That poor truck needs a bath and some wax

 

Now if you find a 3500 to rebuild you could get a gooseneck trailer and haul 3 at a time!

 

It's definitely getting some love when we return.

I wanted a 2 car goose neck, but the pricing on them was out of my budget at the time. I picked up this 32' trailer for only $1700.

 

Oh, you need a Ram emblem for your grille Good lookin' rig you got!

 

The truck has had a 3 day vacation. Tomorrow it goes back to work. It's had a tough life the last 3 days.

 

Engine got a little hot going up a super long and steep incline on I77 in Virginia. The smell of coolant was coming through the vents along with a little steam. I can't find any leaks inside or outside of the truck, so we're just going with it. Coolant temps seem to be back to normal since that little bit of excitent. Looks like I'll change out the heater core as some preventive maintenance.

 

What part's of Virginia where you driving through?

 

We're heading north on 81 now. We took 40 in NC to 77, then to 81. 77 has some rediculously long and steep mountain roads. I think the incline was about 20 miles long. Truck seems to be fine now and I don't smell any more coolant. Maybe the pressure in the system built up and pushed coolant past those squeeze clamps for the heater core. Either way, the cooling system will get some attention (electric fans and cooler thermostat) along with the brakes (upgraded pads, lines, rear wheel cylinders and fluid). I'm also going to get an SCT tuner and do my own tune. Maybe I can sneak out some 10+ mpg. Right now we're getting 9 mpg towing 2 cars.

 

Yes 77 does have some crazy hills. I'd be willing to bet you drove through, um... crap, I think it's the "Weather Corridor" they have some weather equipment setup. Anyways... Very step and long, has some runaway ramps on the south bound lanes. It's not far from Exit 14, IIRC, for Galax/Hillsville Va.

That part of I77 is really bad for fog too.

Those area's are my old stomping grounds. That and Wytheville Va, which you drove past on I81.

Wish I was there.....

 

Coming through more hills and the coolant smell is back. Engine temp is still good.

I go through this way pretty often. That mountain picture is from my parents' driveway in Lake Lure, NC. We travel through this area quite often to go down there. This is the truck's first long distance drive and it's heaviest load yet (7500 lbs of cars plus the trailer weight) so its like a big test to see what can't handle the stress.