When is it too windy to tow safely?

[timfromma]

Heading home tomorrow and they are forecasting 22 mph winds.

My rig is 11' high and 35' long.

Is this safe or am I asking for trouble?

[Mobilemikey]

Here in MD wind restrictions go up on our bridges over the bay and rivers at 40 mph sustained, meaning no house trailers can cross.

I can only tell you from experience towing our former Windjammer TT (34.5 feet long), at above 20 mph sustained, it was a TON of work and exhausting.

DW and I did a return home from the eastern shore/ocean of MD to central MD in 25 mph sustained winds. I hurt after getting home, plus more than one white knuckle moment was had as gusts hit us. Our sway bars surely helped, but it is still just a sail behind you. I am sure you know this already.

Good luck and safe travels.

[asquared]

If you drive in higher winds, try to go slower and maybe stick to back roads. I try to avoid heavy winds but work schedules don't always allow for that. 20-25mph will be tiring but it is possible if you do it safely. If you feel it is unsafe, just pull over and ride it out til it dies down. If you are in mountains or going over long bridges that will be worse.

[KenHwy61]

Just drove 200 miles with 20-30 mph winds. Definitely could feel the higher gusts push the trailer a bit. Slowing down is good advice. Each rig is different and a heavy tow vehicle helps a lot. Only you can decide if you feel safe or not.

[gspot01]

Was driving through the Pecos country in TX with signs on the side of the interstate warning of dangerous cross winds. I agree with the above advice that speed makes all the difference. 60 mph was much more manageable than 65.

[OldCoot]

Heading into or having a tail wind is no problem. Side winds are a whole different animal. Much harder to pull a tt in side winds than a 5er, but both are a challenge.

[crookedread]

If higher winds are forecast, I typically fill my fresh water and add to the black and grey water tanks. My fresh water tank weighs 800 pounds all by itself. The tanks are low in the trailer and the stabilizing weight adds up quickly. Slow down and consider stopping or changing course if the wind gets worse.


Crookedread
2016 Duramax
2011 Stealth 2312

[Telstar]

It depends on the weight of your trailer and if it's a true or 5th wheel and if the wind is coming from the front/back or side. I have pulled off at truck stops a few times when experiencing side winds.

[Ian Walker]

All good advice. I drove the I-10 across Texas & west from El Paso pulling a 37 foot TT. The worst was the 40 miles straight north from El Paso to Las Cruces, NM. Cross winds were unbelievable! Don't. Know
how sting but definitely white knuckle all the
way.

[juice5]

Originally Posted by timfromma

Heading home tomorrow and they are forecasting 22 mph winds.

My rig is 11' high and 35' long.

Is this safe or am I asking for trouble?

On 21 March My 2014 27RR was 10 ft high 34 long fullwater tanks pulled by 2014 F250 Lariat crewcab diesel on Highway 95 at dusk Hawthorne Nevada....(Did not know three semi's blew off earlier in the day) ...at 65 mph started blowing me around...hit the diesel hard which straitend me out...then hit trailer brakes that got me to 50 mph and controlled ! another block down that road we were hit with something like 80+ wind ...everything rolled down mountain destroyed ....rolled many times but F250 air bags all went off, set belts kept wife and I in Place..seat tops kept roof up ...and an EMT just off work was first responder ! All I remember was helicopter ride to Reno Renoun Hosptial in snowstorm ! 6 weeks in rehab there and my broken neck repaired here in Minnesota 27 july.....31 july I got use of right arm n hand back ...wonderful. Wife sufferd fractured sternum n ribs 4 weeks in hospital. Now have new F250 king ranch diesel and looking at Wolfpack toyhauler....safe trailering to you all...In January Im gonna find that EMT to extend thanks...for truck photos send email to asajuice5@hotmail.com

[jlgail4309]

Wouldn't tow in wind over 40. Slowing down sure helps. We tow up by Enid Ok all the time. They have wind farms up that way. Wind is always over 20. The Hensley hitch sure helped with side wind .

[4Daughters]

Bought a 35 foot Flagstaff Classic Super Lite Saturday in Ringgold Georgia. The Winds were gusting about 20 miles an hour. This was our first hard side trailer and we towed it about 12 miles on the highway, got off and took back roads to Daholnega in the eastern mountains of Georgia. Not sure I would do it again in that kind of wind. No white knuckles but a ton of tension in my shoulders and neck.

[V-Lite Fun]

Originally Posted by jlgail4309

Wouldn't tow in wind over 40. Slowing down sure helps. We tow up by Enid Ok all the time. They have wind farms up that way. Wind is always over 20. The Hensley hitch sure helped with side wind .

2X on the Hensley. Wouldn't be without it. No surprises.

[lbrjet]

When you are towing with a stiff head wind or tail wind be mindful of going around curves.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[Twice]

Originally Posted by juice5

On 21 March My 2014 27RR was 10 ft high 34 long fullwater tanks pulled by 2014 F250 Lariat crewcab diesel on Highway 95 at dusk Hawthorne Nevada....(Did not know three semi's blew off earlier in the day) ...at 65 mph started blowing me around...hit the diesel hard which straitend me out...then hit trailer brakes that got me to 50 mph and controlled ! another block down that road we were hit with something like 80+ wind ...everything rolled down mountain destroyed ....rolled many times but F250 air bags all went off, set belts kept wife and I in Place..seat tops kept roof up ...and an EMT just off work was first responder ! All I remember was helicopter ride to Reno Renoun Hosptial in snowstorm ! 6 weeks in rehab there and my broken neck repaired here in Minnesota 27 july.....31 july I got use of right arm n hand back ...wonderful. Wife sufferd fractured sternum n ribs 4 weeks in hospital. Now have new F250 king ranch diesel and looking at Wolfpack toyhauler....safe trailering to you all...In January Im gonna find that EMT to extend thanks...for truck photos send email to asajuice5@hotmail.com

Juice, Wow that is a scary story. I'm happy to hear that you and your wife survived and are healing. I'm towing a 36', 13.5' high and usually very little water. I will learn from your lesson and just ground the rig until the weather improves. Besides worrying about us, I worry about my dog in an accident like this, what would happen to her and where would the take her. Thank you for sharing your story and I hope to see you on the road.

[asquared]

Juice- how scary. As a former trauma nurse I know how lucky you and your wife were to have survived that. I am so glad the two of you are healing and you still want to camp. Thank you for sharing such a sobering reminder about road safety and how seatbelts save lives! I wish you Safe travels in your future.

[Salt Shaker]

I think a lot has to do with sustained winds vs gusty winds add speed and some grooved road and it can go south pretty quick.

I've seen rigs knocked over in relatively low winds when they hit a gust and the right angle.

Of course I prefer to pull into a headwind...at least that is what my mileage tells me I am doing.

Salt

[Waynedeer]

I tow a fifth wheel around Wyoming quite a bit. They use chains for windsocks there. There are advisories all the time for towing "light trailers". As others have said; head winds are little problem but will lower your fuel MPGs and tail winds are not much of a problem. The 5th wheel really tracks pretty good and I have had no real problems at 35-40. Watch out for spots where the wind funnels through little valleys, hilltops etc. Don;t over correct or steer too much. The gusts are usually short lived and you can plow through it if you remain steady on the wheel. I do see the TT's sway quite a bit more than the 5th wheels. If you can't drive in winds over 20 don;t head west.

[ToniandSal]

Juice5, what a horrible thing to have happen. Glad you guys are OK and mended.


Toni and Sal
2016 Forester 2291S
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