Hi,This is my 2nd trip with my camper trailer and would like to hear advise or experiences towing a camper on I-70.I have a camper whose dry weight is 3080 lbs and has a 46G fresh water tank that will be full.My overall estimate of the weight of the camper would be about 5200 lbs plus 350 lbs of camping gear on my truck bed.I am towing the camper with a Nissan Titan V8 with a Tekonsha P3 brake controller set at 7.0I've driven that route many times on my car and I know the speed limit varies with a max of 65 mph.what is the recommended speed or advised speed for towing a camper that size on some of those 6% grade down slopes for a distance of over 8 miles?Should I take frequent pit stops to cool the brakes and engine? Please help.

You need to keep it slowed down going down, but you don't have to use brakes that much, use your engine compression. A good rule of thumb is don't go any faster downhill than you did going uphill.

If yout Titan has the tow package, you will do fine. Just keep the speeds sensible and tow in the right lane.

Thanks, yes it does have the 'tow mode'.

As you're descending you don't want to ride the brakes. That would cause them to overheat and affect braking ability. Don't be afraid to shift to a lower gear to keep the speed under control. If you're picking up too much speed, hit your brakes hard for brief periods to dump speed, then release them. You don't want to just "free fall" and then slam them on. Stay in the slow lane, let others go around, don't worry about it. You won't be the only one.

davestar wrote:Thanks, yes it does have the 'tow mode'.Use it!

Need advise towing I-70 West going from Denver to Vail

jpetrey
Explorer
Jul 07, 2013
davestar wrote:
Hi,
This is my 2nd trip with my camper trailer and would like to hear advise or experiences towing a camper on I-70.
I have a camper whose dry weight is 3080 lbs and has a 46G fresh water tank that will be full.
My overall estimate of the weight of the camper would be about 5200 lbs plus 350 lbs of camping gear on my truck bed.
I am towing the camper with a Nissan Titan V8 with a Tekonsha P3 brake controller set at 7.0
I've driven that route many times on my car and I know the speed limit varies with a max of 65 mph.
what is the recommended speed or advised speed for towing a camper that size on some of those 6% grade down slopes for a distance of over 8 miles?
Should I take frequent pit stops to cool the brakes and engine? Please help.

Do you really need the fresh water tank to be completely full?
Dick_B
Explorer
Jul 06, 2013
Quick, get a copy of Mountain Directory West that shows several extreme locations on that stretch of highway.
tsetsaf
Explorer III
Jul 06, 2013
DesertHawk wrote:
brirene wrote:
As you're descending you don't want to ride the brakes. That would cause them to overheat and affect braking ability. Don't be afraid to shift to a lower gear to keep the speed under control. If you're picking up too much speed, hit your brakes hard for brief periods to dump speed, then release them. You don't want to just "free fall" and then slam them on. Stay in the slow lane, let others go around, don't worry about it. You won't be the only one.

:C Very Well Said!

Excellent advise. We recently travelled east over I-70 and all I can say is wow! What a beautiful highway. We never exceed 55 and had zero issues. Heed the above advise and try to find your engines happy spot for "compression" braking. This would be the speed and gear that holds you at a safe speed without (or with minimal) use of your brakes. Regarding your P3 settings: play with the boost and voltage so that your trailer tugs the truck on initial braking and then holds that pressure through out the stop.
DesertHawk
Explorer
Jul 06, 2013
brirene wrote:
As you're descending you don't want to ride the brakes. That would cause them to overheat and affect braking ability. Don't be afraid to shift to a lower gear to keep the speed under control. If you're picking up too much speed, hit your brakes hard for brief periods to dump speed, then release them. You don't want to just "free fall" and then slam them on. Stay in the slow lane, let others go around, don't worry about it. You won't be the only one.

:C Very Well Said!
brirene
Explorer
Jul 06, 2013
davestar wrote:
Thanks, yes it does have the 'tow mode'.

Use it!
brirene
Explorer
Jul 06, 2013
As you're descending you don't want to ride the brakes. That would cause them to overheat and affect braking ability. Don't be afraid to shift to a lower gear to keep the speed under control. If you're picking up too much speed, hit your brakes hard for brief periods to dump speed, then release them. You don't want to just "free fall" and then slam them on. Stay in the slow lane, let others go around, don't worry about it. You won't be the only one.
davestar
Explorer
Jul 06, 2013
Thanks, yes it does have the 'tow mode'.
colochoclab
Explorer
Jul 05, 2013
If yout Titan has the tow package, you will do fine. Just keep the speeds sensible and tow in the right lane.
rhochnadel
Explorer
Jul 05, 2013
You need to keep it slowed down going down, but you don't have to use brakes that much, use your engine compression. A good rule of thumb is don't go any faster downhill than you did going uphill.

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