Easiest tow route to Harlan?

untchabl said:
@77GreenMachine I'm planning to skip the turn at Duffield and take 58-Alt to avoid the hill.

@1-tonmudder I'm going to give your route a shot. We always turn left at Duffield in the past but I want to avoid the hill there so I'll report back after I go your way and see how I like it.
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And????
 
1-tonmudder said:
And????
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And we went up this past weekend. We ended up turning left at Duffield because we were on a time crunch to get to the campground before 5 and GPS said 58-Alt was longer. Truck pulled the hill ok, actually got caught behind an old 80's Class C RV going up the hill and that old thing was struggling, think he crested the hill around 25mph.

My truck got 6 MPG on the way up and 7 MPG on the return trip going the same way. Pulled Fancy Gap at 55-60 MPH. Only trouble we had on the whole trip was a blowout on the camper on I-40 coming back thru Greensboro right by Camping World. Swapped on a spare on the shoulder of 40 and was back on the road.
 
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untchabl said:
And we went up this past weekend. We ended up turning left at Duffield because we were on a time crunch to get to the campground before 5 and GPS said 58-Alt was longer. Truck pulled the hill ok, actually got caught behind an old 80's Class C RV going up the hill and that old thing was struggling, think he crested the hill around 25mph.

My truck got 6 MPG on the way up and 7 MPG on the return trip going the same way. Pulled Fancy Gap at 55-60 MPH. Only trouble we had on the whole trip was a blowout on the camper on I-40 coming back thru Greensboro right by Camping World. Swapped on a spare on the shoulder of 40 and was back on the road.
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Remind me again what you’re towing and what your towing with?

Sucks you got behind someone else on that hill. For me once I drop below 45 and loose my momentum in done for, but if I can keep it around 55 it will pull great in 3rd.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Remind me again what you’re towing and what your towing with?

Sucks you got behind someone else on that hill. For me once I drop below 45 and loose my momentum in done for, but if I can keep it around 55 it will pull great in 3rd.
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2016 GMC 3500 with the 6.0/6L90 and the camper is a 2000 Wilderness 31-ft 5th wheel.

When we hit that hill we were barely going 45 due to the traffic in front of us. I would like to have been running 60 when we got to the hill.

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I’d say if you coulda hit that hill at 60 and kept the RPMs up you’d have done great.

Don’t be afraid to turn that 6.0 up, they make great torque up above 3500. When I had the bright idea to get fuel at the bottom of fancy gap went up that whole climb at 60 in 2nd at almost 5,000rpms!
 
77GreenMachine said:
View attachment 294000 I’d say if you coulda hit that hill at 60 and kept the RPMs up you’d have done great.

Don’t be afraid to turn that 6.0 up, they make great torque up above 3500. When I had the bright idea to get fuel at the bottom of fancy gap went up that whole climb at 60 in 2nd at almost 5,000rpms!
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Let her eat!
 
jeepinmatt said:
Let her eat!
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She was eatin for sure! Last couple times I’ve been up they there I was loaded even heavier and done it in 3rd at 60mph. It’s a big difference actually hitting it with some speed and just putting in in 3rd before I ever start the climb. I won’t stop at that exit ever again with a load if I can help it, but it actually pulled it just fine, I could have been a little easier on it but that’s no fun!
 
@CasterTroy the CEL is gone now. I know how to fix the ABS lights but it’s $50 and you know me...
 
untchabl said:
@77GreenMachine Fancy Gap was no trouble. Wasn't pushing it hard at all to hold 55-60.

Next time I'll try 58-Alt. The hill at Duffield is definitely the worst on the trip. But the truck never got above normal temp.
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Yeah fancy gap is an easy pull. The one in Duffield was a little rough. My truck would get a little above normal temp but then go down almost immediately after I crest the top. I didn’t mind going up as much as I did going down! That was like being on a rocket ship!

There is a pull going to Potts Mountain that’s a little rough. It sneaks up and gets gradually steeper, but it’s so curvy you can’t keep any speed so it’s a bit of a struggle for me.
 
okay soooooo what was decided? I'm confused as f***k. Guess it all depends on what you are working with(as with all things) for a tow pig.
I'm on a 93F250...5.8,5speed, 411 gears pulling 18 foot steel deck tag along,3 thousand pound willys, and roughly 1200 pounds of fat ass and spare parts.
Trying to limit steep hill climbs as much as possible and not worried about going more distance or more time to do it to do it. Staying at the Putney end.
77GreenMachine, which way did you decide to go? We have similar trucks to pull with.
 
I go 77/81/26N, I don’t mind the hill climb on 58 coming out of Duffield. Then 421 from there.
I feel that’s the best route, and with an adequate truck and a normal load (5-7k) it’s nothing to worry about. I enjoy climbing the hills and just being impressed by my old truck and watching it work.

My truck has about 11 years on you though being an 04’. Not sure how much difference in HP and torque we have, but yours should pull that no problem.
 
ord.sgt.26NC said:
You got me by 100 horses and 50 foot pounds of torque. That is substantial.
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Yeah that’s quite a bit. I think you can do it, it just won’t be fast. If it’s worth it to you, you can rent an F250/350 from Enterprise for $400 for a week. But you may fall in love and want to buy one!
 
77GreenMachine said:
Yeah that’s quite a bit. I think you can do it, it just won’t be fast. If it’s worth it to you, you can rent an F250/350 from Enterprise for $400 for a week. But you may fall in love and want to buy one!
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rather spend that money on hookers and vodka/oj
 
My personal opinion (I live right outside of Bristol. I go to Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City often)

The way I go is 81 to the first Tennessee exit (79 maybe? It has the Basspro/Pinnacle) and take 11w to kingsport. More lights and stuff but less chance of an accident. 26 is terrible and notorious for wrecks and reject drivers.

I get off 11w and hit 23 and take it up to Diffield, then hit 421 and hit the steep hill in Lee county/Pennington Gap.

You CAN go straight through Duffield (don't turn at McDonalds/gas station) and head up to Big Stone Gap and take 58 over and bypass the big grade coming up by the lookout, but it's a bit out of the way (around your elbow to reach your ass).

If your truck doesn't like a load or you don't want to go 30 up a good climb, I'd go that route.

However, a 2014 Tundra 5.7 with a good load pulls it fine.

Either way, you'll come to 58/421 in Pennington Gap at the red light by Food City. Get beer/groceries here or the gas station up the road where you turn right. Best prices and Harlan is a dry county. That's pretty much the last stop before you go up then down the mountain into Harlan.


TLDR: 26 sucks (think Asheville inter-fucktion and wrecks daily). I take 11w from 81 to Duffield, hang a left and hit 421. Go to Pennington Gap and get beer/food/charcoal/beer etc at Food City and roll towards Harlan.

Up to Big Stone Gap is less hilly but longer (30 mins to hour).

Also, if anyone is up to stop at the Pinnacle, I can hook you up food wise.
 
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