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HELP!! Driving through Northen California


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Hi all, I am getting so many mixed story's whether to stay with a toy because of the hills out in NO California and Oregon.

Has anyone taken their Toy through these areas, mainly along the coastal.. but I still need to get through Sacramento to San Fran and then up the coastal through Oregon.

If you have taken your Toy through any of these areas with success or little to none... please respond and tell me of your experience with a toy. Im already going to forgo the 4 cyl as that just wouldnt be enough HP... according to those I have spoken with.... unless you have a few stories of your own regarding the 4 cyl.

Without this info, I can continue to call RV shops, junkyards, etc., etc., etc., but its loking like I may need to go with a larger 8 cyl engine... i hope somone can help me out with this

Thanks, Spiritandrobyne

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Spiritandrobyne,

I have driven my Sunrader 21' 4 cyl auto over the continental divide in Colorado several times and although it doesn't fly up the inclines it pulls strong at 12,000'. Be resigned to going 40-45 in 2nd gear on sustained grades and 25 in low on the steepest sections. These motors are stubborn and just keep going and 15 mpg is a nice trade off compared to the 8 mpg you would get with a v8. These Toys are not afraid of hills but if getting somewhere fast is a priority you won't be very happy even with a Toyota v6.

Seamus McShank

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Hey Spiritandrobyne,

I took my 21' 'Rader (The Beast) down from Seattle - Cut over to the coast at Eugene - and then down 101 all the way to San Diego (my home). It rained and snowed through WA and into Eugene - pretty typical of the PNW in March.

Some areas were taken at 35MPH, and others closer to 60. You're not going to go fast with a Toyota MH - But going through Oregon and NoCal, who wants to? I always had enough power to get going and keep going - and there are plenty of places to pull over and have lunch while the V8's scream along those slick winding roads. Besides, a lot of the hills and winding roads keep you down to 35 anyway - even if you have a V8 you aren't going to be able to go much faster, especially in a MH.

IMHO there is enough power in the 22R to travel along the Northern Coast - and through the Bay Area (It's usually backed up anyway so why burn the gas of a V8 while inching down that parking lot that we laughingly call a 'Freeway'?).

I take The Beast throughout San Diego County - Over to Idyllwild too - almost every weekend without any issues. Sure, I go slow on the hills... But I get there and back on a half tank of gas! And I'm self-contained...

I look at it this way when I'm on a trip: I've got nowhere that I HAVE to be, and I've got ALL DAYto get there!!!

Lance

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I have a thread in here somewhere from my trip to California from Eastern Washington. I went after my mother passed away just over a year ago.

I drove thru central Oregon, over Shasta and into the Bay Area. At high altitude my automatic transmissin lost o/d. I am told that is by design because of the altitude. I made it all the way over Shasta even in high winds, get a running start at the hills and do not let the lack of power bother you, you will find you can take most hils in 50-60 MPH range. Good MPG and no need to tow a vehicle and no hassles parking etc. I went during December and it was snowing like crazy and I never put on chains but carried them. On very very steep hills you might find it pulling lower speeds but it will make it thru the mountains. I have a 2wd 4 cyl 1987 Sunrader, my wife loves it.

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I have owned a 20' 1985 Toyota Motorhome with a four cylinder engine and automatic w/overdrive for just over ten years and it goes everywhere I want it to go. Don't let its slow speed in the mountains scare you off. By "slow" I mean 35 to 40 mph. You're still going a lot faster than the trucks grinding up the grade. I live in NW Montana and there are LOTS of steep, winding grades everywhere, but they don't present any real problems at all. Don't listen to people who tell you a Toyota won't handle the mountains. They don't know what they're talking about. Go for it, you'll be glad you did.

John

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Hi Robyne and Spirit,

The voices of knowledge have spoken here and they can be trusted! Yes, you will be able to get where you want to go even in the mountains with a Toyota motorhome. Those little engines are gold and they will get you there. :weight_lift: So far, we haven't come across anyone in these that have made to the top and are stuck there!!! We have some mountains here in Oklahoma and in Arkansas and Missouri and even if they aren't super steep like the western mountains, they can slow you down. We have made it up a few of them in our '84 Dolphin and we didn't turn a year older doing it and we didn't have too many drivers behind us wanting to run us off the road either! So, if you want a Toy MH, then go for it and enjoy it. You will get to wherever you're going just like the BIG rigs yes, you will. BTW, Spirit is a lovely dog! We have three dogs that travel with us in The Little Puppy and they love it. Let us all know what you get, okay?

Dianne

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hi,

you absolutely can make it where you need to go with a 6cyl toy rv. i just got back from a maiden voyage in mine. just bought it and took it out to 3 of colorados knarliest mountain passess... cottonwood, hoosier, and monarch pass. it went up like a champ with O/D on at about 40 miles per hour. dont expect anything faster. did great!!! i was so impressed. go for it and have fun

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I used to own a 87 Odyssey on a Nissan pickup chasis with a 2.4 engine. It wasn't fast going uphill but always got us there. We now have a 89 Winnebago Warrior on a Toyota chasis with a V6 and it's got a lot more power. The 4cyl was totally fine since we are never in a hurry to get anywhere knowing we have everything we need in the motorhome.

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Hello,

I have a 1990 Toyota Odyssey with a V6 and automatic. The Odyssey's are the

heaviest in the Toyota fleet, my is 6,000 pounds without passengers and cargo,

others weight more near 5,000 pounds.

On my Indiana to Grand Canyon trip I was able to maintain 50mph to 60mph on all

roads in CO except for one. I had stopped at a rest stop which was at the bottom of

a 10% grade. I basically started off from a dead stop and I could not get her over 30mph.

I did not feel too bad when I realized half way up that none of the cars behind me were

going any faster and they had their own lane to pass if they wanted.

On another trip to Yellowstone, on the way home I took a state route in WY, it was a

12% grade. I could not get her over 30mph, but she just chugged all the way up for me.

If I was 1,000 pounds lighter I probably could of hit 40mph.

Dennis...

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hello,

I have a 1990 Toyota Odyssey with a V6 and automatic. The Odyssey's are the

heaviest in the Toyota fleet, my is 6,000 pounds without passengers and cargo,

others weight more near 5,000 pounds.

On my Indiana to Grand Canyon trip I was able to maintain 50mph to 60mph on all

roads in CO except for one. I had stopped at a rest stop which was at the bottom of

a 10% grade. I basically started off from a dead stop and I could not get her over 30mph.

I did not feel too bad when I realized half way up that none of the cars behind me were

going any faster and they had their own lane to pass if they wanted.

On another trip to Yellowstone, on the way home I took a state route in WY, it was a

12% grade. I could not get her over 30mph, but she just chugged all the way up for me.

If I was 1,000 pounds lighter I probably could of hit 40mph.

Dennis...

We struggled over the Grapevine (Pyramid lake?) going to Los Angeles, like 15-20 mph, mind you it is a VERY long climb that runs for miles. I doubt going to Denver from LA on that very steep mountain ( can't recall the area) to 11,000 feet. would see us do any better. It's Dolphin, stick, 4cyl... I may have my mountain stats wrong but... Oh my older VW vanagon camper went 11mph up the Colorado mountain... my latest one did it at 45mph, it;s a stick too,,,

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have driven our 6,000# 4 banger towing a 1,000# trailer, from Kelowna BC to South Central Mexico. Mountain passes at 12,000 ft. steep steep hills 10,000 miles round trip, no problems. Gotta be careful going down hill more than up hill.

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Have driven our 6,000# 4 banger towing a 1,000# trailer, from Kelowna BC to South Central Mexico. Mountain passes at 12,000 ft. steep steep hills 10,000 miles round trip, no problems. Gotta be careful going down hill more than up hill.

Wise... and very true.

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