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View Full Version : Mountain Passes



Donziweasel
07-19-2007, 05:43 PM
If you travel, eventually you will go over a mountain pass, whether it is in West Virgina, upstate New York, the Cascades, Sierras, Smokies, or Rockies. Here is how my conversations go with people who have driven here to visit.

Freind "Man, Teton Pass was beautiful, but you know, ever since I came over the pass, my brake shimmy"
Me "Well, you did gear down, didn't you?"
Freind "No, I rode my brakes and they also smell"
Me "I hope you have a few hundred dollars to turn your rotors, becuase you just warped them"
Freind "I don"t really care, just show me the best bar with the hottest cowgirls"
Me "I wouldn't know as I am married and not a cowboy!"

People, I have seen brakes on fire, smoking, failures etc.... Our pass in 3 miles up and three miles down, 2100 verticle feet and 10% grades from top to bottom. It amazes me that people don't know to gear down and use light braking to go over passes, especially towing. If the brakes get hot and smoke, you have probably warped the rotors. You can have them turned (lathed) once in they are in good condition, but they will be even more sensitive to heat after this. Rotors are expensive, up to $400.00. Worse case scenario is total brake failure or brakes catching fire and blowing your tires. Drop the little needle from D to 2 on you drive and your cars brakes will love you. Just make sure you don't over tach the engine. I have 46000 miles on my F-350 and go over Teton Pass weekly, usually towing. I have my original pads and rotors. Flushed my transmission at 36000 and couldn't find a filing or metal anywhere.

"God I love the smell of burning brakes in the morning, it smell like....tourists":):bonk:

Carl C
07-19-2007, 06:09 PM
Some folks don't have a clue how brakes work and that they turn energy into heat. Sounds like a good place to open a brake shop.:convertib:

Donziweasel
07-19-2007, 06:14 PM
Carl, sounds like you need to open "Carls Brakes" here in Jackson! I think you would make a killing:wink: You would have weekends off and could go to Jackson Lake with us.:bonk::bonk::bonk: Plus, it would be nice to have another Classic in Wyoming. Ever make the run to the bridge through the passage you were talking about?

Carl C
07-19-2007, 07:02 PM
Carl's Brakes; I like it! Didn't make that run to the bridge. I'm on Lake Huron more often and am slowly getting to know it's western shoreline. I'm now very familiar with about a 60 mile stretch. From Tawas Bay to Alpena. I'm still a little scared to wander too far from my second home port of Oscoda. This water can change in a hurry! I had a nice date on the boat this week and she said she wants to do Mackinac Island for lunch and drive under the bridge. The approach looks like it could be just as harry from the other side though looking at the charts. I gotta go slow and safe with this Great Lakes thing.:yes: