Search the Community

Hello all, I have not posted here for a few years but am doing so given the fact that I know many of you possess the knowledge pertaining to my specific situational anxieties. I am going to be driving my 1981 22r 20ft 4-speed (L45) with 15X,XXX (odo stopped working years ago) Odyessy on not enough leaves but Rite-ride Airbags no compressor, upgraded 4-runner master cylinder, factory (too small) calipers/rotors, from Long Beach to Humboldt where my friend has some land. My rv runs greats, I've had her for almost 10 years and she got me through University up in Santa Cruz. I have driven her up to Santa Cruz probably 25 times up and back from Long Beach and never had a failure besides a mechanic not reattaching my brake line (I rather do my own work if possible) and losing hydraulic brake pressure. This being said....... I know all the different passes, ranges etc, that are necessary to traverse to get to SC or back. I once, in hopes of an initial attempt to get to true Norcal had to traverse Mt. Tamalpais because PCH was closed due to a landslide. Upon the descent of about 25 hairpins and extreme engine braking, I noticed and significant loss of brake power and the smell of burning gear oil. Turns out my rear drums got so hot they melted my axle seal (outer if I remember correctly) and the secondary seal also failed resulting in my brake shoes being coated in oil and the drums not functioning. Year and years later, about a year ago, I noticed they failed once more, where I was parked and it looked as if the seals burst with force (maybe I should check the breather on the axle housing for blockage). So after this, I have only driven a few 40-mile trips at a time up and down the SoCal coast. ...Anyway this was to try to elaborate my anxiety and concern for this trip. My friend who lives up in Humboldt and has a bunch of old 22re 4x4s and a few chinooks, advised me to take the 5 the whole way from Santa Cruz. I like this idea but we are in an extreme heat wave here where inland towns that the 5 passes through are hitting 115 and are 93 degrees at 3 am. Maybe this was more of an anxiety vent but any advice from those who have climbing/descending, mountain pass or experience traveling this route would be greatly appreciated. Thank you friends, -Zach

Well, we just got back from a 15 day trek from sandy, oregon to Alexandria, Minnesota. The path out was through yellowstone, the northern route on the return trip. Average mpg was 14.25 all totaled, with some tanks as much as 20 and the worst at 10. I have only owned this unit for a month, and tried to do everything possible to get it ready, and it worked like a champ. The only issues that cropped up were an inability to stay in overdrive at 55mph in a headwind, and this crying noise it makes when hot and not under load. I think there is a water pump in my future, though it held temp very well, even over the numerous mountain passes. I would say the worst part is getting passed by trucks and big class a's going twenty mph faster than me. It feels like I am going to get pushed off the road!