Tow Speeds

Randy Wieland wrote:

Most states minimal speed is 10 under posted or weather pending.

Most states? as in more than 50% Got a couple links to government sites, citing the 10 under minimum, to support your statement?
In Minnesota;
The statutory speed limits are: 65 m.p.h. or 70 m.p.h. for interstates (depending on whether the road is, respectively, within or outside an urbanized area of at least 50,000)
As has already been mentioned the minimum is 40 mph on interstate roads. That is 25 to 30 mph below the speed limit, NOT 10 mph below.

https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/ss/ssspdlt.pdf#:~:text=Statutory%20speed%20limits.%20The%20default%20Minnesota%20speed%20limits,Minn.%20Stat.%20%C2%A7%C2%A7%20169.011%3B%20169.14%2C%20subd.%202%3B%20327.27.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
Cruise control- if your truck can’t handle it, pull a lighter load or go manual.

The trucks Ive had handle using cruise just fine, I just find less shifting and better mileage when I dont use it. Its not an excessive amount of shifting by any means. I always use tow/haul mode when towing. That is one of the nicest recent additions to tow vehicles.

Terrain and load plays a part….plus that slow guy going 15 under. Here in wi and surrounding areas, cruise control sucks because I have to kick it out and resume too much. Too many people slowing down because ??????

When I’m hauling to Colorado, say 7000# load, I’ll get 2 to 2.5 more mpg with cruise on I80. Semi’s with regulators become an issue, but most are much more curious than local dipshits

Any of you guys experience the people who are NOT towing insisting on passing you only to hold you up? This is the most irritating thing to me. They assume since Im towing something that I am going slower than them. Dang is that irritating.

How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

No way would I drive 20-30mph under the posted speed limit (even if I was within the minimum 40mph). Take another route or get better equipment!

ClownColor wrote:

How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

No way would I drive 20-30mph under the posted speed limit (even if I was within the minimum 40mph). Take another route or get better equipment!

Ahh, the classic “how dare you follow the law and do something legally when it gets in the way of me breaking the law”

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ClownColor wrote:</div>
How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

No way would I drive 20-30mph under the posted speed limit (even if I was within the minimum 40mph). Take another route or get better equipment!

Ahh, the classic “how dare you follow the law and do something legally when it gets in the way of me breaking the law”

I think we found us one of those “I’m driving in the left lane, whether I’m passing or not” drivers,,,,,

HRG

i cant belive nobody on here has mentioned that you need a diesel truck to pull your 18′ boat and keep up with traffic yet

CaptainMusky wrote:

Any of you guys experience the people who are NOT towing insisting on passing you only to hold you up? This is the most irritating thing to me. They assume since Im towing something that I am going slower than them. Dang is that irritating.

What really irritates me are the people who are passing you going 90, then you catch up to them less than a mile up the road and pass them going 70 because they are talking on their phone.

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ClownColor wrote:</div>
How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

No way would I drive 20-30mph under the posted speed limit (even if I was within the minimum 40mph). Take another route or get better equipment!

Ahh, the classic “how dare you follow the law and do something legally when it gets in the way of me breaking the law”

I gotta side with Clowncolor on this one… Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it smart.

Coletrain27 wrote:

i cant believe nobody on here has mentioned that you need a diesel truck to pull your 18′ boat and keep up with traffic yet

There is some truth to this. I don’t think a lot of guys towing heavier rigs really want to admit how much speed they lose heading uphill, not wanting to force a downshift and try to maintain a consistent speed. I just made a couple of 500 mile runs this past week, and see how even a 2-3mph drop-off can either cause me to kick off the cruise control, or go around.

HRG

mnfisherman18 wrote:

Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it smart.

Who’s to say all of you/us who are PUSHING and BREAKING the limit are smart?

Deuces wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mnfisherman18 wrote:</div>
Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it smart.

Who’s to say all of you/us who are PUSHING and BREAKING the limit are smart?

I am not saying I am perfect, but I would definitely say the guy crusing with traffic going 75 in a 70 is smarter than someone driving 45 in a 70.

I drive 1 or 2 mph over the posted speed limit but 72 mph is max for me. Does not matter if everyone is going 90 I’m staying in the right lane at 72. I will speed up to pass someone, then back in the right lane at the speed I was driving before.

You guys driving 80/90 mph good luck when something happens–a blow out, something in the road, a deer runs out, trailer spring bolt breaks, a yahoo hits the brakes, etc. I can see it will be someone else’s fault. Hope you live to tell about it.

It depends on your equipment/tow vehicle. With a 1/2 truck you might be white knuckled pulling something at 70mph while with a 1 ton diesel you will feel fine at 85mph with the same load. Diesels also don’t hunt for gears like gassers do so that doesn’t come into play. The motor is almost always revving from 1400-1800 RPM. I’m not scared to pull 80+ if the speed limit/conditions allow it.

I was wrong on the min for I35 at least. I was up north and it’s listed at 40 which seems insane to me.

If you are driving legally you are driving legally but there is the intent and the letter of the law. Driving way too slow is still dangerous…not more so than driving too fast but still a safety issue.

The motor is almost always revving from 1400-1800 RPM. I’m not scared to pull 80+ if the speed limit/conditions allow it.[/quote]

I didn’t say I was scared to drive fast. I’m just saying trying to control 8k to 10k camper, etc, when the s#!t hits the fan, good luck!
Also just because your diesel will pull it without shifting, etc doesn’t make it safe!

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ClownColor wrote:</div>
How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

No way would I drive 20-30mph under the posted speed limit (even if I was within the minimum 40mph). Take another route or get better equipment!

Ahh, the classic “how dare you follow the law and do something legally when it gets in the way of me breaking the law”

Well… considering I said nothing about breaking the law, good for putting words in my mouth.

Just remember this come hard water season when someone augers a hole 10’ from your fish house and starts fishing there…

Huntindave wrote:

Most states? as in more than 50% Got a couple links to government sites, citing the 10 under minimum, to support your statement?

No, I took an instructor’s info at his word while we were discussing impeding traffic during a hazmat class. It was presented to us as 10 mph under unless posted- and then all the exceptions

Randy Wieland wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
Most states? as in more than 50% Got a couple links to government sites, citing the 10 under minimum, to support your statement?

No, I took an instructor’s info at his word while we were discussing impeding traffic during a hazmat class. It was presented to us as 10 mph under unless posted- and then all the exceptions

Too bad he didn’t provide a reference for the “info” he was spewing. Seems like if a 10 under minimum was indeed a fact, a quick google search would turn up many references.

Deuces wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Matt Moen wrote:</div>
If you’re the guy with a hundred cars stacked behind him on a busy interstate you’re causing a potential safety issue.

So we’ll blame the person legally driving rather than the hundred cars that are stacked up?

Dont be stacked up, almost all those freeways are two lanes, just create space, wait your turn and pass when allowed. Problem solved. If a driver can’t notice a vehicle going considerably slower than they are on a freeway then they shouldn’t be going that fast in the first place, or become a better driver. Imo a slow paced vehicle is easy to spot at least couple hundred yards ahead which is plenty of time for a proper reaction.

I completely get the “everyone goes same speed there is no problem argument”. But there’s reality, and reality shows there will always be issues like slow drivers, as long as we can all take a deep breath, realize our Busch lattes will survive just a tad bit longer in the cooler we’re all better off. I hate tailgaters, with a passion. Seems alot of folks is in such a rush nowadays.

I agree tho mojo, and I believe it is illegal? that slow drivers cannot be in left lane.

Left – for faster traffic and passing.
I try to get to a spot where no on is close behind me or too close in front of me so I am “alone’ as can be. I dont worry about my driving I worry about others’. Coming home last night on 35E south it was backed up right where the goes to 52 past CHS filed and the right side takes you down past Ramsey and the Excel. As we were getting to the slowdown ( going about 55) I look in my driver’s mirror and a guy on a bike is between my trailer tire and the truck next to me – maybe 3 feet between – un F–king believable

Have we covered the zipper merge yet?

biggill wrote:

Have we covered the zipper merge yet?

Most people don’t have a clue what that is. It’s all about me me me

biggill wrote:

Have we covered the zipper merge yet?

I don’t think IDO has enough gig to handle that one

ClownColor wrote:

How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

This is the problem in a nutshell. The vast majority of boat owners…

a) Have no clue what max speed their trailer tires are rated for.
b) Haven’t checked tire pressure since maybe spring and only then if a tire “looked low”.
c) Have only a guesstimate of what their boat weighs and are absolutely clueless as to the tongue weight.
d) Haven’t ever inspected their trailer tires for damage and dry rot.

I just recently saw another fine example of what happens when a guy tows too fast with an improperly loaded and trailer with suspect maintenance. A couple of weeks ago a guy pulling an enclosed trailer with 3-4 Harleys blew a tire on 35. The trailer started whipping and the Harleys broke loose. The whole half-ton pickup and trailer flipped and the trailer and it looked like the back of the pickup and trailer caught on fire.

80 is too damn fast for the vast, vast, vast majority of drivers out there based on their experiece and maintainace habits. Slow the hell down and enjoy not dying.

To me it depends on what I am towing and what I am towing with. If I am pulling something and only feel comfortable going 60. Then I am not on the freeway. This has only happened once and I switched things up. With the right setup, I have no problem doing 80. I won’t go over that and most of the time don’t even hit it. I try to stick with the flow of traffic with lots of space in front of me.

73

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ClownColor wrote:</div>
How about you make sure whatever you are towing, and towing with, can handle the speed limits. If your tires are only rated for 55mph and you frequently dive on an interstate that is 80 mph…get tires and a vehicle that can handle 80 mph!

This is the problem in a nutshell. The vast majority of boat owners…

a) Have no clue what max speed their trailer tires are rated for.
b) Haven’t checked tire pressure since maybe spring and only then if a tire “looked low”.
c) Have only a guesstimate of what their boat weighs and are absolutely clueless as to the tongue weight.
d) Haven’t ever inspected their trailer tires for damage and dry rot.

I just recently saw another fine example of what happens when a guy tows too fast with an improperly loaded and trailer with suspect maintenance. A couple of weeks ago a guy pulling an enclosed trailer with 3-4 Harleys blew a tire on 35. The trailer started whipping and the Harleys broke loose. The whole half-ton pickup and trailer flipped and the trailer and it looked like the back of the pickup and trailer caught on fire.

80 is too damn fast for the vast, vast, vast majority of drivers out there based on their experiece and maintainace habits. Slow the hell down and enjoy not dying.

Well said FG!!

This post came to mind last night. Was on 94 between the Dells and Madison south bound.

Came up on a guy hauling a atv, firewood, and misc stuff. Trailer was improperly loaded and it was bouncing like a ping pong ball. I don’t know how he maintained control. Looked like it was bouncing his rear end of his truck off the ground. I’m sure firewood had bounced out. Talk about creating a dangerous situation

As much as I hate the idea of more govt involvement, at time I wish some people had to go to “trailer school”. I drive much more than average so I’m more likely to see this crap frequently. Amazed that more people are not killed in the interstate

What about the guy who doesn’t care if his trailer lights work or are even plugged in?

biggill wrote:

What about the guy who doesn’t care if his trailer lights work or are even plugged in?

What about them. Im sure everyone feels the same.