Best Route

[phipp]

I know this question as been asked and discussed in great detail, so if someone knows where to find it please post a link.

I am towing from Chicago to Walt Disney World this year and I want to know what a good route to take to WDW. I have never towed through the mountains before only small hills from Chicago to Lincoln NE. What is the best route to go. I know that there is going to be some kind of a pucker factor going on, but want to keep it at a low number.

My setup is 185RB, F-150 V8 4x4 146in Wheelbase SCAB, WDH with friction sway control. It will just be the wife and I so we don't have any passengers or weight they bring along, or anything in the bed of the truck.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Scott]

Hello from your neighbor to the north!

I'd run down I-65 to Nashville, then I-24 to Chattanooga, then I-75 to WDW. I would avoid I-40 west out of Nashville as I personally think it is a harder mountain crossing than I-24.

There are a few hills with one long 4-6% grade going over Monteagle Mountain about 40 miles northwest of Chattanooga on I-24 and a bunch of sharp 45 mph curves through "Ridge Cut" in town as you follow the river. With your combo you should be fine. Just remember to downshift when doing down the hills rather than breaking. Don't want to burn up your breaks.

Also be careful around Atlanta. Makes Chicago traffic look easy. Make sure you don't hit it during rush hour. Better to wait it out. The rest is fine.

I've made the run from Chicago to Atlanta with a 80,000 lbs semi many times. Be smart, follow the speed limits, don't ride your breaks, and you'll be fine.

We are heading to Chattanooga this June for a vacation. It's a cool town if you need a stop over. Lots to see.

Have a great trip!

[Scott 101]

No significant mountains on the route suggested by Scott. A few hills around Chattanooga. I agree, Atlanta can be a nightmare, especially on the beltway. I used to just drive straight through on I-75 and it seemed faster that the beltway.

No easy way to get around Altlanta unless you stay on I-65 and and cut down through B'han, Troy, Dothan, Bainbridge and Thomasville, all good 4-lane highway. Take US 19 at Thomasville, GA and take US 19/Alt 27 to Ocala and I-75. You pass through a few small towns, but all good 4-lane. We usually go the opposite direction when we head out west.

Destination Fort Wilderness?

[phipp]

Yes we did go to Fort Wilderness. We drove I65 to I24 then I75 right to Disney. All and all it was not too bad. Atlanta you can keep it. When we came to a dead stop on the beltway my wife and I rolled down the windows and just let out a big sigh of releif that we finally stop at lease for a moment.

Funny story, when we started over the crest of the mountain the truck started to downshift and locked itself in 2nd gear. The engine was turning at about 4000 rpm and would not go any faster then 25 - 30 mph down the mountain. I turned to my wife and said, great now that is all we need is transmission trouble. Well when we got to the bottom the truck started to up shift I had totally forgot about having the truck in tow/haul mode.

What a fun time we had. We take away some wonderful memories.