Driving to Durango CO from Moab with a Fifth Wheel

[Meetravel]

Hello. We are going to drive to Durango with a 43 Fifth wheel Toy Hauler on HWY 160 and I am worried about the 6% steep downhill grade right before entering Durango.
Any experience anyone? are there spots to stop along that route to let brakes cool off?

Will appreciate any input on that. thank you

[BarabooBob]

No matter what engine you have, you should always be going down a pass in either the gear you went up or the next lower. I have gone down the west side of the Bighorns on 14A driving a car pulling a 2000 pound popup, a Toyota based 6000 pound Class C (22Re engine) F150 pulling TT. By using lower gears I have never had my brakes get warm much less hot..
Take your time, enjoy the scenery. The drivers at the Indy 500 don't get to enjoy the scenery. We do.

[fanrgs]

Even Interstate 70 in Colorado has numerous 6% grades. Eg., both sides of Vail Pass, west approach to the Eisenhower Tunnel, Silver Plume to Georgetown, Mt. Vernon Canyon and Floyd Hill west of Golden, etc. That's why most of them have runaway truck ramps and flashing signs telling you to use low gear.

[Meetravel]

"You can go down hill too slow many many times, too fast once..."

need to make a sticker of this quote.... So right.

[cekkk]

Edd505 wrote:
I do it frequently with relatives both sides of Wolf Creek Pass, once in snow, not by choice & not predicted 4" at the summit. Here's some advice from someone drove long haul in the 11 western states: You can go down hill too slow many many times, too fast once. Use low gears, exhaust brake if you have it, and keep speed down, it not a race.

not meaning to hijack the thread, but I'm old. I remember when Wolf Creek pass was an adventure to behold. Now you can cross it at high speeds in all kinds of weather, well, almost all kinds. The last time I went over it eastbound towards South fork they did stop you on the other side and make sure you had chains or four-wheel drive. I had four wheel and a small utility trailer behind me in my expedition and did just fine.

[Meetravel]

Thanks everyone for the inputs. It is so valuable. I hope it will help future inquiries.

We have diesel not gas.... will consider upgrade to exhaust brakes.

And yes, this area, the south west CO is BEAUTIFUL and NOURISHING!!!

Enjoy summer travelers....

[Edd505]

I do it frequently with relatives both sides of Wolf Creek Pass, once in snow, not by choice & not predicted 4" at the summit. Here's some advice from someone drove long haul in the 11 western states: You can go down hill too slow many many times, too fast once. Use low gears, exhaust brake if you have it, and keep speed down, it not a race.

[jrs1871]

We did that drive a couple of years ago. It wasn't bad at all. Much better than the drive from Escalante to Torrey, UT. We always run in tow/haul mode but when going down hills, we go to manual mode for the transmission. That way we can nudge it down as needed. We have actually dropped down to first gear on a steep down hill grade. Just take you time and pull off if you need to.

[cekkk]

Congrats!

[Meetravel]

Update: it went perfect!!!! 2nd gear, slow drive, tow/haul mode and good work with the brakes. My husband rock it!!!!

[BarryG20]

I drive 160 at least 20 times a year more like 40 if you count both ways. Between Mancos and Durango there are several up and down hills that go up and over the LaPlata mtns. the first one being Mancos hill is a decent hill up but not bad then once up you do some up and down but nothing really long or hard. The downhill just west of Durango is not to bad. The worst part is the very beginning of it which must be the 6% part. However after the initial part it drops to less. overall it is not bad at all road is good plenty wide has decent shoulders along much of it

[travisc]

We did that last summer. Just take time to pull over now and then and cool the brakes down. We did a rv towing avwrangler

[cekkk]

Meetravel, if you are pulling with a gasoline engine that gives you a lot of the same effect as a exhaust brake on a diesel. If you have a diesel you can add an exhaust brake, not cheap but cheaper than a new truck. But if you have a gas engine, just use second-gear first gear, whatever keeps you going slow. You are heading for beautiful country, have a really good time.

[CA_Traveler]

You're the boss, have the driver pull over and stop!

We followed a car with our car down Pikes Peak with brakes lights on all the way speculating on a problem. At a temperature check he was given a 45 minute rest brake. We continued on.

I meet a group of one friend, part of 6 clueless RVs who came into Jackson Hole, Mt. 3 of them took advantage of the free coffee and popcorn at the Wilson brake shop to the tune of $3,000 EACH. Of course Google maps was blamed. I have no doubt that the employess enjoyed their coffee! :C

The smart one of the three woke up and attended a mountain driving class in Jackson Hole.

[Meetravel]

Thank you for the input. We have it all but exhaust brakes. It is me (the wife) with worries. My husband says that he will use the tow/haul option as well as second gear. We went down 6% for 6 miles when driving to Moab from Zion park. We had to stop to let brakes cool off (it was in D and not 2nd like we learned should have been).

It went down ok eventually and I guess we will follow the 2nd gear and Tow/Haul option until getting a new truck with exhaust brakes.

I appreciate your respond!!! Thank you