Best place to cross the rocky mountains

[Provience]

So early 90’s. Is it a BBF with E4OD or possibly a BBC with a 4L80E?

Efi 460 with e4od

The roughly 25' [I'll have to measure later] between the rv rear axles and the front trailer axles is the part of most concern.

When we went west to east from moab following GPS, it sticks in my head the many miles of roads in new Mexico of porpoise-ing, and that was just with the trailer behind the pickup. Trying to avoid that and as many of the steep descents as we can.

 

[shortbus4x4]

E4OD? In a motorhome towing? What could go wrong? Definitely avoid NM.

 

[RusM]

The flattest route I know is to go west and hook up with I-10 near Fort Stockton, then I-10 to Phoenix, then Hwy 93 to Las Vegas. Stay on Hwy 93 through Vegas all the way into southern Idaho. You can save yourself about 40 miles by getting off Hwy 93 just north of Ash Springs, Nv and take Hwy 318/Hwy 6 to Ely, Nv and rejoining Hwy 93 there.

Goddamnit grandpa, you just copied what I said with the actual roads.

 

[AKnate]

E4OD? In a motorhome towing? What could go wrong? Definitely avoid NM.

I know the one in my 97 truck isn't overly happy moving ~10 tons.

 

[Provience]

E4OD? In a motorhome towing? What could go wrong? Definitely avoid NM.

This is the prep thread for the future help step-irate, I'm stuck

 

[Provience]

I know the one in my 97 truck isn't overly happy moving ~10 tons.

I should be under that

 

[shortbus4x4]

I know the one in my 97 truck isn't overly happy moving ~10 tons.

In my younger days I replaced alot of E4ODs.

 

[SanDiegoCJ]

I've done 93 from S ID to Vegas, I think it's a pretty drive. Of course I love two lane state highways through small town America now that I'm older.

I've driven that section of Hwy 93/Hwy 6/Hwy 318 about a dozen times in the last 3 years. IMO it's flatter and quicker than I-15/I-84 thru SLC.

 

[JR4X]

Efi 460 with e4od

The roughly 25' [I'll have to measure later] between the rv rear axles and the front trailer axles is the part of most concern.

When we went west to east from moab following GPS, it sticks in my head the many miles of roads in new Mexico of porpoise-ing, and that was just with the trailer behind the pickup. Trying to avoid that and as many of the steep descents as we can.

Yeah probably best not come this way then. I-25 to 80 is probably going to be your most temperature friendly route for the old truck.

The stretch of road from Cortez to Monticello is nothing but rolling hills. I get better fuel mileage with the ol 460 E4OD combo going over red mountain than I do going through Moab. I don’t have temp issues with that truck but it’s not a van with restricted air flow. My 97 motorhome was a 460 E4OD and it did just fine in the mountains, it was an E450 chassis with the 10 lug D80 and 4.88 gears with 235/70/16’s if that means anything.

 

[IH-SSII]

Seriously, any of YOU that is proposing I-70 ever driven it from Denver west? I've driven it many times in all weather towing and motorhoming to Moab. Immediately out of Denver would be an SLOW climb. 25 mph. That is the HARDEST route over the Rockies on a major highway. Then the other climbs before Eisenhower tunnel and then Vail. You're crazy.

 

[Provience]

On the plus side, I've not had temp issues with the motorhome. It's got a substantial thermostat bypass line and even when I've been able to get it to the warm end of normal and finally get the limits of the cooling system, it cools right back down.

70 and 25 I've not been on

 

[Filthy McChevy]

Up through Vegas has got to be adding a shitload of miles. Apparently some missed the part about starting in Texas. And not West Texas.

 

[Provience]

Up through Vegas has got to be adding a shitload of miles. Apparently some missed the part about starting in Texas. And not West Texas.

I checked, if I go all the way into the center of Vegas it only adds 6 hours.

Which really isn't too bad it can be cut off and shortened pretty good.

25 to 80 seems to be the thing, avoiding the 287 cutoff.

 

[JR4X]

I just looked at the map, in 2019 I bought an enclosed trailer from Waco (basically where Pro is) when I still lived in GJ. I think I’d take 25 to 80 even if I was just taking my pickup. I like interstates and 80 mph.

I went to Cortez Co from Waco Tx because that’s where my future ex wife to be lives and I was headed for tail. The shortest way that direction was 40 to Albuquerque then up to Farmington, Farmington to Cortez.

 

[Provience]

I prefer 4 lane instead of 2 lane, because then I can go 60 or 65 without holding up traffic too much

 

[Kyle]

Lolz no.

Very scenic route, but dont do this if you ain't a wheelman.

What? How’s 40 to 550 to Farmington to 491 and that way hard? Looks straight and flat. I’m not saying to go up the million dollar highway. He would die if he did that.

 

[JR4X]

What? How’s 40 to 550 to Farmington to 491 and that way hard? Looks straight and flat. I’m not saying to go up the million dollar highway. He would die if he did that.

550 is the million dollar highway. Whatchu talking bout Willis. There is nothing straight or flat about 550 for more than about 20 miles north once you get off of 40.

You must be looking at 40 to 491 at Gallup to 191 to I70 to 6 to 15. Again it’s not straight or flat but it’s straighter and flatter than 550.

Edit. I’m on 550 right now BTW.

 

[SanDiegoCJ]

Seriously, any of YOU that is proposing I-70 ever driven it from Denver west? I've driven it many times in all weather towing and motorhoming to Moab. Immediately out of Denver would be an SLOW climb. 25 mph. That is the HARDEST route over the Rockies on a major highway. Then the other climbs before Eisenhower tunnel and then Vail. You're crazy.

Agreed. Very scenic but hardly a flat route.

 

[SanDiegoCJ]

I prefer 4 lane instead of 2 lane, because then I can go 60 or 65 without holding up traffic too much

If you take Hwy 93 north from Vegas you won't hold up many people. BTW, most of that route has a max speed limit of 70mph.

 

[SanDiegoCJ]

Up through Vegas has got to be adding a shitload of miles. Apparently some missed the part about starting in Texas. And not West Texas.

I didn't miss the starting in Tejas, I even mentioned that in my post about the route. I chose the flattest route I know as IMO that's what the OP was looking for.

 

[Kyle]

550 is the million dollar highway. Whatchu talking bout Willis. There is nothing straight or flat about 550 for more than about 20 miles north once you get off of 40.

You must be looking at 40 to 491 at Gallup to 191 to I70 to 6 to 15. Again it’s not straight or flat but it’s straighter and flatter than 550.

Edit. I’m on 550 right now BTW.

no. Read my post. 550 from ABQ to Farmington…. NOT the million dollar highway

 

[JR4X]

no. Read my post. 550 from ABQ to Farmington…. NOT the million dollar highway

Ok, I see what you’re saying.

But if you are NOT going over Red Mountain. There’s no reason to get off of 40 at Albuquerque and go to Farmington. When you get off 550 at Durango to make the 1 hour drive west to get to 491 at Cortez, is a 10,000 foot Pass that peaks at Hesperus.

If he’s going to go that way north, this way cuts out a bunch of incline, decline.

40 to 491 at Gallup to 191 to I70 to 6 to 15. Again it’s not straight or flat but it’s straighter and flatter than 550.

 

[shortbus4x4]

I crossed the Rockies at 30k feet yesterday with no problems.

 

[SanDiegoCJ]

I crossed the Rockies at 30k feet yesterday with no problems.

Are your arms tired?

 

[BigBurt]

Saw thread title thought of:

 

[shortbus4x4]

Are your arms tired?

No, I had a Red Bull.

 

[Provience]

Saw thread title thought of:

No short cuts, no cutoffs....that's what that game has taught me

 

[JR4X]

No short cuts, no cutoffs....that's what that game has taught me

Just take plenty of ammo for hunting bison when you get to Wyomia. You gotta kill 4 of them to get like 3 pounds of meat is what I remember from the game.

And apparently don’t go this way.

 

[Juztyn00]

I'd take the most direct route to where your going. If the rig is sketchy why add extra miles to the route?

 

[Provience]

I'd take the most direct route to where your going. If the rig is sketchy why add extra miles to the route?

A few extra easy miles in a sketchy rig is far preferable to a few less sketchy miles in a reasonable rig.

Things only break when you really need them. If I never have to rely on my brakes, they will be fine.

If I don't need my trans to have 10 tons at 5k rpm for 35 minutes, it will be fine

And so on.