Calling all Southern California Peeps - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JordaanDMC-12 · #1 10-10-2009, 11:14 PM

Hey Guys,

I want to take a short trip up to Big Bear Lake and don't know which route to take since I will be in a 65hp 4cyl Diesel climbing a two lane mountain lol

My main question is, which way has less mountain to climb? Or better yet, a easier climbing grade for the 220? I'm not sure if it's the HWY 330 to HWY18 or of I should take HWY 38 all the way up? I want to hold up the least amount of traffic as possible lol I asked my parentals and they don't know. So i'd figure i'd ask the experts!

Thanks everyone!

Jorn · #2 10-10-2009, 11:32 PM

That's going to be interesting. The only route I know up is from the the I-210 and take exit CA-330 towards the 18. I drove it up several times with a fully loaded 5 ton grip truck. If it's busy, there will be a lot of "angry" local drivers behind you. Make sure you let them pass, but don't let of the gas. I've seen locals doing some insane stuff to go around me. I'm not a big fan of the big bear locals.

I've been down on the other side, one of the other drivers burned his breaks going down; inexperienced driver.

JordaanDMC-12 · #3 10-10-2009, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorn

That's going to be interesting. The only route I know up is from the the I-210 and take exit CA-330 towards the 18. I drove it up several times with a fully loaded 5 ton grip truck. If it's busy, there will be a lot of "angry" local drivers behind you. Make sure you let them pass, but don't let of the gas. I've seen locals doing some insane stuff to go around me. I'm not a big fan of the big bear locals.

I've been down on the other side, one of the other drivers burned his breaks going down; inexperienced driver.

Oh lord lol I can just picture the huge funeral line behind me as I go up. ALTHOUGH.. I went up HWY 74 (which is a mountain climb) and the 220 did real good... I had to let drivers pass but it felt as though she could do that all day. I could have sworn that someone told me the 38 is easier but I'm not sure.

Yeah the Yucca Valley locals aren't any better. When you're going through morongo pass to get up from DHS to morongo valley you can never ever go fast enough for these people. Especially on the way down. I remember doing 75 on a decent downhill grade two lane and they still pass me.

ALSO I actually have one of the worlds wonders practically in my back yard lol The Palm Springs Ariel Tramway which as far as I know is the longest/steepest tramway in the world and the road to get up there is a pain for your car. If i'm not mistaken to going from an elevation of like 100 feet above sea level to 2,000 feet above sea level in 2-3 miles. The decent is a brake killer, I see or should say I smell the brakes of the people in front of me on the way down from the valley station. IT's horrible.. Do people not know about lower gears? :/

Sev · #4 10-11-2009, 01:24 AM

in a 220, you're better of driving to joshua tree. only one road from the so-cal side up to big bear, otherwise there are other roads going into it from the higher victorville side which are much more scenic

MBeige · #5 10-11-2009, 01:29 AM

You can also plan your route early in the wee hours of the morning when people aren't on the highway yet, that way you won't have a problem (hopefully). Yes, it's a trick letting others pass but not letting off the pedal. See if you can also do left foot braking, just keep tapping on the brake pedal so others can pass (pretend you're braking). That way they'll think you're slowing down, and pass you. On the W123 I've managed to adjust the brake pedal switch so it triggers the brake lights instantly even if braking hasn't really occurred at the calipers, just enough to trigger the brake lights. I use it on tailgaters and annoying drivers so they just pass me w/o me slowing down.

JordaanDMC-12 · #6 10-11-2009, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sev

in a 220, you're better of driving to joshua tree. only one road from the so-cal side up to big bear, otherwise there are other roads going into it from the higher victorville side which are much more scenic

ehhh I've been there, done that. I've been all over Yucca Valley and took her to Amboy to see the volcano. She went to Los Angeles and back like 4 times already lol I want to go someplace COLD! Where it's like 20 degrees and that is big bear!

Plus you have to pay like $15 to get into joshua tree..

JordaanDMC-12 · #7 10-11-2009, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

You can also plan your route early in the wee hours of the morning when people aren't on the highway yet, that way you won't have a problem (hopefully). Yes, it's a trick letting others pass but not letting off the pedal. See if you can also do left foot braking, just keep tapping on the brake pedal so others can pass (pretend you're braking). That way they'll think you're slowing down, and pass you. On the W123 I've managed to adjust the brake pedal switch so it triggers the brake lights instantly even if braking hasn't really occurred at the calipers, just enough to trigger the brake lights. I use it on tailgaters and annoying drivers so they just pass me w/o me slowing down.

That'd be perfect actually because I want to get there when it's very cold and the early morning hours are perfect. Wow that's awesome how you modified your brake lights! that'd sure help me out in this situation, I just hope the drivers don't get too crazy -_-

Sev · #8 10-11-2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12

ehhh I've been there, done that. I've been all over Yucca Valley and took her to Amboy to see the volcano. She went to Los Angeles and back like 4 times already lol I want to go someplace COLD! Where it's like 20 degrees and that is big bear!

Plus you have to pay like $15 to get into joshua tree..

well technically it is like 20 degrees (colder) in joshua (than in palm springs)

but yeah, go for it. there are some nice pictures of the car to be taken in big bear, and then you can put your car's picture in your sig, like mbeige

JordaanDMC-12 · #9 10-11-2009, 04:52 PM

I was checking out google earth and looking at all my options for going up..

I think the the best one is hopping on the 62 into yucca valley then taking the 247 and then the 18. I actually think this is the route my parents would take us up all the time because there is a cement factory (I think) right before you start on the mountain and I remember passing it going up. I did street view for a good portion of it and it doesn't look THAT bad of an uphill grade and is very short compared to the other routes.

Big Bear is supposed to get some rain on tuesday and maybe a light dusting on snow. I might try and make it up there tuesday morning, depending on how much rain then get ect... Don't want to go slippin and sliding off the mountain going up lol

Any who this looks like my best bet and I'm going to try it out.

diametricalbenz · #10 10-11-2009, 05:45 PM

A few years back I took my 4 speed 240D up to Arrowhead to inspect some commercial properties up in Blue Jay via the 18 to 189. The car did okay going 45mph up the hills in 3rd but I had to do a hillstart at some stops and the engine struggled to generate some power at that elevation. I had to drop the clutch with some revs on the motor just to get it going.

On the way down though I left it in 3rd or 4th and just cruised my way down with my feet off the pedals. It was a nice drive overall.

JordaanDMC-12 · #11 10-13-2009, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diametricalbenz

A few years back I took my 4 speed 240D up to Arrowhead to inspect some commercial properties up in Blue Jay via the 18 to 189. The car did okay going 45mph up the hills in 3rd but I had to do a hillstart at some stops and the engine struggled to generate some power at that elevation. I had to drop the clutch with some revs on the motor just to get it going.

On the way down though I left it in 3rd or 4th and just cruised my way down with my feet off the pedals. It was a nice drive overall.

I know exactly what you're talking about! I took my 220 up highway 74 and it was pretty steep going up but she did great in 3rd gear all the way!

Kinda of crazy how you need to rev it though to get the extra power to start off from a steep incline. I'll probably have to do that if I come to a complete stop. It's smooth sailing on the way down though, just like you said!

MBeige · #12 10-13-2009, 02:37 AM

Not sure if it's the same with the W123's predecessor, but the switch screws on to the bracket so there's room for adjustability. In the W201 and W124 it's clipped on already.

This morning a reckless tailgater was coming in fast behind me, I kept my speed and tapped on the brakes as if I'm braking. So he just moved over (I was in the 2nd or 3rd lane). Sometimes tailgaters just do it for the heck of it, not really thinking much. When I do left foot braking (tapping actually, not really braking) they almost always back off immediately.

It's actually quite ironic what you're doing. It might be slippery so weight on the rear wheels is good. But weight on the uphill climb, is not

JordaanDMC-12 · #13 10-13-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

Not sure if it's the same with the W123's predecessor, but the switch screws on to the bracket so there's room for adjustability. In the W201 and W124 it's clipped on already.

This morning a reckless tailgater was coming in fast behind me, I kept my speed and tapped on the brakes as if I'm braking. So he just moved over (I was in the 2nd or 3rd lane). Sometimes tailgaters just do it for the heck of it, not really thinking much. When I do left foot braking (tapping actually, not really braking) they almost always back off immediately.

It's actually quite ironic what you're doing. It might be slippery so weight on the rear wheels is good. But weight on the uphill climb, is not

I'll have to check that out and see if I can adjust it because that is a great method! I always get tailgaters on the street even when i'm keeping up with traffic! I normally just let them through HOWEVER when they tick me off because they're about to hit my bumper that's when it starts to get crazy. They'll switch lanes to go around and i'll speed up and they'll get stuck behind they car next to me where as the car now behind me is passing them so the moral of the story for them is not to be such a pain and just wait.

It is pretty ironic but you know what, I know this car is underpowered and will have some trouble getting up the mountain but it'll be so worth it. The 220 is my car and is stuck with me and I don't know if that's a good thing for it or a bad thing because I LOVE to go places (who doesn't?) I don't know where it's been in its life but while she's with me and on the road I want to take her everywhere so the car and I can see it all. My goal would be to go to all 50 states including Hawaii and if I won lotto ship her to Europe for a few weeks and drive her around there, how awesome would it be to drive around Europe with California license plates?

This is not only going to be a fun little trip but also a good way for me to see her limits and get a better feel for mountain driving in a 220 or a slow Diesel for that matter. I absolutely love this car and will not hesitate taking it places because of it's limited get up and go power.

It's funny too, how i'll need the weight in the back for the anti-slip but it's going to weigh me down LOL gotta love it!