Do you go over 65 mph on your GM toad

[Sbrownstein]

Originally Posted by Canuck53

I to have an Enclave so sounds like following the rules is a very reasonable doable plan.

Do you remove the fuses as indicated? I don't and installed a breaker and charge line from the RV. Only down side that I can see is that the odometer continues to add mileage.

Upside is I can reach in and turn the key and start it every 200 miles.

[dix39]

If there is concern about damage and it is rear wheel drive, why not just add a driveshaft disconnect? Front wheel drive would probably require a dolly.

While not actually a GM product, but sold by GM, and older, I've towed our Tracker several times coast to coast at 70. It has the same warning about towing speed and running the engine every so often. After abusing that several times I added a disconnect which took away the concern. It has worked well for 10+ years and about 80k miles. I did have it rebuilt at a local drive line shop last year.

Steve

[Waiter21]

Like others, I usually hang around 62-65. Not because of the toad, but because I fell more comfortable at that speed. I will bump it up to 70ish if I fell I'm being a safety hazard at slower speed. I've seen it as high as 85 coming down a long desolate hill.


I've never worried about, nor considered a 65 mph as a limit on toads speed. I can't envision why 65 would be OK, but 66 will be the end of the world.

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by followingsea

It is a tire and center of gravity thing.

I started with UV before they were SUV but the law of the land 55 mph. I rarely saw unrecognizable junk on the side of the road. Was it a MH pulling a SUV or a SUV pulling a camping trailer?

It is not unusual all manner of rigs going 80 mph. The faster you go the more likely to blow a tire. If you are towing with a high center of gravity keeping control is harder.

Ahh, no, not even in the parking lot of the ball field with regards to the question posted. The OEM speed restriction and other such operation recommendations for a flat tow vehicle is due to heat build up in the transmission. The faster a vehicle is towed more heat will build up in the transmission than can bleed off without flow of oil to the cooler.

Will a blow the transmission the moment the speedo crosses 65.1 MPH? Of course not but excessive heat will degrade transmission fluid and the effect is cumulative.

[docj]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

The OEM speed restriction and other such operation recommendations for a flat tow vehicle is due to heat build up in the transmission. The faster a vehicle is towed more heat will build up in the transmission than can bleed off without flow of oil to the cooler.

Heat also causes the transmission fluid to degrade. Honda recommends replacing the fluid every 30,000 miles for CR-V's that are flat towed. That's compared to ~twice that for non-towed vehicles.

[staggerlee]

Seen where a Fiat has no speed limit.

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by docj

Heat also causes the transmission fluid to degrade. Honda recommends replacing the fluid every 30,000 miles for CR-V's that are flat towed. That's compared to ~twice that for non-towed vehicles.

I do a drain and refill on my CR-V every other engine oil change. Could probably push it out further but a simple drain will only get about 2/3 of oil out so I shorten the interval. I measure what gets drained and refill with the same amount and only use Honda DW1 fluid. Although if only gets taken for a tow about 3000 miles a year at 13 years on the road with 145,000 miles and still going strong.

[Canuck53]

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

Do you remove the fuses as indicated? I don't and installed a breaker and charge line from the RV. Only down side that I can see is that the odometer continues to add mileage.

Upside is I can reach in and turn the key and start it every 200 miles.

Do not have a setup yet but will have a fuse bypass switch installed.

[BigBillSD]

I keep the coach between 65-70mph on the freeways that allow that while towing. Out here in Cali 55 is usually the max while towing, so I keep to about 60. I never thought of changing out the tranny fluid more often, makes sense. I think I will change the Equinox's prior to our next trip.



-Bill

[Mike8253]

I try to keep to a max below 65, but if a situation arises on the road where I have to go above 65 to get around a slower vehicle or one that slows on the hills, I will. But I'll do it only at the lowest passing speed above 65 I can manage and also the shortest duration I can manage. But I also appreciate being able to flat tow and choose not to risk damage to the car/transmission. So I spend my driving time almost entirely below 65. Separately, I just fully enjoy the drive itself. Why hurry. When I took car vacations, I passed everything I thought would impede an "on time" arrival at our destination. It's so nice now to just enjoy the ride and get to wherever I want to stop for the day.

[aether_one]

Originally Posted by NevadaNick

Towed a GMC pickup over 65 for many mi. The transmission has nothing to do with being towed.

Really? Whether manual or automatic, unless you have a transfer case as in 4WD, the output shaft of the transmission is being driven by the wheels. So yeah, it has quite a bit to do with being towed.

[aether_one]

Like most that have contributed to this discussion we normally tow our Sonic a few MPH below 65. I have been known to push it to 75 MPH or so when passing or getting away from a questionable situation, but that is for a short duration and then it's back to 63/64 MPH.

Regarding "pulling the fuse" GM is very unclear as to why the fuse(s) need to be pulled but in my case it just disables the discreet logic circuit so you can leave the transmission in neutral and turn the key to OFF and remove it. So I never put the fuse back in, but you gotta be smart enough to put the transmission in PARK before removing the key when not being towed.