cliff1963
Oklahoma
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Joined: 06/23/2009
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This might sound stupid to those out that have been pulling 5th wheels for awhile now. But the question I have is this. My family and I will be travling to Oregon the end of July. althought, we have made this trip many time in a van this will be are first trip pulling the 5th wheel, any advice on the mountain is downshifting a good ideal? any advice will help.
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bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
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Joined: 02/11/2001
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For scenery take 170 through Colorado, for an easier pull take I80 through Wyoming. Some are Concerned about wind in Wyoming. We have crossed it many times and not had serious problems.
93 Ford F350 Turbo Diesel, DRW, Crew Cab. PullRite Hitch. 90 Nomad 28' 5er, 375 Watts Solar, 2800 Watt Yamaha Generator, 1750 Watt Inverter, 4 Trogan T105 Batteries, Spare tire and wheel and folding ladder. Me, wife and 2 spoiled Maltise furkids.
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noman'sland
Boise City OK
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Joined: 05/14/2006
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Always downshift on any down grade that is more than a few thousand feet long. If you will build up speed on the way down, drop in a lower gear, and if possible use an exhaust brake. The first time we went down Wolf Creek in my PSD, I knew that something more was needed, had a BD Brace/loc installed and it makes all the difference in the world. It was the cheapest option that I found at that time, but that was several years ago, perhaps with the newer tow-haul rigs you might not need one. You can go down too slow many times, but too fast only once.
Vernon & Martha
02 F 250 PSD 7.3 4x4
00 Montana 3280rl
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bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
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Vernon & Martha's advice is very good but the highways I70 and I80 are hundreds of miles north of Wolf Creek Pass.
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Mile High
Lone Tree, CO
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Joined: 02/05/2008
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Avoid I-70 at all possible costs over Loveland and Vail pass! I just came back through there and after 5 years of mandatory chain laws for the truckers there is no pavement left on that highway!! I swear I took 5 years off the life of my rig in that short tow! I would have had a smoother ride off-roading through the trees!
As far as downshifting - it depends on the truck you have. I used to downshift my 7.3 PSD on Wolf Creek and I-70, but that was all I needed to do - even triple towing with the boat in the back. This "tow command" in our 2006 PSD just does it's thing and I leave it alone. I've never needed any aftermarket equipment to tow in Colorado.
Brad & Dory
2006 Ford F350 4X4 SB CC SRW Powerstroke 6.0
2007 Montana 3400RL 5th Wheel Our Rig - Our Mods
Visit Us, Our previous rig - 2003 2955RL
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Chris
Shelter Bay, Wa
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Joined: 12/19/2000
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If you are going into Oregon on I84, then you have Cabbage Patch at 6 percent and drops you 2000 feet in just a few miles with a double hair pin turns. Chris
My Rig
2001.5 2500 STD CAB AUTO SLT 4x4, CTD 4:10's, Bomb'd to Tow
2005 Cardinal 29WBLX.
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old guy
Oregon (pronounced Or e gun)
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Joined: 03/15/2006
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Cabbage Patch???? I think you are thinking of the old cabbage hill road they had 50 years ago. The new road is double lane and gentle down slopes. you can go down the hill doing 65 all the way if you want. Just don't run over the semi's. There is no hair pin turns on the hill any more.. In fact I've had semi's pass me going up this hill.
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marspec
West Virginia
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Joined: 04/13/2005
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I-84 in Oregon provides a wide variety of scenery and is especially nice when going down/thru the Columbia River Gorge. I'm not a proponet of I-84 in Idaho though. The road has "ruts" from the semis and my F-450 tended to "seek" them. I didn't notice them 3 years ago in the F250.
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cm
Dillon, CO USA
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Joined: 08/01/2002
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Mile High wrote:Avoid I-70 at all possible costs over Loveland and Vail pass! I just came back through there and after 5 years of mandatory chain laws for the truckers there is no pavement left on that highway!! I swear I took 5 years off the life of my rig in that short tow! I would have had a smoother ride off-roading through the trees!
As far as downshifting - it depends on the truck you have. I used to downshift my 7.3 PSD on Wolf Creek and I-70, but that was all I needed to do - even triple towing with the boat in the back. This "tow command" in our 2006 PSD just does it's thing and I leave it alone. I've never needed any aftermarket equipment to tow in Colorado.
I haven't been over Vail Pass since last fall but I drive I-70 from Summit County to metro Denver one to two times per week. I haven't found the road condition as bad as you described. Sections of it were repaved just last year.
And if you are driving I-70 then why would you go over Loveland Pass? Why wouldn't you use the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial tunnels? Did you get lost?
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Mile High
Lone Tree, CO
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Joined: 02/05/2008
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cm wrote:Mile High wrote:Avoid I-70 at all possible costs over Loveland and Vail pass! I just came back through there and after 5 years of mandatory chain laws for the truckers there is no pavement left on that highway!! I swear I took 5 years off the life of my rig in that short tow! I would have had a smoother ride off-roading through the trees!
As far as downshifting - it depends on the truck you have. I used to downshift my 7.3 PSD on Wolf Creek and I-70, but that was all I needed to do - even triple towing with the boat in the back. This "tow command" in our 2006 PSD just does it's thing and I leave it alone. I've never needed any aftermarket equipment to tow in Colorado.
I haven't been over Vail Pass since last fall but I drive I-70 from Summit County to metro Denver one to two times per week. I haven't found the road condition as bad as you described. Sections of it were repaved just last year.
And if you are driving I-70 then why would you go over Loveland Pass? Why wouldn't you use the Eisenhower/Johnson Memorial tunnels? Did you get lost? I guess as a native of CO who has been around before the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels were constructed, that stretch of highway is still Loveland Pass, whether you take the scenic route or the short route through the tunnel. What do you prefer it be called?
Some folks have different standards for the highway but the stretch from the west approaching the Johnson tunnel has 6" deep ruts in each lane and deep strips of pavement missing from the top of the concrete that beat the heck out of my rig - I call it less than suitable for any type of traffic - especially RVs.
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