Towing with a 34QS

[GoneSouth10]

Does anybody have experience, good/bad, with flat towing a vehicle with a 34QS. Not sure what year they upped the HP, but mine is a 2015, so it's 340 HP (Cummins Model ISB 6.7 340HP; Turbocharged).
Looking for general experiences with specific toads (sizes and weights) - we're doing some very preliminary shopping for a toad, but frankly, I'm not sure how much weight the 340 HP can pull comfortably.
Thanks - and Happy Christmas to all those travelling, travelled or hosting!
TIA

[formerFR]

the engine/trans has no problem with most any car you can throw at it, but the GVCR minus your actual 'loaded, ready to travel, with people' weight, will be the real question. The hitch rating is it's own max, but the coach's tow rating is a different story, though I doubt you'll have any issue with most anything you want to tow.

The torque with the Cummins and Allison combo, along with 340hp, will be no problem, you won't even know the toad is back 'there'... : )

[Eagle5]

Towing capacity is about the transmission too. But either way, that bus will flat tow any vehicle on the road. No problem.

[gordonsick]

I've got a 2015 34QS, like you, and have no problem towing an Acura EL, which is basically a Honda Civic. The car has a manual transmission, and I never feel it at all. If anything, it improves the aerodynamics at the rear and improves my fuel economy. Over long hauls, I get 10.5 mpg (US gallons), running at 65 mph when road conditions and speed limits allow.

A nice feature of the 34QS is that it has the same engine and transmission as the coaches that are 4 feet longer and hence heavier. This means that you are less likely to hit the weight limits. In theory, you aren't supposed to tow more than 5000 lbs with the Allison 2500MH transmission, but people are towing more. I've got my LBCU (Light Bar Control Unit) display set to tell me the transmission temperature. I've never hit over 203°F, which is well below the temperature at which the transmission software will de-rate the engine. That includes climbing and descending long 6% hills.

I'm thinking of getting a Ford Ranger which will take me to 5000 pounds when I throw some stuff in the back of it.

I am very happy with my Roadmaster Falcon All-terrain towbar. I particularly like the triangular geometry that gives a stronger link for turning corners than other models like the Blue Ox. But, if you can only get a Blue Ox, I'm sure it will not present a problem.

I have a Blue Ox Patriot brake system for the car. I set the brake pressure to the lowest possible because the Coach brakes are all I need to stop the car. I really only need this for the breakaway feature, which is required by law in some jurisdictions.

I also have the RVI Brake towed battery charger to keep the Blue Ox and other accessories from draining my car battery while I tow.

As I write this, I realize that I need to update my owner's manual with this information.

–Gordon

[Chester Hill]

Have a 390QS with the 340 motor. Tow a Honda CRV. Do not know it is even there! Get just over 10 mpg towing. Get 11 mpg not towing. Max tow load is 5,000 lbs.

[CZNEDY]

Ours is a 2018 340HP. Just towed our 2016 Jeep Unlimited 5800 miles. Went from Mass to Arizona with a few slow climbs. It tows the jeep well. No complaints

[GoneSouth10]

Thanks for all the info and real-world experiences (although you've now broadened the universe of toads for my wife to choose from - you were supposed to narrow it down to the small cheap ones!! How come every time I ask for advice on this forum my budget increases about 20%?!?!? Ahh, the Law of Unintended Consequences!)
Looks like that Jeep Unlimited Wrangler is back in the picture - although that only leaves about 500 pounds for cargo (in the toad) before hitting the max tow weight and the GVCR of 33,000. Any thoughts on weight distribution (e.g., if my total coach + toad weight is 33,000 pounds and I've got 500 pounds of that weight that I can put in the coach or in the toad, I'm assuming it's better in the coach, unless I'm bumping up against a particular axle weight . . .?)
Of course, in another cruel twist of the Law of Unintended Consequences, you've now got me questioning my MPG. I'm getting about 9.3 MPG (fully, and I mean fully, loaded with no toad) - granted that's up and down the west coast with a lot of very steep climbs and serpentine mountain roads and a lot of time between 70-75 on I-5. Assuming you are all getting your MPG directly off the LBCU or are you calculating it differently? I think with my driving habits/conditions, I'm within the right range, but you all seem to be getting some great MPG . . .

[formerFR]

over the years, and over 100,000 miles since late 2014, my Palazzo has two 'sweet' spots for MPG... and those are 45mph, and for the 'real world' interstate driving times, 62mph.

when you get above these ranges, especially 70 or over, you are not going to be getting relatively 'good' mpg versus staying at a more reserved pace.
You also have a setting within the Freightliner panel to see 'instant mileage', so that you can start to tell 'when' you are getting great mileage, and what's happening when you see it, whether fully loaded, traveling short or long distances, on the interstate or on 'slower' roads, whether towing, etc.

I've found that, over time, and many, many miles... we get about 12.4mpg under normal, full loaded, travels, whether thru mountains, or just in 'flat' Florida...what goes 'up' hill, must also come 'down'...it evens out either way.
We get about 11.4 when towing ...

[gordonsick]

My quote of 10.5 mpg is after 50,000 miles of break-in on the engine, where my fuel economy has improved slightly from about 10.2 to 10.5.

I recently went from Calgary to Vancouver (through the Rocky Mountains) and then down the Pacific Coast Highway (101 and 1, not I-5). The PCH did generate poor gas mileage (down in the 9 mpg range, as I recall). I drove to Ventura, CA, just north of LA and then took interstates (mainly I-10) to Austin, TX and then came back west though New Mexico and Arizona. That whole trip had a lot of hills and elevations up to 7000 feet, as well as lots of slow turns. On that 6000 mile trip, I averaged 10.5 mpg on the LBCU, which included the lousy mileage on the PCH and mountain roads.

You really need to measure fuel consumption over a long haul, because winds and hills do have a big effect on fuel consumption. I use the LBCU with Trip resets for the long haul, Leg resets for refuelling legs and Day resets for daily fuel consumption, so I can get a good idea of how winds and hills are affecting my fuel consumption.

I suppose the LBCU could be inaccurate, but tank fill is pretty iffy, depending on the orientation of the coach when filled and the amount of patience exercised to let the foam go down when filling. And tank fill is affected by generator usage. The LBCU speeds are identical to my GPS speeds, so the only thing that could go wrong with LBCU mileage is the fuel flow measurement.

I think that driving style affects fuel economy a lot. Not just driving speed but usage of brakes. I drive in the Econo setting for the transmission (press the Mode button – it doesn't say Econo on the display, but it does delay downshifts). The transmission learns my driving style and adapts the shifting to my driving style, which is pretty smooth. I use the Cruise speed control most of the time and have the engine brake set to come on most of the time (it engages when the throttle comes off). When I know I am coming to a downhill section, I kick off the cruise control to let the speed drop. This allows me to descend with a minimum of braking. But, I usually pick up so much speed on a long hill that I have to hit the brakes to avoid crawling over cars in front of me, which don't glide so well.

I do use full throttle on hill climbs, so I'm not saving fuel there.

The LBCU reports the percentage of time idling over the legs I set. I'm surprised by how much idle time it reports, because I don't sit with the engine idling at all. I believe it reports any downhill time when the throttle is at its minimum level as being idle time. That is 150.5 mpg when I've got the LBCU in miles mode (not kilometres).

I have never seen the Regen light come on to say that the I am getting a regeneration on the Diesel Particulate Filter. And I've never had the surge in fuel consumption that is consistent with a regeneration. So, that means I really am not idling much at all, which is how the carbon particulate collects. Having said that, I realize that the regeneration light will not come on if I'm driving above a certain speed, so I might be getting some regeneration while I drive down the road. But, it should be the case that the light would come on if I come to a reduced speed section on a road after it starts a regeneration. I've never seen the light come on when I drive into a town. The regeneration could result in a big fuel burn, so avoiding idling is a very good idea to improve fuel economy.

–Gordon

[category5]

Since my wife recently retired, we have been looking for a Toad for our 2016 34QS, so thanks for asking that question! We used the Motor Home magazine toad guide for choices that meet the 34QS tow capacity and chose the Chevy Equinox as the DW won't drive a manual trans. Just got the Equinox last week and now looking at installing the full tow setup.

[Rimo]

We've had our 2017 34QS 1 yr now and bought the 2014 Honda CRV in April. We use a Ready Brake Elite and we have been very satisfied both in the mountains of Colorado and the flatlands. We follow Honda guidelines and don't exceed 65 mph when towing. The engine and transmission have had no issues towing in these conditions and the Ready Brake has been easy to use. The 2014 CRV is the last year that can be flat towed due to transmission changes in 2015. The CRV is good in the city and limited off road use.

[omahagirl]

Ours is an 11 390RB has a 360. We bought her an 18 jk Sahara to pull. She does it nicely. We did buy a front cover to protect the Jeep from anything Buffy might kick up. I love my Jeep

[jasonBuck]

I have been pulling a f150 for a couple years now. Been over/down mountain passes. With the HP you have it comes down to your hitch.

[GoneSouth10]

Hey Jason - I'm assuming that's a 4X4 Supercab 6 foot box, but . . . Do you know the curb weight and the loaded weight when you're towing it?

P.S. Excellent choice on the Berkshire paint scheme - looks familiar!!!

[dave-g]

The f150 has a curb weight of around 5500-5800 lbs. I tow my 150 raptor and I do notice it getting on the highway. And if hitting a big hill. Nothing bad- just slight slower.
But I have the 360hp and the 3000 trans.

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by gordonsick

You really need to measure fuel consumption over a long haul, because winds and hills do have a big effect on fuel consumption.

So does a regen.....

If you REALLY want your long haul mileage.... as in as long as possible find the total gallons consumed from day 1 in your LBCU..... divide that into the number in your odometer....

Can't get any longer.

Mine was 9.17xxxxxxxxxx

38A, usually towing, anything from a Spark on a dolley, to a 16x7 tandem axle enclosed cargo trailer.

[RKNOLA]

https://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/
also make sure you check the owners manual to make sure the vehicle is towable as stated by the manufacturer.
Etrailer.com has some great deals on base plate set ups for the vehicle too. While paying for base plate instillation can sometimes be expensive (depending on the difficulty level of the install) it can sometimes be well worth the price to have it professionally installed.

[MrBill16]

2020 34QS, 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid toad, Blue Ox tow bar, RVI2 aux brake. Works for me.

[rdonihoo]

2018 Berkshire 340hp, towing a 2016 Lincoln MKX suv,
Been everywhere between DFW and L.A. can’t even tell
The SUV is back there, curb weight is approx 5k lbs.
fuel mileage 8.2. Using Blue Ox toe bar and base plate.
Purchased base plate and installed myself, was a two day
Project and not something I would suggest a novice
Mechanic doing. I’m a retired engineer with allot of mechanical background, the project was not mentally difficult, just allot of fabrication and R and R.
I love my Berkshire, can’t Waite for our next trip.
Good luck, have fun. !

[rdonihoo]

Correction on my post, Berkshire 39a with 360 hp.
Thanks
Rick Donihoo