What Speed Do You Tow Your Trailer?

[brobeson]

Safe speed

I use to pull my 5th wheel at what ever the posted speed limit was.



Until I had a blow out on my 5er at 75mph in Idaho. (that is the speed limit)



It scared me enough so that 65mph is as fast as I tow now.



Bob

 

[BillH]

I drive 60-62 with the 5er, it's a speed I feel comfortable with. But, isn't the speed limit (with trailer) in Michigan the same as for truckers?

 

[Doc Tinker]

Husshhhh - BillH



{whisper} The question is how fast do we really drive



Doc

 

[JohnB]

60 to 62 average-faster downhill for momentum--these speeds keep my 3. 54 geared 5spd in the 1750 to 1900 RPM range which gives me the best mileage-12 to 14 depending on hills and wind.

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by BPINE

adding a 90 at the end and that seemed to do the trick. I also took off the turbo mount brake and installed a 4" BD,

Blair... I have the BD turndown tip... it works well for keeping the soot off of our white horsetrailer. I get harassed about it, but none of them have offered to come scrub the trailer yet... and most don't even own one!

 

[BillH]

oops.

 

[dmurdock]

Depends on if i'm convoying (and with who). With inlaws, it's 60 max (he beats that 1500 like a 3$ mule). By myself, 65 seems to be the best and give's good mileage (i have 3. 54's).

 

[DHatfield]

I mostly tow between 65 - 70 MPH except for when passing the up to about 80 MPH while pulling my Jeep on the trailer.

 

[merryman]

Way back when I was in a court that handled major traffic cases, I attended a number of "traffic" schools. Saw some interesting-soberring demonstrations of the increase in the damage from collisions related to the increase in speeds.

Can't recall the specifics, but the increase in impact damage between 55 mph and 65 mph is staggering---lots more than the percentage increase in speed.

I TYR to keep it under 62 MPH, and succeed most of the time.



Vaughn

 

[BPINE]

I'm with you on that one Rob.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

I try to keep it under mach 1.

 

[klenger]

Doc Tinker:



A normal distribution is a statistical description of what is commonly refered to as a "bell curve". Most of the samples are near the center (like "C" grades in school) with fewer samples towards the ends ("F"s and "A"s). Results that fit the normal distribution show that the questions from the poll were balanced.

 

[KWIKKURT]

I was towing two new (to me ) trailers today and went up to 75 while passing once or twice just checking the available power and EGT's. Then I stopped at the CAT scales while fueling and was supprised my GCVW was 28,220 lbs. I decided that 65mph would be the limit until the exhaust brake and the second trailer brakes are hooked up!

 

[Gunny]

I like to cheat, just a little. Here in CA the speed limit while towing is 55, can not stand it. I have to cheat by at least 5 mph, so I find here in CA I usually run somewhere around 60 to 65. Recently took a 4,000 mile trip pulling 34 ft. 5er weighs 13,000 lbs loaded. Soon as we got out of CA speed limit went way up around 70, now there went my cheating thing, I found that to be just too damn fast pulling this load. Went right back to my 60 to 65 mph feels real good.



Anther thing someone mentioned slowing down and seeing more. that always bored the hell out of me. Wanted to get where I was going. I really love to drive, it is one of my most favorite things. Here lately I have been slowing down and stoping every couple of hours. Much more relaxing and I seem to enjoy the drive more. Must be age slipping up on me. Gunny 54 and enjoying the trip waaay more.

 

[Doc Tinker]

merryman - Now that you've seen the "official" poll and it shows that most of us drive too fast, would you presume that anyone driving a diesel pickup is guilty as charged?



Doc

 

[KWIKKURT]

Originally posted by Gunny

Soon as we got out of CA speed limit went way up around 70, now there went my cheating thing, I found that to be just too damn fast pulling this load. Went right back to my 60 to 65 mph feels real good.



Anther thing someone mentioned slowing down and seeing more. that always bored the hell out of me. Wanted to get where I was going. . I really love to drive, it is one of my most favorite things. Here lately I have been slowing down and stoping every couple of hours. Much more relaxing and I seem to enjoy the drive more. Must be age slipping up on me Gunny 54 and enjoying the trip waaay more.

DITTO,DITTO,DITTO

 

[Doc Tinker]

klenger, You're reponse kind of confused me. If you'd said it's like grading on a curve, I guess I would have understood. Remember, your talking to a bunch of gearheads. So I did right, by building a balanced poll?



Doc

 

[Irontrader]

When I'm towing a trailer I pretty much run with the fast lane traffic.



However, "trailer" is a pretty generic term and I see a difference between pulling a flatbed utility type trailer and a travel trailer. I normally pull a 17' tandem axle tiltbed trailer, or a 20' triple axle flatbed trailer and what I haul is not effected much by wind conditions. If I were pulling a big RV travel trailer I'd probably run with the slow lane traffic and take it easier.

 

[SlyBones]

This is where 3. 54, auto and larger tires suck. A think I saw Bill K post once, to have at least 1700 RPMs in OD when towing. I also dont like to go over 70.



65 on speedo ( 71 according to the wife's Passat ) gets me in OD and high enough rpms. When I start to get down to 60 ( 65 ) the R's start getting down there. So I lock out the OD. Now its 55 ( 60 ) that way I dont feel like I'm revving the crap out of it. Exception of course is running a large grade, lock out the OD and let er rev.



Anyway its either 60 or 70 but hardly ever 65. 65 is right in that spot. Too low for OD and starting to get high for 3rd locked and sustained driving on level ground just driving.



** Was thinking of a manual unlock switch, and using 4th unlocked. This way I dont trash the lockup clutch with big load, power and too low r's. I dont run as high an rpm, but right in the nice 2000-2200 rpm range. For normal situations I dont think the transmission temps will get too high. And my DTT TC seems to have the response, etc. -- What do ya think of this???



Kinda a new gear for driving right in that middle spot.

 

[klenger]

Doc Tinker:



You did good.