Towing speed

[joeconnie]

How close to the speed limit do ya'll tow your travel trailers. I am going from a dually and 40' fifth wheel to a 2500hd gas and a 24' bumper pull. never had issues with the fifth wheel at interstate speeds but have never towed a travel trailer. Just a little concerned with sway. trailer will have a equalizer 4 wdh.

[Grumpy]

I always cruised at 62-65 no matter what the rig, TT, FW or MH.

[norty1]

Us too. My truck cruises best at 63-65 mph.

[Happy wife / happy life]

In California 55-62 ( California speed limit is 55 ) other states 62-65.

[Jacjayco]

Cruise control set at 62 on our MH towing a Jeep. Same as we did with our 24' TT.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Always 60-63 for best fuel mileage. Also depends on your tires. Most OEM tires are rated for 65 mph max. My GY Endurance are rated for 87…. Will never go that fast!

[stinger608]

My gen 2 Dodge Cummins does best about 63-65. Best fuel mileage.

None the less, I've always run about 65. Pulling a 32' with it and seems to be the best and safest.

[craigav]

Another thought to share, I prefer never to drive over about 65mph, but there are some highways here in Texas I travel to go into Colorado and the Rocky Mountains where the speed limit is 80 mph. If I do go 60~65 there becomes a lot of people behind my trying to pass unsafely and only a few areas where the highway becomes double laned so they can pass. In those areas only, I try to go faster ~70mph even with towing my toad. I prefer not to do so, but safety (imo) has trade offs of having people unsafely pass vs going to fast to start with. All in all, I think 65 is a fast as I like to go with any trailer outside of what I am describing above. ~CA

[Tireman9]

While some RV tires claim to have a "Speed Rating" of well over 65 the test is only a 30 minute test.
ST type tires have their load capacity based on a MAX speed of 65 mph byt tire companies do not want to tell customers as they are afraid they will mot make the sale.

[TxLoser]

None of you must travel the roads I travel. I like 68. Gets me in 10th gear and does well. 65 is best MPG even though it’s just a 3mph difference. I’m always the slowest mover. At these speeds.

[GarlicDude]

I live in Calif. posted trailer speed so I'm used to traveling at 60-62 and I do the same out side of Calif. I'm in no real hurry plus my long suffering wife is in charge of the Garmin and she starts reminding me as I creep up to 63-65.

[JKyle]

60-ish. Find myself just under 65 sometimes, but mostly 62-ish.

[TaftCoach]

Another one who sets the cruise at 65 and sits in the right lane. I'll flash my lights to let the Swift drivers back into the lane, most company semis seem to be stuck about at about the same speed range. Over 100,000 miles and never been hit from the rear, never been passed on the right. I spend a lot of time in areas with 80 mph limits.

[Jerry713]

I too stay around 63-65 highway pulling a 38’ travel trailer. Fuel mileage is not a concern when I’m towing the travel trailer. I know it’s not good. I’m more concerned with making sure the truck isn’t doing a lot of unnecessary shifting by pulling it down into 4th gear of my 6 speed transmission. It might get better mileage in 5th gear but it’s harder on the transmission.

[JFlightRisk]

Same 62 to 65 range. It's the journey for us, and better gas mileage pulling that barn door behind us.

[stinger608]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Same 62 to 65 range. It's the journey for us, and better gas mileage pulling that barn door behind us.

Couldn't have said it better; "It's the journey for us"!!!!!!

That's what I feel as well.

[CAG]

Tireman hit the main point. Most trailer tires are not rated for speeds over 65.

[Jim Davis]

I do about 55, perhaps a tad more. I'm not in a hurry and if I see I'm getting a convoy I'll pull off and let them by. I don't feel threatened by people running into me from the rear but I've got some choice thoughts about rectums at on ramps.

[spoon059]

On the highway I set my cruise at 68 mph. I have GY Endurance E rated tires. I have TPMS that also monitors heat. I follow that up with an infrared temp gun at fuel stops. My tires are usually about 11-15 degrees over ambient temperatures, with the sun facing tires being the warmer. I am completely comfortable with those speeds and the condition of my tires.

I don't really see much difference in fuel mileage between 65 and 68. When I drive 65, I am often getting passed by trucks. If trucks are passing me, that means that I'm slowing them down (lots of 2 lane highways). At 68, I'm usually right in the middle of the pack of the big rigs, so I'm not slowing them down.

I'm still working, and have limited time for vacations. Once I retire, I hope to get off the interstates and travel the country using more surface streets and driving smaller distances per day.

[ttavasc]

Normally run 62-65 as that seems to be the sweet spot for the combination. I will bump up to 70 if circumstances warrant it. I also run Goodyear Endurance on the trailer and regularly check tire and bearing temps with IR gun while traveling.