Community Forums

TW · 03-26-2011, 05:22 PM

Drive your own speed, as mentioned above, until you feel SAFE behind the wheel at any speed. Around 55 MPH is a very good and safe speed.
Don't get pushed around by the 'Lawbreakers', speeders, Truckers etc.

TW

**JohnRR** · 03-26-2011, 05:47 PM

Use your wallet and seat of your pants to make your own decision.

laj · 03-26-2011, 06:08 PM

Mine seems to run real free about 65-67. Mileage seems to be constant between 60-68. Slower and my mileage starts dropping a bit, faster then 70 and it drops considerably, even without a headwind.

RickO · 03-26-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckiest Dre

If it feels squirrely you are driving to fast! What ever your speed is you need to be in control, the heck with what is considered normal. However being slow enough to be a problem for every other driver on the road would not be safe either! If it is set up right you should be able to maintain the speed limit and feel in control

I agree except in those areas of the country with 75/80mph speed limits.

. I could just never feel comfortable at those speeds.

Rick

faye · 03-27-2011, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GG1

The slower you go the better the mileage gets. If you travel at 55-60 and the more powerful rigs pass you at 75 you can wave to them when you see them in the rest stops as you go by. If I start driving at 9am during the course of a full day the same guy may pass me 3 times and then stop at the same campground in the evening 5 minutes earlier than me.

what a wise person you are. i completely agree with you. your goal should not be just getting from point a to point b....but enjoying the scenery along the way,,,, remember the wt. of these mh and the time needed to stop.

JOMARFL (FMCA 401058) · 03-27-2011, 02:39 AM

55-60, mostly 55 to be safe, save gas, enjoy the view.

danf7 · 03-27-2011, 04:26 AM

I have a front end diesel and I try to keep it between 55-60 as long as there is no major traffic. These babies take some time/distance to stop. Besides at 12 1/2 feet tall, my rig has the aerodynamics of a bull elephant! Go a little slower and save the diesel cost for a cold one!!!! ( or two, three )

Dan

mikron · 03-27-2011, 05:19 AM

It depends on how windy it is for me. I like 60 to 65 if not windy and 55 to 60 max if windy. The safety T plus we added helps also.

JayGee · 03-27-2011, 05:56 AM

60-65 for me. I used to keep up with the traffic and drove too fast. But I find it tremendously more relaxing to stay around 60, and I get there feeling good

instead of stressed to the max.

Good point about the wind too as Mikron says. I slow down a little more if it is windy.

gklehner · 03-27-2011, 12:51 PM

After all the responses, I have a much better "feel" for expectations on driving and speeds. On our first trip driving ~ 68 mph found we were passing 99% of all RV's on the road. Should have given me a clue!
Found out it drives good at 65. Also found out using the secondary roads with 55 to 65 mph speed limits was a relaxing pleasure! Just for a added sense of (hopefully) comfort, ordered a Steer-Safe system. Pretty simple set up and saw all good reviews on them. Now if I could just re-design the GF I would put the water tanks BETWEEN the front and rear wheels instead of on the tail.

Thanks again for all your insight and support.

Less of a newbie as time goes on.....

Greg, Karen, Atticus and Clementine (our Choc Lab and Golden)

ctcamper · 03-29-2011, 07:06 AM

I have no idea why people now have to tailgate, I was doing the speed limit in town here the other day and guy was 1 foot off me, I thought he was going to ram me. He passed me and flipped an obscenity. I caught up with him the next light
In the motorhome I have come across tailgaters on the highways occasionally, they maybe trying to ride the vacuum behind me. In that case I pull into the next rest area and then leave to get rid of them.

The worst offenders I ever came across was on the blue ridge parkway. I was new then and tried to speed up and ended overheating the brakes. I'm sorry but I do not feel sorry for anyone that is backed up behind me when I can maintain the posted "LIMIT" Limit means just what it says.

CoastieSCPO · 03-29-2011, 07:31 AM

I normally drive at 60-62 mph. That's 7 mph or so past the Allison going into OD and is 2200 rpm's on the tach. This is the best speed for gas mileage and my comfort and safety. The 8.1 will go a lot faster, but why!

Uber_D · 03-29-2011, 07:40 AM

We did our first trip with cruise set at 62 which gave us a range of 59 to 68 through the hills and was quite a comfortable ride. It also made the down hill runs very exciting! Like riding a roller coaster... A really honkin' big one!

MegaRoadie · 03-29-2011, 07:40 AM

Speed is a factor only to those who are in a big hurry to get there with frazzled nerves, empty wallet, bald tires, and a wife whose knuckles must be pried from the assist rail.

On a serious note: each individual rig has what techies call "the Powerband", to me this translates to speed of rig when HP and Torque are mid-range for that exact engine/transmission and weight combination. In my Itasca this ends up right at 58 - 60 mph, 2000 rpm. at this speed I get reliable MPG's in 9.1 to 9.3 MPG range, with Awesome Power from the 8.1 litre Vortec beast, in reserve to do any required maneuvering. I find this also keeps me "On Cruise" for all but the most serious of inclines, this allowing me to simply steer the MH and enjoy the trip. All this made much more pleasant by the Steer Safe and proper tire pressures !!!

Yes, there will be the frequent flyer morons zooming by, displaying their IQ's and driving erratically as if these displays are impressive or intimidating... but then that seems to be their problem and none of my concern. I am quite happily getting great fuel mileage, having a stressless trip, minimizing the wear and tear on tires and coach and literally doing what I love... TRAVELLING !!! The trout do not seem to mind at all how quickly I get there, DW loves to be relaxed, my two small sentinel doggies enjoy their sleep in the dashsun, and I very very much love less frequent stops for fuel !

Trout... did someone mention trout ?!?!?!?! Where did I put those waders ???? lol

Bottomline is that you can choose to have a whiteknuckle ride, place everyone in serious danger, pollute extensively, burn lots and lots of fuel, and be a general butthead or... you can enjoy the ride and the trip which often is as good as the destination. Just remember... someone else here has said they have "cold ones" for the end of the day's trip, and we will have them all empty and enjoyed by the time the joyriders get their blown tires changed and try to keep fuel in the tank, straggling in frazzled and frayed, and thursty, and cranky... lol