Best Towing Speed, You're driving too slow!
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- Опубликовано: 15 янв 2023
- Many (and my usual) recommendation is to slow down for safety, especially when towing. But if you have towed a lot, you've certainly noticed that towing under the typical speed of passing semi tractor trailers creates inherent turbulence, push/pull forces, and vehicle instability. For safety sake, speed up.
I've been a professional driver for better than 30 years. I believe that there are too many people out there pulling travel trailers that are too heavy for the truck they are driving. Also just because you have a license, doesn't mean that you're qualified to pull a trailer. I believe every person that pulls a trailer should be required to be trained and tested.
I think that is a great idea.
This is the TRUTH! Especially since COVID with all the new "campers" out there. So many of them! And no one talks about load distribution, Ive seen a bunch with the rear bumper storage racks that load them with heavy generators and bikes and whatever else. All it takes is one good gust of wind to set that unbalanced trailer into sway. And backing a trailer HA! It should be required by law to have a training course to pull a trailer!!
First your using the Word pulling far to much; It's actually towing ! Never read "Pull package; You read Tow Package or Max tow package; Sounds nasty when a man says pulling with every other word LOL The only one that pulls it, is my lady friend. I tow it! I mean crap you talk about everyone that tows needs a classification of some kind... And I get it. I see some dumb stuff out there. But many drive good and tow well; but it's the other idiots on the Hwy that mess with everyone that is towing. Big rigs always get into it with everyday drivers. These folks have CDL lic and have gone through courses and school and they still cannot avoid an accident. Now what would be smart from an Insurance carriers; if you take a course they'll give you a discount etc Or your state has a class and if you take you get a discount of renewing your registration etc...
@@jesserevilla992 you obviously have zero knowledge about trucking. We pull trailers not tow them. I'm not saying that all truck drivers are professionals. Because there are cdl holders that aren't qualified to drive a riding mower with a garden trailer. That said most accidents involving trucks are caused by a car. During the pandemic, I only saw one accident. And I still believe that a person should be trained and tested before being able to move a trailer on a public highway.
@Jesse Revilla I drag a trailer. Does that hurt you feelings like pulling?
I am preparing to move 1200 miles. A friend offered to fly up and tow my trailer down, with my car, and my dog in the car. I would drive my shuttle bus. I said if the weather turns, we pull off (heading from Minnesota thru tornado alley). She actually ARGUED with me, disdainfully, that "its just rain - we keep going". And got mad at me when i refused her help. She's never been out of New England...
55 I do 60
65 I do 60
75 i do 60 -65
I avoid anything over that.
Highways are more fun anyway.
appreciate the input
My number is 62mph 70-72mph when passing. That’s a combination of MPG and trailer push with winds. Mileage for me drops significantly after 65mpg 😂
drops for everyone after 65.
This is a truly excellent video. Great graphics. Thanks.
thank you
Excellent analysis. I feel the pull from the Bernoulli effect even from box trucks, zipping around like race-cars, on the local CA freeways.
I do too and when I first started towing a box trailer, it was the biggest surprise. Everyone said slow down to be safe, the more I slowed, the worse the affect of passing vehicles
Appreciate this vid; and I agree with you on towing. Yet on the norm I'm 62-65 mph; only when i have a heard of Trucks is when I speed it up 70-75 and at times that can be often. Just Subscribed. Truly like your vids; you're technical and yet simple.
Thank you, I appreciate that
Good thinking!
This can be applied universally anywhere on the globe I think. In Europe semis are limited to 50 MPH and towing with a car or light truck is too. Most of the time they go 55 or so but it scales beautifully, just do whatever the semis are doing.
I replaces my West lakes on previous TT to Maxxis trailer tires 80PSI with 100 mph rating; yet never went over 75 mph the sweet spot 68-70 mph a smaller TT then my now Current one; but I saw this Vid a few months ago; and you are so correct; thanks this has changed my Tow experience;
Appreciate it, doesn't take long to feel the Bernoulli effect and figure it out
Pretty good explanations. Only thing is we in tractor trailers don't have to worry as much about that effect due to travel trailers passing us because we are so heavy and planted. IN the reverse scenario ....yes I have noticed people with travel trailers getting a little destabilized when I pass them because they are going too slow.
Appreciate the insight.
Yea when I first got my travel trailer in CA the speed limit there if you’re towing is 55mph, ridiculous. 65 is ok with me, but I have also gone 75-80 with my 2015 tundra while towing no issues
Yep Cali is tough that way. I try to stay right at about 62 there. Seems to be where most semis are
55 is very dangerous when semi are traveling at 70 on interstate 5.
In europe max speed is 55mph max, but some countries allow 62mph if trailer is rated for 100kmh
Haven't driven in Europe, but there are some long stretches of not much but wide open roads in the US and Canada
I wouldnt copy the truckers assuming they are driving the safest speed for the conditions. Their priority is schedule, then safety and economy. Speed is your enemy when pulling a trailer when needing to stop fast, and creating conditions for fishtailing. Drive over 65 at your own risk. Just my opinion.
My preference is 65-70, but when getting passed at 80 on the left along I-20, you figure it out quickly.
65 MPH is just fine. Of course, you want to stay in the right lane as much as possible. Use some common sense when approaching on ramps and other traffic in the right lane traveling slower than 65 MPH. I have almost 2 million miles driving Class 8 (Semi Tractor Trailers) of all types beginning in 1978. I would be real careful trusting today's crop of "Professional" drivers when it comes to safe operation. I have seen to many idiots behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler. Yes, I tow a 25' travel trailer and keep it at 65 MPH as much as possible.
Great info, appreciate it. In West Texas, Utah, places where speed limit goes to 85 and Tractor Trailers are routinely doing 80 mph, are you staying at 65? To me that's more problematic than 75 in those areas of the country. The Bernoulli effect becomes extreme.
Kinetic energy is actually one half mass times speed squared. You left out the one half part, but your point is still well taken.
yes, but only variables are relevant as constants apply to all equations
Ive towed TTs for 40 years some long 7000km trips 59 to 62 mph is my safety sweet spot too much can go wrong real fast at higher speeds and besides whats the rush????
Depends on what speed traffic is going by you. If you're doing this in West Texas, the middle of SD, etc, when a Tractor Trailer passes you at 80 mph, you'll change your mind and go faster
@@kedrevs4037 I do not allow traffic to dictate my speed. I have over 1.2 million safe miles behind the wheel of a tractor trailer. It does not matter how fast you go there will always be somebody wanting to go faster. You are not going to prevent 100% of semi's from passing you so why even worry about most of them passing you. I tow an enclosed cargo trailer behind a cargo van now and most of the time I go around 62 mph , even out west. If people don't like it they can go around. You can argue that I am disrupting traffic until you are blue in the face but there is always somebody going the same speed or even slower. A lot of company owned semi trucks are limited around 62 to 65 , Schneider , Swift , J.B. Hunt etc.
Driving slower not only saves on fuel but it saves on tire wear. The faster you travel the more heat that builds up in your tires and the faster they wear out. I travel over 12K miles a month so I definitely pay attention to things like that. The slower you are going the less you have to use your brakes.
Something else I notice is when I cruise around 62 I am able to relax more as I seldom need to change lanes to overtake somebody. I therefore stop less often and tend to see the same vehicle pass me 2 or more times over the course of a few hours. They are going 75 or 80 and making the same time that I am!! So what is the point in driving faster? Just keep that left door closed!
@@kedrevs4037 not true as that's where I travel. If you have a great setup its not an issue.
I respectfully disagree, those are the routes I travel. I travel when its safe and if wind is not my friend I hunker down.
The main reason for 18 wheelers going the speed they're going is governed speed. Different companies have their trucks governed at different speeds.
Umm not around me they don't
My Jayco has light truck tires, rated above 100mph, but I like driving back roads and secondary highways, rather than interstate highways. Better to enjoy the sights. In the interstate, probably should drive at truck speeds, simply because of that wind that is going to buffet my trailer.
I prefer secondary highways for the same reason
My mox speed is 62. Much more than that my KIA Telluride works too hard and the mileage goes to hell. when I go much higher than that. I Have a chain Anderson weight distribution hitch and have not had any problems. I also use a Curt Brake controller.
Appreciate the info
Some common sense 👍
We could have used more of that beginning around March of '20.
AS LONG AS YOUR BRAKES CAN HANDLE THE SPEED. 1/2MV^2 is also important in stopping because they have to turn that kenetic energy into heat energy and they can only do so much of it so quickly. Big rigs have over built brakes and 10 wheels on their tow vehicle. So yes the physics of traveling with the professional drivers holds up as long as your brakes are as good as there's too, which is unlikely if we are honest.
I go about 55 as that is the mpg sweet spot
Being honest, brakes aren't "betteer" than the big rigs. But I will stop quicker and in shorter distance at every speed. Because of that "M" in your energy formula.
Remember 'opinions' are only facts only to the author.
A poorly set up rig with a poorly set up driver is the most dangerous combination on the road.
a lot of boat trailers with radial tires have a much lower speed rating...about 50 or 55 MPH I think...still see morons flying by me at 75 mph. a tire rating should be a limiting factor. I upgraded since to 65 mph tires, but won't be pushing past 70 mph. It's pretty hard to recover if you have a blow out at that speed with a single axle....probably ending up in a ditch.
Thanks for the info. My endurance are righted to 87, but I always feel safest traveling the same speed as tractor trailers.
@@kedrevs4037 also most boat owners neglect their hub bearings. Good idea to install bearing buddies and top them off before each trip. Not so much on regular trailers, but those also need to be repacked and checked for play on occasion. Not something many people think about until the axle starts to smoke, :-b
All the trucks in the right lane have governed speed.
That seems to be a comfortable spot for me too
I drive fast enough to not get run over, but slow enough to not run over others. Its really pretty simple. The highways today are too busy, and not always in the best condition. But you cant be so slow you are causing problems. Or so fast that its just not safe for you. My problem with constantly rolling around trucks is they lose a tire your probable not gonna be happy. Id just as soon not be around them very long. But i dont disagree with the comparison. You won't "Normally" see a trucker way over the limit unless conditions are right.
definitely not tailgaiting semis, just keeping pace
Nothing at all wrong with driving in the right lane at 60 miles per hour. That's why they make the left and the right lane someone's got to do the passing and someone has got to be the one that's getting passed
Most trucks are governed at 65 MPH.
Not near me, they're not.
@@kedrevs4037 He might be up in Canada where most if not all trucks are limited to 65 by Canadian law. It is coming to the US eventually. O.O.I.D.A has been fighting the speed limiters here in the US for a couple of decades, and they have been winning. Eventually though they will lose and speed limiters on commercial vehicles will happen just like electronic logging did.
This is insanely bad advice. Manufacturers test their tires for max speed and (what you didn't mention) heat. Think TPMS. Going faster pushes air under your rig like a race car, keeping in thought the height of your rig. Slowing down reduces the up force that traveling faster will induce. If you want to 'draft' a semi, that's ok, but in a crosswind situation can be deadly. Going faster in a windy environment is just reckless.
What video did you watch? It wasn't this one.
Really bad advice! A ball hitch travel trailer simply does not have the stability or braking capability of a tractor trailer, regardless of the WDH. I have over 150K miles behind me towing Airstreams, in every sort of weather. 60 mph is my preferred speed, 65 max in appropriate conditions.
Hey we can all have our opinion, too bad we can't all be right.
Sorry, bad advice. Slow down. Trying to stop a big trailer with a blowout at a much higher speed is simply dangerous, In addition, your stopping distance at a higher speed is also increased. Telling someone to tow faster is frankly dangerous.
You must be one of those that comments without watching the video
@@kedrevs4037 I watched all of it. still bad advice. I am not alone, plenty of others agree.
@@fireygirl1 If you thinking towing a travel trailer the same speed as the semi tractor trailers in the right lane is a bad idea, you should probably stop now.