When driving a large motorhome, there are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself beforehand. What’s the turning radius of the RV? How long does it take to come to a complete stop? Is the motorhome gas or diesel? These seem like simple questions but they can really help you understand how to handle your RV in difficult road conditions and situations.
Tow Haul Mode
Hilly roads mean trouble for both ascending and descending mountains with your motorhome. That’s why Tow Haul Mode is an incredibly useful feature. The level of gear shifting you can achieve can put relief on your engine, more properly engage brakes, and increase speed to a better degree. All in all, the strains of slopes can be made easier on your RV with this mode.
Putting on Your Hazard Lights
It’s always a good practice to slow your speed when driving up or down a mountain. In a motorhome, reducing speeds to 20 or 30 miles under the limit can help you handle any twisting or winding roads. At this point, activating your hazard lights is a safe bet. This signals to other motorists that you’re traveling at a slower speed so that they can decide whether or not to pass.
Recommendations for Going Up and Down
For ascending hills, you need to speed up before hitting the incline. This allows you to garner enough momentum to haul your heavy motorhome up the road. Downshifting the RV into a lower gear is the best plan to power your way to the top of the mountain.
As for descending hills, avoid constant use of the brakes, This will wear them down quickly and potentially lose their effectiveness, which poses a danger to the rest of the trip. Additionally, it leads to a visit to the service shop in the near future. One way to combat this issue is to slow your speed when approaching the first decline. You’ll pick up speed on your way down so reducing it beforehand to a more manageable number is key.
Hopefully this guide gives you more familiarity when dealing with mountain driving in your motorhome! At Sunny Island RV, we carry a quality lineup of motorhomes for sale that you’ll feel comfortable taking on any road. Visit us near Chicago and Naperville, Illinois to check out our models and prices today!