high mileage and towing

[Jeep or Tacoma]

I am heading out from san diego to MEDICINO next saturday, my jeep is an 08 4dr rubicon auto with 315 70 17 and 140,000 on it it just got a new radiator @ 133,000 new plugs at 120,000 a new tranny at 90,000. It does use some oil but no more than many others have heard about. the trailer is right at 3500lbs so it is at the limit should I be worried. The jeep does need a new catalytic converter but it is 1200 bucks and I would rather go campminh with my wife. Should i be worried? any of you with high mileage tow that far 650 miles.? any thing i should know about?

If it was just me then i wouldn't worry but with the wife and my 2 dogs the jeep will be loaded. Your thoughts?

 

[calicamper]

101 go slow. Only climb is coming up out of Santa Barbara. Stop at the FireStone brewery skip their budlight beer have their real micro brew stuff!

128 from 101 is one of the top CA roads to drive in a sports car, no steep climbs but great banked tight turns. Not a fast road. Mendocino will be heavy fog anf chilly this time of yr. I've spent lots if time there. Proposed to my wife there.

Go slow enjoy the trip.

 

[kojackJKU]

I tow with my JKU with 195,000 on the clock. don't push it and it will love you back. Make sure your fluids are clean.

 

[Fursphere]

101 all the way up will be slow from San Diego. And traffic could be miserable going through the bay area / San Francisco area (might be great too... never know in that area). If you've got nowhere else to be, drive it all the way up and enjoy the ride.

If you need to move a bit more quickly, take highway 5 all the up, then cut over to the coast. Scenery isn't great, but its the fastest way to cross California. (I just did the trip from Sacramento to Fort Bragg two weeks ago driving a 35' Class A motor home, highway 5 north to Williams, then West on Highway 20 all the way to the coast. That's a windy road from Wilits to the Coast!)

If you take 101 all the way up, you're going to have to cut over to the coast either in Wiliis on highway 20 (super windy!), or on 128 at Cloverdale (I've never driven that stretch). (Unless you want to cut over to the coast earlier and hit highway 1 - awesome coastal views, slow going windy roads)

 

[Dr. Marneaus]

140,000 miles really isn't that much. Drive like an intelligent individual and Im sure it'll be fine

 

[SDDiver5]

haha. 140k is cake.

Little bro has an XJ with 270k on the orig engine and he just towed a small U haul packed with his stuff from CO back home to CA.

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

yep you guys were right!

towed that tent trailer 3500 lbs 2123 miles went pretty slow over grades and such but that little jeeps is a wonder.

 

[Comanche Scott]

towed that tent trailer 3500 lbs 2123 miles went pretty slow over grades and such but that little jeeps is a wonder.

That's awesome! :victory:
Hope you'll have a chance to share pictures. Always inspiring to see what others are doing. :beer:

 

[lumpskie]

Good to hear! Post some pictures! (I guess I could just second Comanche Scott)

 

[Heading Out]

101 go slow. Only climb is coming up out of Santa Barbara. Stop at the FireStone brewery skip their budlight beer have their real micro brew stuff!

128 from 101 is one of the top CA roads to drive in a sports car, no steep climbs but great banked tight turns. Not a fast road. Mendocino will be heavy fog anf chilly this time of yr. I've spent lots if time there. Proposed to my wife there.

Go slow enjoy the trip.

There is another climb on the 101 just north of San Luis Obispo, the Questa grade, about 6% and longer then the Nojoqui grade north of SB.

 

[Air the Flatlander]

Do yourself and invest in a good electric brake controller, like the prodigy p2 or 3. 3500 is a decent amount of weight. It's nice to take the braking off the jeep a bit

 

[vtsoundman]

Make sure you're running heavy weight 140w? gear oil in the rear end...it will keep the temps down. I tow from NorCal to Oregon up the various routes all the time fully loaded and towing heavy...you'll be fine. Just roll slow. Make sure you have a tranny cooler with synth fluids...it matters. I have a 6sp with 4.10 and 285/70...with your setup, you'll do well with CA 55mph towing law. I have 105k on the clock...

via pyramid energy waves.