Tires and a couple trips across country.

[OKish]

Well, in the next month or so me and the girlfriend are going to pack up my 89 and head out to the san francisco bay area to visit my family and get my 24 foot race car trailer. i just need some advice from the more experienced folk here.



first i need to buy some new rear tires that work well in snow and that have a good load rating. secondly i need a good route out to the bay area so me and the GF can do a lil sight seeing and not be bored of I-80. and thirdly i need a good route back to avoid the mountains and snow as much as possible. i dont have an exhaust brake and im running new stock brakes and electric brakes on my trailer. the bed is going to be loaded with probably 1k and the trailer will be about 5k total. any advice? thanks guys. im litterally 10 miles away from tire rack so i can buy any tires they carry.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

On the route, if you want to avoid I-80, go to I-55 in CHI down to STL. I-44 to OKC (Several Toll Segments). At OKC, take John Kilpatrick Turnpike north around OKC (big time saver) to I-40. I-40 all the way to Barstow CA. Take CA 58 across to I-5 (a couple of smaller roads get you from Bakersfield to I-5). Then I-5 to SanFran. About 2,500 miles. You can also take CA 99 North out of Bakersfield all the way to Modesto/Stockton area. Just watch for all the tomatoes on the road!

Stop at the Big Texan in Amarillo.

You will go across desert Mountains at Grants, NM. Pass by Painted Desert, Petrified National Forest, Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon (North a few miles off I-40). Flagstaff is beautiful. Then you got AZ desert hills all the way to Barstow. Vegas is not too far north off I-40 either.

As far as tires, I make no recommendations. I run 17" BFG and 19. 5" Michelin XDE. For highway tread, I run Yokohama 19. 5" RY-023.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Well, I would vote for I-40 too. As for tires I like my Bridgestone REVO's (LT 265 75 R 16) load range "E". They are way better than the Michelin's I was running especially in the snow and rain. Just my 2 cents worth

 

[OKish]

hey thanks for the reply, can you elaborate on the chi town to stl and okc thing? haha, im assuming that chi is chicago, stl??? and okc is oaklahoma city. thanks!

 

[JHardwick]

Stop at the Big Texan in Amarillo.

That aint steak, it's a friggin pot roast or something

 

[OKish]

so, same route back too? it will be my first time towing in the winter with my trailer. luckly its got brakes on both axles. i dont think i will need an exhaust brake but i want to avoid mountains.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Without an e-brake and unknown weather at this time of the year I would...

 

[OKish]

alrighty then, thanks guys. i called up tire rack and they told me that i should get these tires since they are a decent price, rated good, and i can go by their place to get em installed. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=8

 

[OKish]

oh and you guys gonna help me with them city codes? i have no clue on em.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

CHI - Chicago STL - St. Louis OKC - Oklahoma City

Sorry.

Chickendale - that's the town where I work.

 

[OKish]

Well, on friday me and ash are leaving for this adventure. i was thinking of doing the route 66 thing. any comments on that?

 

[Jumbo Jet]

There are lot's of interesting things on Route 66. I-44 and I-40 cover some of the old highway. You'll see plenty of signs for Route 66 exiting off. Route 66 is State maintained now and the signage has changed from the familiar US shield to the individual States shields. In Oklahoma, it is designated O66.



Have fun.



I had lot's of time on one of my vacations and I traveled US 64 across instead of the Interstates. Was a fascinating trip to say the least.