Can a high mile tacoma drive the grapevine I5? CA

I feel the same way just like you both do

 

My normal usage varies, around the towns 55mph and sometimes an hour drive to the city 65 to 70mph

Never took it down grapvine i5, im only taking 99 south and then merge to i5 and thats pretty much it, Idk if I would have my foot all the way down on the pedal. Some dude earlier said just placing it in lower gears on the hills, any input?

Any experience on this situation?

 

You're not familiar with CA; the Grapevine out here has some really steep hills which is a genuine concern for the OP.

 

200K. Mine has no problem traveling for extended periods of time. Road trips, off-roading in there as well. Gets decent gas mileage for a lifted pickup as well. I figure if it hasn't broke in 200K it's not gonna any time soon. Or - maybe it will. Sounds like an adventure

 

Just drove my 02 and rolled over to 240k coming down from the Pacific Northwest over the southern Cascades to the Eastern sierras, over to San Francisco through Yosemite (9000 feet elevation) and back up to Portland, Oregon.

You'll know your truck and if she's in good shape she should make the trip just fine. Be ready and aware and listen for any changes as you drive. Have AAA in case the unexpected happens.

 

i need to bring my flat land mid west tacoma to CA and check out those steep hills

1700+ mile one way, that is long distance lol

 

Don't; rust is cancerous and we don't need it spread here in the West coast

1st gen best gen, west coast best coast.

 

Yea I drove mine form Chicago to Denver and back from Chicago to Hot Spring ARK and back and form Chicago to Grand Rapids MI and Back.

 

were you trying to escape the Cubs or what?

 

No just trying to get somewhere

 

i made it 1000 miles to Gay Michigan, but not a very high mileage truck yet

 

Congrats you Live in Gay, not that it wrong or anything.

 

If it's been maintained, why not?

Just make sure all the rubber bits are good and it has the right amount of fluids. Highway driving is pretty easy on a vehicle.

 

The Grapevine can be brutal especially if traffic is keeping you from maintaining a constant speed

 

I keep a tool kit in my truck at all times along with some extra fluids (oil, brake fluid, grease, etc) especially on long road trips, just in case an issue does pop up that I am able to address on my own. I think it's good peace of mind with driving older vehicles across many miles, particularly through remote areas.
As well as a battery jumper, air compressor, jack, etc.

 

Fluids are the only thing I don't carry.

This may need to change to at least 1 quart of each. And after seeing Tyler's truck go down the other week, I'm going to buy a set of bolts as a "just in case" for the LBJ's.

 

I started carrying brake fluid especially after my King coilovers knicked the banjo bolt on my brake caliper and spun it loose on a trail once. Lost some brake fluid and got really lucky I didn't end up with air in the lines. Fortunately didn't lose enough to make it home but I always carry a big bottle of it now behind the seat with some other stuff, in an old army surplus satchel

Came in handy another time when a buddy tore a brake line on a trail, we were able to bleed his brakes and get him off the trail after tying off the broken brake line and bleeding the system using the fluid I had

 

What are you gonna do, buy a new truck? Buy one of each part for spare and toss it in the bed?

Sometimes people just say things for the sake of saying things. Almost like it feels good or reassuring to have an opinion on something. I'd take their words as nothing more than an expression of concern.

Unlesss your truck has radiator issues, and assuming it's all tuned up like you say, I don't see what mountains have to do with anything. A few hours cruising should be nothing, sounds like fun, have a nice trip.

Fwiw I drove my first car, an old Chevy Cavalier, from L.A. to Reno and back on 395 with 185k+ on it, and a few different Uhauls towing a car along the same drive. If you gotta go you gotta go.

 

It'll handle the grapevine just fine, if you have a manual trans keep it out of 5th gear unless you're really able to get up to high speed. If auto then keep it out of overdrive, turn off the AC to avoid overheating if it's hot out. I never have to do that but some older vehicles do if they have a tired cooling system. If your fan clutch is in good shape and you have good coolant in the system that shouldn't be an issue.

 

Does a bear s*%! In the woods? Lol.. If its well maintained i say go for it.