Can't tow above 60mph

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by minytrker

Thanks for all the replies. The yukon has all upgraded suspension included sway bars, and helper air bags in the rear. It actually rides better than stock just lower. It pulled the trailer fine until 65mph then it went downhill from there. Im not trying to go 80+ but 70-75mph would be nice unless Im being unrealistic with a travel trailer. We go that fast with our racing setups that are alot longer and bigger.
My shop truck has 200k+ miles and is an extended cab only reason we dont like it over the yukon. If I need to I will buy another dually or a another 4 door 2500. I didnt want to sell my last dually but someone made me an offer for it I couldnt turn down so I sold it.

Payload, payload, payload. Several others have pointed out that you've probably got 2 issues, and you've raised a third.

First is payload. You can upgrade suspension all you want, but the brakes, chassis, etc., are still only rated for the same maximum payload. Travel trailers are not the same as your utility trailers. They put 10-15% of their gross weight on the trailer tongue, which becomes part of the payload carried by your tow vehicle. So load it up and weigh the rig at a CAT scale.

IIRC you said you're concerned that the Husky hitch isn't set up right, but I think it's not rated for the weight you're towing. That model appears to have a max tow weight of 8000 lb (barely ok there) and a max tongue weight of 800 lb. Dude, see above. An 8000 lb trailer is going to give you a tongue weight of up to 1200 pounds. No wonder you've got sway problems!

Third is speed. If you have ST tires, they're rated for maximum speed of 65 mph. Period. (Except Goodyear Endurance, rated up to 87 mph.) That kind of speed on ST tires is asking for tire failure at the speeds you want to tow.

So. You may be way over the Yukon's payload capacity, your hitch may be overloaded, and (just guessing here) you want to drive way faster than your tires allow. I'm willing to be wrong on any of that, but it's worth checking, just for safety's sake. Please let us know where you're going to be driving, so I can get on other roads!!

Good luck!

Roger

[raineman]

The OP keeps bringing up that the speed limits are 75mph. That does not mean that rvs have to go 75mph. I stay to the right and maintain 65ish. My trailer tires are rated for 75. Still won’t drive that fast.

We also keep talking about weight. That youkon’s engine will be screaming to keep a high profile vehicle going down the road at 70+ all the time.

[minytrker]

Originally Posted by Demiles

Unfortunately you’ve hit what’s known as the critical speed. It’s the speed which sway initiated by driver or external input will grow exponentially. Increasing hitch load may help but that’s just one characteristic of many that contributes to the problem. High trailer yaw inertia caused by poor design, trailer axle location, trailer tires, TV tires, TV wheelbase, rear axle to hitch point distance, and TV to trailer weight ratio are all factors to consider. Every towing combination will reach this critical speed if they go fast enough.

Yeah that makes perfect sense. Our longer race trailers our alot lower and seem better thought out for towing plus I always used duallys which made a huge difference.

Originally Posted by wandering1

Short wheel base, mushy soft suspension Tahoe/Yukon will not "control" the trailer. Get an adequate 3/4 or 1 ton tow vehicle. There have been plenty of fatal Tahoe/Yukon travel trailer wrecks due to uncontrolable trailers (suicide rigs).

I started looking last night for another a dually but will settle for a 2500. I will use my current 2500 until I can find a new one and give up on using the yukon I think.

Originally Posted by RSchleder

I'm estimating that 90% of the WDH's set up by Dealers is incorrectly setup/adjusted. Read the manual and spend the time to setup adjust your WDH properly. I travel 60-65 mph so I have no experience to suggest any fix for those wanting to go 15-20 mph faster.

Im going to re-do the hitch and set it for my truck and start over.

[Cumminsfan]

There's several newer ST tires rated higher than 65 mph. Doubt they're on his brand TT though.
Last year we came through Boise Id on a 2 week trip. Speed limit is 80 mph. My truck and short 5er are rock solid at any speed. I just couldn't make myself go over 70 mph. My tires are way under loaded and good for 81 mph. My truck is way under loaded as well with higher rated tires. I have zero sway but gee wiz running over 70 mph sucks fuel like crazy. I just couldn't see the point of sucking down fuel for the short distance I was traveling. I was never concerned about some catastrophic problem. It's one finger driving most of the time.
If I were towing a small TT like an R-Pod type with a decently setup 1/2 ton I'd run any speed out there. Throw some LT tires on the Pod and go. I tow my 5x10 utility trailer at whatever speed I need to.
Back when we had a 31' TT and an F150 it was all I could do to go 65. Not because it would sway at that speed but because the truck was never solid and never felt like it was in charge of the TT.
Get the proper truck and trailer and higher speeds are very doable.

[RVPioneer]

Originally Posted by minytrker

Thanks for all the replies. The yukon has all upgraded suspension included sway bars, and helper air bags in the rear. It actually rides better than stock just lower. It pulled the trailer fine until 65mph then it went downhill from there. Im not trying to go 80+ but 70-75mph would be nice unless Im being unrealistic with a travel trailer. We go that fast with our racing setups that are alot longer and bigger.
My shop truck has 200k+ miles and is an extended cab only reason we dont like it over the yukon. If I need to I will buy another dually or a another 4 door 2500. I didnt want to sell my last dually but someone made me an offer for it I couldnt turn down so I sold it.

If the trailer tires are rated for 65, and most states have 55-60mph speed limits while towing, what could possibly be unrealistic about going 75?

You're killing that poor Yukon. Get the dually and get back up to 80.

[LandKO]

My 2016 Yukon XL 4WD with max towing package Is rated to tow up to 8000 lbs. I tow a 26 ft TT that is rated for 6000 lbs max. I run Goodyear Endurance tires on the TT. I normally tow on the interstate at 68-69 mph with no problem. Passing at 72-73 is also not a problem.
However, the OP stated he is towing an 8000 lb trailer. I would assume his 2015 Yukon XL has a similar rating as my 2016. Therefore he is towing at max weight with no margin for safety.
IMHO, changing tongue weight will have little affect on his problem. He is at the overload point for the vehicle he is towing with.

[Mich F]

I've always assumed that speed limits on highways at least, are set with the average family car in mind and not for some of RVs ( some grossly overloaded) I see flying past me at 75-80 MPH or whatever.

Do people think because they can drive or tow that fast in an RV, that is a safe or smart thing to do? Do they think their RV has the same driving/handling characteristics as a family sedan ? Whenever I see someone who in my mind is going way too fast for what they're driving, I say a little prayer that when/if they get into an accident up ahead, that I don't get involved in it.

[khuffmanjr]

Originally Posted by RVPioneer

If the trailer tires are rated for 65, and most states have 55-60mph speed limits while towing, what could possibly be unrealistic about going 75?

You're killing that poor Yukon. Get the dually and get back up to 80.

I don't think anywhere near most states have a 55-60MPH towing limit. There are a couple, for sure, but not most. LOL.

Originally Posted by Mich F

I've always assumed that speed limits on highways at least, are set with the average family car in mind and not for some of RVs ( some grossly overloaded) I see flying past me at 75-80 MPH or whatever.

Do people think because they can drive or tow that fast in an RV, that is a safe or smart thing to do? Do they think their RV has the same driving/handling characteristics as a family sedan ? Whenever I see someone who in my mind is going way too fast for what they're driving, I say a little prayer that when/if they get into an accident up ahead, that I don't get involved in it.

Reducing speed below X is always going to be safer than driving at X, whether towing or not. What's your point?

Look guys, you are all placing some magic significance on 60, 65 or XX MPH and keep saying how your favorite number is the limit of safe driving with a load behind you. What makes your number the right number? ...How it feels? ...The position of the needle?

Texas is big, and we have learned to be more comfortable driving faster. And with good equipment, its no more risky than slower speeds with less capable equipment. Use the right equipment, maintain it and drive safely...whatever that speed may be.

Ken

[astrocamper]

I don't towing at 70+ is the problem. The problem is the large increase in distance covered before you can react, slow or stop when things go sideways. I am in my comfort zone in the 60-65 MPH range with my GMC 2500HD towing a 24 foot Arctic Fox 22G. Interstate 80 is 80 MPH in parts of rural Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Only fools are towing at the speed limit in those areas.

I was amazed how many bad swaying travel trailers were going east on I80 in the Sierras. Most of those were towed by SUVs or half-ton trucks.

[NevadaNick]

Count me as a fool as well as a deplorable.

[tuffr2]

Nothing slows you down like a swaying trailer. It is a self slowing system.

It will be interesting as I am getting rid of my dually and buying a SRW 3/4 ton truck.
I still plan to tow at 65 - 70mph depending on my swaying trailer speed limiter.

[khuffmanjr]

Originally Posted by astrocamper

I don't towing at 70+ is the problem. The problem is the large increase in distance covered before you can react, slow or stop when things go sideways. I am in my comfort zone in the 60-65 MPH range with my GMC 2500HD towing a 24 foot Arctic Fox 22G. Interstate 80 is 80 MPH in parts of rural Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Only fools are towing at the speed limit in those areas.

I was amazed how many bad swaying travel trailers were going east on I80 in the Sierras. Most of those were towed by SUVs or half-ton trucks.

I'll buy that. Drive to the conditions, I say. That includes weather, curves in the road, other traffic around you, condition of the road surface, visibility...everything.

I just also think that when you can see well, traffic is light, or moving quickly, and when you have the right equipment for the load and the road, then you can drive at more expeditious pace, depending on your comfort and skill level.

Be safe!

Ken

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by minytrker

... but on miles on of open road in the middle of nowhere I am going 75mph.



So to get back on track, the goal is to get rid of the sway with the yukon.

So you are saying that the human anatomy and the ability survive a high speed accident improves when you are on the open road?

Slow down and you will get rid of the sway. You might even enjoy it.

[minytrker]

Originally Posted by followingsea

So you are saying that the human anatomy and the ability survive a high speed accident improves when you are on the open road?

Slow down and you will get rid of the sway. You might even enjoy it.

We will have to agree to disagree, 75mph is not high speed, its the posted speed limit, we even have higher limits on some roads. About the the only 2 vehicles you ever see going under 75mph are concrete trucks and school buses.

In my old dually it actually got the best fuel mileage towing 75mph, at 65-70mph it didnt have enough boost and was always lugging the motor.