80 mph Vibe

[Butch Wilson]

I followed a 30 plus foot Vibe down highway 77 in South Carolina yesterday. It was being towed consistently between 75 and 80 mph. I suspect we will see another "blowout/china bomb" story soon !

[aceinspp]

Yep Later RJD

[JustB_Rad]

I know my buddy's Vibe came with 75mph (L) rated tires on it, and I know my Grey Wolf did. The tires that I'm looking at replacing the factory tires with (Gladiator) I believe have an 87 MPH (N) rating. Not that I would ever wanna drive 80 with my TT behind me, but there are tires built to handle the speed.

[f5moab]

What would be the odds of seeing it on "here?" Are all VIBE owners in the USA on here?

[Restcure]

Yep, our new Goodyear Endurance tires are rated N (140 kph/87 mph). Not that we'd ever cruise faster than 110 (70).

[SidecarFlip]

My comment to that is...80 at rated load and rated pressure. How many owners check their tires at least once per day? and how many owners weigh their units (thats the big one). I often times wonder how many units are grossly overloaded... I bet a lot are.

If you stay within the operating parameters of the tires, running at maximum rated speed should not be an issue, but taking the 'house' along, a unit loaded with stuff (weight) and being overloaded, running at maximum rated speed and not watching tire pressures, leads to the 'China Bomb' effect.

I'd wager that at least 75% of the owners are exceeding their maximum gross weight (unit loading capacity). When you do that and drive like there is a fire in your butt, it's tire failure time...or worse.

[Steeljag]

Originally Posted by Butch Wilson

I followed a 30 plus foot Vibe down highway 77 in South Carolina yesterday. It was being towed consistently between 75 and 80 mph. I suspect we will see another "blowout/china bomb" story soon !

Yup, and let's hope because this driver was putting their, and their families lives in danger, he / she doesn't effect the lives of the other families on the roadways!

[Iwannacamp]

I know I am old at heart, but I just don't get the 75 MPH RV drivers. I have an old truck and I don't drive fast so I just struggle with wanting to drive 70-75 or more. I drive about 60 and on a hill it may near 65 on the down... I just don't feel comfortable driving and towing that fast. Hey it's me I guess.

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

I know I am old at heart, but I just don't get the 75 MPH RV drivers. I have an old truck and I don't drive fast so I just struggle with wanting to drive 70-75 or more. I drive about 60 and on a hill it may near 65 on the down... I just don't feel comfortable driving and towing that fast. Hey it's me I guess.

Big trucks today pull like there is nothing back there..

Jurassic Park, Great Movie!

" You were so focused on whether you could that you never stopped to think whether you should."

[donanddona]

Just what are the set conditions for posted speed limit (max speed) in relation to the rated tire pressure/max tire speed. This with the multiplier of road temps and pothole conditions.

[BandJCarm]

Just took a 5,000 mile trip. I'd say that I got passed more than I passed some trailer. But...........I'd also say that an equally big problem is slow driving. By slow I'm talking 40-50 on the interstates. That causes us 'regular speed' drivers to have to pass, which is difficult.......and it causes the 'hair on fire' drivers to go nuts and try things they shouldn't try.

The biggest culprits are seldom the travel trailers, though. It's the big trucks. 75% are fine. But at least 25% are all over the road (sleepy?? I dunno), go way too fast or way too slowly. When traffic all flows at the same speed, efficiency results. Anything less than that (which is always!) causes issues.

However.....that's just a discussion about wrecks...the speed will result in more equipment failures, no question. And those ratings on those tires.........well, never mind.

[Semperfi24]

(begin sarcasm) The driver is probably a forum member. After reading these forums for a few years, I'm pretty sure that as long as they upgraded the tires and added airbags to his truck, there is no limit to how much he can tow or how fast he can tow it. He's probably been doing it without issue for 20 years so its perfectly safe... I'm sure with all the tow vehicle upgrades, he didn't even feel it back there and forgot he was towing (end sarcasm)

[Cowracer]

A lot of guys fall into "Slow and steady" pace and wonder why anyone would tow faster than 60-65.

I'll be the one that admits to towing 70-75. Why? Because I'm comfortable at that speed. My tires are rated for it, my truck is capable of running that speed, and that is the sweet spot it settles in when I am towing. I raced for 8 years, I pay attention to what my vehicle is telling me, and I've learned to keep my head in the game and not daydream, text, play with the radio or any other distractions while driving. Where most people don't seem to pay attention to what's 30 feet in front of them, I'm scanning a half mile ahead, planning for what I'll do when the Sanford and Son truck ahead of me loses that old refrigerator that's tied down with just a piece of clothesline.

I'll spare you the trouble of lecturing me on my towing speed. Yes, I know it wastes fuel. Yes I know I save mere minutes. Yes, I know my braking distance goes up with speed (which is why you don't see me tailgating anyone). Yes I know you think I'm being foolish, dangerous or both. But the fact of the matter is, How fast would you drive if you didn't have a speedometer? The answer is "as fast as you feel safe and comfortable". I feel safe and comfortable in my truck at 70-75. I do not feel safe at 80. I do not feel comfortable plodding along at 60.

So before you go throwing shade on someone you think is driving too fast, just remember that there is probably someone else out there who think you drive like a maniac.


Tim

[Semperfi24]

Excellent Sanford and Son reference Cowracer... haha.

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

A lot of guys fall into "Slow and steady" pace and wonder why anyone would tow faster than 60-65.

I'll be the one that admits to towing 70-75. Why? Because I'm comfortable at that speed. My tires are rated for it, my truck is capable of running that speed, and that is the sweet spot it settles in when I am towing. I raced for 8 years, I pay attention to what my vehicle is telling me, and I've learned to keep my head in the game and not daydream, text, play with the radio or any other distractions while driving. Where most people don't seem to pay attention to what's 30 feet in front of them, I'm scanning a half mile ahead, planning for what I'll do when the Sanford and Son truck ahead of me loses that old refrigerator that's tied down with just a piece of clothesline.

I'll spare you the trouble of lecturing me on my towing speed. Yes, I know it wastes fuel. Yes I know I save mere minutes. Yes, I know my braking distance goes up with speed (which is why you don't see me tailgating anyone). Yes I know you think I'm being foolish, dangerous or both. But the fact of the matter is, How fast would you drive if you didn't have a speedometer? The answer is "as fast as you feel safe and comfortable". I feel safe and comfortable in my truck at 70-75. I do not feel safe at 80. I do not feel comfortable plodding along at 60.

So before you go throwing shade on someone you think is driving too fast, just remember that there is probably someone else out there who think you drive like a maniac.


Tim

What's the line..... "Anyone faster than me is an idiot and anyone slower is a moron"???

Well said and I agree the most important thing is paying attention to your vehicle and surroundings...not only in front of you but behind you as well! I am amazed at the number of people that don't constantly scan thier mirrors and look at you clueless when you ask "How does it feel towing?"

[m35a2]

I go 65 max, because anything else wastes fuel.

What's funny even to me is that extra 2 mpg equates to what, 15 bucks at the pump, max? But I have no problem spending 150 bucks to get my wifi set up the way I wanted it.

I'm cheap, but only in a situational sort of way.

[JustB_Rad]

Originally Posted by m35a2

I go 65 max, because anything else wastes fuel.

What's funny even to me is that extra 2 mpg equates to what, 15 bucks at the pump, max? But I have no problem spending 150 bucks to get my wifi set up the way I wanted it.

I'm cheap, but only in a situational sort of way.

I'm the same way...there's just something very discouraging to me to look down at my MPG and see a number like 7! I normally get 8-10 going between 62 and 67...depending on the terrain. That number will fluctuate depending how fast I have to go to get my truck to drop into 8th gear. On our last trip, I got 11 on the way home...but the 25 mph tail wind made that happen!

[5er_tom]

I normally run 65-69 with the cruise on. I have disk brakes and LT tires so no issues with exceeding limits or braking capacity. Although I don't worry too much about MPG, it does drop as speed increases. A lot!
Drive safe, everyone.

[BandJCarm]

Well, since I can't have my ideal of everyone driving the same speed (which would be my speed of course!!! ), I prefer faster drivers to slow ones. Just pass on the left, and move on down the road. Please have your accidents and blowouts and overheatings at least 2 miles ahead of me so I have time to swerve and miss you. JK!

Which brings up a point while we're arguing over how to drive these behemoths...DOES ANYONE IN AMERICA KNOW HOW TO MERGE ONTO A FREEWAY? Somewhere around the end of my 5,000 mile trip last month, DW said "No". I said "What"? And she said "No, no one apparently knows how to merge".

96.3928% of folks entering freeways get to the END of the merge lane and then decide they need to see what's in that lane that they need to be in. THEN and ONLY then do they speed up. Please, folks......get up to freeway speed BEFORE you enter the freeway. (the other 3% are at Mach 7 in the merge lane, and are determined to make that speed fit the traffic......even if you are 8 feet behind a Semi in a traffic jam going about 12 mph and their only valid merge point is behind you......they're squeezing in, regardless!!!)........

Rant over.

[5er_tom]

Understand the rant. Go slow down the on ramp. Make me hit the brakes so you can merge. THEN you accelerate! And not just the old ladies in a Buick[emoji2]