60 replies to this topic

[SunMan]

Timely for me as I drove up Steel Pass last Tuesday, as mentioned...air down, and drive slow and smart to avoid damage. I have a strip of nylon webbing with snaps on each end on my silverware drawer and on my pantry (old ice box) door that keep them secure. The few items on the floor of the camper are on carpet and don’t slide much. My turnbuckles  have the commonly used star washers and wing nut to keep them secure. As mentioned, I drove up steel and out south pass a few days later, all turnbuckles remained secure. I also run King shocks with compression adjusters which I set to firm when I’m on anything rocky or off camber that really takes a lot of sway and rocking out. That’s about it, as someone told a me a long time ago, Slow is Pro. 

[slash2]

Tell me about star washers and wing nuts! I'm not up on that one!

 

OMG, is that as simple as putting a star washer and wing nut on the eye bolt and running it down on the body thingy part? That's brilliant and so simple I feel like an idiot for not thinking about it!

 

I love stuff like that! Thanks!

[rubberlegs]

Timely for me as I drove up Steel Pass last Tuesday, as mentioned...

 

Is Steel Pass doable with stock lift? Our Tacoma has E rated tires and Sumosprings, but no further upgrades. So we are stock height.

[Taku]

Regarding the lean - we have a wildland fire engine (large International) that was one of three all the same. One engine has always had a similar lean to the drivers side and no amount of head scratching during several trips back to the dealer and looked at by the San Dimas Center could figure it out. Doesn't seem to cause any issues, but it still is odd.

[slash2]

Rubberlegs, you'll probably be fine, especially if you use a spotter. With stock lift you will probably scrape bottom on the rock steps in Dedeckera Canyon, but you can always stack rocks to ease the angles a bit. Do a Youtube search for Dedeckera Canyon and you'll be able see every inch of it from every angle! Then you can decide if it's for you. The Saline Valley side of Steel pass is slow with lots of cobbles and some tight turns, but it deserves being taken slow and appreciated, the views are beautiful and there are some hidden surprises along the way if you know where to look.

 

/2

[slash2]

Has anyone tried a dampening device on the turnbuckles, to give a little cushioning, like Torklifts spring loaded tie down kit,

or would this be counter productive in a really rough rocky road scenario like we've been discussing?

 

https://www.amazon.c...d/dp/B002SSGAQU

[SunMan]

slash2, on 17 Nov 2019 - 5:41 PM, said:
is that as simple as putting a star washer and wing nut on the eye bolt and running it down on the body thingy part?

Yup.

[SunMan]

rubberlegs, on 17 Nov 2019 - 7:47 PM, said:
Is Steel Pass doable with stock lift? Our Tacoma has E rated tires and Sumosprings, but no further upgrades. So we are stock height.

I would say yes. IF you have experience driving conditions like that.
Other considerations would be the type of Tacoma. Do you have a full double cab and longer bed, which would give you a longer wheel base? That could make it more challenging clearance wise.

[ntsqd]

I normally do not air down. When I do I rarely go below 35 psi (from 50 psi) and usually only go to 40 psi as I have found from experimenting that this is usually enough. It does help, but the philosophy of airing down radically came about in the days when the guiding idea for suspension was stiff everything, springs and shocks. These days much better and more supple springs & shocks are available. I firmly believe that the airing down mindset hasn't yet caught up with technology. An aired-down tire is much, much easier to cut and bruise. Add in wet and the situation gets a lot worse.

 

That said, were I heading over Saline Valley Rd. I would air down and take it slow. That road is too rough to drive fast in a heavy rig.

 

As to Steele Pass in a stock height vehicle, it's going to depend on the driver and the spotter. A poor combo of those can get an otherwise capable rig stuck and a good and experienced combo of those can easily get a stock truck up it. I would say that without a rear Traction Adding Diff of some sort that you probably shouldn't try it unless you have many years, a decade or more even, of driving similar vehicles in those conditions.

[craig333]

Pretty much why I've always figured I'll park the Dodge at Saline and take the Jeep on over. Not into beating my truck up. I have the Jeep for that.

 

Hmmm, maybe the other direction. Not sure towing the Jeep on a washboard road is that great an idea.