How fast to tow?

[Hatchman]

Another thread got me to thinking, how fast should you ever tow? I'm thinking several factors come into mind. Wear and tear on the truck/drive train, overheating of the transmission and rearend, but seems like the most limiting factor would be the trailer itself and the trailer tires. They don't seem speed rated at all. And if the trailer starts fishtailing at high speed, could be uncontrollable.

For me, the 6x12 enclosed I tow is pretty stable, and I don't have any problem towing it at the posted speed limit, or maybe 5-10mph over, but never more than that.

So what's the fastest one should tow, and what's the limiting factor?

[OnebadSE]

Sounds like you answered your own question lol. The easy answer would be as fast as you feel safe as long as its handling well. Real heavy loads may differ but, I rarely tow anything over about 4000 LBS. Ive done 80 with that trailer with no problems. I don't know about speed limits on a particular trailer. I'm sure there are on some.

[Ape0r]

States define different speed limits for vehicles that are towing. See below.

http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/laws.asp

Whether anyone actually follows those laws is a different story. Personally, I'd keep it under 50 for the first 500 miles for break in, and then under 65 from there. Only a damn fool or an OTR trucker with the old song "Convoy" playing would do 80 with a trailer in tow, as stopping distance is based on a curve: as you get faster, kinetic energy and thus stopping distance goes up exponentially. Plug some numbers into the equation KE = 1/2mv^2, where m is mass and v is velocity, and you'll get the idea.

[phillipyang]

The fastest you should tow is 65. Never over.... I've seen too many trailers blow their tires out on the highway thinking their tires are rated for that high speed w/ the weight.

Its better to practice safe than test the limits of the truck by experimenting with your 30k. The transmission and front fender will love you for it.

Brakes are also an issue. If you are close to coming over your half-way mark on your towing capacity, think about your brakes.... Its not going to stop like you known it to be.

Well I live in southern cali 15FWY and i see way too many overheated vehicles going up the mountain to the lake and blown tires. I even had to bring my jack for this guy that had to wait 4 hours for AAA.

Oh yeah, we have 40MPH winds during the months of Oct-Jan. Have you ever seen a trailer flip off its hitch? I see 18wheeler trucks lined up for miles just to wait for the winds to stop.

check psi on tires?

I'm just paranoid about towing. Too many consequences if you screw up.



Think smart and drive slow.

[roadtripper]

Around 70mph, although I have caught myself at close to 80mph on big flat boring stretches of highway before.
Do check trailer tire pressure before every trip!

[Orlando Titan]

If Pensacola is Pensacola, FL, the towing speed limit for FL is 55. Whether anyone actually follows those laws is a different story.


There is no such law in Florida

[Hatchman]

According the this website, the max trailer speed is 70 mph for FL.

http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/gulf_laws.asp

Florida:

Boating Law Administrator: 940-488-5600 ext. 55
Maximum Speed Limit: 70

But I've never heard of that law before either.

I agree, keep it safe, check the tires, get there in one piece.

[loufish]

I throw my dirt bikes in the bed & tow a off-road pop-up tent trailer. The fastest I towed with my Ranger was 80 mph a couple of times, haven't got a chance to tow with Titan yet. Tires on my trailer are LT off-road tires, no problems with speed for them. I don't expect to be towing faster then that, just too many things can happen at 80 mph, I usually tow at 60-65 here in So. Cal.

[roadtoad]

>Brakes are also an issue.


True story. And try to never tow more than your truck weighs unless you have brakes on the tow and (unless surgers), to always apply them first. If you must overtow without brakes, allow three times more space ahead than you normally would. In any event, try not to exceed rated tonque weight - it sacks shocks fast, and puts your handling much closer to the edges of the envelope than many realize until too late.

As to how fast: think not only of your rubber rating, but of your wheel size and bearing condition. Boat trailers are notorious for failure. On a clear freeway quality road your engine will tell you when its in a sweet spot. Just remember to allow braking distance, slow and look up blind on-ramps, and try to follow faster traffic with a larger radar profile. Towing 6000 in that manner the truck and I are content at 65, and can boost to 75 without undue strain.

Seeing all the recreational tows driven like cars (often with visible weight imbalance), a lot of us professionals who have to test for operational certification (and a lot of cops like my brother) wish written and performance testing was mandatory for anyone towing.

[Hatchman]

Originally Posted by roadtoad

>Brakes are also an issue.



As to how fast: think not only of your rubber rating, but of your wheel size and bearing condition.

This makes sense. Those little 12" trailer tires I've seen would have to turn a LOT of revs/mile to keep up with 33" tires.

And my bearings just got replaced and packed, had one wobbling a little. It was pretty cheap, considering the consequences if left unchecked. About a hundred bucks from a trailer shop.

[Nuckle]

It depends on how late I am trying to get to the duck blind.

50, 60, 70, 90.....

Nuck

[BilltheCat]

And don't forget to consider crosswinds. The faster you go the lighter the trailer (weight is transfered to forward motion). Being from Kansas I can tell you, towing a high profile trailer (like an RV) at high speeds with a 30+ crosswind will put you in a lane you don't want to be in. Even Semis take heed.

[Hatchman]

Originally Posted by BilltheCat

(weight is transfered to forward motion).

Somebody want to take this one?

[gtbigup01]

I think it all depends on the trailer and your comfort level. I just towed a car up to NY, using a UHAUl dolly, and they told me the dolly should not go faster than 46MHP. ????? I'm thinking i'm not driving all the way to NY 46MPH. Neverthe less I started off at 55MPH. Two hours into the trip some guy flies pass me with the exact set up towing a car at around 70/75MPH, so of course I waited a while to see if I'll see him on the side of the road later,which I didn't so of course I bumped my speed to between 60/65, which was still painfull since it took 14hrs to get to NYC.

[Birdhunter]

I have towed a 2000 lb boat trailer over 3000 miles with my Titan, including a run from Arkansas to California. Bottom line is it is up to the driver and their comfort factor. But a couple of points of discussion:
- Trailer tires - I have radial tires on my trailer, not regular trailer tires (but radials are more expensive). Everyone notes that my tires are low on pressure, but the radials were put on for the long haul, as they don't get as hot as regular trailer tires, so my bearings don't get as hot either. This gives me a little more comfort factor.
- Bearings - as noted before, bearings are an issue. I worked for an RV dealer years back and have seen too many trailers come in with shot bearings or better yet the guy who lost his within a mile of the boat ramp, then lost his boat (major bummer). The new Bearing Buddy products allow you to continually see whether grease needs to be added to the bearings and also does a much better job of distributing the grease around the bearings than the old slather it on by hand method I did at the RV dealer. The Bearing Buddy are a worthy investment for anyone making long hauls with a trailer.

Also my boat trailer is old enough to have single tires even though it weighs right at 2000 lbs. That simply means in a cross wind with a travel cover on it presents a heck of a cross section for the wind to blast and will really sway badly if a tractor trailer passes me. Simply put, slow down and hold on (I ran into 70 mph cross winds on the Bonneville Salt Flats coming back, ugh!).

Erring to the side of caution is always your best bet when towing a trailer (even if the Titan really wants to get out and pass someone!).