Successful Haul!

[reklund]

I spent last weekend in Colorado for the Southwest Four Wheel Drive Assoc. summer quarterly. I hauled my camper and rockcrawler from Albuquerque to Ridgway, on HWY 550. Up and over Coalbank Pass, Molas Pass, and Red Mountain Pass.

Red mountain sucks. No guard rail, and 1000' drop if you miss the turn. The old truck was in 2nd gear at about 25mph over those passes, but the EGT's were manageable at about 900 degrees. I hope to get the Intercooler hooked up before the next pull, and keep the EGT's lower.

I definitely need a new clutch pedal bracket assy, as mine is getting LOUD every time I depress the clutch pedal.

Ryan

 

[ericboutin]

That's really cool! Congrats to you and the "old truck" (as you call her)! We don't have "Passes" down here but I take it they are very long mountain grades?! How many miles are the grades to be at 25 mph? Are you pretty much hanging out in the right most lane with the big trucks while the little cars are flying up the mountain? How many miles total trip was it? Again congrats on a safe successful trip!

 

[reklund]

That's really cool! Congrats to you and the "old truck" (as you call her)! We don't have "Passes" down here but I take it they are very long mountain grades?! How many miles are the grades to be at 25 mph? Are you pretty much hanging out in the right most lane with the big trucks while the little cars are flying up the mountain? How many miles total trip was it? Again congrats on a safe successful trip!

The passes are long mountain grades indeed. Coalbank was about 12 miles, but not horribly steep. Molas was like 8 and a little steeper. Red Mountain was 13 and the steepest. Theres no passing on these grades- just barely wide enough for a 2 lane with NO shoulders. I got the one finger salute from a new Toyota Sequoia as they passed (illegally), presumably due to the smoke from the tailpipe

Total trip was around 600 miles total, and average MPG was 10.5

Ryan

 

[krawlr]

That's really cool! Congrats to you and the "old truck" (as you call her)! We don't have "Passes" down here but I take it they are very long mountain grades?! How many miles are the grades to be at 25 mph? Are you pretty much hanging out in the right most lane with the big trucks while the little cars are flying up the mountain? How many miles total trip was it? Again congrats on a safe successful trip!

They have trucks made for those passes out there. I went out to Utah a few years ago in my Toyota pulling a trailer with my trail tires and tools. I was doing 20mph pedal to the metal and the cars and the big trucks blew past me like it was nothing. They have pusher trucks that will push your butt over the top if you can't make it.

 

[ericboutin]

Theres no passing on these grades- just barely wide enough for a 2 lane with NO shoulders.

As Ray's dad would say...Holy Crap!! That sounds pretty dang scary! Surprised there isn't a climbing lane...wow there must be a whole lot of single finger saluting going on every day!! Glad you got to fill him up with smoke before he told yah you were number one!!

 

[Agnem]

Congrats on the serious haul!

 

[tuckerd1]

Dounds like one of those seat biting rides!!