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First trip in HDT


dan412

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Our first trip is to Winthrop WA came over North Cascades Hwy Pulling 14000 Lbs of fifth wheel I have never felt so good and safe going up and down steep grades as I did yesterday. No white knuckles or little beads of sweat on my forehead.

2011 Volvo D13 485/1750  Eaton 13 Speed

2016 Montana 3820FK

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Welcome to the club Dan. It just gets better and better. It will take a while to get the smile off your face.

 

Brad

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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Welcome.

 

I still can remember on one of the RVs forums, people were "talking" about the worse mountain passes they had gone over. Several said Monarch Pass in Colorado was the worst. We were going over it to a workamping job near Gunnison. So I was a little nervous.

 

After going over it I thought, "Okay so what is the big deal?" Came our motto. "We fear no mountains."

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Congrats. You will like it more every time you use it. We pulled our fully loaded 18000 lb fifth wheel from NW Washington to the Tri Cities this weekend. We were stuck in horrible traffic on I90 creeping 4-5 mph. I have a manual in my truck so still have to shift. With that said even the big truck got a little warm idling along at slow speeds. We had contemplated bringing the dually since it would have been a little easier as a run around vehicle. Sure glad I didn't. At that speed torque converter would have never locked up and the dually would have struggled no doubt. Once we got moving all the guys with their big trailers and little trucks made a run for it. We just set the cruise at 65. Next hill we came to we stayed 65, they, not so much. We just idled past them like they were stopped. We lost a lot of time at the rest area where the girls needed a break and the small truck drivers had to come over to see the big blue beast that kept blowing by them on the hill. The HDT is always a topic of of conversation no doubt.

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Congrats. You will like it more every time you use it. We pulled our fully loaded 18000 lb fifth wheel from NW Washington to the Tri Cities this weekend. We were stuck in horrible traffic on I90 creeping 4-5 mph. I have a manual in my truck so still have to shift. With that said even the big truck got a little warm idling along at slow speeds. We had contemplated bringing the dually since it would have been a little easier as a run around vehicle. Sure glad I didn't. At that speed torque converter would have never locked up and the dually would have struggled no doubt. Once we got moving all the guys with their big trailers and little trucks made a run for it. We just set the cruise at 65. Next hill we came to we stayed 65, they, not so much. We just idled past them like they were stopped. We lost a lot of time at the rest area where the girls needed a break and the small truck drivers had to come over to see the big blue beast that kept blowing by them on the hill. The HDT is always a topic of of conversation no doubt.

That's priceless. lol. Been on both ends of that.

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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  • 2 weeks later...

We just got back from our first trip extremely happy with HDT. My wife was a little skeptical at first about getting the truck but now she loves it. looking forward to the HDT rally in Kansas.

2011 Volvo D13 485/1750  Eaton 13 Speed

2016 Montana 3820FK

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Yup, as I have heard it said here, "too much truck, maybe.....too much trailer, never again". You will have a great time doing tweeks and custom stuff to you truck over the years. Seems like it never ends.

 

Oh, and you will get used to the helpers in campgrounds that don't think you can get in your spot without them. And the crowds and cameras that come out when you pull in.....you will get used to it as well.

 

Safe travels

 

 

2009 Volvo 780 D16 535hp 1850 ft-lbs I shift 3.36

Thermo King Tripac APU

DIY Bed and Frame Extension

ET Hitch, Stellar EC2000, EcoGen 6K

2002 F350 CC Dually w/ Lance 1181

2012 Mini Cooper S

2007 Teton Royal Freedom

 

" The only place you will find success before work is the dictionary "

Truck 100K.jpg

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