80+trailer+Grapevine=?

[e9999]

for reference, may I ask how heavy a trailer you SoCalers have been able to trailer up the Grapevine, Southbound, with an 80 and without unsafe slow down?
(In tentative plans: 80 that is likely 6000 and up. 33s with regular gears. Trailer will be 3300lbs. This a no-brainer or a potentially exciting ride? )

To add to the potential excitement: new to me trailer so no real knowledge of the performance of the electric brakes... Could be interesting on the way down and may call for some hilly tryouts in the Bakersfield area first -if I can find such a thing there- ...

I'm just hoping I won't be reduced to having to take the 100 instead or go the long way around, but would still like to get down South alive...

 

[SOCALFJ]

It's just like driving any mountain pass. Not really a big deal really. Just adjust the brakes appropriately with the controller. You'll want the trailer to pull a little bit when your on a flat surface.

 

[Brentbba]

No problems at all Eric. I've done a 4000 lb trailer and a cruiser loaded with gear and scouts plenty of times north and south bound.

Get a good running start and try like hell not to get cut off and have to lift off the accelerator! That's really the only killer. Getting back going is not easy in the 80. Standard stuff - no air conditioning; watch your temp guage, etc.

Even with the running start and foot on the floor, I'd usually be doing around 40 by the time I got up to Fort Tejon. You'll be over with the trucks in their lane for sure!!!

Did I feel I was at unsafe slow speeds - absolutely not. I was still 'barely' passing some of the slower trucks and some unloaded trucks were passing me! No big deal. Don't sweat it Eric.

 

[e9999]

No problems at all Eric. I've done a 4000 lb trailer and a cruiser loaded with gear and scouts plenty of times north and south bound.

Get a good running start and try like hell not to get cut off and have to lift off the accelerator! That's really the only killer. Getting back going is not easy in the 80. Standard stuff - no air conditioning; watch your temp guage, etc.

Even with the running start and foot on the floor, I'd usually be doing around 40 by the time I got up to Fort Tejon. You'll be over with the trucks in their lane for sure!!!

Did I feel I was at unsafe slow speeds - absolutely not. I was still 'barely' passing some of the slower trucks and some unloaded trucks were passing me! No big deal. Don't sweat it Eric.

ah, interesting. I thought that 4000lbs would have been a lot for an 80 on that climb. Good to know. I imagine you had 33s then too? Maybe our old beasts do have some grunt after all, eh?

I imagine you're in second most of the way up?

 

[Brentbba]

ah, interesting. I thought that 4000lbs would have been a lot for an 80 on that climb. Good to know. I imagine you had 33s then too? Maybe our old beasts do have some grunt after all, eh?

I imagine you're in second most of the way up?

It is a lot for the old girl. Yes - 33's. I just turn off the overdrive and put my foot on the floor. I never downshifted manually with the tranny itself. Do have the ECT turned on tho to let the engine management automatically control the shift points. Remember, there are a few points on that grade that level out a little allowing the engine to 'relax' just a little. You can, obviously shift yourself on those areas.

I've done that trip pulling the scout trailer many, many times-too many to count. Do I think all that extra stress contributed to the HG eventually blowing...probably, but the original HG lasted just over 200K, so I'm ok with that.

Just watch your engine temp. On a hot day, no air conditioning on, and just coming up the first grade out of the valley northbound, I had the temp guage begin to move a bit. Turned on the heater full blast and she dropped right back down to where she belonged. That was before Magic Mountain and the initial grade up into the grapevine proper. No issues on that same trip up that grade.

Don't fret it Eric. 3300 lbs, you'll be just fine. Remember, I have an extra 700 lbs on the trailer and much more steel on the truck than you, plus 4 scouts and all their gear in the truck. You just won't be going 70 mph by the time you get to the top and just remember, patience is a virtue on that climb!

I've pulled the same set up described up a pretty steep 2 lane highway from Hemet to Idlywild too w/o issue.

 

[e9999]

OK, doesn't sound too bad.

Are there turnouts on the climb northbound where you can actually stop and cool down if need be?

anybody else has experience with the Grapevine?

 

[hatman406080]

yes 1or 2 turnouts halfway
and stay on 2nd lane from truck lane

 

[1973Guppie]

my 80 did fine all the way up to the redwoods this past summer, small tent trailer and loaded up 80

 

[Brentbba]

Eric is a British engineer - paralysis by analysis!

 

[bpenn1980]

Get a good running start and try like hell not to get cut off and have to lift off the accelerator! That's really the only killer. Getting back going is not easy in the 80.

haha, so true.
The southbound climb out of central valley is steeper, but shorter. If I dont get cutoff I can do 75-80mph (sans trailer) the whole way to Gorman. Once you lose that momentum though....