So if we leave the Ashland/ Huntington area and head to Williamsburg what route is best? We're from FL and I'm pulling a 6000lb TT with a F150 and looking at routes with WV mountains in the way. What's best?

Just get on I-64 and go all the way to Williamsburg, VA. At Charleston, WV, I-64 runs concurrent with I-77. It is also the West Virginia Turnpike and has two toll booths between Charleston and Beckley, WV. At Beckley, WV I-64 & I-77 split.At Lexington, VA, I-64 turns north and runs concurrent with I-81 until just before Staunton, VA. Just before Staunton, I-64 turns east again and goes to Williamsburg.When you get near Richmond, in western Henrico Co, you should take I-295 which is a beltway around Richmond. In eastern Henrico, you get back on I-64.I would never take anything but an interstate through WV.

Is there even a route OTHER than I-64?I suppose you could take US 60, but having been that way in the past, I can tell you you won't like it.I-64 certainly goes over the mountains, with a few 6% slopes, but there is no route of any sort that doesn't go over the mountains, unless, perhaps, you wanted to go via Orlando.

Unless you take a MAJOR detour, you will not get to Williamsburg without going through the mountains!Thousands of large trucks do it everyday, you just need to get in the right hand lane and go. Be alert to the speed warning signs for the downhills, curves and other road hazards.To alter a little from what Atlee said, if you get to Richmond, VA and it is after 6 pm or during non-working, weekend hours, just take I-64 straight on through downtown Richmond. It will save you about 30 minutes and traffic is usually not too bad. If there is a wreck, all of that goes out the window.Once you get used to traveling in the mountains, it's a piece of cake, just don't get too over-confident and start rolling too fast.

This past September, we drove I64 from Richmond, VA to St. Louis. Yep there're some steep grades, but no problems with the exhaust brake doing 99% of the work. Just took it slow and avoided night driving through WVA on the way but had to do some on the way back and glad we stopped at Buckley travel plaza, 'cause that leg east of there is pretty curvy to say the least ;)

Thanks everyone. We will give the I-64 route a go. I haven't tried this trailer in mountains before. It is 6000 lbs and I have a 2010 F-150, auto with tow haul and integrated brake controller, but no exhaust brake. Going up isn't a problem as it has th 5.4L engine, I'll just go up slow if necessary, but down raises a question.....people always say start out in a lower gear, but the truck is an automatic....Should I start the decent in a lower gear by manually shifting it to 3 or 2nd before starting the decent and having tow haul turned on? Keeping it in 3 or 2nd gear all the way down (and if so, which is best) Or will leaving it in D (drive) and not starting out fast and relying on the tow haul to keep it geared down? I know I want to stay off the brake as much as possible and just brake and release as needed.Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

Eastern KY to Williamsburg VA - MOUNTAINS? | Good Sam Community

bukhrn
Explorer III
Mar 24, 2015
64 is an Interstate highway, the part from I-81 east only has one major mountain, Mt Afton, speed limit is 70 mph (on most of it),as was said just start out slow 50-55, letting it climb to 60-65 won't hurt, then get on your brakes to bleed off the speed, the grade is not real long, with no extremely sharp curves.
After you do it, you'll find you were worrying about nothing.
Likes_to_tow
Nomad
Mar 24, 2015
Just a comment about riding and using the brakes down long grades. I have driven this route many times and I use this method without any issues. There is one major point on 64 that will cause problems if you are not prepared for it. Going into the New River area it is 6% for a few miles. Some improper techniques in driving heavy rigs have caused accidents. Don't be afraid of this area, just use common sense. Riding your brakes for long distances will heat them to the point of complete failure. At the top as you start down just slow down, shift into second gear if you wish and then continue. Don't downshift if you are running 70 mph!
Keep your speed low as you start down, say 55 or so. As your speed increases to 60 get on the brakes rather hard for a second or two, bleed off about 10 mph quickly, then let it coast back up to about 60. As it coasts back up to 60 the brakes are cooling. Brake again rather sharply to bleed off about 10 mph and let off. Using this method will not heat your brakes up like riding them. You could pick slower speeds too. Don't worry about those behind you as most drivers will just pass and realize you are braking for saftey. I have on occasion tried to keep my speed below 50. When you bleed off 10 mph it takes a while for speed to build again, especially if you downshift to a lower gear.
Dog_Trainer
Explorer
Mar 23, 2015
The only problem is with the 2010 F150 the trans will downshift according to how it feels. Some help from using the Tow/Haul mode. You can select 3rd, 2nd and 1st. but not 4th , 5th and 6th.
My 5star tune allows me to lock out 6th gear and has a more responsive tune for the tow/haul mode.
WrongWayRandall
Explorer
Mar 23, 2015
mr61impala wrote:
Old truckers rule of thumb.

Whatever gear ratio is required to ascend a grade is the appropriate gear ratio to use when descending the same grade.

That's it exactly ;)

- R
mr61impala
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
Old truckers rule of thumb.

Whatever gear ratio is required to ascend a grade is the appropriate gear ratio to use when descending the same grade.
JimFromJersey
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
We did the I-64 route from Beckley to Norfolk back in 2012, on our last day coming back from out west. I don't recall the slopes being all that memorable, either up or down. We got from Beckley to Norfolk, across the CBBT and then all the way up the Delmarva to home in South Jersey across from the Del Mem Bridge in one day. The worst road was parts of I-64 coming into Norfolk - horrible pavement, potholes and lots of roughness. It may have been improved since then. If my old Bounder can do it, anyone can. :)
Dog_Trainer
Explorer
Mar 22, 2015
I have a 2010 F150 heavy 1/2 ton with the 5.4 motor. I tow about 8,000 lbs. Do not pay attention to the posts about exhaust brake as they are for the diesel crowd. In the mountains I do not use my cruise control as it will rev a good deal more than if I ease the pedal into down Shifts. I have a 5star tune on my motor so the shift patterns a bit different but in general on a steep grade you can pull the transmission back into 3rd gear if you need to. The compression of the motor will hold the gas motor back as it revs. Do not worry just make sure you keep off the brakes as much as possible and stab the brakes as opposed to riding them in any way. Your motor may rev up to the 3500 rpm area do not be alarmed the 5.4 will handle the revs.
Atlee
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2015
Do you have a Ford? My recent prior post pertains to Fords. I don't anything about GM or Dodge.

As for crestng a hill, generally all you will need to do is let the Tow Haul do it's thing. There could be some times, depending on speed, etc, where you will need to manually down shift to a lower gear in order to keep from going to fast.

flguppie wrote:
Thanks again for the continued advice.

So I can assume that I will be OK to leave it in D (drive) as I crest the uphill part and begin the decent. It will already have the tow haul engaged. I always travel with it in tow haul as it changes the shift points and keeps the truck from going in and out of overdrive (6th gear) at every small grade or big overpass.
Atlee
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2015
I wasn't sure about the lock out either until the otherday. Then I reread the owner's manual for my F150. It says if you have Select Shift you can while the truck is in either regular overdrive, or in Tow Haul mode, used the +/- toggle switch on the side of the gear shift lever to lock out gears. For example, if you're in Tow Haul mode, if you hit the - side of the toggle switch just once, then 6th gear is locked out. At that poing no matter how fast your are going, the transmission will go no higher than 5th gear. Click it again and 5th gear is locked out, adn 4th gear is the highest gear available.

Now if you pull the gear shift level to the M position, then you must toggle the switch on the side of the gear shift lever to manually change gears. The truck stay in the gear selected manually by the +/- switch.

flguppie wrote:
Thanks again for the continued advice.

So I can assume that I will be OK to leave it in D (drive) as I crest the uphill part and begin the decent. It will already have the tow haul engaged. I always travel with it in tow haul as it changes the shift points and keeps the truck from going in and out of overdrive (6th gear) at every small grade or big overpass.

Randall, I'm not sure about a lockout on the tow haul. What I have is a on/off button on the end of the shift lever that simply allows the transmission to change shift points as needed. It also provides some engine brake when you hit the brakes going down hill.....you can hear the RPM increase and the transmission providing additional resistance to the downhill momentum.
FLGup
Explorer
Mar 21, 2015
Thanks again for the continued advice.

So I can assume that I will be OK to leave it in D (drive) as I crest the uphill part and begin the decent. It will already have the tow haul engaged. I always travel with it in tow haul as it changes the shift points and keeps the truck from going in and out of overdrive (6th gear) at every small grade or big overpass.

Randall, I'm not sure about a lockout on the tow haul. What I have is a on/off button on the end of the shift lever that simply allows the transmission to change shift points as needed. It also provides some engine brake when you hit the brakes going down hill.....you can hear the RPM increase and the transmission providing additional resistance to the downhill momentum.