What is the best setup for hauling 5th wheel campers ?

[RVTRKN]

ON I-10 or I-5. Pretty hard to block a 4 or 6 lane freeway.

Evidently, you’ve never driven in the SoCal area where the I-10 and the I-5 are bumper to bumper, even at 6 lanes wide, for 16 hours a day. :-laf

 

[GAmes]

I don't see many trucks/campers towing at 60 MPH.

I tow all over the US at 57-60 mph. I am rarely passed by pickups pulling RVs which leads me to believe that is the norm, not the exception. "Rolling road block for no reason"? How about fuel economy, decreased wear and tear of the drive train, less work, more rested and relaxed at the end of the day. I chuckle when I'm passed by the same vehicle two or three times in a day, then passed again by the same vehicle the next day if I'm driving cross country. All they are doing is pretending to be making better time when in fact it takes longer to make multiple fuel stops that I don't need to make.

 

[Newsa]

With you as the rabbit and me has the tortoise, I will pass you up at a fuel spot.

BTW, that is about the stupidest reason I have ever heard for driving fast while towing.

I tow all over the US at 57-60 mph. I am rarely passed by pickups pulling RVs which leads me to believe that is the norm, not the exception. "Rolling road block for no reason"? How about fuel economy, decreased wear and tear of the drive train, less work, more rested and relaxed at the end of the day. I chuckle when I'm passed by the same vehicle two or three times in a day, then passed again by the same vehicle the next day if I'm driving cross country. All they are doing is pretending to be making better time when in fact it takes longer to make multiple fuel stops that I don't need to make.

Even towing in 5th...... You still save fuel?

Just curious.

 

[SnoKing]

I tow all over the US at 57-60 mph. I am rarely passed by pickups pulling RVs which leads me to believe that is the norm, not the exception. "Rolling road block for no reason"? How about fuel economy, decreased wear and tear of the drive train, less work, more rested and relaxed at the end of the day. I chuckle when I'm passed by the same vehicle two or three times in a day, then passed again by the same vehicle the next day if I'm driving cross country. All they are doing is pretending to be making better time when in fact it takes longer to make multiple fuel stops that I don't need to make.

I have seen the same thing, "I chuckle when I'm passed by the same vehicle two or three times in a day, then passed again by the same vehicle the next day if I'm driving cross country."

So many use the slowing down of traffic as an excuse to tow at higher speeds, that a prudent person would not do.

 

[GAmes]

I don't know about SnoKing, but with the 6th gear ratio of my G56, 3.5 differential and 215/85-16 tires I m at 2000 rpm at 60 mph. While in CA I'm at 1800 doing 57 mph.

 

[kthaxton]

BTW, that is about the stupidest reason I have ever heard for driving fast while towing.

What is,
not wanting to be a rolling road block? I wouldn't call going at least the speed limit as "driving fast".

 

[RVTRKN]

Yours is the early G56, correct?

 

[GAmes]

Yours is the early G56, correct?

Correct. Much to my surprise, my mileage increased over the 5th gear ratio of the NV4500 even though I'm turning about 200 more RPM at 60.

 

[Newsa]

I don't know about SnoKing, but with the 6th gear ratio of my G56, 3.5 differential and 215/85-16 tires I m at 2000 rpm at 60 mph. While in CA I'm at 1800 doing 57 mph.

I'm at 1700 at 65 mph. In 6th with my 18 in tires. Would have been closer to 60 mph with my old 17 in tires.

I Didn't realize the 97's had a g56. Most prefer the old NV4500 or NV5600?

 

[GAmes]

There are quite a few 2nd gen G56 conversions out there. I was given the particulars of the swap by another TDR member, and my conversion with pictures is in issue 69.

 

[RVTRKN]

Correct. Much to my surprise, my mileage increased over the 5th gear ratio of the NV4500 even though I'm turning about 200 more RPM at 60.

That’s same theory when running 4:10’s, easier to turn the gears with higher ratios = better mpg when under load. Sometimes I wish I had your G56, but mine is better when empty.

 

[Cummins12V98]

What is,
not wanting to be a rolling road block? I wouldn't call going at least the speed limit as "driving fast".

The speed limit in CA is 55, SNOKING and I both tow at 60. In AZ it's 75 and I do tow at 75 but MOST like SNOKING tow at 60.

Never had much of a problem getting "blocked" by a fellow RVer.

 

[Cummins12V98]

"Even towing in 5th...... You still save fuel?"

When I first bought my 11 HO Dually with 3.42's towing about 28K at the time I towed in 6th at 62mph every time on the flats and rolling hills. My RPM's were VERY low so while on the VERY flat land in Oregon from Salem to Eugene I experimented with 5th and 6th and my instant average and re setting my average. I found the engine gave SLIGHTLY better economy and did not need to shift on moderate hills. So I changed to towing in 5th at 62 for the remainder of the 3+ years I owned it.

 

[SnoKing]

That’s same theory when running 4:10’s, easier to turn the gears with higher ratios = better mpg when under load. Sometimes I wish I had your G56, but mine is better when empty.

However any gain in the diff is offset by the .63 6th gear overdrive ratio. 3.42 and 5th .77 is about equal in final drive ratio. We covered this earlier. SnoKing

 

[kthaxton]

I have seen the same thing, "I chuckle when I'm passed by the same vehicle two or three times in a day, then passed again by the same vehicle the next day if I'm driving cross country."

So many use the slowing down of traffic as an excuse to tow at higher speeds, that a prudent person would not do.

Let's clarify here, would you consider going 65 mph, on a 2 lane highway, with a speed limit of 65 as "higher speeds"? Assuming you and your load are capable of going the speed limit, you should, otherwise your rolling road block backs traffic up and creates a hazard for everyone else.

I see it every time I head to Moab on Highway 6, someone goes below the speed limit, traffic bunches up, then other drivers start attempting their passes.....and not always safely.

I'm not so selfish that I will block traffic for no other reason than to save a couple of bucks (if that) of fuel.

 

[kthaxton]

ON I-10 or I-5. Pretty hard to block a 4 or 6 lane freeway.

Is that the only place, you, and everyone else, tows a trailer?

 

[SnoKing]

Let's clarify here, would you consider going 65 mph, on a 2 lane highway, with a speed limit of 65 as "higher speeds"? Assuming you and your load are capable of going the speed limit, you should, otherwise your rolling road block backs traffic up and creates a hazard for everyone else.

I see it every time I head to Moab on Highway 6, someone goes below the speed limit, traffic bunches up, then other drivers start attempting their passes.....and not always safely.

I'm not so selfish that I will block traffic for no other reason than to save a couple of bucks (if that) of fuel.

I traveled both directions through Nevada of 93 in the last couple years. No other RV's caught up with me and wanted to pass. I did catch up with a couple MH going under 60 and they pulled over. I watch the road ahead and help people make a safe pass by driving the fog line when the road is clear ahead so that they can see that. Sometimes turning on the right turn signal if they are reluctant to pass. Add moving quickly to the outer lane when passing lanes pop up and then watch to get as many others by as I can.

Note: It is called sharing the road vs endangering others with a high speed towing of a heavy load.

Also note that I could drive 65 on a 65 MPH road and others would sill want to pass! It is a zero sum game!

 

[Cummins12V98]

Ok here is a big problem as I see it in CA the "towing" speed limit is 55 no matter what you are towing. So there are many 65mph two lane roads with trucks towing 55-60 and people getting aggravated and trying to pass when they should not.

 

[kthaxton]

I traveled both directions through Nevada of 93 in the last couple years. No other RV's caught up with me and wanted to pass.

I am not talking only of other RV'ers on the road, I'm talking about everyone....and just because you drive a road a couple of times and you didn't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I see it pretty much every time I head to southern Utah.

I did catch up with a couple MH going under 60 and they pulled over. I watch the road ahead and help people make a safe pass by driving the fog line when the road is clear ahead so that they can see that. Sometimes turning on the right turn signal if they are reluctant to pass. Add moving quickly to the outer lane when passing lanes pop up and then watch to get as many others by as I can.

Note: It is called sharing the road vs endangering others with a high speed towing of a heavy load.

I do those things when I can't or shouldn't go the speed limit.....but normally, I'll go the speed limit and its less trouble for everyone.

If I'm going the speed limit and others want to pass me, then it is their problem, and I am not the cause of the problem. I prefer not to be the cause.

 

[kthaxton]

Ok here is a big problem as I see it in CA the "towing" speed limit is 55 no matter what you are towing. So there are many 65mph two lane roads with trucks towing 55-60 and people getting aggravated and trying to pass when they should not.

Yep, now imagine how stupid it is to cause such a thing when you are not legally required to.