Great Drives

[NoVaGT]

Tell us about your great & favorite drives, maybe others can enjoy the same dirve too. I haven't seen any threads about great drives folks here have taken, so if this is a duplicate let me know.

This past Sunday, I wanted to take a nice evening/night drive, waaaay the hell out of the horrible area I live in.

To start with, I just had my rear wheel bearings replaced. I'm not sure I have ever driven this car in it's proper operating condition, as this change has dramatically changed how the car rides and drives. With the rear wheels wobbling all over the place, the steering was vague, the rear end clunked and rattled, and was harsh on bumps. I could actually feel the rear end squatting, and I thought my Steeda Pro Action adjustable shocks were too much for my stock PP springs. Little did I know the sensation I was actually feeling was my rear wheels clunking back and forth between positive and negative camber. With the bearings replaced, now the car really drives beautifully. It tracks straight ahead on the freeway in an almost effortless and telepathic nature, and the ride is massively improved.

Thanks to Grimace427, a member here, who found my rear wheel bearings were shot and needed replacement. I will be buying a torque wrench to double check the bearing nuts when I do my brakes in the not too distant future.

Anyways.....

I headed out I-66 West towards Shenandoah National Park. I wanted to get up on Skyline Drive at dusk, see the sunset, and enjoy the drive at night. I also wanted to prove to myself I could drive up there in a sane, legal fashion.....without getting a massive speeding ticket. It was a beautiful evening, traffic was light, and I was simply enjoying the evening, the drive, my car and the right music. Getting out into the mountains is just a whole bunch of relaxation and de-stressing, more than worth the cost in gas.

Sadly, the road in the park was closed a few miles in, so I didn't get to enjoy much time up there, but even the ride back was enjoyable. I like getting up very early on Sunday mornings and going to to Skyline to catch the sun-rise, but the drive back always ends up with me stuck in horrible traffic, completely ruining the relaxation of the drive. But driving back into town at night, the traffic was light, so I went to bed totally relaxed, having enjoyed a beautiful drive.

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[undearth]

I haven't seen any threads about great drives folks here have taken, so if this is a duplicate let me know.

This past Sunday, I wanted to take a nice evening/night drive, waaaay the hell out of the horrible area I live in.

To start with, I just had my rear wheel bearings replaced. I'm not sure I have ever driven this car in it's proper operating condition, as this change has dramatically changed how the car rides and drives. With the rear wheels wobbling all over the place, the steering was vague, the rear end clunked and rattled, and was harsh on bumps. I could actually feel the rear end squatting, and I thought my Steeda Pro Action adjustable shocks were too much for my stock PP springs. Little did I know the sensation I was actually feeling was my rear wheels clunking back and forth between positive and negative camber. With the bearings replaced, now the car really drives beautifully. It tracks straight ahead on the freeway in an almost effortless and telepathic nature, and the ride is massively improved.

Thanks to Grimace427, a member here, who found my rear wheel bearings were shot and needed replacement. I will be buying a torque wrench to double check the bearing nuts when I do my breaks in the not too distant future.

Anways.....

I headed out I-66 West towards Shenandoah National Park. I wanted to get up on Skyline Drive at dusk, see the sunset, and enjoy the drive at night. I also wanted to prove to myself I could drive up there in a sane, legal fashion.....without getting a massive speeding ticket. It was a beautiful evening, traffic was light, and I was simply enjoying the evening, the drive, my car and the right music.

Sadly, the road in the park was closed a few miles in, so I didn't get to enjoy much time up there, but even the ride back was enjoyable. I like getting up very early on Sunday mornings and going to to Skyline to catch the sun-rise, but the drive back always ends up with me stuck in horrible traffic, completely ruining the relaxation of the drive.

I did Skyline and Blue Ridge Pway shortly after buying my '16. Great drive. Wound up in Cherokee.

 

[Hack]

Thanks to Grimace427, a member here, who found my rear wheel bearings were shot and needed replacement. I will be buying a torque wrench to double check the bearing nuts when I do my breaks in the not too distant future.

If you are talking about the nuts on the rear drive axles that retain the bearing/hub onto the upright - those nuts are supposed to be replaced if they are moved. I would recommend painting a line across the nut and axle stub instead. That way you can see if the nut moved at all. If the nut moves you will want to replace it with a new one.

So I don't think you should put a wrench on those nuts. Odds are they might end up coming loose afterwards.

 

[NoVaGT]

If you are talking about the nuts on the rear drive axles that retain the bearing/hub onto the upright - those nuts are supposed to be replaced if they are moved. I would recommend painting a line across the nut and axle stub instead. That way you can see if the nut moved at all. If the nut moves you will want to replace it with a new one.

I'm worried the tech either didn't get the torque specs correct, or re-used the old bolts, or skipped loc-tite. The clunking is partially back.

 

[Hack]

I'm worried the tech either didn't get the torque specs correct, or re-used the old bolts, or skipped loc-tite. The clunking is partially back.

Loctite won't help. The nuts have to be replaced or they will come loose. You are probably right. He tried to reinstall the old parts and they are coming loose.

 

[NoVaGT]

Loctite won't help. The nuts have to be replaced or they will come loose. You are probably right. He tried to reinstall the old parts and they are coming loose.

I looked on my warranty service paper-work. There is a line with a part number for the two hub assemblies, but no line or part number for the nuts.

That's a bit worrisome.

 

[2016Gruv]

Tell us about your great & favorite drives, maybe others can enjoy the same dirve too. I haven't seen any threads about great drives folks here have taken, so if this is a duplicate let me know.

This past Sunday, I wanted to take a nice evening/night drive, waaaay the hell out of the horrible area I live in.
...
I headed out I-66 West towards Shenandoah National Park. I wanted to get up on Skyline Drive at dusk, see the sunset, and enjoy the drive at night. I also wanted to prove to myself I could drive up there in a sane, legal fashion.....without getting a massive speeding ticket. It was a beautiful evening, traffic was light, and I was simply enjoying the evening, the drive, my car and the right music. Getting out into the mountains is just a whole bunch of relaxation and de-stressing, more than worth the cost in gas.

Sadly, the road in the park was closed a few miles in, so I didn't get to enjoy much time up there, but even the ride back was enjoyable. I like getting up very early on Sunday mornings and going to to Skyline to catch the sun-rise, but the drive back always ends up with me stuck in horrible traffic, completely ruining the relaxation of the drive. But driving back into town at night, the traffic was light, so I went to bed totally relaxed, having enjoyed a beautiful drive.

I feel your pain dealing with the heavy traffic in the NOVA area, which is one reason why I never moved back. I visited a buddy in the Fairfax Station area near Burke Lake and thought the winding, curvy roads would make for a fun drive in the Mustang. Some areas around Leesburg looked fun as well.

I enjoy driving the canyons and mountain roads in Northern Utah.

 

[Bluelightning]

I took a nice cruise from Houston, TX to Thunder Bay, Ontario and then back. Super beautiful especially once you get up through Duluth and up the shore of Lake Superior.

 

[NoVaGT]

I took a nice cruise from Houston, TX to Thunder Bay, Ontario and then back. Super beautiful especially once you get up through Duluth and up the shore of Lake Superior.

That sounds beautiful.

That area up there, the Michigan UP & Ontario on Superior, it's amazing.

 

[Bluelightning]

That sounds beautiful.

That area up there, the Michigan UP & Ontario on Superior, it's amazing.

Yeah, I grew up in between the Kingston and Ottawa area and have family out in Thunder Bay. First time I drove one of my mustangs up though. Was a freaking awesome drive.

 

[BrettT]

All of British Columbia....Too many great roads to name them all, Down into Washington, and down the Oregon Coast.........All great driving roads with stunning scenery.

 

[Arthonon]

Traffic is always a bummer. There are a couple of nice drives near me that almost always get ruined by getting behind some slow car or truck, and while they're nice, twisty roads, they don't have any room for passing. The drive to Julian from San Diego is nice, as is the drive out to Campo on the 94 "freeway."

 

[Bluelightning]

All of British Columbia....Too many great roads to name them all, Down into Washington, and down the Oregon Coast.........All great driving roads with stunning scenery.

I'll second this. Last year I drove from Texas up through Whistler, BC and then on Northward to catch the Alcan to Alaska. Did that in my Tacoma though. Nothing beats the scenery, especially once you are up in the Yukon and into Alaska.

 

[frank s]

Traffic is always a bummer. There are a couple of nice drives near me that almost always get ruined by getting behind some slow car or truck, and while they're nice, twisty roads, they don't have any room for passing. The drive to Julian from San Diego is nice, as is the drive out to Campo on the 94 "freeway."

The two routes Art Anonymous mentions are very good for pleasant driving. If you turn left after Jamul it'll lead to another set of roads, and with the right choices to Hwy 79 past Cuyamaca Lake and into Julian. That section of 79 was recently repaved and striped, with tire buzzers in the double yellows in the center and white lines along the edges.

I have several other SoCal favorites, as well, but these east San Diego County roads are handy and well-maintained, and if you can get out there between ten AM and two PM on a weekday (except Friday) there is a good chance you'll be pretty much alone. I go out on Tuesday or Wednesday at ten and it's just me and the UPS guys, for the most part.

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[BmacIL]

I have to live vicariously through many of you. There are real good roads within 100+ miles.

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