How Fast Do You Drive?

[Larry Harp]

Talking with the guys at work this morning about fishing this weekend and commented that coming back on I-35 if your not running between 75 and 80 MPH you'll get run over. One of the guys told me I was crazy for pulling a boat trailer with those small bias ply tires that fast. Heck, I was just going with the flow and had several other boaters pass me.

I reguraly pull the boat on turnpikes where the speed limit is 75, and traffic going 80 to 85 is the norm. Highway Patrol not withstanding, how fast do you all consider is a safe speed when pulling the boat?



Harpo

 

[Tony Payne]

65 is normal, I have ran about 75 on the interstate (perfect conditions, dry and sunny).



I don't think I would be comfortable running much faster... it's not the pulling that bothers me, it handling in an emergancy, and let's face it, the faster you go, the shorter the amount of reaction time you have.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

55-95



TOXIC

 

[Ronald (BigRon) Kane]

5 to 9 miles per hour over the speed limit seems about right to me. Here in Maryland that means up to 70/74 MPH.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

There's posted speed limits? I always thought that was minimum speed so ya' don't get runned over!

TEE

 

[Jim B]

I try to keep it at 65 just because i use less gas that way. If i step it up to 70 my milage goes form 13.5 down less then 12 and if i go 80 it drops to like 10. I tow long distance alot and every little bit helps, not to mention its better for the truck to not push it as hard in the long run. i leave plenty of time so i dont have to be in a rush that way i can keep the speed more reasonable and safer for everyone involved.



On the other hand without the boat on the freeway, you wont see much below 80 from me.

 

[Rich D]

Anywhere from speed limit to 10 miles over. Generally highway 65mph to 70mph.



Rich D

 

[Mike L.]

I tend to always go about 5mph over the speed limit, but I won't go over 70 towing the boat....Mike L.

 

[Greg Duggan]

i tow with a v6 explorer, so i only run at 65mph. any more than that i feel like beating on my truck.

 

[fatrap]

70 at least unless you want a eighteen wheeler leaving tire marks on your jellcoat or tarnishing your tin. Makes it interestin when you round the corner and there's a tractor with a couple wagons full of corn.

fatrap

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Here in Maryland if I go the speed limit, between 55 and 65, I get chased down like a pack of wolves are behind me.

I will admit, the older I get, the nearer the speed limit I drive.



Bill

 

[Marke Cicero]

70 to 75 on average. Under great driving conditions (good roads / weather & light traffic) I won't think twice about 80 or 85. I've never had a problem with my tires. I check the tire pressure, the lug nuts and make sure my hubs are lubed regularly.

 

[David Hunt]

Up to 70 with the trailer and 75 without. That's in a 65 zone. I'm with Bill. The older I get and now with children, I have slowed down a bit.



david....

 

[Richard Whittemore]

55 to 65. I haven't driven interstate yet.

All the roads I drive are 55 speed limit.

 

[David Butler]

Speed limit with trailer with out trailer a little faster.

 

[Steve Rizza]

I have two speeds.



Normal speed limit



and



GET OUTTA' MY WAY I'M GOING FISHIN' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bob G.]

Ok, this may seem strange, but when I'm not towing, I run 70mph on the interstate with the cruise control on all of the time. When towing my boat, I use 3rd gear/tow haul mode and no cruise control. Depending on how I feel, I usually run 70mph and sometimes up to 90mph with the boat in tow to get around traffic. I like the looks on peoples faces when I pass them up a hill in the hammer lane.



Bob G.

 

[Rick Hale]

Depending on the road -- speed limit while towing-or as fast as my full size chev with a 6cyl. will go into a head wind. Really miss a v8 at times. -- Should I trim up some going into the wind--LOL.

Later HaleDamage



I drove ambulance for 2 yrs. I've seen some bad ones...

I Always use my safty belt-- Not much more then 5 over the speed limit.

 

[Larry Harp]

I may be way off here but I've always had the opinion the the danger is in the differance in speed not the speed itself. If everyone is running 80 on clear dry interstate and are coming up on some bluehair doing a nervous 63, then that's the problem. IMHO

Have any of you ever had tire failure or something like that on your boat trailer while running at interstate speeds?

Harpo

 

[Steve Rizza]

I have come up on stopped traffic a couple of times while in that "road daze".Even my little 17 ft tracker will try to jack knife the truck around.

It really wakes you up,trying to straighten up the truck and trailer.But not quite as fun as doing it in a

350,000 lb truck.Now thats FUN.

 

[Bill Willette]

The problem is you must live in someplace like Texas or Oklahoma, people just drive too fast there. You must move to Florida and slow down. You know drive for miles in the passing lane at 49MPH with your left turn signal permanently wired on!!! I've towed my Dad's boat on I635 and I35 heading to Ray Roberts and it gets my heart pumping even before I catch a fish.....



Seriously though, a year or so ago I had my new etrex on in the truck on the way to Lake George and I noticed it said max speed 73MPH. This made me think a lot about towing speeds. I rarely do more than 65 with the new boat (it has bias plys also). This is one reason I was asking about radials the other day. I had bias plys on my old boat (Pro Team 17) and had one "break the bead" at about 50, that was no fun. Does anybody know what speeds the bias plys are rated for?

 

[Bill McElroy]

I "go with the flow",...unless I'm driving Shannon's (Mini's darlin') vette,...LOL..then I'll take the corner's a little faster...man that's SWEEEEEEEEEET!!!!LOL...If I'm in the truck pulling the boat,...I'll keep it at 70-72...that TrailBlazer pulls that 520 like a dream,..and the trailer brakes are awesome...just go with the flow baby!!!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I have a problem with the surge brakes. I'll admit, I run hard but I was noticing that when I was going DOWNHILL I had to slam the gas. With surge brakes, they can actually apply when you are going downhill and the trailer wants to go a little faster than the truck.



TOXIC

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Soonerfan asked if anyone had a tire failure. While towing my last "glass" bass boat on Maryland's Eastern Shore, doing a little over the 55 mile speed limit, I had a tire completely de-laminate. Every bit of the tread gone instantly. Luckily, I had steel belted radials on the trailer so I didn't have a flat. I changed to my spare, that admittedly I haven't even looked at for a couple of years, went about five more miles and had the spare blow a sidewall out (not a radial tire). I had no choice so I put the de-laminated tire back on and drove VERY slow until I could get somewhere to get another tire. Very nervous and frustrating experience.



Bill

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Hey Tox, My surge brakes work just fine! KB

 

[Steve Flattem]

with Tracker...75

with Starcraft.65

with no boat...80-90

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

THANK HEAVENS kb!! At least you don't have a 93 Wrangler as a hood ornament!! BTW....got my pics back from that day and will be posting a couple!!



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

KB,

Good thing your surge brakes work well too!!!!!!



Carlos

 

[Teri C.]

70 on the interstate. I will admit my old TrailBlazer was a better tow vehicle but the Infiniti does fine. At least I am not in the shop every other week. Bought it in May with 16,000 miles, now at 27,000 miles and not one problem so far......except the highway department was painting the yellow line on the interstate and decided to paint the front of my Infiniti. Yellow on gold deos not look good. $2000 this week to get the paint removed. Had to repaint the front bumper and grille. Insurance paid it thank goodness.