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Old 07-14-2018, 07:23 AM   #81
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When going down steep hills 12% or more you will likely need first gear at 4000 rpm for engine braking. Turning the AC on helps as well. Often drivers start riding the brakes when the engine reaches 2500 or so. If you need the brakes to slow for a switchback that is fine but let the rpm go back up between them.


Andy
To add to this, depending on terrain, find a speed you will be comfortable going downhill at. For example, 55mph. When your downhill speed reaches around 60, firmly brake to around 50, then completely release the brakes. Allow the speed to build back to 60, then repeat. That will allow the brakes to cool between applications, and retain your braking capabilities through the entire downhill ride. It's not fun in the extreme to be halfway down a 10 mile long 8% hill, and find your brake pedal application has zero effect because your brakes have overheated.
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:46 AM   #82
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Just a couple of things. 50 PSI in the trailer tires is plenty. How old are they? There is a date stamp on the tires. If they are more than 6 years old I would suggest replacing them with Michelin P235/75R x 15 Defenders.

When going down steep hills 12% or more you will likely need first gear at 4000 rpm for engine braking. Turning the AC on helps as well. Often drivers start riding the brakes when the engine reaches 2500 or so. If you need the brakes to slow for a switchback that is fine but let the rpm go back up between them.

For fuel range when I head west I carry a 3 or 4 gallon Jerry can behind the LP tanks on top of the batteries that I almost never use. This allows me to use the entire fuel tank in the tow vehicle. So if my distance to empty read out says I have 60 miles left and there is a town in 50 I can go ahead and drive the extra 50 miles knowing I’ve got 50 miles more in reserve.

Andy


I will check the date stamp on the tires and also set back the pressure to 50 psi. The dealership we bought the Safari from had set them at 65 psi but you set them back and I couldn’t remember to what pressure. It was the end of October when we bought the Safari and came to Can Am. After storing it for the winter the tire pressure was at 50 but increased it to 65. I believe it did tow better with less air in the tires. Do most people over inflate their tires? You had also increased the pressure in our MDX tires which did give us a better feel for the road.

I had let the rpm’s run higher which did help. I am used to Honda engines having owned an Acura Integra GSR with a redline of 8000.

Spare gas container - great idea!

Thank you Andy
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:02 AM   #83
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Just a couple of things. 50 PSI in the trailer tires is plenty. How old are they? There is a date stamp on the tires. If they are more than 6 years old I would suggest replacing them with Michelin P235/75R x 15 Defenders.



Andy
This is one area where I pretty much agree with Andy.

I assume that the tires on your trailer are Goodyear Marathons. If that is true, please please read the multiple threads about Marathon tire failures here on the forum.

The Marathons came as OEM tires on my '15 AS, and when I started hearing about possible issue with them I started checking the pressure in the tires every travel day, bought a little Viair 12 volt compressor to easily maintanece the air pressure. At four years of age, one of the Marathon tires on on my trailer developed side wall cracks. When I saw that, I immediately replaced them with new tires. I always ran the Marathons at 65psi, cold.


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Old 07-14-2018, 04:35 PM   #84
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This is one area where I pretty much agree with Andy.



I assume that the tires on your trailer are Goodyear Marathons. If that is true, please please read the multiple threads about Marathon tire failures here on the forum.



The Marathons came as OEM tires on my '15 AS, and when I started hearing about possible issue with them I started checking the pressure in the tires every travel day, bought a little Viair 12 volt compressor to easily maintanece the air pressure. At four years of age, one of the Marathon tires on on my trailer developed side wall cracks. When I saw that, I immediately replaced them with new tires. I always ran the Marathons at 65psi, cold.





Mike


Hi Mike, thanks for the info. My tires are Goodyear marathon’s and they are stamped 1214 which I guess would be the 12th week of 2014? We actually have a service appointment next week at Jackson Center. They will probably inspect them. I was going to have them check the axles, bearings, brakes etc. I am not sure what all they do so is there anything else I should mention specifically?

Steve
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Old 07-14-2018, 06:11 PM   #85
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The 2014 mfg date makes them about four years old. There is a good possibility that 2014 production was a period when the mfg process was under reasonable control, but the new Endurance or Defender tires are considered to be quite a bit better. Taking the conservative approach of replacing them now may save you having to repair a wheel well at significant cost.

Time to research the tire threads and make a decision. There is a spin test that will identify failure, but it requires raising each tire and spinning it to look for structural failure.

Good luck with your investigation. Pat
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:27 PM   #86
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Hi Mike, thanks for the info. My tires are Goodyear marathon’s and they are stamped 1214 which I guess would be the 12th week of 2014? We actually have a service appointment next week at Jackson Center. They will probably inspect them. I was going to have them check the axles, bearings, brakes etc. I am not sure what all they do so is there anything else I should mention specifically?

Steve
Do yourself a favour and get the Michelins. It's not worth the risk with the Marathon's.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:18 PM   #87
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There are certainly two schools of thought and they diverge on what someone in the internet says is OK and what the vehicle rating says is OK. You pay your money and you make your choice.

One thing to keep in the back of your head is what will happen when your 25’ outweighs your TV and the trailer connection fails. Could be that you didn’t do the quick seat check before leaving or it simply had junk in the connector from when you dropped it the night before. I’ll tell you that with an F250 diesel, when my connector dropped out on a 2017 TV and 2016 TT, I felt the load on the brakes when I was just going downhill locally. If that had happened with a real hill out west, it would have been a problem. There is a reason engineers “overengineer” but when pulling a load that roughly matches my TV and the trailer brakes don’t work due to a poor connector seat, having a combo where the TV is beefy gives me personal piece of mind. I have never regretted bypassing Harbor Freight for a quality built tool.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:32 PM   #88
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Yes, the 12th week of 2014 would be correct. Like I said, I was hoping to get 5 years out of my Marathons, but after I found cracks in the side wall of one of them, and cconsidering that Goodyear no longer makes the marathon and has replaced it with a higher E rated tire called the Endurance, I decided that roughly $400.00 was cheap insurance and bought the Endurance tires.

I can report that after using the new tires for about 1200 miles the trailer seems to tow better, ride a bit smoother, than with the marathons in spite of the higher psi in the endurance tire. Go figure.

People who have Michilins really like them, I hear good things about Nokians also, and I'm like ing the GYEs.

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Old 07-14-2018, 11:17 PM   #89
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Looks like it’s a good time to get some new tires. I really would not want a tire blowout going down a mountain. I will likely go with the Michelins. I wonder what the factory will say?
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Old 07-15-2018, 11:02 AM   #90
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It will tow it just fine. As long as you NEVER need to stop 🛑 it. The ? To ask is ! Can I stop 🛑 it
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Old 07-15-2018, 11:31 AM   #91
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It will tow it just fine. As long as you NEVER need to stop 🛑 it. The ? To ask is ! Can I stop 🛑 it
That’s what trailer brakes are for.
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Old 07-15-2018, 11:51 AM   #92
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Airstreams have been towed with bicycles. Doesn’t mean it is smart...


I am amazed that people who insist that because they can pull a 30 foot Airstream with a small SUV that it is a good idea. I think they truly believe that if something breaks or goes wrong it will just be an inconvenience. Many of these folks just don’t seem to realize that you are betting your life and the lives of your passengers. I wonder if I took a poll on the towing experience level of those who tow with 3/4 to one ton trucks verses medium SUV who had more time behind the wheel towing and under what conditions.
Sometimes it almost seems like they know in the back of their mind that they are making a poor choice but visit this site hoping someone will validate that poor choice so they can justify proceeding.
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:01 PM   #93
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I am amazed that people who insist that because they can pull a 30 foot Airstream with a small SUV that it is a good idea. I think they truly believe that if something breaks or goes wrong it will just be an inconvenience. Many of these folks just don’t seem to realize that you are betting your life and the lives of your passengers. I wonder if I took a poll on the towing experience level of those who tow with 3/4 to one ton trucks verses medium SUV who had more time behind the wheel towing and under what conditions.
Sometimes it almost seems like they know in the back of their mind that they are making a poor choice but visit this site hoping someone will validate that poor choice so they can justify proceeding.
I am amazed that people who insist that because they can pull a 30 foot Airstream with a pick up truck, that it's a good idea.

Pick up trucks usually have more curb weight, (adding to stopping distances), poor weight distribution (especially under braking), smaller brake rotors with single or twin piston non fixed callipers (compared to say a Porsche Cayennes drilled/slotted rotors with multi piston fixed callipers), higher center of gravity, non performance tires, a very primitive suspension and far less hp per tonne.

Why would you tow with a pick up?

Cheers
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:18 PM   #94
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Probably because thats what they want to tow with and thats what they have. 👍
How many do?
How many with the weeny wheels?

I'm happy with what we use.😘

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If other people are un-happy….it’s not” 😂
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:35 PM   #95
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The Acura manufacturer stated weight of that vehicle is 4,600 lbs.
The Airstream manufacturer stated weight of the FB, unloaded is 5,200 lbs. Loaded it could go to a max of 7,300 lbs. Tongue weight is 720 lbs.

You may very well tow this FB and be "OK." But think about the physics for some time, please. What does it really mean when the trailer outweighs the TV by up to 2,700 lbs or 1 1/4 tons? Do you have any chance in an emergency? Like if a tire blows on the Acura at say 50 mph. on a noticeable downgrade? Or if you have to stop in an emergency at freeway speeds? The Acura will ALWAYS be governed by the FB so take that into account before you travel with this setup. Please. Remember that one of the major responsibilities of driving a vehicle is the safety of the rest of us out there on the road with you.
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:40 PM   #96
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Not an Acura MDX but set up by Can Am. Currently with 500,000 k and 300,000 k towing a 25 Safari and then a 30 International. Sent out to pasture as a daily driver. It will be coming for a visit next week. Your Acura should do just fine. Attachment 316517
Jim: YOU are a great talented, safe driver. The OP is new and untested.
But WAIT! Your Jeep has a FRAME. The Acura DOES NOT. Not a good choice for the OP as a beginner.
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Old 07-15-2018, 12:46 PM   #97
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I am amazed that people who insist that because they can pull a 30 foot Airstream with a pick up truck, that it's a good idea.

Pick up trucks usually have more curb weight, (adding to stopping distances), poor weight distribution (especially under braking), smaller brake rotors with single or twin piston non fixed callipers (compared to say a Porsche Cayennes drilled/slotted rotors with multi piston fixed callipers), higher center of gravity, non performance tires, a very primitive suspension and far less hp per tonne.

Why would you tow with a pick up?

Cheers
Sidekick Tony
With all the risk and worry about the safety of their families and concern for the safety of everyone else on the road I’m surprised some people on here drive at all.

I have noticed that people towing with SUVs drive a lot more sanely that those with the larger pickups I see passing each other every few miles to gain that ever-important car length of distance. The only thing worse is some of the giant bus type RVs.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:00 PM   #98
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...Remember that one of the major responsibilities of driving a vehicle is the safety of the rest of us out there on the road with you.
I’m responsible for the safety of those in my vehicle no matter what. No one else is. Avoiding things that happen is part of defensive driving.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:35 PM   #99
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Take a vacation to Australia. You will see a never ending stream of giant RV's being hauled up mountain passes by cars and SUV's. They can be mobile road blocks. But the safety statistics speak for themselves. Everyone seems to be doing it OK.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:56 PM   #100
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The Acura manufacturer stated weight of that vehicle is 4,600 lbs. -- snip --.
Lebans - the gross on the MDX is 5690. Pat
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