Interstate cruising speed

[kgkerl]

60-62 mph pulling a 30' 5th wheel. Not good for the equipment and not safe to drive faster.

[Jimvin49]

We usually try to stick at 60 mph, even through most of California, while towing a fully loaded Fiat pop. Our 2018 Coachmen Prism is on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis and the turbo diesel loves that speed and load. We averaged 15.4 mpg actual for a 1000+mile trip.

[jeffnick]

Never over 55 for me anymore, even when not towing. In heavy traffic tho, I'll stay with the guy in front of me in the right lane.

Funny story. Back in the late 60's, just after servicing the brakes on my sports car, I left Chgo and blasted my way to the West Coast, at one point covering 300 miles in less than 3 hours.

Somewhere around Santa Clarita on I5, the rear wheel on the drivers side passed me up...I'd forgotten to torque the lug nuts down after doing the brakes and all 4 lugs had sheared off.

I removed two of the lugs from the passenger rear and headed to LA where there was a dealer that had parts.

Not wanting to test the rear end with 2 missing lugs on each side, I was delicately doing 60 in a 55 on I5 in LA on the way to the dealer when I got pulled over by a cop...he told me, "If you can't keep up with traffic, take a side road."

https://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/20...heir-cars.html

[Long Leaf Piners]

At 10,000 miles a summer, cruising across the US yearly since 2009, with our F250 diesel and a 32 ft. Fifth wheel, everything runs best--from mileage to lane changing and safety-- when we run at about 62. Just us. Speed limits don't have to be met, they're just suggestions.

[rlhul699]

First alot of states max speed limit is 65 for pulled trailers. Second you trailer tires have a speed rating so not above that.

[MikeyS]

60 MPH. Mile a minute they pass me at 75 all the time some hauling 42 ft toy haulers. In one hour they are 15 minutes ahead of me or 15 miles. When they stop for something it might take 20 to 30 minutes to get whatever then in 5 to 15 minutes they pass me again and in another hour they are 15 miles ahead of me again. One time I got passed 3 time by the same Rig. Do I make sense??? Worked for a Trans company that believes in a mile a minute..

[grayfox]

Originally Posted by MainelyUS

The 3500’s sweetspot is 66-67 when hauling

My 2015 Dmax towing a 5th wheel 62 mph .... the sweet spot.

[landsail]

When driving either of my Motorhomes (aka driving a brick), I use 60-62 mph. Saves gas, tires, and lets 80 MPH fools cruise by in the left lanes.

[Tireman9]

62 based on reading of ECM engine load. I see mpg in range of 9.5 to 10.9 with average for relative flat at 10.4 over hundreds of miles.

[geneandjan]

I run 62 to 65 max in my MH towing my Cadillac SRS. Hey I'm retired, what is the hurry!!!

[BBC Cobra]

68-72 MPH feels good when possible, generally try to get in 450-500 miles per day going and coming to have maximum number of days at destination.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by -lenny-

My trailer tires are rated to 75mph, so I don't exceed that. I generally just go with what's comfortable, while trying to ignore my fuel gauge.

PS I HATE towing in California. I find it absolutely painful to drive that slow for no reason, and I can't see it being any safer when the rest of traffic is travelling 20mph faster? But I sure did get amazing MPG...

I just recently did a round trip through CA with my trailer. Drove almost the full length of the state and most of the freeway was so rough I couldn't see why anyone would want to beat up their equipment by driving faster than 55. Potholes on I-5 that would rival many found on forest service roads. I-10 missing huge sections of the last patch/resurface job.

[Sarahcat]

Originally Posted by Oldbears

Right hand lane @ 62-65 mph. Saves gas (usually gain 1-2 mpg around the 62 mark), and its safer.

We decided that if we were in that much of a hurry, we should leave the e-pro at home and probably the car, too, and fly. We’re planning our travels on surface roads and not on freeways.

[campkasten]

Interstate travel... about 62 mph. Old tires were rated to 65, so we preferred NOT to push the issue. The new Endurance tires are rated for higher speeds, but the engine speed at 62 mph is good for 11 MPG. If we go faster, the fuel consumption increases quickly.

The new tires are also LR D (old ones were LR C), so we have a cushion on load capacity and speed rating which should translate to less stress on the tires. SAFETY FIRST!

[RamFam]

Unhitched and empty I roll 75-80 mph on the freeway and get 19-21 mpg.

62-65 mph with my family and pulling the rig. Safety first, mileage second and arrival time third. I get 9-11 mpg fully loaded.

I never thought I’d think the 25 gallon tank was tiny. I thought wrong!

[ilmor]

Originally Posted by Mike134

When on an Interstate with posted limits of 70-75 MPH what is your typical cruising speed with light traffic, clear & dry with miles and miles of straight road ahead?
Myself I like 64-65 mph.

65

[OLEJOE]

60-65 when towing in 5th. 65 puts me over 1750-1800 in 5th and 1500 in 6th puts me at 70. A lot of difference in wind resistance (and fuel mileage) going from 60 to 70 mph. As others have said, we’re retired, not in a hurry and enjoying the scenery. I drove for a Freight co. the last 14 years before I retired and 65 was top speed then and it just feels right now.

[jlynn721]

Originally Posted by Mike134

When on an Interstate with posted limits of 70-75 MPH what is your typical cruising speed with light traffic, clear & dry with miles and miles of straight road ahead?
Myself I like 64-65 mph.

55 mph. I start most of my long summer (5-7 months) trips from the desert in CA. CA speed limit for towing (any type of trailer) is 55 mph. I have driven 55 so much, it just follows me to all the western states.

It saves money on diesel (better mpg), is safer, less wear and tear on truck and 5th wheel, and allows you to see a bit more of the country you are driving through. It’s nice to be retired and not in a hurry.

[MrWizard]

On the Interstate we will run the speed limit or whatever the majority of the semis are running to be safe regardless of fuel economy. Many times though we route using two lane highways where we can run 55-60 and our fuel economy goes up by 25 to 30 percent.

[Ziggy848]

Set the Cruise Control at 70 and get on down the road

__________________________________
2012 RAM 2500 CC SB 4x4 6.7 Cummins 3.73 gears
2.5in leveling kit on 35in tires
Pulling 34ft 5er at 11,200lbs


Ziggy / Southern NM