How fast do you tow your 5th wheel?

[oldeguy]

Thanks to all that contibuted...did get a bit off the question of what speed and MPG your getting.
The reason I asked this question is I'm new at towing something this big and heavy. But in my 4 trips on 4 lane highways, I felt very comfortable towing 60 MPH, 65 MPH, and even at 70 MPH. The cummins and DRW made it seem not stressful. Now, the conditions were good...ie traffic light, partly sunny and good roads. Now I do agree with stopping this big unit (23,000#)...it does not stop like a car...got to have alot more room. So, I just keep my distance beween me and the unit in front at a much greater distance.

On the fuel mileage side of the question...at 65 MPH with a tail wind got 12.5 MPG, at 70 MPH got 9.4 with head wind. I'll take the 12 mpg...but don't like the 9 mpg.

Now, the speed at which one tows his RV is a personnal one...just like the best flavor of ice cream...nobody is going to agree on one flavor!

thank you moderator!

[oldeguy]

speaking of ice cream...I think I'll have a bowl of...Chocolate!

[1bigmess]

As to fuel mileage, if folks can't become friends with 9mpg, this might be the wrong lifestyle for them. If diesel goes to $4.50/gal, I won't sell my truck and RV or stop travelling.

As to ice cream, I don't discriminate. I eat them all if they are present.

[C130]

I seem to get 9-10 mpg no matter what speed I tow at and the mpg variance depends on the wind. I've tried 65 mph, 70, 75 and my mpg pretty much stayed the same or it doesn't vary by more than 1 mpg.

As just stated when towing with one of the new DRW trucks it's very easy to catch yourself going faster than planned. They all have tons of power and after owning both SRW and DRW trucks I'll never tow with a SRW again. The engine exhaust braking the new trucks is awesome, I use my truck brakes very little compared to my reviews truck.

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by C130

They all have tons of power and after owning both SRW and DRW trucks I'll never tow with a SRW again.

What year was your SRW?

I see comments about the stability of the DRW all the time and that guys would never buy an SRW again.

Typically though, the last SRW they had was many years ago and built on old chassis technology.

Trucks change. Technology changes. In every market!

I can tell you this. I have a 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4x4 SRW SB with airbag leveling and I tow a 40' 15,280 lb. 5th wheel. I have absolutely no stability issues whatsoever. My truck is solid and handles my situation with excellence!

[C130]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

What year was your SRW?

I see comments about the stability of the DRW all the time and that guys would never buy an SRW again.

Typically though, the last SRW they had was many years ago and built on old chassis technology.

Trucks change. Technology changes. In every market!

I can tell you this. I have a 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4x4 SRW SB with airbag leveling and I tow a 40' 15,280 lb. 5th wheel. I have absolutely no stability issues whatsoever. My truck is solid and handles my situation with excellence!

2011 F250, air bags, towed a Fuzion 322 toy hauler. Pin weight was heavier than listed, the Fuzion was a Touring Edition. I never did see the pin weight for the Touring Edition listed, only the standard Fuzion 322. It had three 30 pound propane tanks, bigger water heater and refrigerator and some other features. Definitely heavier weight than listed.

The exhaust braking is much better on the newer Fords and towing is more stable with my F450. I don't get the up and down bouncing I'd get before with larger dips in the road. The hitch, Hensley TS3, helps the ride a lot also. Personally, I would not tow my 385TH with a SRW though there are plenty of people that do. It's around 16,000 empty, grosses out about 20,000. I was quite a bit over my rear axle weight with the 35 foot Fuzion and 2011 F250.

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by C130

2011 F250, air bags, towed a Fuzion 322 toy hauler. Pin weight was heavier than listed, the Fuzion was a Touring Edition. I never did see the pin weight for the Touring Edition listed, only the standard Fuzion 322. It had three 30 pound propane tanks, bigger water heater and refrigerator and some other features. Definitely heavier weight than listed.

The exhaust braking is much better on the newer Fords and towing is more stable with my F450. I don't get the up and down bouncing I'd get before with larger dips in the road. The hitch, Hensley TS3, helps the ride a lot also. Personally, I would not tow my 385TH with a SRW though there are plenty of people that do. It's around 16,000 empty, grosses out about 20,000. I was quite a bit over my rear axle weight with the 35 foot Fuzion and 2011 F250.

You are DEFINITELY in DRW country with those weights. You're about 5k over my needs. Mine ran 12,600 empty.
My SRW is also a 3500 series, so even different from an F250 SRW.

I'll bet if you looked at the 2016 F250 you'd see a big difference from your previous truck. Still not enough truck today though for your needs.

[C130]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

You are DEFINITELY in DRW country with those weights. You're about 5k over my needs. Mine ran 12,600 empty.
My SRW is also a 3500 series, so even different from an F250 SRW.

I'll bet if you looked at the 2016 F250 you'd see a big difference from your previous truck. Still not enough truck today though for your needs.

Your weights are very close to what I had with my Fuzion. The F350/3500 series is the way to go with a SRW truck. I always said if I towed anything bigger than the Fuzion I had I would get a DRW because I was maxed as far as comfort level with my F250. I'm very happy with my F450 and how it tows and glad I went with the F450 for my trailer. I was initially only looking at the F350 DRW even though both are more than capable.

I'm really liking the 2017 Super Duty's but wondering what the price will be with all of the options available. I still don't think it'll have the factory air for leveling like the RAM from what I've read, kinda surprised there.

[Mopar1973Man]

Beauty of Idaho is there isn't many interstates to travel only 2 basically. The rest of the 2 lane road are limited to speeds to 65 and lower. Then in Idaho there is no minimum speed limit. Also you can receive a ticket for too fast for conditions. So with all that being said I typically tow at 55 MPH. I've got over 200k miles of fuel logs for my 2002 Dodge Diesel. My lowest every towing is 11 MPG and best was 14 MPG. Now mind you I'm not a stock Cummins diesel either. I'm twisting about 400 HP & 900 FT/LBS out of my beast.

You all can keep your interstate travels and high speed racing. I'm going to unhinge from daily life and responsibilities so I typically slow down, looking for those places to pull off, grab my camera shoot pictures, maybe pull over and take lunch break or nap.

Being I'm fire fighter and search & rescue I know all about high speed travel and response. Last thing I want to do it hurry on my RV days.

[BobGed]

Originally Posted by monkey

Just Please remember most company trucks are set at a speed,,, if we catch you,, Please don't speed up when we are passing... Thankyou, be safe, alot of us truckers are rv'rs too !!!

When the situation that you're talking about is on a flat highway, whenever safe to do so (no traffic behind ME) I will actually knock my CC setting down a few notches to make it easier for trucks to complete the pass as THEY will usually have traffic starting to back up behind them.

I live in NV and do most of my driving in the mountains. The only truckers that bother me (they're usually owner ops and not company drivers) are the ones that will pull out to pass me just before an incline that they know they're not going to be able to ascend as fast as I can. I understand they think they are doing it to gain some sort of momentum, but in just about every case reality eventually sets in, and they are still going to slow down drastically as the incline increases

So what happens is they get along side of me but can't come anywhere near completing the pass. So with cars piling up behind them I have three possible decisions to make:

1. Screw'em. Just maintain my cruise speed and eventually I'll pull away from them enough so they can pull in behind me. This can sometimes take what seems like an eternity to the cars behind them, which really upsets the flow of traffic.

2. I can turn off my CC and slow a way down so they can pull in front of me. Of course the problem with this is then as the incline gets steeper, THEY really slow down, and I have to try and get around them, after losing MY momentum.

3. I can go to WOT (screwing up my MPG) and possibly get in front of them enough so they can pull in behind me, thereby helping the flow of traffic move around both of us a little faster.

I personally will use option #2 or #3 depending on which one I think will best help the overall flow of traffic at the time.

[lynnmor]

Originally Posted by BobGed

So what happens is they get along side of me but can't come anywhere near completing the pass. So with cars piling up behind them I have three possible decisions to make:

1. Screw'em. Just maintain my cruise speed and eventually I'll pull away from them enough so they can pull in behind me. This can sometimes take what seems like an eternity to the cars behind them, which really upsets the flow of traffic.

I use option #1, doing unexpected things is what screws up traffic.

[1bigmess]

I have to agree with this.

I drove big rigs for a while. If I get myself out in the left lane and can't finish the job, I'll turn the blinker on, wait for the traffic on the right to clear safely, and move back over. Very rarely had I ever had a problem with this despite my error in judgement.

It seemed to have worse results when the vehicle I was passing sped up no matter if I could have completed the pass at a safer speed or if the terrain changed.

[Wilber1]

60 or 62 (100 kph) max. Otherwise I set the cruise at slightly slower than the majority of big rigs are travelling. Not having to pass anyone except on grades makes for a very low stress ride. Average somewhere between 10 and 11 MPG towing around 11,000 with a 2011 RAM CTD.

Pet peeve is gomers who doddle onto freeways so you either have to slow down or move over to let them on and then you get hung out in the left lane while you wait for them to pass you on the right.

[timetogo]

The speed limit.