Epic road trip after action report - high-mileage 2500, 35-foot trailer, in the Rockies

[bobsburban]

Teasers... I'll post more once I get back in front of a computer.

2008 2500 with 255k miles
Zero mechanical issues encountered
5,000 miles driven in 16 days
35-foot, 8,000-lb trailer
Multiple Continental Divide crossings including Powder River Pass (9,666') and the Eisenhower Tunnel (11,100')
50+ miles of moderate to severe offroading in 1 day - almost needing a spotter.
2 instances (brain farts) of driving 100+ miles in 4wd on dry pavement at 70+ MPH
Max trans temp achieved - 233°
Max engine temp - ~240°
28% oil life left after first 2800 miles (started at 100%)
6.6 MPG average westbound (altitude gains and wind)
7.6 MPG average eastbound
A crazy u-turn in Idaho Springs (IYKYK)
Mornings with no wind I could tow in 5th at 65-70, 2500 RPM (about 25% of the time)
Once we hit wind or hills, 4th gear and 3300-3400 RPM (75% of the time)
Probably the most abuse I've ever heaped on this truck.
View attachment 438178
View attachment 438175View attachment 438177

Music to my ears. Making me feel better and better about my new 2013 2500 every second I'm reading this. I'll be pulling less trailer than that next year when running the Oregon Trail and going up through the Canadian Rockies even if we upsize to a Lance 2075.

 

[intheburbs]

Great report..... and I like your truck! I have an '07 version.

I could hazard a guess where your u-turn was. If you're talking Idaho Springs, CO. It's one of my regular night stops on my way further out west to see my kids. In fact I'll be there in about a month & 1/2.

I was trying to find a place to park so we could have lunch at Beau Jo's. Found myself heading north on Virginia Canyon Road, and the road wasn't opening up. Ended up backing down about a quarter of a mile into a slight "turnout" and doing a 3-point jacknife u-turn. My other passengers (wife, adult kids) were "disturbed" by the maneuver. Probably the second most difficult move I've ever done with a rig.

When my wife is mildly upset with my driving, she becomes a backseat driver. It's a rare occurrence, fortunately. When she's REALLY upset, she just gets quiet. She was very quiet.

Most difficult move I've ever done is a back-in in the 100 loop of Fort Wilderness, doing an "S" around two parked vehicles, in one smooth motion.

 

[Bigburb3500]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Really good to see the torture test you put it thru and it keeps kicking! Glad you and the family made the trip safely too - that’s the important part.

Would love to see some pictures of your truck off-roading. Have had mine in sand a good bit since purchase but no trails or anything. I keep that for my Toyota with better approach/departure and breakover.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Ended up backing down about a quarter of a mile into a slight "turnout" and doing a 3-point jacknife u-turn.
My other passengers (wife, adult kids) were "disturbed" by the maneuver.
Probably the second most difficult move I've ever done with a rig.

When my wife is mildly upset with my driving, she becomes a backseat driver. It's a rare occurrence, fortunately.
When she's REALLY upset, she just gets quiet. She was very quiet.

Most difficult move I've ever done is a back-in in the 100 loop of Fort Wilderness, doing an "S" around two parked vehicles, in one smooth motion.

If the driver knows from experience that they are sure that they know what they're doing, then those who lack the experience and competence to do so, should instead stay quiet and learn something, otherwise they might get in the way, and then say, 'see? You shouldn't have'.

Long story short:
Drivers should drive, passengers should passenge.

 

[intheburbs]

Sounds like an awesome trip! Really good to see the torture test you put it thru and it keeps kicking! Glad you and the family made the trip safely too - that’s the important part.

Would love to see some pictures of your truck off-roading. Have had mine in sand a good bit since purchase but no trails or anything. I keep that for my Toyota with better approach/departure and breakover.

Didn't take a lot of pictures of the truck offroading. We realized pretty quickly that we'd bit off more than we could chew, distance-wise. We found ourselves 25 miles from pavement late in the afternoon, so no time to stop and admire the situation. As it was, we finally got back on pavement a little before 2200. I'm glad I'd installed the new lighting - it came in very handy.

Here's a shot of the trail where we started - steep switchbacks to the valley floor, then off into the horizon.

Some areas were just dirt roads, but most of it was rocky so we couldn't just bomb down the road like the Dukes of Hazzard.

 

[Bigburb3500]

Didn't take a lot of pictures of the truck offroading. We realized pretty quickly that we'd bit off more than we could chew, distance-wise. We found ourselves 25 miles from pavement late in the afternoon, so no time to stop and admire the situation. As it was, we finally got back on pavement a little before 2200. I'm glad I'd installed the new lighting - it came in very handy.

Here's a shot of the trail where we started - steep switchbacks to the valley floor, then off into the horizon.

Some areas were just dirt roads, but most of it was rocky so we couldn't just bomb down the road like the Dukes of Hazzard.

The view is amazing! Very jealous of your trip! I 100% understand the biting off more you can chew… been there and done that… have a couple fun stories I could share but this is the wrong place/forum to discuss Toyota things lol.

What tire are you running ? Are those Faulken Wildpeaks? Have you run a less aggressive tire before (Like a Mich LTX) and found a difference in trailering or overall comfort?

 

[rzabel]

The view is amazing! Very jealous of your trip! I 100% understand the biting off more you can chew… been there and done that… have a couple fun stories I could share but this is the wrong place/forum to discuss Toyota things lol.

What tire are you running ? Are those Faulken Wildpeaks? Have you run a less aggressive tire before (Like a Mich LTX) and found a difference in trailering or overall comfort?

Thought I'd jump in with an opinion on Falken Wildpeaks vs Michelin Defenders, since I've run both on my rig both off road and towing. The Michelins can't be beat for ride and quiet, but you don't give up very much on those items with the Falkens and they are much better off road and have the snowflake rating if you're in a state where that matters for chain up law. I couldn't really tell any difference between the two when towing. And Falkens are considerably cheaper.

Here's a pic towing my smaller trailer on the Rim Rocker Trail that goes from Montrose, Colorado to Moab, Utah.

 

[RTCburb]

When my wife is mildly upset with my driving, she becomes a backseat driver.

Wait..... what??? A wife that becomes a backseat drive?? Say it isn't so

After 40+ years together, mine has finally learned to just be quiet. Mostly.

 

[intheburbs]

The view is amazing! Very jealous of your trip! I 100% understand the biting off more you can chew… been there and done that… have a couple fun stories I could share but this is the wrong place/forum to discuss Toyota things lol.

What tire are you running ? Are those Faulken Wildpeaks? Have you run a less aggressive tire before (Like a Mich LTX) and found a difference in trailering or overall comfort?

I've been running Duratracs since I bought it. On my third set now. First two sets lasted about 70k miles each, despite lots of heavy towing. I probably replaced them a tad early, too. I run them 50 front and 70 rear, per my door tag. Rides like a half ton. No squishiness when towing heavy. The Duratracs are noisy, however.

I run LTX Defenders on my Sierra Denali. I was surprised that Goodyear actually makes the Duratracs in a 275/55/20 size, but I figured it would look kinda silly. Besides, the Denali is a hotrod, not an offroad/snow pig. Great highway tire, nice and quiet. But not the greatest in snow or slush.

Wait..... what??? A wife that becomes a backseat drive?? Say it isn't so

After 40+ years together, mine has finally learned to just be quiet. Mostly.

My wife's father was quite the maniac of a driver, so my style is downright sedate compared to his. She rarely speaks up about my driving, so when she does, I know I must be doing something really bad. We've known each other since we were 11, mid-50s now. Married for 32 years.

 

[intheburbs]

Desolate highway in SD


Badlands


Buc-ee guarding the truck


Zoom in to see humans


Summer not quite done with us