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Old 02-27-2016, 07:39 PM   #1
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So, how fast do you drive towing?

We spent a good part of today driving/towing from Des Moines, IA to El Dorado State Park, KS. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only trailer (of any kind) on the highway traveling at 65 mph, the rated max speed of trailer tires.

What about the rest of my Escapee compatriots? What speed do you tow at?
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:42 PM   #2
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I'm comfortable at 110 KPH ( 68 MPH ) or less.
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:45 PM   #3
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I've only put about 2000 miles on my 17B, but I've been towing at the speed limit... 55 in cali, 70-75 in Nevada, but stayed at 75 in Idaho's 80 mph zones.

I might be slowing down to smell the roses to 65 or so, but as you've noticed, no one is driving that slowly. Even in Cali, me driving 55, all the trucks were passing me.
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:46 PM   #4
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65 mph max. Only got 13 mph Vermont to Salt Lake. Headwinds the whole way.
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:49 PM   #5
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After having a tire explode on me for no apparent reason, i'm pretty leery of spending extended distances too far above 65. I will to pass or when needed in heavy traffic, but I try to keep it for short periods of time. Maybe I'm just too paranoid.....

And yah - those headwinds sure kill mileage - we were going into very strong ones all day and only got about 12 mpg
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:51 PM   #6
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Eric,
We actually have a very similar rig: 17A and a Honda Pilot.
Our Honda is very comfortable at 62-65 mph. That gives us 15 mpg for average gas mileage.

The California speed limit for trailers is 55 mph, which places everyone using the truck lane at 60-65 mph, so that works. A lot of the time, we try to take the secondary highway routes, so that means 2 lane roads with speed limits in the 50-55 range. Again, a good speed for us.

When we visit relatives in AZ, I guess we can see how we do at 75 mph, and 110 °F.
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Old 02-27-2016, 07:57 PM   #7
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I like to run about 65 mph towing the 19. I'll creep up a little faster when the road is clear and flat but only because I don't tow on cruise. That's on the interstates. On two lanes, I run about 58 to 62 depending on the limit. I never worry about what the rest of them are doing. I'll be along directly. Hope you are having a great trip.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:00 PM   #8
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Hey Dave - I'm just glad to be out of Des Moines and on the way. I use cruise, but pop it off as soon as I get to any hilly areas or if I see it's doing too frequent up and down shifting. Does the wind EVER stop in Kansas? So far the Highlander is a great travel vehicle. Those heated seats sure help old backs.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:07 PM   #9
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Hey Dave - I'm just glad to be out of Des Moines and on the way. I use cruise, but pop it off as soon as I get to any hilly areas or if I see it's doing too frequent up and down shifting. Does the wind EVER stop in Kansas? So far the Highlander is a great travel vehicle.
There is nothing in Kansas to slow the wind down .
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:11 PM   #10
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I've tried cruise a couple times, not towing, on a lightly used four lane highway. I still found it a PIA. I gather new cars have sensors that anticipate traffic and work with cruise control, but I was always having to take over manually.
Or maybe I should read the manual.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:16 PM   #11
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There is nothing in Kansas to slow the wind down .
At least they finally seem to have figured out it's a good place for wind turbines. Not as many yet as Iowa but apparently a lot of new wind farms in the pipeline.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:16 PM   #12
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I find there is a sweet towing spot with my Tahoe. It's about 68mph. I don't like it. It's a little fast. The vehicle just seems to downshift a lot if I go slower. Then the vehicle is cranking high RPM's. If I go a little faster the downshifting goes away. I do keep an eye on the tires. Right now they're at low mileage, and inflated properly. Seems safe to me.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:39 PM   #13
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Even my neighbor has a small turbine. I look at it each day, it's a full 1/4 mile from our home and once in a while you can hear it. It's spinning about 9 days out of 10. Doesn't bother us at all. I'd have one but can't quite justify it. Maybe the political wind will shift and we will all get one for Christmas. I hate speeding tickets and blowouts so I hold my speed down pretty good. The Highlander would do it but those poor squirrels in the cage are so tired every night now, and they don't work for peanuts.
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Old 02-27-2016, 08:57 PM   #14
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I've tried cruise a couple times, not towing, on a lightly used four lane highway. I still found it a PIA. I gather new cars have sensors that anticipate traffic and work with cruise control, but I was always having to take over manually.
Or maybe I should read the manual.
I agree with you about cruise control Glen. My personal experience is that BC is not a great place for cruise. I can't remember the last time I used cruse. I have tried it, but just to see if it still worked.

West of Dawson Creek BC is, I believe, one of the longest straight sections of 2 lane highway in BC and with low traffic volumes. Highway 97 or the John Hart Highway. 20.1 km (12.5 miles) or the length of 12.5 sections of farming land passing through Progress and Groundbirch, although nothing there at those two locations, only names on a map. Go give that a try, watch out for the moose and deer. Nice camping at Moberly Lake further west.

Now if you lived on the prairies, but not Hwy 2 Calgary to Edmonton,??
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Old 02-27-2016, 09:03 PM   #15
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For the Silverado and loaded up 21' around 65 seems a sweet spot. Any faster, mileage drops quickly and driver fatique ramps up.

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Old 02-27-2016, 09:15 PM   #16
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I agree with you about cruise control Glen. My personal experience is that BC is not a great place for cruise. I can't remember the last time I used cruse. I have tried it, but just to see if it still worked.

West of Dawson Creek BC is, I believe, one of the longest straight sections of 2 lane highway in BC and with low traffic volumes. Highway 97 or the John Hart Highway. 20.1 km (12.5 miles) or the length of 12.5 sections of farming land passing through Progress and Groundbirch, although nothing there at those two locations, only names on a map. Go give that a try, watch out for the moose and deer. Nice camping at Moberly Lake further west.

Now if you lived on the prairies, but not Hwy 2 Calgary to Edmonton,??
This could probably be its own topic, but I can't help but asking:

why do western canadians speed up in passing lanes? This is the usual situation: 90kph speed limit, car at the lead of the pack is driving 70 or so. Passing lane ahead... when lead car reaches the passing lane, they speed up such that only one or two cars behind the are able to pass before the end of the passing lane. The two lucky cars will continue on down the road at 90 or so, while lead car will slow down to 70 (until the next passing lane).

I've yet to find a single example of a Canadian who will keep their speed constant when entering a passing lane area. All will gun their engines, and when the passing lane ends, they slow back down to the speed limit (or below).

I will admit that I only noticed this behavior in southern BC and Alberta, but not further north (northern bc, northern ab, yukon, nwt). It makes using the cruise control very difficult.
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Old 02-27-2016, 09:17 PM   #17
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Mostly depends on the road conditions and traffic. For me 58 is the sweet spot for fuel economy. One of the nice things about living up here is that almost everyone obeys the speed limit which is 55 - 65 mph for all three roads. (With the exception of the haul road). Alaska has some of the most mellow drivers. Peace, Scott

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Old 02-27-2016, 09:25 PM   #18
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Quote:
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...why do western canadians speed up in passing lanes? This is the usual situation: 90kph speed limit, car at the lead of the pack is driving 70 or so. Passing lane ahead... when lead car reaches the passing lane, they speed up such that only one or two cars behind the are able to pass before the end of the passing lane. The two lucky cars will continue on down the road at 90 or so, while lead car will slow down to 70 (until the next passing lane).
My thought is that passing lanes tend to be on straighter courses of the highway and, possibly, more level. Thus the slow vehicle can speed up because road conditions have changed (improved); after the passing lane ends, the road reverts to its former condition (poorer) and the lead vehicle slows down. Just a guess here. And I don't think that Canadians (Western or otherwise) are the only culprits.
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Old 02-27-2016, 09:27 PM   #19
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This could probably be its own topic, but I can't help but asking:

why do western canadians speed up in passing lanes?

I think it must be the BC Bud Effect??
I know exactly what you are talking about. When I figure it out I will let you know. Till then, you know what to expect.

Reminds me of the time I got rear ended at a stop sign here in Vancouver.
The driver gets out of her car and says "I didn't think you were going to stop".
Maybe that helps to explain the phenomenon? Too busy driving the car ahead to figure out how to drive their own car??

I guess that is why we all need to go camping. Life is pretty simple in the campgrounds.

No good camping spots in that section of the city. Just keeping the camping theme going.
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Old 02-27-2016, 09:31 PM   #20
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Totally right Karen....there is a 12 mile straight two-lane highway from Los Osos to San Luis Obispo that has one passing lane in each direction. The slow pokes invariably speed up then slow back down. What is worse are the idiots that do stupid things out there for no good reason to save maybe 45 seconds.
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