What sort of mountain grades are you guys towing in (tried the towing thread already)

I originally posted this in the towing thread but didn't get any responses. Not sure if the right people have seen it yet so I figured I'd ask here. I know a lot of people from here travel to the mountains in CO, some with travel trailers others with tents.

What sort of grades are you guys towing in and what are you towing? I'm asking because mid September the wife and I are heading back to the mountains for the weekend. We normally go tent camping or stay in a cabin there. This time we are taking the travel trailer. It's a Rockwood A122S.

The specs say it's about 2k dry. We aren't going to be filling the water tank since the campsite has water. There may be 100-150lbs in the trailer and maybe another 500lbs total (including people) in the cab of the truck. I don't expect mpg's to be all that great and that's ok. I'm just more concerned about making the grade. I've seen plenty of others do this no problem when traveling but it's always been someone else I pass, not me. The eastbound descent is 6% for 5 miles. After that it levels off pretty good.

I'm not too concerned with cross winds as the camper folds down. It has brakes and I've got a controller for it. I've also added a small helper spring to help reduce sagging. I normally just tow this about 30 minutes down the road on flats but this will be a new experience for us as this will be a six hour trip.

Edit: Found a link that explains the ascend and descend of the mountain I'm talking about:

http://www.crashforensics.com/blackmountain.cfm

 

I am not sure what you are asking, no clue where we could find the actual "grade" on roads in mountains here or anywhere. Couple of weeks ago I pulled my 4K (Dry) Pioneer camper from Denver to Crested Butte over a couple of passes including Cottonwood Pass short cuts. Could hold 50 mph without mashing pedal on a couple of "steep" sections.

 

Not sure how the road signs are setup around there but the more steep mountain roads around here have a % of the grade on them. It's to let you know when you are coming to a more steep incline/decline and what to expect. The higher the number, the steeper the road.

Edit:
These are the signs I'm referring too.

 

Sorry, just don't pay attention enough, it causes either me to have to press on gas more or use the brakes more.

But google says you can buy this for that info:

http://www.mountaindirectory.com/
Example they post:

12. TETON PASS elev. 8429'
(on Wyoming Highway 22 west of Jackson, WY)

Teton Pass has sustained 10% grades on both sides of the summit. An unusual feature is that both runaway truck ramps on the east side of the pass can be used only if the runaway truck crosses the oncoming lane of traffic. There is a posted weight limit of 60,000 lbs. on this pass.

The westbound descent from the summit of Teton Pass begins with a 25 mph speed limit and a truck warning sign--"Steep grade--10% next 3 miles--use lower gear." This grade warning is repeated a mile later. About 2½ miles down from the summit the grade eases to 6-7% and the speed limit increases. This grade continues for about 3-4 miles and eases near the Idaho state line.

The eastbound descent from the summit of Teton Pass starts with a truck warning sign--"Steep grade--10% next 5 1/2 miles--use lower gear." There are 20 mph curves near the top. About 1/3 mile down from the summit is a sign--"Runaway truck ramp--2½ miles LEFT side." This warning is repeated several times as you approach the ramp. To use the ramp you must cross the oncoming lane of traffic. The ramp slopes uphill.

The second runaway truck ramp is about 1 mile after the first. It, too, is on the left side and is an upsloping ramp. At this point the grade begins to ease to about 6-7% and the speed limit increases. The hill continues to the town of Wilson, which is about 5½ miles from the summit.

 

are you a v6?

with a camper that is 2500lbs loaded, you will have absolutely no trouble at all on any grade.

Edit:
and you have trailer brakes. you are set to tow 6k and be fine

 

No worries. I appreciate the posts. For the main roads that I'll be traveling it stays around 6% but some back roads are around 10%. I won't be towing in the 10% but I do travel them regularly when I go up there.

Yes, v6 tow package, upgraded brakes/rotors and trailer brakes. I don't anticipate troubles, I hope not at least. Have you had any issues? I've never towed in the mountains so it'll be a new experience for us this time around.

 

with everything you have, you are going to be just fine!
just take it easy. with trailer brakes and a V6, stopping and pulling a 2500 lb trailer will be nothing!

i have towed my first gen tacoma with my friends 2nd gen tacoma with no trailer brakes. it did fine, i have alot of experience in towing heavier objects though. (i didnt go up or down any large grades, but i didnt have trailer brakes, or the tow package, and that was towing roughly 6500 lbs including the heavy ass trailer.)

i usually don't tow with a tacoma, but like i said, 2500 lbs on the back of your tacoma is nothing.
my 1st gen 4 banger manual tacoma pulled my pop up camper that weighed 1800 lbs, with 2 full size dirt bikes in the bed up and down some large grades. i was doing about 50 up hills but she did just fine.

 

You'll do fine. Keep the shifter in 4 or lower if needed. Especially having the towing package and trailer brakes, you shouldn't have issues. Just don't drive like a crazed banshee.

 

I used to drive on this single lane gravel mountain switchback Hwy with my 19' travel trailer.

 

That'd be a road I'd like to take a cruise down!

 

It gets pretty interesting in winter, or when the fog gets thick. Keep in mind what's over the bank to the left.

This was low beams with fog lights on.

 

Awesome

 

With a tow Pkg and trailer brakes there's still the problem of heating up the transmission. At high altitudes or high temperatures there is less cooling capacity in the air. It has been found that the stock trans cooler in the tow pkg. is not up to the task of towing and many have replaced it with a better unit. What a PITA ! Someone posted that the Trans Temp warning light comes on at 300 F. - which means that the oil and likely the trans is already cooked.
I tow a lot in the West and Mexico with a TRDOR V6 AT. It will surprise you to weigh the combined unit loaded for a long trip. With a trailer that is to be 1200# dry, the overall weight with 2 people in the truck would get to 8200# with all the stuff we take- sea kayaks, bikes, food, camping gear, etc. A lot of trailer dry weights are fiction. It has a Scangage II that tracks the 2 Trans Temps. If you push it up hill it is easy to start running over 225+ degrees in the Trans. The trick is to watch the trans temps and back off the power to keep the trans cool. Engine braking downhill does not heat the trans very much. A good trick is to slow down approaching the top of a pass and downshift so that you don't have to use the brakes so much. With heavy CDL trucks we used 1 gear lower going down than going up. The factory tow ratings are a whole 'nother song when you are going over steep mountain passes. Cheers