What is the steepest grade you've climbed?

[adamis]

Our family was headed up to Bucks Lake in Northern California for a week of camping. I used to go to the 4H camp when my parents ran the camp so I was looking forward to seeing some old memories. I've only been to the lake as a kid, never driven there myself so I had no knowledge of the roads. We got to the cutoff at Quincy for Bucks Lake road in the early evening. The truck was loaded with our camper plus cargo trailer, I'd estimate in total we weighed 16k+ lbs.

We passed a sign and because it was getting dark, I only saw it briefly enough to see a warning about 15% grade for 3 miles. I had hoped that there was just a few sections of this road that might be 15% in the 3 miles but it turns out, just about the entire section was at 15%!!! I was in first gear and literally could walk faster than what I was able to drive up it. I didn't have it floored, I was only about 1/3rd throttle trying to keep my EGTs in check (I have an aftermarket chip that isn't set for towing, something I'll be fixing soon). The entire time I was just hoping something in the transmission or rear differential didn't blow out on me. At one point I even had to pull over to let a car pass and I wasn't sure if I would even be able to get moving again. Thankfully, we did make it up without incident but I told the wife we were never coming up this road again! What I didn't realize is that there was another route for RVs that I was supposed to take and she asked me why I didn't take it. I told her I didn't even see it because I was concentrating on driving!

This was certainly the steepest grade I've ever been on but I'm sure others might have some harrowing stories of their own to share. What's the steepest you've climbed while loaded for a week of camping?

[adamis]

Well mystery solved... From my original post, I barely made it up the 13% grade pulling the camper and trailer. I was in first gear and my EGTs were struggling to stay under 1200 deg. When I read posts of other guys making steeper climbs with even more weight I knew something had to be wrong.

I finally found a PowerStroke 7.3 Guru close by in Salinas by the name of Peter at Paul Faro automotive. Took it to him for some work and asked him to go through my "mystery truck" (because of all the previous owner's addons that I didn't have written down when I bought it). While taking care of some small oil leaks, he discovered that my boots for the turbo to the inter-cooler where not tight and all of my boost was blowing out past the boots. He tightened them up and now the boost gauge that I thought was broken because it read at most 5 psi of boost at 2500 rpm (another story) now is reading 25+psi. The EGT problem has also been fixed. Whereas before I couldn't even go over an overpass at 65 mph in overdrive without peaking at 1200 EGT, on the drive home I could hardly get pass 1100 EGT when I was stomping on it up some hills at 75 mph with the camper.

Knowing all of this now, I'm surprised I made it up the Highway 70 route from Oroville to Quincy with Camper and Trailer and no boost. I won't get to do the same drive till next summer but I will be looking forward to noting the difference instead of just praying I make it up!

Last thing... We aren't done with the truck yet. There are still some more projects to work on. I'll be going to a 4" exhaust. Changing out the Inter-cooler and replacing the down pipes. Later on, money available I think I'll even change out the injectors and high pressure oil pump. No more 5 mph and 1st gear for me!

[Kayteg1]

Than in San Francisco there is no such thing as steep street.
No % signs, no warnings. Just enjoy
My friend on lower side was afraid to open the door fearing the car will roll over.
The belts locked, so we could not buckle up till we drove of flat street.


Click For Full-Size Image.

[profdant139]

Yep. I did Sonora Pass from the east side -- Tacoma 6 cyl towing a little trailer, all the way to the top. No sweat going up or down. Transmission temp stayed within range.

But the turns are tight -- do not take a trailer longer than about 16 feet total, coupler to bumper. If you have a TC with plenty of power, you are good to go -- nothing to worry about.

Other than the other drivers, of course. We later saw an out of state big rig driver stuck on one of the hairpins -- this person did not read the signs.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Give these a shot, not very long. Try em from a dead stop LOL.

[valhalla360]

That poor truck only had 235hp when new. 16k GCVW is a lot for 235hp. Hardly surprising it struggled.

[bigfootford]

A Jefee, that good old diesel sure can grunt!

A clickeeee link for ya...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y9nfstvqf6hk4ab/up%20Fish%20Cr.%20Anza.m4v?dl=0

Jim

[Kayteg1]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
I did Sonora pass with my F450 pulling about 25,000 lb of equipement.
It was like 1st gear and pedal to the metal for 45 minutes with 7.3 Powerstroke.
I did wonder why I did not see other trucks there 😉
But the views, especially Topaz Lake are spectacular.

Kayteg... are you saying you put a foot impression in the firewall?

Did not check under floor mats, but could be 😄
California does offer great view areas, but it is also good tester for any car troubles.
I drove the highest elevation highway in Colorado and it was all 7% or less.

[jefe_4x4]

Have done Sonora Pass many times. With the '01 RAM HO-CTD, 4.10's, and a 6 speed manual trans, with the camper on, we were down to 2nd gear for one of those long switchbacks, the one that is actually 26 %. In 1st gear, low range 4WD, I've climbed what I think was about 40% grade, not quite half way to the perpendicular in a short 35 foot pitch on solid granite near the start of the Rubicon with the truck and camper pulling the jeep on car trailer, about 16.5K pounds worth, arriving on top at a fairly flat place for a good night's sleep. The good news is nothing broke. After unloading the jeep and doing the Rubi and putting it back on the car trailer, I had to back down the same grade turning the trailer when I got nearer the exit trail. Recently in the Anza Borrego Desert we pulled quite a few sand hills. Click this short m4v link to see the grade coming out of the Fish Creek drainage. Watch to the end to see the grade differential.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y9nfstvqf6hk4ab/up%20Fish%20Cr.%20Anza.m4v?dl=0
jefe

[SidecarFlip]

Kayteg1 wrote:
I did Sonora pass with my F450 pulling about 25,000 lb of equipement.
It was like 1st gear and pedal to the metal for 45 minutes with 7.3 Powerstroke.
I did wonder why I did not see other trucks there 😉
But the views, especially Topaz Lake are spectacular.

Kayteg... are you saying you put a foot impression in the firewall?

[Kayteg1]

I did Sonora pass with my F450 pulling about 25,000 lb of equipement.
It was like 1st gear and pedal to the metal for 45 minutes with 7.3 Powerstroke.
I did wonder why I did not see other trucks there 😉
But the views, especially Topaz Lake are spectacular.

[TenOC]

pfidahospud wrote:
I don’t know the percentage grade (wish I did), but getting to Pittsburg Landing (Idaho) in Hell’s Canyon is the steepest I’ve driven. But people with RVs and huge boats drive it every summer day.

IMO Pittsburg Landing is one of the "MUST DO" drives. It is in the same class with the Dugway in UT.

[bigfootford]

Ah Sonora pass... Our old F250 94 460 2wd 4:10 gears E4OD trans pulls pretty good with our 4100lb camper on the rear and towing either our Baja or Zuke 2,000. Going down I am very observant of the amount of braking I am doing. The Zuke does have brake assist which really helps.

Think the steepest for miles we have really climbed was coming out of Shelter Cove...There are some 20% stuff but for sure most is over 15%.

I do watch that tranny temp... I have not had to pull over and stop yet. Stock trans oil cooler n all.

Jim

[mountainkowboy]

rightlaneonly wrote:
No ones mentioned Sonora pass. 26 percent in places, I did with an Aliner but have seen Motor homes and TT's going over.

We went over it in the Moho...the 8.1 was working its arse off.

[RickW]

adamis wrote:

rightlaneonly wrote:
No ones mentioned Sonora pass. 26 percent in places, I did with an Aliner but have seen Motor homes and TT's going over.

Talk about irony... the wife and I are just talking about heading through this area on a quick extended weekend getaway. 26%!!! Good thing I won't have the trailer behind me.

Many of us have done it, but oh-boy!

If you are unsure, suggest you make a day trip in the car first. The other passes are less steep and safer.

I choose to use other routes.

[Desert_Captain]

Can't remember the name of the road but this one is just outside of Grass Valley/Nevada City in the gold country of northern California. Not a long grade but seriously steep, don't even think about it on anything but dry pavement. :S