Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

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Amskeptic
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Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:50 pm

Today, I had such a steep climb that even 1st gear almost didn't do it for me. Sweating bullets with that 26% grade on Route 108 and no way of backing down out of other drivers' ways. Dumbass here stopped to take a pretty picture . . . the slope is much worse than it looks:

Image

. . . in a steep turnout and could not for the life of me get going again, the 9,000 foot elevation, rich mixture, weak engine, pissed-off clutch, hairpin turn that I did not dare back out into. . . finally had to:
*lean out mixtures
*pull off vacuum retard
*advance the timing to 25* at idle
*apologize to clutch
*do a 12 point turn to get car sideways in turnout
*slip the clutch and block the entire road as I barely got it to get back on the uphill
*maintain 1st gear for the 9,000 to 9,600 climb on the Sonora Summit
(close-up):
Image

(actual)
Image


Now DjEep was mentioning three hours in 2nd gear, well, my bus is empathetic with that because today above 7,000 feet or so, it became the gutless wonder. Floored in 2nd and praying that nobody would blast a hairpin curve and make me have to lift off, because if I slowed down, that would have been the end of anyone behind me getting home before noon tomorrow.

Finally, the downhill allowed me to stop and take pictures with a chance of getting going again:
Image

But, the film clip I shot distracted me from taking care of my brakes. This is a photograph of the beginning of the downhill:
Image

By the time I pulled off again, the brakes were fading like crazy and smelled like burning paint, hey! it was burning paint! right off the left rear drum! and the ebrake/rear shoe adjustment I did YESTERDAY is all gone!
A loyal rattled bus cooling off its brakes:
Image

I am outside of Carson City stocking up on water for my trip through Death Valley tomorrow.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Ritter
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Post by Ritter » Fri Jul 17, 2009 8:23 am

Sonora Pass is one cool area. That view out on Nevada is spectacular. Taking 395 south? It's awe inspiring.
1978 Westfalia 2.0 FI

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bretski
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Post by bretski » Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:51 am

That's a gorgeous drive...I've never had the stones to try it in the bus. Tioga pass is much more bus-friendly.
1978 Deluxe Westfalia - "Klaus"

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Birdibus
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Post by Birdibus » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:35 am

ooooooh! cool. route 108. that's a skinny little line on the map I've never driven, though I've done a number of the cross-Sierra roads. I've been as far as Twain Harte on 108. I looked at a log cabin and potter's studio that was for sale. It's nice to see some photos further up the road.
71 bus, 74 westy

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Sluggo
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Post by Sluggo » Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:07 pm

Inspiring! We'll be taking 395 from Susanville to Yosemite on our road trip. Looking forward to seeing some of this awesome beauty first hand!
:vwgauge420:

1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
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Ryno
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Post by Ryno » Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:36 pm

man....that's a blue sky there.
Ryan

1985 Westfalia

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whc03grady
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by whc03grady » Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:25 pm

Amskeptic wrote:Sweating bullets with that 26% grade on Route 108 and no way of backing down out of other drivers' ways.
26%! That's over a foot up for every four feet forward.

Good lord.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:49 pm

whc03grady wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:Sweating bullets with that 26% grade on Route 108 and no way of backing down out of other drivers' ways.
26%! That's over a foot up for every four feet forward.

Good lord.
A level road is a 0% grade, a 45 degree hill is a 100% grade. If your elevation changes 1000 feet over a distance of 4000 feet, you would divide 1000 by 4000 and get .25, which would equal a 25% grade. So I was climbing something like a 14* hill. The '73 bus is rated to attack a 16* hill . . . with the correct 5.37 rear axle. Mine is a 4.82 which dogs me down. Close call there.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Manfred
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Manfred » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:38 am

Amskeptic wrote: A level road is a 0% grade, a 45 degree hill is a 100% grade. If your elevation changes 1000 feet over a distance of 4000 feet, you would divide 1000 by 4000 and get .25, which would equal a 25% grade. So I was climbing something like a 14* hill. The '73 bus is rated to attack a 16* hill . . . with the correct 5.37 rear axle. Mine is a 4.82 which dogs me down. Close call there.
Colin

I'd like to see how my 1st gear would handle it. I don't know what my rear axle is, but she feels like she could pulls stumps out of the ground in 1st.

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Post by glasseye » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:41 am

Steepest grade I've ever seen is about 15% on a logging road near home. 26% just boggles the mind. Them VWs are a force to be reckoned with.

Wait!.... I can hear.... I think... Yes, YES1 It's Scarlatti! Ah. Sweet piano music wafting across the desert from Pahrump to Moab. :cheers:
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by twinfalls » Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:39 am

Steepest grade I had with my bus hauling a boat trailer was leaving Duluth to Canada.

Down to fisrt gear and then, not sure it was going to keep going up.
1974 stock US Westy 1800cc PDSIT 34 2-3.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Mar 25, 2011 3:12 pm

twinfalls wrote:Steepest grade I had with my bus hauling a boat trailer was leaving Duluth to Canada.

Down to fisrt gear and then, not sure it was going to keep going up.
If you drop below 3,000 rpm while floored in 1st, start looking for an escape, terminal stall can come up quick.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Sylvester » Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:52 pm

E gads I thought Colin was currently in Nevada and the Road Warrior was a ghost!
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Sluggo
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Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings From Nevada

Post by Sluggo » Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:20 pm

Damn! I've yet to try a road that steep. Although I cam close along the norCal coast. Nothing that long though. Glad to hear a Bus with proper guidance can conquer such obstacles.
:vwgauge420:

1977 Bus with Sunroof - "Lucky '77"
2000cc Type IV w/Dual Weber 36s,
Aircooled.net SVDA w/Compufire,
Redline Weber Fuel Pump,
Holley Regulator,
Half Ass Brush & Roller Rustoleum Paint Job,
Incomplete Custom Interior,
Dual Batteries,
Crunched Slider Door.
------------------------------------------------------

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