Recommended Towing Speed

[Gibson3798]

I have a 2015 Tundra 4x4 with tow package, pulling a 25 ft. FC FB.

I’m new to towing, having made a few trips, learning the ropes, so I’d like some suggestions on towing speeds.

Assuming dry roads, what Interstate speeds do you guys prefer? I’d even appreciate thoughts on distance between the vehicle in front of you at your preferred speed. Any other thoughts from the knowledge base we have on this forum is greatly appreciated by this towing rookie.

[waninae39]

at or under the speed limit anything or 70 MPH/120KPH is inviting trouble with sway and stopping

we play safe with our AS and family. After all whats the rush to save a few minutes?

[JonDNC]

With my F350 and a 27 International Serenity FBQ and a Blue Ox hitch we tow at speed limit with no worries. I always leave 3 seconds or more between me and vehicle in front.

When we had our Sierra 1500 (one trip) if felt less stable at 70 which is one of the reasons we upgraded our TV. I felt having a system that was safe and stable at speed was more important than cost.

Yes the F350 is over kill as stated before got a great deal so delta between the F250 equivalent was minimal.

When covering distance is when I believe having the bigger TV really pays off, not that a lighter rated vehicle won’t do the job just how well.

[ROBERT CROSS]

My auto-pilot sets the speed at 63-65mph.

Disclaimer...the AP sits next to me and starts to vibrate loudly at any excess variation.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Bill M.]

63-65 for me. My rig does fine over 70 but... my age limits my reaction time and attention span and the fuel consumption goes way up.

[lsbrodsky]

Do a search and you will find a number of threads on this with answers all over the map. Personally, I never drive over 55 MPH and stay in the right lane. Better reaction time, better gas mileage, and I still get to my destination. I never drive over 250-270 miles in a day and still get where I am going in plenty of time to setup and have that beverage before dinner.
Larry

[PKI]

The speed you travel safely is directly related to conditions and rig tune. There is a fellow who challenged folks to follow him at speed as he slalomed from far left to right to left, back and forth. He believed that most rigs were not set up to allow their owners to follow him. Suspect he is right. The worst case is the fellow who heads home from picking up his new Shiny Airstream from the dealer and drives the speed limit on the expressway home. The good news is that the rig is light loaded. The bad news is that the hitch lash up is usually terribly tuned.

To start, drive 55 and stay alive. It's not that bad unless you have done a terrible job of loading and have significant weight in the ends of the trailer. As you tune the rig, you will find that 60-65 is the sweet spot with a sprint to 70 for periods to make a pass or separate your rig from the bunches that try to push the flow along. Yes, slowing 5 mph to accomplish same is an even better idea.

Note - following distance ..... three seconds is a standard for an automobile. Double that and add one for towing. Also, in a safe location, test your stopping distance. Not all rigs are created equal. If you do not have your brakes properly adjusted, your stopping distance may be more than normal expectation. Testing is the only way you know what your rig will do.

It is not just a stopped vehicle in front of you that you need to watch out to avoid. Our wonderful highways have tire gaters, chuck holes, car parts, broken glass. ladders and screws that litter the roadway so you can practice your driving skills. You will not see the screws, but your tires will. Stopping from high speed when a tire explodes takes longer and the result is more damage. It's not just what you can do, but what is prudent with a rig.

The other elephant out there is wind. From time to time it gets challenging. The Airstream is a very good trailer with respect to wind, but it still has more side area than a low profile car. On a recent trip we observed the truck in front violently move to the shoulder. We think it was hit by a microburst of wind, as we did not get hit by same as we drove through that space. The weather reports that evening reported 40-50mph gusts in that area. Most of the time you will be seeing 20-30mph gusts. There is a difference and slowing down considerably is advised as the wind gets crazy. You will also find more impact depending on direction. A passing vehicle even the size of a minivan will disrupt the flow of air. The faster you drive, the more disturbance you may feel.

When you travel in the West, 65 is so slow after about 4 hours. You will tend to kick it up a bit. But over that 4 hours, the wind has built up in velocity. Be careful. On a good day 70 may be OK. On a bad day, you need to wait until the wind dies down before you try to make time. That may be a wait until the next day. An early start and an early stop for the day is a good strategy for safe travel when it's windy.

Good luck with your new rig. Drive with an attentive approach. No two finger kick back sight seeing. Take a rest stop for that. Pat

[malinois38]

I have a similar set up & personally max out 62mph. Watch your RPM’s and you will see the sweet spot is right about 62mph for better mpg.

Enjoy!

[57Vintage]

Keep in mind that some states have a lower speed limit for towing than the posted limits for autos. Best to know, even if you set a different pace.

There are some unusual laws out there:

https://www.doityourselfrv.com/state-towing-speeds/

[Mx468]

I keep it between 60-65mph towing my 23ft AS with my LR3 Landrover. Also about 3 to 4 car lengths.

[moosetags]

We have always towed Lucy at around 65 mph on the Interstates. We always maintain ample distance in front of us at highway speeds. I want plenty of time to react if something goes bad in front of me.

In recent years we have been avoiding the Interstates wherever possible. It is slower, but there is a lot more to see and do along the US Highways and State Routes.

The Interstates have become a little scary. In many parts of the West, the Interstate speed limit is 80 mph, and in some sections of Utah it is 85 mph. I have had a couple in instances where vehicle have come up behind me and have had to take significant evasive action to avoid running into the back of Lucy. In one of these instances, the driver overcorrected and went off the left shoulder of the highway. I guess that driving on the Interstate at 15 to 20 mph below the speed limit can be a little hazardous.

Brian

[BayouBiker]

Tell me about your tow hitch, the set-up and your tires. Presuming you have good weight distribution and sway control, common trailer speed limits of 65 will work well. Some states have 70 as the limit, but you'd be trying your luck a bit. If you don't have a good hitch, 55 is a safer choice.

[John&Vicki]

Originally Posted by malinois38

I have a similar set up & personally max out 62mph. Watch your RPM’s and you will see the sweet spot is right about 62mph for better mpg.

Enjoy!

Exactly my experience - better than 55mph.

John

[brokeboater]

Notch another one for 60-65 mph. It's a good idea to know the speed rating on your tires. 65 used to be the normal max which was a good reason to keep the speed at our under 65. A lot of higher speed rated trailer tires out there now so greater speeds safely are attainable. I just upgraded to higher speed rated tires but I'll continue to maintain 60-65 in my travels unless safety dictates higher speeds.

[Hans627]

On interstate highways I drive at not more than 65 mph. Driving faster creates too much stress for me. I'd much rather have people pass me than me passing them.

[Mollysdad]

I set the cruise control at 63. That feels right.
Sometimes with just my foot in control, I've been surprised to see 70+.
I stay in the right lane except to allow cars and trucks to merge.

[brad1]

California has a law that restricts towed vehicles to 55mph. It also has a “Flow of traffic” law that says that if the conditions are such that traffic is moving prudently at 45mph and you’re doing 55, you can be ticketed. But it also means that if traffic is moving at 65 and you’re doing 55 and creating a hazardous disturbance in the flow of traffic, you can be ticketed for that too.

If you’re passing through Sacramento at rush hour, say, and all lanes are full of traffic moving at 65, including all the big rigs traveling in the right two lanes, you’d better do 65 too or you become a hazard to everyone else AND you stand a good chance of getting a ticket. I had to explain this to a vexed Canadian at the Dunnigan Rest Area north of Sacramento who’d just gotten pulled over (but not ticketed, just warned). (BTW the HP made him leave the freeway to get his talking to and the guy had a hard time finding his way back). I also had to explain the 10% rule.

The HP will usually spot you 10% over the posted speed limit as long as it’s safe to do so. Which is why you often run into convoys of big rigs going Exactly 60 1/2mph.

[Gibson3798]

Great information and I appreciate it a lot.

My Tundra with the Blue Ox hitch gives a good towing experience and I’ve been at speeds up to 70mph and slightly over. Gas mileage lowers to 10.5mpg or so and that’s without significant hills to climb, 8mpg or so with steep hills.

Sounds like the sweet spot is 65 or below so I’ll set it on that and enjoy the ride.

[rocco52]

Originally Posted by Gibson3798

Great information and I appreciate it a lot.

My Tundra with the Blue Ox hitch gives a good towing experience and I’ve been at speeds up to 70mph and slightly over. Gas mileage lowers to 10.5mpg or so and that’s without significant hills to climb, 8mpg or so with steep hills.

Sounds like the sweet spot is 65 or below so I’ll set it on that and enjoy the ride.

I too chose 65mph but one thing you should do is check the maximum speed rating listed on the side of your tires. It is a good idea to allow a safety margin when dealing with tires. I have seen many pictures of the damage done by blown tires on trailers.

[mefly2]

62 is our preferred speed ... but traffic sometimes pushes the speed up. Then I start to perspire... know your limits !