BajaNomad

San Felipe to Gonzaga with a trailer?

Peloncito - 5-27-2010 at 10:06 PM

Our family is thinking about driving down to southern Baja via San Felipe and Gonzaga Bay. We have driven down through TJ, and Tecate several times and are looking for a scenic route. We are in NO hurry and I was wondering if anyone could chime in on whether driving down the dirt road with a trailer is a good idea?

I am driving my '05 4x4 Tundra and planning on towing my 6x12 flatbed, single axle trailer. I plan on driving slow in any event with the kids in the truck, but does anyone think it is advisable traveling this road with a trailer?

Thanks for any input.

Mike

David K - 5-27-2010 at 10:28 PM

Check all the nuts and bolts every 20 miles of the 60 miles or so of dirt/ washboard road... a spare for the trailer too... IF you do it!

AmoPescar - 5-27-2010 at 10:40 PM

IT CAN BE DONE....

But you should definitely drive carefully once you get off of the pavement!! I pulled my 7'x14' Carson flatbed down there several times with Quads and camping gear loaded on it.

Be sure to have a least one trailer spare tire. Two would be even better and a patch kit would also be a good idea. I also had a Leaf Spring break one trip. If you can buy an extra Leaf Spring set, that would be a good idea too and make sure you have some extra nuts, U-bolt axle hangers, etc.

Also, make sure everything is strapped down extra well!!!! ...and be sure to stop occasionally to check on your load. All the bouncing can cause the tie-downs to loosen up. If any cargo is strapped to a trailer side rail, it doesn't hurt to put some carpet scrap between it and the rail to prevent rubbing problems.

This may sound like overkill, but it's better to be prepared than stranded.

Have a safe and fun trip!

MIGUELAMO :yes: :) ;) :P

Lista - 5-28-2010 at 06:08 AM

Yes, listen to amopescar, broke a leaf spring once.....125.00 USD in San Felipe for the new U-Bolts. ouch!

TMW - 5-28-2010 at 09:02 AM

Just take it easy and let others pass if necessary. Make sure you have a good spare tire for the trailer and truck and also carry a compressor and some tire plugs. It would be better to have a load on the trailer so it doesn't bounce so much.

surfer jim - 5-28-2010 at 09:37 AM

I wouldn't do it. That road is VERY rough without the trailer. Most likely something will break while towing. After a few miles of 5mph driving you will want to turn around .

[Edited on 5-28-2010 by surfer jim]

AmoPescar - 5-28-2010 at 11:49 PM

RE: San Felipe to Gonzaga with a trailer?

A couple more things...

As Lista wrote, the parts can be real expensive when you're in Baja!! Added to that, the inconvenience and time spent trying to track them down.

I went to the Carson factory and bought my extra springs. I think they were only about $30 or less. There's also a good trailer supply in El Cajon, just off the 8 east on the way to San Felipe. It's very close to the Offroad Warehouse on Marshall.

Another valuable item is a 3 lb. short handled sledge hammer. I bought mine for about $4 at Harbor Freight. I got my money's worth when I used it to pound a dent out of my trailer's tire rim. Apparently, I had hit a rock, which dented the rim causing a flat. After pounding it back to shape, it inflated and held air, saving me from being stranded on a mountain dirt road between Valle de La Trinidad and El Salado on Hwy 1.

Be prepared and have fun!

Miguelamo:bounce: ;) :spingrin:

dizzyspots - 5-30-2010 at 11:50 AM

We took our off road camper trailer (older USAVenturcraft trailblazer) from AZ to San Ignacio (via Gonzaga Bay) and back without issues...just slow travel...enjoyed the view of the sea ...after we got past 3 sisters and the other bad, rocky parts...we either picked up speed to 40 (over the washboard) or used the sand track that parallels most of the road

tie down and pad EVERYTHING well
we carried full gear, plus 10 gal each of water and gas and a tandem kayak on top of the FJ

Peloncito - 6-13-2010 at 09:21 PM

Thanks for all of the advice everyone. I am still undecided as to whether we go this route but just in case I had the bearings repacked and I purchased a set of extra leafs and "U" bolts for the trailer. I will have my Yamaha Rhino on the trailer so it should be weighed down pretty good. I have a brand new spare for the trailer and my truck but hopefully won't need them.

What would the next best advisable route be to travel without going through TJ? We are heading farther south and leaving our trailer at our house down there and can always come back to visit Gonzaga and the scenery on the way home.

Thanks.

[Edited on 6-14-2010 by Peloncito]

Barry A. - 6-13-2010 at 09:38 PM

My 9' x 5' bed heavy duty utility trailer broke a leaf spring (crystalized), causing the axle to tear loose and break the second spring, and the entire axle with wheels attached went bouncing off into the tules, near the old location of OAKIES LANDING, several miles north of Gonzaga. The trailer was essentially destroyed, instantly do to frame damage, etc.. This was a heavy steel frame trailer, especially built for Baja. It had made the same trip several times before without incident.

I had to abandon the trailer on the spot. We were driving very slowly, also. It there are shocks on the trailer that would help trememdously. We now use an old converted Nissan pickup bed and stock rear end with the original springs plus full add-a-leafs and shocks, and it works very well.

Needless to say, I would not take a "normal" utility or boat trailer to Gonzaga again------they are just not built to take the punishment. It is the luck of the draw, I am thinking.

Barry

Packoderm - 6-13-2010 at 10:38 PM

Why don't you just drive the Rhino? You can get four seats for those things I believe. It would be a blast.

cj5orion - 6-14-2010 at 04:59 AM

Some more info about the road down here to Gonzaga...
You have smooth pavement about 18-20 miles Southof Puertos,then theres about 8 miles of graded dirt road,leaving about 25 miles of "rough road"Takes about 1 1/2 hours,average time.
Dont forget to air down the tires! I run at 23#'s

Theres really only one "bad" section left from the "old days", (three sisters area was paved last year),and that bad section is only about a quarter mile.

You seem prepared,what with the spare leaf kit,a spare for trailer/truck.
Pick up the 4# hammerand a tire repair kit/compresser and have some fun !!!

The roads not that "rough" anymore,the kids will think you all fell of the end of the earth !,theres some great scenery on the road,you've got the rhino for any backup,and,,,,,theres almost always,(these days),other "traffic" on the road.

If your coming down in June,July,August ???? I'd be more worried about the heat !

RELAX !!!! Pack a cooler with some good sandwiches,cold drinks,drive slow for 25 miles and ENJOY !!!

bonanza bucko - 6-14-2010 at 06:19 AM

I drove that road three days ago. You will have pavement to Huerfanito, then about five miles of good graded road...construction road. Then you will have 21 miles of That Road..the old, bad road. Unfortunately the Baja 500 was run on part of it recently and they made it much worse than before...if that is possible. There are two draws where you will have to climb over sharp and round and large rocks and then the ten miles from about Punta Bufeo to Papa Fernandez is very bad.....not just a washboard....holes on top of holes.

But you can make it just fine in a Tundra....but, as above...you need to expect that you will have to stop to fix the trailer.....I don't think you can go slowly enough not to wreck it. Trailers just aren't made for flexing about 10 inches each way every ten feet of road.

Go...but expect trouble...be ready.

BB

David K - 6-14-2010 at 07:04 AM

Thanks for the update! But just one point...

The Baja 500 hasn't gone through Puertecitos or Gonzaga since 1973, and in 2010 went no closer to San Felipe than to Hwy. 3 about 40 miles north-west of San Felipe (Borrego Wash to San Matias Pass). I believe the last Baja 1000 to use the road through Gonzaga was in 2005. The San Felipe 250 went no further south than Arroyo Matomi.

TMW - 6-14-2010 at 07:43 AM

I think bucko was referring to the NORRA 1000 Rally that ran thru there the end of April. They raced starting where the pavement ended out to hwy 1.

bonanza bucko - 6-14-2010 at 07:57 AM

David et al:

Sorry for the missinfo...all the locals here said the reason for the deterioration in the road was the Baja 500 race.

Doesn't matter who or what did the damage. It was done and That Road is much, much worse than it was three weeks ago when I drove it last before last Thursday. There are several of us here at Alfy's who drive it just about daily so we get the straight scoop with no embellishment.....but we, as always, can be victims of the standard Baja Jungle Drums and rumors...like the Baja 500 damage.

Bottom line: Expect That Road to test your patience and preparedness ...and especially with either a trailer or a low slung sedan.
BB :-)

Baja&Back - 6-14-2010 at 03:47 PM

Don't forget to tell them about the "Oh Sh*t Dip"!!!

[img]http://picasaweb.google.com/bajaandback/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCJT9pqr8zpGT4wE#5482764490809656882
[/img]

It can make your trailer FLY!!

What Km south of San Felipe is it??? I forget ...

[Edited on 6-14-2010 by Baja&Back]
Phooey. Why isn't the pic showing instead of the link????????


[Edited on 6-14-2010 by Baja&Back]

bonanza bucko - 6-14-2010 at 04:08 PM

There are several Oh##$%@ dips in the Vado Zone....you gotta look for the skid marks and bumper drag gouges before and after them in the pavement. Those marks show the worst ones.

There is an OH&^%$ hill about five miles north of Punta Bufeo turn off where you leave the "graded" road to go on the natural road to the west side....lots better road. But you come up to the top of a hill where you can't see ahead and then the road ends at the edge of the cliff.....OH #@$%!!.

When that old road is gone we're gonna miss it.....believe that or not. We already miss the Tres Marias and the Ray Grove RIP marker etc. etc. ....kinda like the current USMC misses Guadalcanal.

BB :-)

David K - 6-14-2010 at 06:22 PM

Yah, right the NORRA Mexican 1000 ran through there... vintage off roaders reliving the great days of yesteryear when Parnelli Jones, Mickey Thompson, Ivan Stewart and Walker Evans were the stars!

David K - 6-14-2010 at 06:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja&Back
Don't forget to tell them about the "Oh Sh*t Dip"!!!

[img]http://picasaweb.google.com/bajaandback/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCJT9pqr8zpGT4wE#5482764490809656882[/img]

It can make your trailer FLY!!

What Km south of San Felipe is it??? I forget ...

Phooey. Why isn't the pic showing instead of the link????????



You can't have any spaces between the url and the code... I fixed it plus saved it on my files...

That dip is just south of Punta Estrella and the Valley of the Giants turnoff...

2009 oh sh dip - xmas 175-r.JPG - 42kB