Well our big summer vacation RV trip is almost here. (The main reason we upgraded to the the 2011 F250 Diesel... <Grin>) We are traveling to Colorado with our Keystone Montana 5th wheel camper for 2 weeks. We will be gone for 2 weeks. While we travel a fair bit around Texas to Texas State Parks, this wil be our first long haul RV trip and our first time going through mountainous areas with the 5th wheel. So, I was looking for any advice or words of wisdom...

Here is our route info:
Travel from Austin, Texas to Caprock Canyons State Park. Here is where I need some road advice. Heading north out of Abilene, it looks like there are two choices for roads up to Caprock Canyon State Park - Texas Highway 70 or US Highway 83. Has anyone here made this treck and any advice on the best route with a 38 foot 5th wheel that weighs abou 11,500 lbs?

From Caprock Canyons we travel up to Canon City, Colorado and the Royal Gorge area. The route here is pretty straight forward (get over to I-25 and go north).

From Canon City, we go to Colorado Springs. Again, looks like like an easy treck.

From Colorado Springs we head up to Estes Park. I was planning on taking the I-25 up to Longmont then 36 into Estes Park. Any thoughts or advice on this?

Finally coming home is just a long treck back the way we came unless someone has some better ideas.

Thanks,
gascan

 

Don't know much about those specific routes, but you can expect some real grades along northern Texas, NM and Colorado. Have you had much experience going up and down grades with a load?

Make sure you know your load and drive accordingly. You can use full throttle up the steepest hills to travel as fast as you feel safe without harming the truck any, but with 400 HP on tap it won't be difficult to exceed a safe speed among some sections of road. You may have a big truck but your trailer is bigger and has a much higher center of gravity, which means taking a corner too fast will cause the trailer to drag the truck over on it's side.

Make sure you control your speed going down hills! The primary brake for your truck down a hill is your engine brake with the tow/haul engaged. The foundation brakes are only for adjustments to speed, if you require your regular brakes to control speed down a hill you are GOING TOO FAST! If you find yourself in that situation use firm and brake pressure to slow enough to go down another gear and see how the truck handles it. If your trailer brakes are working correctly they will stop you on virtually any grade once, but if you get the brakes too hot first there will be nothing left to stop you.

Take your time and have fun, but towing heavy up and down mountains requires a level of skill and attention beyond what is needed in most conditions to ensure your and everyone else's safety.

 

That's some of the most succinct and useful advice I've read on towing. This truck pulls so hard I can't imagine needing more power but it may lull a person into a false sense of security. Watch those downhill speeds especially around sharper turns in the road. I've found the exhaust brake with tow haul works great.

 

No, I have not done much towing over hills and grades. (That is why I am asking for advice... <Grin>). I do appreciate your words and input. I am very concerned about the downhill aspect and just want to make sure I am doing it as safe as possible.

I will definitely take it nice and slow. I typically don't tow faster than about 60 as it just drinks diesel above that anyway.

Thanks again.

 

Good advice already posted. I will just add that my 5th wheel weighs the same as yours and I drive the f250. So......

1. I can't imagine doing much lengthy driving without the airbags on the rear axle with that kind of load.

2. Make sure your rear tires are at 75-80 psi, I run 70 in front, 78 rear.

3. I always slow to 55mph at the top of a downhill grade, then I do the brake pedal tap to get the trans mission to downshift to 4th and then once the trailer pushes me back to 55-60 I tap again to get into 3rd. Pretty much holds steady unless you get to a grade higher than 8-10%. I don't have hills like that anywhere I drive.

Otherwise, like the others say, truck makes it too easy.

 

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I already have air-bags installed and I always run 75 / 78 in the tires.

I like your technique on the topping the hill. Thanks.

-gascan

 

If I recall out of Abliene those roads were not too bad, either route.

I25 has always been a pretty good road. If you take US 50 from Canon City to Pueblo and is an excellent road.

As an alternate that will save some time and is very senic, from Canon City, take US 50 till just out of town a few miles. Then take US 115 to colorado springs. You come into the backside of the springs near the foothills. US 115 will intersect I25 in the springs.

Takes a few miles off by avoiding going all the way to Pueblo and can't beat the view.

You will like the Royal Gorge.

 

Years ago trucking we used to go by an old rule of thumb. You don't try going down a hill any faster than you can climb it...

 

I also learned to drive in the mountains under that same rule of thumb. However, with diesel pickups putting out the power they do these days, you can go uphill faster than you can go downhill. So, that mentality is now subject to common sense.

Lots of good advice already on here. Just Remember, there is always going to be someone on your hind end trying to get you to go faster on the downhill side. Don't cave in to them. Take it easy going down hill, keep your tranny in D and your tow/haul in tow. This will allow the exhaust brake to work most effectively. I come down off the Big Horn Mountains here in WY, with my 18K 5er pushing me down a 9% grade at 50-52 mph. The exhaust brake seems to work the best under 55.

Make sure your trailer brakes are ready for the trip as well. What model Montana do you have? We traded our 34RET last year for the Raptor in my sig. My wife misses her Montana real bad. I bet we're back in one before long. Enjoy CO. It is a beautiful place.

 

I remember coming down off of Mount Hood in Dec '85 with a B train load of lumber at 3am. Just as I started down the steep part of the pass my Jake brake quit. It was the scariest ride of my life but I made it to the bottom in one piece and no brakes left. I had to coast to a stop. I was only 25 at the time and it taught me a lesson I have never forgot. There are some things you just don't take chances with when driving in the mountains.

 

Be sure to visit Pikes Peak while you are there.

 

Amen brother! Glad you are still here offering advice.

I love traveling in the mountains. But, you have to pay attention to the changing conditions. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

 

Great advice already given... since it's a long trip you may want to take along a container of DEF, just in case. My understanding is that DEF is consumed more quickly when towing.

Take your time and enjoy that trip!

 

I think with today's trucks, a more appropriate rule of thumb would be to descend a hill in the same gear (or lower) you used to ascend it.

 

Just here to add some info on the trip from I25 thru Longmont and up to Estes Park. Best to avoid the Boulder area with the congestion and hippies and go the route you've suggested. There will be a fair amount of cyclists the section you will be traveling once you've left Longmont and will be headed up to Estes Park. The road can get narrow in places up to Estes Park, so be cautious, kind and share the roads.