Highway Speed When Towing

A conversation among Whalers
jimh
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Highway Speed When Towing

Postby jimh » Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:41 am

What is your usual vehicle speed on the highway when towing your boat trailer?

For us, we generally hold our speed under 60-MPH. The combined truck-trailer weight for our rig is over 11,000-lbs. We ride in the right lane on the interstate, and it is not unusual for us to not pass any other vehicle in hundreds of miles of travel. We do get passed by a lot of other vehicles towing big boats and even bigger travel trailers going a lot faster, but I don't think it prudent to tow at those speeds.

knothead
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby knothead » Tue Sep 27, 2016 11:15 pm

My usual vehicle speed on the most highways is 60 to 65-MPH. I'm only towing a Montauk, but events can have a way of going crazy fast when you're towing a boat and trailer. Everybody passes me on the Interstate, too.

regards---knothead

Jefecinco
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby Jefecinco » Wed Sep 28, 2016 9:22 am

Check your tire ratings. Most trailer tires (ST tires) have speed ratings below interstate highway speed limits. I generally avoid interstate highways but when I tow a trailer on them I try to drive no faster than 70-MPH. Although this may put extra stress on tires I believe it is safer overall to at least drive at the limit. When not towing I usually push the limit by around 5-MPH unless traffic is heavy and or slow.

For those who drive at interstate highway speeds, light truck tires (LT tires) may be better suited for their trailers. Unfortunately many smaller tires are unavailable in truck tire sizes.
Butch

MillieTheBoat
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Location: Dana Point, CA

Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby MillieTheBoat » Wed Sep 28, 2016 11:14 am

My speed is between 55 and 60-MPH, and I always drive on the right side. People drive fast here, and I got dirty looks from them sometimes. I always smiled back at them. People want to pass me, go ahead; they have five lanes to choose from. No stress about it, and if I get a flat tire, I think it is much easier and safer to pull over.

Ridge Runner
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Location: Florham Park NJ / Punta Gorda FL

Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby Ridge Runner » Wed Sep 28, 2016 9:48 pm

Up and down the I-95 corridor, I generally travel at the speed limit or slightly over. The top speed limit is 70MPH. I have Kumho Radial 857 tires on my trailer they are a Q-speed rated (up to 99MPH) - load range D trailer tire.
Member since 2005
2005 170 Montauk, 2010 E-TEC 115 H.O.
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Jefecinco
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby Jefecinco » Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:55 am

We could start another topic to debate the safety of driving between 10 and 15 MPH below the speed limit vs the safety of exceeding the speed rating of our tires. I think it is symptomatic of the "me" generation's attitudes to drive well below the speed limit on the highway and then smile at those we inconvenience when they drive around us. If I'm unwilling to drive at 70 MPH I use secondary roads and smell the flowers along the way. Less stress, more scenic, and safer.
Butch

fno
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby fno » Thu Sep 29, 2016 12:00 pm

Butch put it much more eloquently than I would. I drive the speed limit (70 mph) and up to 75 mph. Having had several tire, brake, suspension problems while travelling at these speeds I am comfortable dealing with the problem. In fact, most of the tire failures have been at 45-60 mph and within 10 miles of my home. Another aspect worth discussion relative to this topic is a description of your tow vehicle, trailer, boat combination as some have done. Mine is: Ford F-250 (11K GVWR) 1000 lb aluminum trailer with brakes (single axle), Outrage 210 (5100 lbs. I do know that the boat is behind the vehicle but there is no indication that there is more boat than truck going down the road. As a matter of fact, braking is improved when the trailer brakes are included.

MillieTheBoat
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Location: Dana Point, CA

Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby MillieTheBoat » Thu Sep 29, 2016 3:36 pm

Depending on where you live, you tow what you are comfortable with at the legal speed. I go with the current law in CA.

Autos with trailers and trucks are still limited to 55 MPH as specified in California Vehicle Code 22406.

jimh
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby jimh » Thu Sep 29, 2016 6:14 pm

In Michigan for a long time the speed limit for vehicles pulling a trailer was 55-MPH, but this changed ten years ago. See

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/017095.html

At that same time, the speed limit for trucks on interstate highways was set to 60-MPH. Compare at

http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-1 ... --,00.html

Recently (May 2016) there was legislation passed in the Michigan House of Representatives that would allow legal highway speeds on certain roads in Michigan to increase to 75-MPH. I can't find any report of further activity on this bill. The legislator that proposed it says the actual average speed of traffic on the interstate is 77-MPH.

Buckda
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Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby Buckda » Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:22 am

55-60 on secondary roads
65-70 on limited access highways and interstates

russellbailey
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby russellbailey » Fri Sep 30, 2016 10:42 am

Speed limit or about - speed limit typically anywhere from 60-70. A little over 14,000 lbs rolling when loaded.

NMak
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby NMak » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:57 am

My tow vehicle is a Ford F350 with 6.7l diesel. I tow my 280 Conquest on "Venture" tri-axle trailer. My ride is 212 miles from home to the boat ramp in the spring, and reverse the route in the fall. I normally make this run on a Saturday morning, leaving my home by 04:30 and sitting at the boat ramp by 07:30. My average speed is probably 70mph. The fewer cars on the road, the better off I am.

Norm

StormWarning
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Re: Highway Speed When Towing

Postby StormWarning » Fri Oct 07, 2016 7:39 am

23' conquest and tiw with a f-250 or a 28' motorhome. Boat and trailer weigh 7k. 250 and boat weigh about13k together. Boat and RV are about 19,000lbs together. I run both at 70mph. Once in a while if I'm not in any sort of hurry I will take it down to 65 but only to save fuel.