Towing my camper at 10,000ft.what do I need to worry about?

[imq707s]

I’m thinking about towing my 19ft Zinger travel trailer (approx. 4,500lbs loaded) out to Colorado from Missouri with my 04’ Ram 1500 Hemi. With a load distribution hitch, sway control, and Firestone airbags….the truck tows the camper great and seems to have plenty of power.


One thing I’ve never done is tow up in the higher altitudes….we’re thinking about going to Pawnee Campground out by Ward Colorado this summer, where the elevation is around 10,000 feet. I’ve driven small cars up in the mountains in Colorado, and it’s amazing how much power they lose from being in the higher elevations.


It’s around an 800mile trip there….the stretch from Denver to Pawnee gains 5000ft over 50 miles, so it’s going to be a hard haul I think.


What kinds of issues (if any) will I have to deal with when towing through the mountains at higher elevations? Overheating? Loss in power? Overheating transmissions and/or differential? Breaks overheating?

[krobbe]

Keep rpm's in the power band going up. Google your engines HP/Torque curve.
Use a lower gear going down for some engine braking.
Watch the transmission temperature so it doesn't get too high.
If your truck doesn't have a trans temp gauge, get an OBD2 device that will plug into the OBD port and display the temperature.
My favorite summer trips are to the mountains and watching the trans temp is important. The most exciting and difficult was thru the Teton Pass several years ago. Mostly because I didn't realize how steep and curvy it is. This year we're going back to GlacierNP and then up to Banff and Jasper. Can't wait!

[Txsurfer]

what..nobody has yet suggest he sell the half ton and buy an F450 yet?

[traveylin]

Your gasoline usage will go to pot just as bad as the horsepower output from your engine. I have seen many a trailer puller run out near the top of a very long climb, 15-25 miles. Keeping the rpm up is necessary to avoid fouling plugs with gas rich combustion intake. I fouled a carb truck badly my first time. Electonic fuel injection helps but can still be a problem

[Kenjack24]

Would love to know how your trip went!

[Blazing_Zippers]

Not a problem with the rig---we have encountered hiccups with the propane water heater at elevation. You might have to change the opening to compensate for oxygen deprivation.

[tinner12002]

My friend towed at those elevations and his frig propane quit working because of the high altitude, had to switch to elec. After he got back to lower areas it worked fine so keep and eye on that. He talked to dealer and dealer said that happens occasionally. 2015 27ft Outback TT

[Bedlam]

If your vehicle and trailer are well maintained, the only thing you will have to worry about is whether you want return home or stay there. Remember to enjoy the journey and not just the destination.

[ramyankee]

Others can chime in but gasoline engines will lose approximately 3%-4% power for every 1000 feet. And I have seen something to the effect of gvw/gcw to be reduced by 2% per 1000 feet of elevation for maximum performance.

[Chuck_thehammer]

lower octane in upper heights.. reason they Have 85 regular...

Walk .. do not run, over 8,000 feet.
careful with nose bleeds.
Nights get Cold .. even in summer.

one August.. it snowed in August. Leadville Co.. I was in a tent.

also .. motorcycle pulling a 600 pounds popup.. did that also... 12,000 feet.

Travel Safe. the "View"s can be distracting. to down right dangerous.

[12thgenusa]

Kenjack24 wrote:
I live in Colorado and tow the grades frequent. I live just shy of 8,000 feet. Best advice is use higher grade fuel as our regular is 85 octane. Put a clean air filter in before you make journy. Any extra air is needed! Tempso will climb so expect that.

The higher you go less octane is necessary. That's why Colorado's regular is 85 octane.

[12thgenusa]

time2roll wrote:
Just don't get distracted by the beautiful scenery. OK to go a little slower, especially down the hills.
You can find roads to 12,000' in CO.

Actually you can drive to the top of Mt Evans, over 14,000 ft.

[mleekamp]

Watch out for the potato chip bags ... the expand at higher altitudes. I've never had one explode ... but always wondered.

May sound funny, but indeed they will expand a great deal... not as serious a reply as the others, but they had that covered!!!!

[JIMNLIN]

We towed a 7200 gvwr 26' 5th wheel trailer all over CO/NM/UT mountains and over many 10k+ passes with a new '84 carbureted 5.7 chevy 1500 chevy 195 hp. Power was down severally with the carburetor at those altitudes with engine blubering/engine shaking/low idle/etc.

Later a '90 chevy 5.7 TB engine with 215 hp with the same trailer. The TB 5.7 engine performance was much better/smoother performance idle at the higher passes.

Todays CPI engine don't have near the performance drop as those old carbureted engines.
You sure won't have any issues with the Hemi pulling that small TT in the mountains. Just slow down and enjoy the view. Oh.... and pull over once in a while to let those that drive faster go on down the road.

[atwowheelguy]

Rule of thumb is 3% loss of power per 1000 ft. of elevation gained. You're going to gain about 9100 ft., so you'll be down about 27% on power from your home elevation.

It looks like the last 4800 ft. climb is in the 21 miles from Boulder to the campground, an average of 4.3% grade.

Just slow down and watch your brake, coolant and transmission temperatures. My Ecoboost has no trouble producing power in Colorado, but the under hood temps can start to climb. When I drove down from Pikes Peak, not towing, the ranger checked the brake temps and made me and most of the other drivers pull over and let the brakes cool off. I bought an infrared thermometer to take out there next time to just stop and check the brake temps occasionally. I don't tow the camper out there, just an enclosed trailer full of dirt bikes, 9200 lbs. GCVW.

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