Mountain Driving with 53' trailer and tandem positioning

US 550 Molass and Red Mountain, there a places where your trailer better have wings if your axles won't move

 

Shoot, sometimes even veteran drivers don't know when they are wrong.

I've never run the Million Dollar Highway with anything bigger than my pickup and a 30 ft travel trailer. I don't believe I would even consider running a 53' from Silverton to Ouray.

I suppose you are now going to tell me you do it all the time. In fact, I think we've had this conversation before. All I'm saying is I don't believe I would do it.

 

I guess some preffer stayin on the road legal while some like walkin their trailer up the side of the hill

 

14a has 14 miles or so of 8%, 14 looks just as bad but I can't remember running it.

 

Big Don. A driver can make a mistake and never even know it. Example: Leave a strap on the deck drive off strap falls off and he doesn't even know he's short a strap.

 

Just so I'm not misunderstood.. i set tandems at legal weight / length using the shortest length requuired by a state on that run and stop to set where a specific road specifies.. example hwy 95 from I-84 north to 12 requires a permit and tandems set all the way forward for a 53 but it maybe the only stretch on that run that requires this. tandems are set back to legal weight / length once that stretch is finished

 

Always have your tandems up for switchbacks unless the load weight prevents you from doing so legally and then if so, choose a different road.

Just had this happen: Was explicitly told NOT to run Highway 62 from Bentonville, AR to Berryville, AR on a WalMart load because of the switchbacks. Instead, I drove 50 miles longer for a safer route.

Had a "trainer" once tell me that you can run your jake brakes on ice as he just KNEW it was safe.

 

Had a load from Cheyenne, WY headed to Grand Forks, ND a couple of summers ago and took Highway 85 into 14A/85 and then into Deadwood, SD for some sightseeing.

It was summertime and traffic was minimal but I would NOT want to do try that in wintertime!!!

 

Did that same trainer tell you that you can also do anything...........once..............