towing speed

[AZZA]

Hi guys I was driving up to the coast sitting on 115kph in the 110 zone(hope booty dosnt read this) and a guy came past me towing a 5 meter plate boat and had to be sitting on at least 120ks which got me wondering what speeds people tow at. Then when coming home this arvo a guy was towing a 7 meter cat at 115kph with a petrol cruiser, I tow mine at 95 to 100 ks on the double lanes and about 90 on the single lane. The patrol will tow faster but it just feels sweet at thoses speeds and dosnt burn through the fuel as quick.

[bootyinblue]

Duh... already read it!

I tow at 85-95km as anymore and you can just see the fuel gauge drop. Do some quick maths and see how much later you will get home, it may suprise you how little time you save.

[noname]

i'm like booty, leave early to compensate and just cruise up the highway and to stuffed to speed on the way home, so just cruise it back

[Davo_Dinkum]

i'm a 90 to 100 km down a hill, guy in the cruiser ,whether i'm towing or not.its the best spot of fuel economy. sure i can push to 110 ,but u see the fuel gauge dropping quick.

[ellicat]

On the way there...depends how late I am.

On the way home....depends how much trouble I'm in for being late back again .

[dhess]

I agree with what every one said regarding fuel economy. I tow at what feels a safe speed which is 100 in a 100 zone and maybe just under 110 in a 110 zone. ON single lane roads I generally keep to the speed limit as I try not to obstruct other motorists. I can definitely see the need for going a bit slower with a heavier boat. No one can argue with the laws of physics.

[Feral]

Whatever the red black and white sign says. Steep hills I'll let her drop back so I dont take it over 4000rpm (Auto) but apart from that, overdrive off, and away I go.

Fuel economy goes from about 11l/100k to around 16. If you want really bad fuel economy make the mistake of using your cruise control while towing, jumped to 19!

[faulked]

i have a light boat ,a heavy car and lpg so its 160 for me

jason senna

[bigtez]

With the old ute about 90 was the max you would want to tow anything. It used to get bullied by most boats,even the little ones, so any more then that was starting to get unsafe.

In the new truck I have to remind myself regularly that there is a boat on behind. Gotta love turbo diesels. :woohoo:

[mick fillet]

I tow boats around the 80-90km/h mark the patrol is doin 2000 rpm in that good touqe range so when the hills come up I just give a bit more pedal and she whistles up the hill with out revin the motor past 3000 rpm. I do agree with what every body has said about the fuel consumtion. But the other reason I tow slow is so that my wheel bearing arn't that hot when i get to the ramp. I always and I mean always wait 15min -20min at the ramp waiting for the bearings to cool before hiting the water.Have never had milky or stinky grease caused from over heating. Whats a few minutes when its all part of the fun going fishing.

[tugger]

i tow at 90 and hit 100 for run ups to hills and even big trips to nth qld which i do regularly and what it saves isn't worth the worry. that bit more speed takes so much more stopping when something goes wrong. i had a blow out on a front wheel on the highway doing 90 and i lost control of the steering substancialy and was strugling to pull the car and trailer up .it was all over the road and its usually the case thats its fine at speed till something goes wrong

[Davo_Dinkum]

front tyre is always nasty.

had a few go talk about a car that want to turn hard 1 way to the flat.

boat and trailer on the back on can on imagine that would be scary.

had 1 in a 6 cyc falcon .power steering not so bad.

first flat front was in a v8 xb falcon on a corner .no power steering.hehe a wake up call .

good tip there mick.

i had been going hard it the 4x4 on the road and went off road straight in water etc.

well stuffed that set of wheel bearing up real quick.

the combo of hot to cold quick and the movement in seals and change of temp did no favors for the wheel bearing at all.

as i go slow and steady wins the race.

and sticking to the speed limits saves on tickets .i like that 1 never had a speeding ticket.

[zan0_15]

i am nervous about towing the boat all the time for good reason.......the first time i towed it i was bringing it home from buying it........headin northbound along the m1 going about 90 in the left lane when one of the tyres on the trailer let go...the back right on the trailer and wasnt she angry!!!!! lucky there was no one travelling parallel to the trailer as they would have been cleaned up...it hung out all the way into the next lane but luckily falled back into line relativey easily but yer it was a bit hairy having not done any towing before that......since then no problems!!! touch wood!! i like to stick just under the speed limit for the simple reason that if something goes wrong that extra 10 or so km/h defineately makes a big difference in terms of controlling it if something goes wrong!!