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Fishmagician
Nomad
Posts: 102
Registered: 4-23-2012
Location: Encinitas
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Mex 1 with a travel trailer
I'm planning a return to the East Cape. I use to fly down in the late 80's and early 90s, but I now want to tow my 25x8.5 travel trailer down. My
question, is it safe to tow an 8'.6" trailer down there??? I expect it would be, it might depend on the route??? Thanks I'm looking forward to coming
back
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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"the route?" there is only one route and it should be interesting. the road is being widened in many places but there are still the old drop offs.
nothing is impossible, just take your time.
welcome, and happy trails...
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bajachris
Nomad
Posts: 198
Registered: 3-29-2009
Location: San Diego, San Juanico, San Andres
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Mood: Love Baja
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Just drive slow when trucks and buses pass. The road is wider in the desert south of El Rosario.
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RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 839
Registered: 5-1-2010
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Have pulled a 26ft trailer back and forth from TJ to La Paz area every year for 14 years. If you can tow it in the US you can tow it in Mexico.
Keep the speed down and don't get into a tight radius corner at the same time as another truck/trailer combo. Some of the curves are not widened
enough to handle the off-tracking of the two trailers at the same time.
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Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
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Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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Take your time. Enjoy. You can do it!
No worries
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Fishmagician
Nomad
Posts: 102
Registered: 4-23-2012
Location: Encinitas
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Many thanks
The insight of the those who have driven before me is very much appreciated. Nothing worse than one of the eye opening  surprises you can get when towing. I really look forward to doing this.
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jeffg
Nomad
Posts: 175
Registered: 11-25-2004
Location: Vista, CA
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I think no matter what you'll get one or two of those eye opening surprises. They help keep you awake!
Trying to figure out if I know you - got spreader bars?
Jeff
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acadist
Super Nomad
Posts: 1125
Registered: 3-31-2007
Location: Spanaway,WA
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Mood: Waiting for the Sun
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jeffg
I think no matter what you'll get one or two of those eye opening surprises. They help keep you awake!
Trying to figure out if I know you - got spreader bars?
Jeff |
Seems like I always have one of those surprises in just a pickup without a trailer. Be safe!
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1336
Registered: 9-2-2006
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We pull a rig about the same size with a and F-150 Lariat. Once we get through those rough roads in LA - towing is pretty much a breeze with good
navigation through Ensenada. Your can expect some wear and tear on a regular RV, so it's nice to start off with a good check of the frame, tires,
brakes and bearings. It might take some investment, but it's worth it.
Don't overload your rig and secure your stuff inside as it has a good chance of flying around when you go over a tope! Distirbute the load in your
trailer and centre the heavy stuff over your trailer axles. You can unhook and go shopping in the bigger centres and get everything you might need.
Here's some other things you might want to do to make your trip more worry-free. Don't forget the anti-sway bar. We had our truck checked out by a
good shop before we left. Get the right ply tires and inflate them properly for towing. Probably the most improtant part is to be road-worthy. We
have seen too many improperly levelled rigs and trailers swinging back and forth. Your truck may be capable of pulling the trailer, but it also needs
to becapable of stopping it.We also had new brake pads installed and on return to Alberta we had them checked again to learn how much wear we had
(25%) on the trip. Consider using low gears for helping the engine on ascents and declines which can be steep.
Watch for good access for getting in and parking and getting back on the highway. Mex 1 is really pretty good overall, but in some places there is
quite a sharp drop off to the service roads.
If you do have mechanical problems - we have had excellent service on tire repairs, and oil changes before we return.
Here's a good site to do some reading:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/1773...
Stop, rest, iinspect your rig, smell the cactus flowers along the way and enjoy the trip. It's really a fantastic drive and having RV is a nice comfy
convenience. There are RV parks along the way - U2U me if you want more information.
w
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Fishmagician
Nomad
Posts: 102
Registered: 4-23-2012
Location: Encinitas
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Jeffg, I got bars.
Thanks for the tips. I appreciate them. I use the hood for my spacing on the road and that is a big help...Do they inspect the interior of th trailer
at the boarder crossing going down??
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Fishmagician
........Do they inspect the interior of th trailer at the boarder crossing going down?? |
Sometimes. When we had our travel trailer it was checked at the border and at the army stops coming north. We never had any problems. They just
stepped in, opened a few cupboards, and that was it.
These days, even with the green light, they are pulling more people over for an inspection--fortunately, we have always had the very quick look, a
couple of questions, and we are on our way.
Have a GREAT trip.
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Fishmagician
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Posts: 102
Registered: 4-23-2012
Location: Encinitas
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Jeffg,,,It took a little while for this weathered old mind to recall who "Jeff" was....so sorry.. I hope your down south now.  
[Edited on 4-28-2012 by Fishmagician]
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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I like to mount a gigantic blind-spot mirror off of my passenger side mirror that will show me to-the-inch where my trailer tires are in relationship
to the extreme edge of the pavement. Of course the ugly sucker gets stowed when I get to where I am going. Fact is when I cross the border, off come
the regular mirrors and on goes 2 blind spot mirrors. I like to see exactly and precisely where the other side is as well in relationship to the
center stripe. With regular mirrors it seems like I have to eyeball them like I was examining something to make sense out of what the mirror is
showing. With the blind spots, it takes me but a glance. Blind spots also help me when the Mexicans pile up 5 across on a 2-lane city street.
When I say huge I mean eight to twelve inch diameter blind spot mirrors. They come with mounting hardware to cobble them on to regular frames. This
doesn't work so cool if your factory mirrors have turn signals and other crap built into them, tho--
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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Just another view and my personal opinion . . . Just based on my personal experience which is not much. It's NOT SAFE, it's taking chances.
I have a tandem axle ATV trailer that's only 94 inches wide (7' 10") 12 foot long, and I would love to tow it everytime I go to Baja . . . But I've
decided never to do it unless most of the highways are widened or at least have shoulders (whenever that might be , maybe never). However, I would
flat-tow my 66-inch wide 4x4 through those narrow highways.
I've read a few fatal accidents involving trailers on that highway, and I had a near miss with an oncoming vehicle towing a trailer (trailer was more
than a foot in my lane, I had to go off pavement to avoid it). I could just imagine what could have hapened if I was also towing a trailer.
I'd rather take chances climbing boulders, crossing floodwaters, rivers, etc. You may call me a wimp.
[Edited on 4-30-2012 by edm1]
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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Make darn sure that you have your legal paperwork for the trailer.
I'd make sure also that your "tow" is insured as well as you vehicle.
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Edm1 makes sense. If the trailer is 8'6" wide that leaves little space on those narrow lanes.
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jeffg
Nomad
Posts: 175
Registered: 11-25-2004
Location: Vista, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Fishmagician
Jeffg,,,It took a little while for this weathered old mind to recall who "Jeff" was....so sorry.. I hope your down south now.
[Edited on 4-28-2012 by Fishmagician] |
Hi Mike, unfortunately we're still up here in Vista. But I'm down there a lot, maybe we can get together if you make it down. I sent you my contact
info in U2U
Jeff
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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I've towed more than a few 8-8'6" boats down and the best advice above is........
SLOW DOWN WHEN WIDE LOADS ARE APPROACHING YOU!!!
To what speed? To a speed that will allow you to control the trailer should you have to put it on the shoulder (if one exists at that spot). When big
18 wheelers come by, I sometimes slow down to 10-20 mph.
Oh yeah, and dont have any long mirrors sticking out on the driver's side. They wont be there for long. 
This really only applies below San Quintin where the pavement narrows.
[Edited on 4-30-2012 by Hook]
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Some people will say no way, some people will do it once and never again, and some people do it year after year and are very comfortable doing so.
In many places, there is little margin for error.
However you decide to get to Baja California Sur---have a great time.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2753
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Fishmagician, what is the model of your TT, are you sure it's 8.5 ft wide? This is unusually wide. Most TTs are from 7 to 8 ft wide.
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