What is your average freeway/highway speed?

[dotcommer]

Was just curious, what is the Average Highway,/freeway speed Most of you drive, and if that is from a gas or diesel coach?

[btilfan]

gas, 60

[FloridaRosebud]

hipower wrote:
After seven pages there is seemingly no consensus of an ideal speed. What is apparent is that we should all find our own comfort level as it pertains to our risk of tire failure and personal safety as well as how comfortable you unit is at any speed. An ill handling coach will scare some a lot sooner than others and may be a major factor in driving comfort at any speed.

On an interstate highway we are rarely any more of an impediment to traffic flow than a heavily loaded, underpowered truck so we should not use that as a guideline since traffic copes with that constantly. When traveling secondary roads we should probably try to refrain from impeding traffic behind us when possible. My rule of thumb usually has me looking for someplace to move over and allow traffic to pass easily when I see more than five vehicles backing up behind me. A little common sense is usually a good guide in what we do and for the most part we are successful in getting along with all of the other highway users.

Well put. I would just add that my MH seems to run the best and easiest around 62-65mph. My guess is most MH have a speed where they like to run.

[hipower]

After seven pages there is seemingly no consensus of an ideal speed. What is apparent is that we should all find our own comfort level as it pertains to our risk of tire failure and personal safety as well as how comfortable you unit is at any speed. An ill handling coach will scare some a lot sooner than others and may be a major factor in driving comfort at any speed.

On an interstate highway we are rarely any more of an impediment to traffic flow than a heavily loaded, underpowered truck so we should not use that as a guideline since traffic copes with that constantly. When traveling secondary roads we should probably try to refrain from impeding traffic behind us when possible. My rule of thumb usually has me looking for someplace to move over and allow traffic to pass easily when I see more than five vehicles backing up behind me. A little common sense is usually a good guide in what we do and for the most part we are successful in getting along with all of the other highway users.

[Hikerdogs]

MarkTwain wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Are you talking average as in including stops? We plan for 50 MPH.

To get that, I run 63 MPH on the road when conditions allow.

First buy a Valentine Radar dector. Now you can drive 62 to 64 mph on all interstates without worrying about a CHP using radar on you.

The speed limit on almost all interstate highways is now 70 mph or higher. We travel at 62-65 mph on the interstates most of the time. It seems to be just fast enough that we don't get run over, but not so fast you have to stop at every other exit for gas. With stops we average about 50 mph.

Off the interstates 50-55 mph is about average. Many of the federal and state highways are fairly narrow and have curves that won't allow much more speed

[GHOST1750]

Diesel for 16 years, 55-62. Always towing and usually in Ca. Am back to gas now and still pretty much the same speeds. I will usually get a run on a long grade, diesel or gas. Miss the diesel.

[pryoclastic]

7.5L gas Vectra here.

The OEM Ford chassis manual says that max torque for this coach is developed around 55 MPH so I set the cruise for 60 and call it done. Sometimes I am doing the speed limit and other times I am under it.

😄

fuelly.com says that towing a minivan nets us an average of 6.7 MPG at the moment:




I do however, fundamentally disagree with comments that rolling at 60 MPH is a traffic hazard. The observations about dangers posed when losing a steer at high speeds are spot on. Look at what happened when an RV here in Oklahoma City was traveling at low city speed limits and lost a tire:



http://www.koco.com/article/rv-crashes-into-northwest-oklahoma-city-apartment-complex-police-say/221...

Additionally, this flawed traffic hazard assessment does not factor in all the *millions* of safe miles driven yearly by OTR freight hauling semi's who are moving below posted speed limits.

A "safe" rate of travel is more about evaluation of the conditions as they change and risk acceptance as opposed to a flat and static number on the speedometer that makes someone feel good.

[doc_brown]

Diesel. In California 55mph max since I tow. Outside of the Socialist Republic 63mph, climbing grades obviously slows me down. Over my 14 years with my coach Silverleaf says my average speed has been 43 mph.

[debandi]

GPS tells me its 60 and that's good enough for us.

[howdy35]

I tend to run 62-65 when towing my CR-V since it says in the owners manual to not tow it over 65 for extended periods of time. I expect many of the posts take into consideration they are towing also. If I am not towing I can run a little faster. Everyone has a speed they are comfortable at and most of the time it is in the 62-65 range. DP

[madkinson74]

Just got back from my first "long" trip in my 99 Gulf Stream DP. I44 speed limit was 75, but that was not comfortable for me in the Oklahoma wind, so 65-70.

[down_home]

Flow with the traffic. In Atlanta all the though lanes shift to the left.
Have to keep up. Atlanta Drivers won't let you in and indeed will speed up to keep you from merging as in many other places.
There is no average sped like on I69 north of Indy narrow two lane Interstate with split speed limits and trucks playing leap frog and keep out.

[ACDNate]

dogunter wrote:
We're new to RV'ing and purchased a 30' 2007 model R-Vision trailer. It has been wonderful so far but we are also concerned about speed issues.

At about 60 mph the trailer will sway considerably, despite our anti-sway hitch setup. I looked at the tires and they are only rated to 62 mph (ST205/75D-14, tandem axles).

Since our highways here in New Mexico are 75 mph maximum speed limit, would it make sense to upgrade to a tire rated for a faster speed?

Is this even possible? I haven't found anything that also doesn't increase tire radius (which may not be possible for our trailer).

Thanks.

You may need to work on your hitch setup some more. I had a weight distributing hitch setup with my 24' toy hauler, that really needed a 3/4 ton truck to pull. With my half ton after original setup I had some sway. After a few more adjustments on the hitch the sway went away completely, even up to 70mph.

As far as my DP, i run +/- 5mph of speed limit trying to stay with the flow of traffic.

[tropical36]

JaxDad wrote:

tropical36 wrote:
Yeah and especially since the tires are only rated for 75.

Unless you’re talking about some unusual offshore stuff that comment isn’t quite accurate.

Almost all 22.5 and 24.5 Tire’s are rated for 75 mp/h OPERATION (at proper inflation of course) that’s NOT to say that’s the maximum speed they’re rated for.

Even if that was the maximum rated speed though, there’s still a healthy safety margin built in. If they’re ‘rated’ for 75 they don’t hand grenade at 77.

Well, I thought it said 75max, right on the sidewall and know that I've seen it somewhere, but you're right and it's most certainly not engineered to explode at 77. Fact is, they have been known to explode at any speed and less speed is always better, for if and when it happens.
Still baffles me with the speed thing and the feeling that it's just as safe for driving a motel suite, as it is a car. I mean, if a motor-coach is safe at 75, then a Ferrari should be safe at a 100, but for some odd reason, it's the same as the rest.
Speaking of being the same, it's all about the money, like everything else, otherwise trucks would be limited to 60, like the old days and RV's would have to follow suit.
For us, RVing is supposed to fun and non stressful, with getting there when you get there, otherwise, we catch a plane. Having said that, we can still do 50mph, travel cheaper and outrun a car for days on end, with no motels, restaurants or bathroom stops, along with overnight boon-docking.
As an added note, we've been passed by the same Coach, 3 times in the same day and many times twice. Now how is it, that they are going to arrive at their destination, any sooner?

[Blackdiamond]

Big Katuna wrote:
DP, 50 mph avg for planning, 300 miles per day..

The Allison shifts into 6th around 62 so 62-63.

Minimizes passing..

Towing I do 65...not towing I do 65-70