MFL
Midwest
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While there are still ST tires with lower speed rating, more are stepping up!
Terryallan wrote:"Only 3 last check. Endurance, MAXXIS, and Carlise."
Here are a couple more to add. Provider STs since 2010 M-81 mph, and I believe the newer Westlakes as well.
I think most that are aware of the cheap tire issues, don't mind paying for better quality, which usually includes higher speed rating.
Jerry
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BackOfThePack
Fort Worth
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TT towing is an approximate 40% penalty versus the solo MPG where the TV load hasn’t changed.
For TT with slides, even worse (taller floor height).
It’s an aero problem.
As none ever do a competent test while solo — and vehicle spec, climate & topography figure in — don’t ever expect to find ACCURATE comparisons if fuel-squeezing is your thing.
The test is only against ones self. The tenths of a MPG is how things add up, and chasing those (mechanical condition) isn’t always obvious. Neither are the other details which add up fast (where to fuel, how to park, etc).
TIRE CHOICE is the biggest thing (on TV). Bargain brands never pay.
The start is in determining the TRUE vehicle MPG, and that’s the AVERAGE. One must record all miles and all gallons. (Try FUELLY app or pencil & paper).
To separate RV miles, fill fuel to auto shut off about 75-miles outbound from city center; a rural area (warmup almost complete; tires take forever). That’s the “zero” point. Last fill is the same at trips end.
Gallons/Miles/Engine-Hours = Average MPG & Average MPH. Those two derived figures ARE the story.
There are those who “think” they travel fast, but an examination of Average MPH shows ONLY a huge gap between travel set speed and actual. (Meaning there wasn’t any benefit to the fuel burned to get to a higher speed and consequent higher brake/tire degradation).
Best MPG numbers are in never having to change lanes or use brakes to slow for other than a highway exit. At 62-mph versus 68-mph with medium Interstate traffic, “the gap” above is quite telling: the average speed won’t have moved up beneficially: too many accel/decel events. Too many course corrections (higher wind loads). Greater driver fatigue (reduced peripheral vision).
Commercial traffic centers near 65-mph. Stay below that. Trailer drums have no real reserve and are already taxed at 60-mph. Ease along, slow further to get passing traffic around you SOONEST. (NEVER, EVER, allow a pack to form alongside of and behind you).
Get a feedback device. ULTRAGAUGE or SCANGAUGE. Learn to read, “Engine Load Percentage”. (Don’t exceed 80% as a rule; grade ascent, in main).
Hitch Rigging is as valuable as the two vehicles. Has equal weight (Steer Axle same hitched or solo; same day).
Pickups are inherently imbalanced. Always the poorest highway vehicle for stability. If the SECURED bed load PRIOR TO HITCHING doesn’t get you nearer 50/50 FF/RR, it’s the wrong vehicle to use. (Bed cover good for aero; no ideal aero bed caps commercially available).
Proper tests of MPG: if it shows a greater than 50% change solo to hitched (all else the same), examination of vehicles PLUS driver habits are the problems to examine AFTER hitch rigging (dead level trailer after hitch).
* This post was
edited 12/10/21 06:14am by BackOfThePack *
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profdant139
Southern California
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Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?
Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?
Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.
2012 Fun Finder X-139 "Boondock Style" (axle-flipped and extra insulation)
2013 Toyota Tacoma Off-Road (semi-beefy tires and components)
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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profdant139 wrote:Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?
Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?
Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.
He's insinuating that apparently, a 60mph to 0 stop is all a set of trailer drum brakes can handle, thus rendering them ineffective for a stop from a higher speed.
True statement? No, I'd say Somewhere between debatable and conditional. Just like some of his other assertions...
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
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1320Fastback
Vista, Ca
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Perfectly acceptable for the speed at which your towing.
1992 D250 Cummins 5psd
2005 Forest River T26 Toy Hauler
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BackOfThePack
Fort Worth
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Grit dog wrote:profdant139 wrote:Back of the Pack, I am about to display my ignorance -- what does it mean that trailer drums have no reserve?
Do you mean that it is not safe to go over 60 even though the tires themselves are rated at a higher speed? Why not?
Note that I am not disagreeing with you -- I am just looking for information. Judging by your post, it looks like you know more about tires and wheels than I do.
He's insinuating that apparently, a 60mph to 0 stop is all a set of trailer drum brakes can handle, thus rendering them ineffective for a stop from a higher speed.
True statement? No, I'd say Somewhere between debatable and conditional. Just like some of his other assertions...
Recommend you test a full-on emergency stop from your towing speed. Drums overheat. When they do, they lose effectiveness. Much fun involved with a heavy load and still moving too fast. Of course, maybe they’ll lock up first and the trailer will get sideways on liquid ball bearings (formerly tire tread) just before they blow.
Antilock disc brakes should be a priority.
Dislike the other assertions ? Test them. None are difficult.
I’ve been pulling travel trailers 50-years and learned from father and grandfather before me in traveling the USA, Canada & Mexico on weeks-long trips. Being a truck driver the past quarter-century only reinforces (deepens) understanding as “towing” (combined vehicle) is full-time.
Big trucks are more likely to have steer axle disc these days. (At least it won’t pull itself into the next lane or ditch). But you’ll run out of “brakes” LONG before you come to a stop without emergency downshifting. Drums WILL run out of reserve ability.
With a travel trailer and poor hitch rigging, the tow vehicle front axle and trailer front axle wind up having to do the job, but at 50% capacity. WDH spreads the TW force against all three axles (brakes). It’s also why you want the trailer dead-level after proper hitching. (Carpenters level longitudinally at doorway) as vehicles go nose-down under heavy braking (another reason why a pickup NOT loaded near to stated rear-axle capacity is a poor tow vehicle).
To a point, the more TW transferred to the trailer axles is straight-up beneficial. (Test heat after hard stop; use CAT Scale Axle Slide reading to “get” — understand — the loading per trailer axle).
It SHOULD be obvious that a TV with nearly 50/50 weight distribution BEFORE hitching will have the most effective braking afterwards. From 35-mph, if the hitched combination DOES NOT stop faster than the solo vehicle, something is wrong. Fix it.
It’s easy to get into trouble. It’s HARD to get out of it.
* This post was
edited 12/27/21 08:16pm by BackOfThePack *
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shelbyfv
TN
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Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.
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spoon059
Just north of D.C.
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shelbyfv wrote:Probably we can skip the irrelevant posturing. OP apparently got what he wanted and hasn't been back in over a month.
So, are we disbanding rv.net? This isn't even the tow vehicles section!!!
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Fisherman
Angus, Ontario, Canada
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He's not hiding, he had to get a second job to pay for gas. Like trying to pull a train with a washing machine motor.
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Edd505
Elephant Butte, NM
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Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough truck unless it's a small pop-up.
Ford Ranger 2019 = not enough HP or torque.
Ford Ranger 2019 = 270 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Ford Ranger 2019 = Torque 310 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
Towing 75 = poor mileage.
2015 F350 FX4 SRW 6.7 Crew, longbed - 2017 Durango Gold 353RKT
2006 F350 SRW 6.0 crew longbed sold
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