Here
it is - the Monster! A fifteen percent grade measuring 1000 feet
long. We used the same measuring equipment for this test that we
used on the seven percent grade but we changed our measurement intervals
because of the shorter length.
For
the curb weight test, the readings were taken at 250 feet and again
at 750 feet. Each of our test trucks passed the 500 foot mark and
the 1000 foot mark in less than 5 seconds. All of the times were
calculated and added together to show elapsed time to the 750 foot
mark.
For
the tests with the trailer each of the points recorded a time. The
timing points were zero to 250 feet, 250 to 500 feet, 500 to 750
feet and 750 to 1000 feet. All of the times were collected and added
together to show elapsed time.
As
with the other tests the high and the low from each of our three
testers were thrown out and the remaining times were added together
and then averaged. This is the time represented in the following
charts. Again this test was run only in one direction, up hill,
for obvious reasons.
If
you have never climbed a fifteen percent grade with a 12,100 pound
trailer latched to the hitch of your pickup, well it's an experience
you should only do after you have significant trailer towing experience
under your belt. With an automatic transmission missing a shift
while climbing the grade was never a problem but missing a shift
with a manual transmission provided a whole different experience.
All
of our testers were experienced with manual transmissions and towing
trailers. Each of them missed a gear on the way up the hill and
one of the testers even missed bad enough to force a restart halfway
up the hill. This is the type of experience that makes you appreciate
an automatic even more than you might have previously. Our tester
was faced with having to back down the hill from the halfway point
or drive it up the hill. If neither of those worked a tow truck
would be needed.
While
the truck and trailer were able to drive up after the missed shift
it's not something that you want to do everyday. For safety reasons
we didn't try to duplicate the missed shift and subsequent halfway
restart on the hill with the other trucks. A group decision was
made to retry the test if a missed shift caused a stop on the hill
otherwise no mid hill starts.
Each
of the testers believed that all of the trucks were capable of mid
hill starts and therefore no test for each truck was needed.
