Here's a mini trip report. Went up and over Medano Pass and dropped into the Great Sand Dunes National park and preserve. 239 total miles driven, 20 of which were on the trail. 18 total gallons of fuel used for 13 MPG on the trip. (gps mileage data) The trail itself is a mild one. Proof of that a bone stock Toyota Sequoia was in our group and it never had a problem. Still, the trail is a rough SOB in spots and then gets carpet like smooth when you get into the sand. It's a good proving out run for the K5.3. Onto some pics...
Riding in on highway 69 looking into the Sangre De Cristo range.
The trail sign:
First of many Toyotas we passed. Besides the Sequoia you see here that was with us, we passed a ton of tacomas and 4runners going the other way from us.
Starting to get into some color. My buddy Bill is leading the way in the Dodge.
Now we got color.
I'm spoiled to live so close to this. WOW.
One of many creek crossings on the west side of the pass.
Stopping to let the dogs out to have a pit stop.
Poser shot, of course.
Then we came around a corner to find this mess. Now this crap pisses me off. This idiot was hauling ass on a tight trail that you really don't have any view of the turn until you on it due to the thick brush trailside. The nitwit was going fast enough to mow down a dead/burned tree that was 15 inches across at the trunk where it broke. That momentum managed to flip what was left of the tree up and over the top of the Jeep on it's side. Had those three trees not been there it would have been upside down in the creek below. This was a newer 4dr Jeep Wrangler. Georgia plates. Flatlanders..
Consider this a PSA, then I'll get off my soap box. I like going fast just as much as the next guy. But there is a time and a place. Where this goon pulled this off was too tight to see anything until you were right on top of it. If it was dark it would be even worse. Waiting until they were 20 minutes further down the trail where it opens up and is nice and sandy you can carry a little more speed because you can see the turns well ahead of getting into them. Moutain trails are not for fast moving. It's not King of the Hammers. Some turns we couldn't see another vehicle coming at us until they were right on top of us. Take it easy, enjoy the view.
Getting into the dunes. Driving on them is strictly prohibited. Closest you can do is this trail I'm on.
View at our lunch stop.
Just getting ready to leave our lunch stop, the area was swarmed by a gaggle of Jeeps. All JK's with one TJ in the bunch. Nothing older.
From here, the group decided to take the highway back over La Veta pass, to Walsenburg and back up I-25 to home. My kidneys thanked me for that.
Overall, the K5.3 did awesome. Double the fuel mileage of the 75 for sure. Never stalled or stumbled at elevation (topped out at 10,700ish). Off road with the slush box over my beloved granny gear muncie was a different animal. Going up to the top, I made it pretty far on 2wd alone. Locked in the hubs and got up to the top without any fuss. Stuck it in drive and point-n-shoot. Very easy. Downhill I really missed granny gear. So I used the 2.72:1 in the 241 to my advantage. Shoved the t-case in 4lo and low gear on the trans and it was pretty close to creeping in granny. The only negative I have from the run is the ride quality. Despite the fact the shocks I reused were not leaking, they have little to no compression in the rear. Anybody that was behind me saw the rear tires catching air many times. Hell I even caught air in my seat a couple of times it was so bad. Bilstein shocks from ORD are on my list to get sooner than later.
Still I'm super pleased on how the K5.3 did today. It eats up road miles like pac-man, comfy as long as the road is smooth. Off road the tires and tru-trac up front kicked ass. Never really lacked traction, at all. It's getting there for sure.