Taking a trip to Moab UT in July

Mattman347 · May 22, 2018

84mallcrawl said:
https://www.amazon.com/Cooling-Adjustable-Rotation-Vehicle-Cigarette/dp/B07CZX5RKG/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1526919096&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=12v+fan+for+truck&psc=1

I have one of these screwed to my dash. I would recommend at least 2 sets for y'all, one for the front seats one for the rear.

Great idea! Was looking at fans already but these look like they will work!

GONOVRIT · May 22, 2018

21rd and Billings canyon in Grand Junction can be fun and are what you make of them. Stay away from Gypsum and don't go to Montrose alone. Good wheeling out there but Colorado could break your rig in half before you hit the slickrock. This will be the first time in 5 yrs I haven't been out. Have fun!

POR · May 22, 2018

I should have paid closer attention to your route lol! Choke cherry canyon in farmington has mild to wild and the locals are awesome..

poolman · May 22, 2018

Every time I read this thread title I think....

I was taking a trip out to LA, tooling along in my Chevrolet, toking on a number and digging on the radio...........

xjkrawler · May 23, 2018

Whats everyones opinion on the southern route vs the northern route?

twostep · May 23, 2018

Mattman347 said:
Great idea! Was looking at fans already but these look like they will work!

Don't bother... unless they are spraying water on you at the same time they will just feel like a hair dryer blowing in your face.

Me and 4 other rigs went out july 4th week last year. People told me "man it's going to be hot", I said hell I've dealt with 100 degree heat here in ky and we have humidity!

114 degrees was the hottest day, 109 was the coolest I think. And honestly the heat wasn't so bad for us, as long as we had hydration and shade, and weren't working on someone's junk... but our rigs hated life. Mine got so hot that my 4.0L was vapor locking... with my hood off... and a shade top covering the engine. Every rig burnt up at least one fuel pump. My trans temp which usually tops out at 200 was running a constant 230 out there.

Will I go again? Fvck yes.
Will I go again in July again? no.

But I am sure you are way deep into the plan and won't back out so here are a couple of things I wish someone would have told us.
-Minimum of one bottle of water per person per hour (that is not an exaggeration) while on the trail. You will be so thirsty. Of course beer on the trail that time of year is plumb dangerous.
-Make sure you have at least one spare fuel pump.
-Be at the trail head 30 minutes before sun rise. Wheel hard until 11am and hope you are out of the trail by 12pm. Then go into town and seek air conditioning and replacement fuel pumps.
-July 4th fireworks, go up Sand Flats Road and park just outside the check station (entrance to hells revenge).

twostep · May 23, 2018

One more, run Pritchett canyon to the top of Yellow hill then turn around and run it backwards.

poolman · May 23, 2018

That's definitely on my bucket list. Congratulations.

98TJ · May 24, 2018

xjkrawler said:
Whats everyones opinion on the southern route vs the northern route?

Both ways suck unless you are sleeping and someone else is driving.

Northern route is faster, but not much to look at until you get thru Denver.

Southern route is a little longer, but there is more **** to see and you can hit the Big Texan in Amarillo.

Either way, drive at night to avoid heat, wind and traffic. Time your drive to avoid large cities at rush hour. Keep an eye on your trailer tire and wheel bearing temps. Carry all the trailer spares you can haul. My buddy carries an extra trailer axle. Take a drimel tool with cut off wheels to remove galled trailer bearing races if needed.

garagefab$ · May 30, 2018

If you could after the trip post what highways you take and the grades I am taking this trip first of Sep and ill be heavy. Also any stops you recommend after the trip is done. I want to take the southern route then cut up into CO and eventually end up in moab/ hurricane to take a dip in the lake.

98TJ · May 31, 2018

What route you taking through Colorado? Some of those big passes are brake eaters coming down. I burned up the front brakes on our F350 DRW out there 3 years ago and had to replace calipers and pads in the campground.

The Luke · Jun 1, 2018

98TJ said:
Take a drimel tool with cut off wheels to remove galled trailer bearing races if needed.

Jeez, I've never thought about using a dremel for that.....That would have saved me so many hours of my life... It's amazing how simple tricks/tools can make life so much easier..

Sorry, end slight derail.

onepieceatatime · Jun 1, 2018

Re: Re: Taking a trip to Moab UT in July

The Luke said:
Jeez, I've never thought about using a dremel for that.....That would have saved me so many hours of my life... It's amazing how simple tricks/tools can make life so much easier..

Sorry, end slight derail.

Someone taught me that if you can get to snacking the back of a race that you can weld a bead on the inside of the race and then smack it and it'll fall right out.

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xjkrawler · Jun 1, 2018

We are looking at taking the southern route there and back to avoid the rockies.

onepieceatatime · Jun 1, 2018

Re: Re: Taking a trip to Moab UT in July

xjkrawler said:
We are looking at taking the southern route there and back to avoid the rockies.

Sounds like a group of Ford tow rigs that are afraid to climb some mountains.

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94xjsport94 · Jun 1, 2018

xjkrawler said:
We are looking at taking the southern route there and back to avoid the rockies.

If you have never seen that part of I-70 before, dont skip it and take the southern route twice. I would go the northern route there and make sure to drive from Denver-Moab in the daylight so you can see how absolutely beautiful that part of the country is.

5BrothersFabrication · Jun 2, 2018

Re: Re: Taking a trip to Moab UT in July

onepieceatatime said:
Someone taught me that if you can get to snacking the back of a race that you can weld a bead on the inside of the race and then smack it and it'll fall right out.

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I think he meant when the cage lets go and the inner part of the bearing seizes to the spindle. In a shop you can have them off in 2 minutes with a torch. On the side of the road, it's a challenge.

muddinmetal · Jun 2, 2018

Re: Re: Taking a trip to Moab UT in July

onepieceatatime said:
Sounds like a group of Ford tow rigs that are afraid to climb some mountains.

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Matt will be making the trip with the world's most powerful 7.3. I think he will be fine... maybe... it is a ford after all :fish:

twostep · Jun 4, 2018

94xjsport94 said:
If you have never seen that part of I-70 before, dont skip it and take the southern route twice. I would go the northern route there and make sure to drive from Denver-Moab in the daylight so you can see how absolutely beautiful that part of the country is.

Ditto. We timed the drive to rendezvous with some others for dinner in Grand Junction (4 hours west of Denver) and it turned out perfect for seeing the Rockies in the daylight. Spent the night in GJ then went straight to Top of the World on our way into moab.

Mattman347 · Jun 7, 2018

So far I got a campground to stay at, Columbine campground just outside of Central City Colorado. There is a nice trail to a glacier that sounds fun and I am with in an hr of the Denver airport ! We are going to stay there 3 nights then move on to Moab. Its getting close to time and im super excited!!! :****: Thanks for all the input thus far!!