Towing in the mountains

[LouRobin]

I have done the mountains in Motorhomes, but never pulling a Travel Trailer.
I have a Jayco Ultra Light X23B.
Any pointers or what I should expect appreciated.
I have been out twice now and towing is very different than the Motorhome !!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by LouRobin

I have done the mountains in Motorhomes, but never pulling a Travel Trailer.
I have a Jayco Ultra Light X23B.
Any pointers or what I should expect appreciated.
I have been out twice now and towing is very different than the Motorhome !!

it would help knowing what you're towing with.

[LouRobin]

Dodge Datkota, v-8 with tow package.

[kat_nda_sand]

We just towed our trailer with my buggy & the kids quads with the motorhome. We went up the cajon pass & up the 395. It was slow at points but hubby said everything was fine.

[Fred1609]

Whats the rear end ratio? Its a pretty light unit...it should be ok...but check out the tow tables regarding your trucks capability...try this link..Truck Ratings for RV Towing

[bikendan]

i've towed thru the Rockies, Sierras, Cascades and Siskiyous with my Roo 23SS. i have a Avalanche with the 5.3 v-8 and 3.73 rear end. i have an Equalizer WDH with a Prodigy controller.
my 23SS is heavier than your 23B but about the same length.
but my Avy is longer and heavier.

i have had no problems at all. it's a great combo. the Roo weighs around 5000lbs. loaded for camping and the Avy has a 7200lbs. tow capacity.
so i have over a ton of extra tow capacity, which makes towing through the mountains pretty easy.

if you've got a good WDH, you should be fine. but not knowing the engine size or rear end ratio makes it hard to say for sure.

[PEJ]

This may not apply to you but it might help someone reading this thread. We towed a POP-up through the Canadian Rockies with a minivan and 5 on board. It was a really hot day and the radiator temp started climbing with the altitude. When it was higher than I had ever seen it, I turned off the AC, opened the Windows, turned the interior heat and fan to max, pointing the vents out the windows. The temp dropped like a rock and got me up the pass.

Peter

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by PEJ

This may not apply to you but it might help someone reading this thread. We towed a POP-up through the Canadian Rockies with a minivan and 5 on board. It was a really hot day and the radiator temp started climbing with the altitude. When it was higher than I had ever seen it, I turned off the AC, opened the Windows, turned the interior heat and fan to max, pointing the vents out the windows. The temp dropped like a rock and got me up the pass.

Peter

Yep, we had to do that in 1957 towing a rental TT over the mountains.

[Shadowcatche]

Make sure the brakes on the trailer are working!

[Dick Noble]

We live in the mountains of Colorado so we pull our 6 ton 5er through them all the time. I pull with an '07 Chev 3500 Duramax dually with an automatic tranny. Trick is "slow and low" Down shift as needed, watch your engine temp. and pull over if it starts to heat up. Try not to use your brakes, use your tranny as much as possible. If you do have to use your brakes - do not just tap them a lot. Put on the binders then down shift and keep the speed way down.

Remember - down hill is much more dangerous than up hill.

What goes without saying - examine you truck's and your trailer's brakes, make sure they are solid and adjusted correctly. Check all fluids, and carry extra anti-freeze and break fluid. There, I said it anyway.

[Engineer Guy]

I tow in Colorado with a 6 Cylinder SUV with either a loaded Utility Trailer or my 'lil' 15' Play-Mor. To me, the key is to let the Gears do the work both up and down Grades. And, yes, the greater danger is 'run away' downhill.

Turns out I can let my Engine Temp Gauge just about max out. It gets to a high temp and remains there w/o climbing completely out of control and overheating.

When starting out, I adjust my Tecumsah Brake Controller to JUST skid the Trailer Brakes a hair on our level Dirt Driveway. Then, I back off the setting a smidge. I know I'm putting maximum Braking to the Trailer Brakes for the load I'm hauling that Trip. That could vary with how the Trailer is packed; how partially full the Trailer Tanks are; and so on. In my Decades of towing, this sort of Brake adjustment minimizes the Trailer coming around me in a tight situation.

[Tony Lee]

Watch the coolant temperature and if you start to get concerned, turn off the aircon, sit on your ego for a while, slow down, drop back a gear or two and increase the engine revs.
Downhill? Keep the ego suppressed, stay slow and use engine braking as much as practical.