Bullnose Enthusiasts Forum

Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Classic

List

Threaded

185 messages Options

12345 ... 10

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

Let's see, w/o all the offroad traffic they'd dry up and blow away?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Nothing Special

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

There'd still be a few people for the nearby national parks, as well as all of us who drive actual street-legal vehicles, so I don't think they'd blow away. But ATVs do bring them a LOT of tourist dollars.

Bob
Sorry, no '80 - '86 Ford trucks
"Oswald": 1997 F-250HD crew cab short box, 460, E4OD, 4.10 gears
"Pluto": 1971 Bronco, 302, NV3550 5 speed, Atlas 4.3:1 transfer case, 33" tires
"the motorhome": 2015 E-450-based 28' class C motorhome, 6.8L V-10
"the Dodge": 2007 Dodge 2500, 6.7L Cummins

reamer

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

In reply to this post by Nothing Special

Take the tires off the trailer?.....

1986 F-150 Flareside 4x4, 351, 4-v, ZF5 speed. AC, Cruise, Tilt, Slider, Digital clock, Radio, Lariat seat, Pwr doors/locks

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

We could do that, Dane, and put them in the back of Big Blue. Plus, if he has locking lug nuts we could put them on and it wouldn't be easy to put other tires and wheels on.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

swampedout

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Gary, I think you nailed it as far as certain towns in CO wanting to be upscale vs others not caring about it.
My understanding is an atv is a 4 wheeler you sit on like a dirt bike, UTV has car seats, side by side. Im sure its not cut and dry but thats what it is in my mind. You should have a lot more leeway in a UTV but Im sure it depends mainly on if the trooper or sherriff is having a good day.

It seems like the trailer question is kind of difficult. Depending on how long youre out there, you could probably find a storage lot to drop it in. That way, in addition to whatever precautions you take, it will have a fence around it. Theres also apps where you rent space on someones property, never used them though.

I hope you are thinking of how to document this trip, Im sure Im not the only one that wants to see Big Blue in action.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

swampedout

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Im also a big fan of wrapping chains through the wheel spokes and around the axles and locking it. Angle grinders attract a lot of attention.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

Sam - I'm certainly going to document it. I hope to do something like Bob has done on his trips.

As for the trailer and the OHV, turns out it won't be a problem. My brother has decided that it is just too much hassle. We'll just take Big Blue and see where we can go with him. We will start with the easier stuff and progress up to whatever we feel like we can do.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

swampedout

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

That eliminates a lot of planning.

Gary, I was driving the Bull today and I was thinking about something you mentioned when I first got it. Because I haul water on a really bumpy road, theres a couple stretches where I have to take it slow and almost idle through a couple areas. You mentioned low oil pressure under those conditions. And also high temps when driving slow for long stretches in the summer. Curious what your thoughts are on that now, especially since you'll be in similar conditions on your trip. When I'm on dirt, I'm in 1st gear 4x4. Seems to be better but my tach is in-op at the moment so Im not sure what my rpms are at. Also curious what oil weight you run in summer.

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

I was in 1st gear, which is quite low on a ZF5, as well as 4Lo once today, and just 4Hi and 1st several times. My oil pressure stays up quite nicely on Big Blue at really low RPM even when the engine has been up to temp for several hours. In fact, at anything over 1000 RPM it is at 60 PSI. But that's due to the engine having been well built by Scotty.

As for oil, I'm running Brad Penn 30W break-in oil at present. Bought 12 quarts and used it for the initial break-in and now on the 2nd change I'm also using that oil. Will probably go to Brad Penn's 10W30 when I change after this round.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

swampedout

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Thats right, I forgot you have the zf5. Im assuming 1st is much lower than the C6.
Big Blue is gonna be a beast in the mountains. Whats your extra fuel storage going to be?

Sam
1984 F250. 460. C6. 4x4.
MSD Ignition. Airbag rear suspension
Whole buncha problems

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

LOL! Yes, first on a ZF5 is much lower than that of a C6. 5.72 vs 2.46, so more than 2:1.

Extra fuel? I have two 19 gallon tanks. And I'm turning in about 9 MPG on the GOAT, so I think I'll be ok w/o extra fuel as that would give me a 342 mile range. Might not get the full 9 at Ouray, but then again these trails have had me running from 1st to 3rd all day.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Nothing Special

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

That'll be plenty. I think the tank in my CJ5 was about 15 gallons. The only time that was ever an issue was one long day when I realized I also had a fuel leak. And that Jeep only got about 11 mpg on the highway, so Big Blue shouldn't have any issues with range, at least on one or two day trips.

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

Thanks, Bob. That was my thinking as well, but I've not done it and you have.

However, we only got 160 miles yesterday & today on one of the 19 gallon tanks, so that's only 8.4 MPG. And that does include a bit of highway driving. So when going slow it looks like the MPG may be more like 8 rather than 9. Still, that's 300 miles for the two tanks so I think it should be adequate for Colorado since we can fill up each day.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Nothing Special

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Mileage when just on trails will likely drop even farther. I wouldn't be too shocked to see 5 or something. That "only" 190 miles. But 190 miles of trail riding would be a REALLY long day!

If you're talking Moab I think you'll still have plenty of gas in your first tank at the end of most days. Ouray might start pushing the first tank, but you still probably won't NEED the second (but you'll be glad you have it!). Farther north in Colorado the trails are longer with more highway in between. Up there is where I needed to fill the 15 gallon (leaking) tank in my CJ5. But you're driving through towns on the highway stretches, so even that doesn't push typical fuel limits.

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

I doubt we are talking anything approaching 100 miles in a day, much less 200.

But when (if) we go overlanding then I think I'll need to be carrying extra gas. But we shall see.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Nothing Special

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Yeah, multi-day trips will require more planning. But by then you'll also have some experience with how much fuel Big Blue actually uses in those situations so you'll have real data to base those plans on.

Personally I haven't done much of that, and what I have done hasn't been at all remote. I've done three week-long camping/'wheeling trips in Colorado. But in all of those trips we ended up on the highway every day, traveling to the next trail. So it was always easy to refuel as often as necessary.

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

I'm sure hoping I can get my son to go with me overlanding, and I keep seeing glimmers of hope. For instance, for my birthday he got me a Petzl Actik headlight, which I'm sure he found via some of the magazines he reads on overlanding. It has a red light mode which he said "Is good for in camp as it won't hurt your night vision, and while you may not go camping on the Ouray trip, maybe in the future."

So I do hope to need multi-day capabilities on fuel and will be keeping track of how much Big Blue uses.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

Ok, it is official! My brother and I are leaving on Sept 6th, two days after the show, and will spend the 8th - 11th 'wheeling. Our hotel is in Ouray, so now I just need to get a few more things done on the truck.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Nothing Special

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Gary Lewis

Re: Planning For Big Blue's Trip To Ouray

Administrator

Well, I need a little help from my friends. I started making a list of the things I'm going to take to Ouray, and would like y'all to tell me what I'm missing.

I still have some work to do consolidating the two tool boxes I had into the one that will stay in Big Blue, but about the only things left to add might be some smaller sockets. Beyond that I think I'm "there" on tools.

So, what am I missing?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

12345 ... 10