Hi yuall

Do you mean Mt Lofty? Just to the West of the city on the Eastern freeway. But its not that steep, maybe thats not the one.

Willunga hill is the long steep drag, south of the city going to Victaharbour.

Hi Gert

Hi DB

Hi, if you are going into Adelaide from W.A. therefore I assume from Port Augusta you wiill see nothing more than a knoll or two. Definitely no big climbs or descents on that road.

wildman wrote:

---

Hi Gert

I don't really know, all I've been told is that there is a massive hill. A tourer friend burnt out his brakes going down it 3 years ago towing his caravan. Just curious..lol

---

Anyone who "burnt out his brakes" going down any hill needs some urgent instruction in driving techniques before they kill them selves, their family and other innocent people on the road.

I am guessing that the hill referred to is Highway #1 coming down from Crafers to Cross Roads on the road in from Melbourne.

Cheers,
Peter

I agree with Peter.....sounds like the SE freeway.....lot of semi's have break problems through the tunnel

Hi Peter

wildman wrote:

---

Eureka! I do believe you are correct, but I think it may have been the Old mount barker road? How long has the tunnel been built?

---

Here is an article on it

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide-Crafers_Highway

hi that hill would be the start of the eastern freeway heading out of adelaide it's the longest down hill run in australia about 6 k's i think, i travel up and down it twice a day in a b double tanker and don't have any trouble if you're heading down it into adelaide just pick a gear in you vechile that will hold your speed down  to around 40 and you'll be fine, it's a 3 lane road so just stay in the left slow lane,, the only other steep hiill i know of apart from willinga hill is the one on the road to the river land it's known in the trucking industry as accomodation hill which is just east as you leave the barossa valley but again pick a gear slow enough to keep your speed down,,
bb
i

Hi

Hi yuall Thank you all for your help! It would seem my friend is not that good at towing, particularly downhill. We had visions of precipitous conditions and the need for anchors trailed out behind the rig. This is a really great site! Bon Voyage Wildman (Doug & Sue)

Gerty Dancer wrote:

---

Do you mean Mt Lofty? Just to the West of the city on the Eastern freeway. But its not that steep, maybe thats not the one.

---

I think you mean it's east of the city. West of the city is St Vincent Gulf. A few trucks have come to grief on the bottom end of the South Eastern Freeway and they're reducing the speed limit for trucks to 60 KPH. Cars can still do 80 KPH. It's a long, steep slope, up and down. Much better than the old or new Mount Barker Road before the tunnel. The Devil's Elbow was eliminated by the tunnel. The whole highway to Murray Bridge is an engineer and earth moving marvel, and it's FREE. No tollways in SA.

Yes Granny, must have been having a blonde moment. (Never admit to Senior moments!)

Came through that way home from Vic just two days ago towing a van no problem just stay in the left hand lane you won't have any problems. Helena.

We also came through that way and the tunnel, as Helena said stay in the left lane

G'Day Wildman.
You might be thinking of the old "Eagle on th hill" down to Adel - it started at
Crafers Rd - I have only gone Up th Tunnel rd in an empty semi , so it was a
bit hard to guage steepness , as Beachball said -Accomodation Hill , from
Truro , east to Riverland district can be a bit nasty , if you get a bit too much
speed up , it will want to push you & you get th wobbles . Same thing , take
it easy till you get near th bottom . What most things people don't realise -
They get off the 'Eagle' ok but because their brakes are so hot , after a couple
of red lights , they have a rear ender - they have not counted on further
stopping . My point of view - if you see "Trucks use low gear" I would Travel
at a slower speed - When it is Signed "Trucks MUST Use Low Gear" . Trucks
"ARE" supposed to travel in a gear Low enough to keep the vehicle UNDER
40kph - the Driver is only Allowed 3(yes Three) brakings - so he/she is only
allowed to brake 3 times from - trucks must use low gear - to , end truck
low gear .
Richo

How long has the tunnel been there?

Heysen Tunnel was built in 2000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKyxB5FSIU&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.saccardo.com.au/heysen.htm

When I'm towing and see the low gear recommendation I usually drop back to 3rd gear, then depending on the length of the downhille slope it's just a matter of a brake touch now and then. If it's winding road as well, then it's back to no. 2 gear. I just love my gears, all 5 of 'em, but I don't use no. 5 when I'm towing. Rosy's a good girl.

I sometimes drive down Thunderbolts Way from Uralla to Gloucester with the rig attached and there's a couple of long descents including one from Nowendoc that drops over 1000 metres with some very steep sections. I just use the gearbox plus some light intermittent application of the brakes and have no problems. I've seen cars with brakes smoking coming down, and not towing either!. There is a sign at the top that says "All Vehicles use Low Gear - Automatics too". I came from Crafers to Belair on the Upper Sturt Road the other day, towing, no probs.

Came down that hill (SE Fwy) yesterday in heavy rain but not towing. 80kph (rain) speed limit was active. Should not be a problem in a properly maintained rig driven correctly.

And you haven't called in for a chat? Adelaide and northern suburbs has had more than 80ml of rain since Monday midnight. Downpours of topical velocity flooded roads and suburbs again. Some of these people suffered flooding before Christmas, and they are going through it again because the councils haven't honoured their promises to clean out the storm water drains. Who'd have thought.