best tow speed? |
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Q7-retired
Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2014 Location: Pittsboro, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 100 |
Topic: best tow speed? Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 10:03pm |
Friends,
I'm about to start a summer of various length trips with our 178, and I hoped to learn from the accumulated experience of the group on best towing speed. We'll tow with an Audi Q7 SUV, which has 6600 # tow capacity and 660 # tongue weight allowance. The 3.0 liter diesel has plenty of torque and power and bears the weight of my precious golf clubs in an appropriately tender manner. Current experience is 26 mpg without Our-pod and about 17 mpg with the little darling hooked through an Equalizer WDH. We'll be well under the rating of the tow vehicle. What do all y'all (Southern plural) think about the best speed? Thanks much, Jim |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4512 |
Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 10:10pm |
I have gotten my bet results right around 60 mph, depending on wind.
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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Q7-retired
Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2014 Location: Pittsboro, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 100 |
Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 10:13pm |
Leo, thanks for your reply. Was that best in terms of MPG, towing experience, sway, happy family, etc.? I'm thinking there is this infinite combination of factors that lead to "best speed," and hoped to hear about the experience to see where it all sorts out.
again, thanks! Jim |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4512 |
Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 10:54pm |
Kind of a combination. It gets me best mpg, still lets you feel like you are covering some distance and
keeps it easy on the nerves towing. Especially going through traffic. |
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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Pooterpod
Newbie Joined: 13 May 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 38 |
Posted: 09 Jun 2015 at 11:50pm |
I like 60 also.
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Podster
Senior Member Joined: 16 Sep 2014 Location: San Antonio Online Status: Offline Posts: 1108 |
Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 12:04am |
60mph, with occasional hits at 65mph. The majority of ST tires are rated at 65mph. I have ST tires, you may have LT tires. I'm not sure what the speed rating is for LT tires.
My principle concern is safety and nothing else.
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Cliff & Raelynn
Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
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CFWARREN
Senior Member Joined: 12 Apr 2015 Location: Spokane, Wa Online Status: Offline Posts: 148 |
Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 12:34am |
In some states 55 is the max if you're towing a trailer. When I'm on the interstate, I like to go just above 60. The speed limit for cars is 70, 60 for trucks. That way I'm not being passed by the semi's, and the cars that want to go fast can go around me. On any given day I rarely drive over 300 miles anyway, so a little faster isn't really saving any time. And of course anything over about 55, your MPG drops way off.
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2016 179 - Hood River Edition
2008 Nissan Xterra |
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R-Pod'nFJ
Newbie Joined: 04 Apr 2015 Online Status: Offline Posts: 37 |
Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 2:42am |
I'm another vote for 60. With the Equalizer adjusted properly I even felt comfortable passing other people on the passing lanes. At 60 I'm at 2350-2400 RPM and get about 13-14mpg with no head wind on level ground. The whole setup feels very stable.
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14 Cement Gray FJ Cruiser
15 R-Pod 179 71 Honda CB750 cafe racer project 71 Honda CB350 75 Honda XL350 81 KZ550 Ltd. street tracker project Scott & Kerri |
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Q7-retired
Senior Member Joined: 26 Dec 2014 Location: Pittsboro, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 100 |
Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 8:52am |
Thanks to all for the comments.
I hadn't thought about max speed limits for towing. However, on reviewing the latest NHTSA publication on state speed limits, I can't find any reference to travel trailers. Lots of restrictions on mobile homes (also named as house trailers) and wide/ oversize trailers, but nothing that seems to refer to R-pods. I appreciate Podster's comments on the tires; I'm going to go check mine right now! Best, Jim |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 9:01am |
I'll put in another vote for 60, towing or not I get the best mpg there. I keep it between 60-65 when towing.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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