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Advice for Long Distance Towing

ChristyFord
Explorer
Explorer
My husband, toddler, 2 dogs, and I will be taking a 2 week road trip cross-country (Augusta, GA to Seattle, WA) with an SUV and TT. I've read mentions of how this kind of trip should be handled differently than a weekend trip to the lake. What kind of things do we need to know and keep in mind in this case?

Note: my husband and I have no experience towing a TT yet, so lay it on me!
68 REPLIES 68

JBarca
Nomad II
Nomad II
ChristyFord wrote:
My husband, toddler, 2 dogs, and I will be taking a 2 week road trip cross-country (Augusta, GA to Seattle, WA) with an SUV and TT.


Hi Christy,

I mapped this too, https://binged.it/2DrupTx

Depending on where you start and stop that is close to 2,800 miles cross country one way. So that we can help better, can you tell us this:

1. How many days do you have to drive one way, the 2,800 miles? We cannot tell by the 2 week road trip you mentioned if that is one way or both to and from. A very different outcome pending the answer.

2. What month of year will you be doing this? We are in winter now, doing this in winter verses warmer months is very different.

3. How long will you have the truck and camper before you head out on this road trip?

4. How old is the camper and the truck? Needing to know about the age of both dealing with mechanical things that can come up pending the age while on the road.

Hope this helps

John
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Explorer
I don't know about other things but I can say this for certain: Stay away from Seattle with any trailer in tow. Find a park far outside of Seattle and drive in with your rig solo or you will be sorry. Parking is a nightmare in that city!

Drive safe and have fun!
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~


"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"

"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."- Abraham Lincoln

IdaD
Explorer
Explorer
When we're trying to get somewhere distant we average 60 miles per hour. That's with me, wife, 3 young daughters and a dog along, and factoring in all stops for fuel, meals, etc. OP, you might find that you average 40 mph. My point is just that because a couple of the guys ^^ in this thread average 50 mph towing doesn't mean you will too. We all travel differently.
2015 Cummins Ram 4wd CC/SB

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
One more thought and something that drives me NUTS when traveling (and the longer the distance, the worse this becomes).... accumulated trash in the cab of the truck! It's soooooo easy to accumulate trash in the cab. Soft drinks, coffee cups, baby bottles, wipes, paper towels, candy wrappers, blankets, pillows, extra clothing (like hats, gloves, and jackets) become a horrible mess very, very quick! At every stop you make ... clean out the trash and re-arrange the back seat! IT WILL SAVE YOUR SANITY!

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Explorer II
Christy,

My wife and I are in Augusta at the moment (she had knee surgery this morning). Send me a PM via this forum if you and your husband want to connect and talk. We'll be pulling out around 25 - 26 January.

Rob
U.S. Army retired
2020 Solitude 310GK-R
MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
(Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
2012 F350 CC DRW Lariat 6.7
Full-time since 8/2015

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
(I'm not going to discuss your trailer type and tow vehicle type here, and try to stay on your topic.)

First ... your speed. Regardless of how far you tow a trailer, you can expect an estimated "average" of 50 mph. The longer the distance you are traveling, the more true this is. Meaning ... you are physically traveling only 50 miles every hour. This takes into account rest stops, fuel stops, food stops, bathroom breaks, and just time to stretch.

Speed? You do not want to tow any faster than what your trailer tires are rated for. (Most) are rated at 65 mph. Different tires may have an 80 mph rating. Most likely, if your's is the original tires on your camper, they are rated at 65 mph. You do not want to travel any faster than that.

More than likely, your true highway speed will be, between 60 and 62 mph.

(but your over all average for the trip, will still be 50 miles an hour).

Plan on lots of stops so the dirver(s) don't get fatigued. And besides, with a "little one" strapped to a car seat, the toddler will become cranky. Beside, changing diapers, food, and spills will result in even more stops along the way. Do not attempt to change diapers and such in the back seat while the driver continues on so you won't loose time. Take the time and actually STOP to change those diapers. Beside, it's the law. In a moving vehicle, the child must be in a car seat. It's just too risky to NOT stop and do it right.

Plan your route out well before you leave. Anticipate the distances you can travel between fill ups. Adjust your "pit stops" accordingly and your overnights too.

Do spend your overnights in an established campground where you can plug into electricity, get a good shower and a good meal. Driving long distances, you can become very irritable very fast by the second day if you are not well fed and clean! Besides, WalMart parking has it's risks, and you do have a 2 year old child to consider. So do overnight stops at real campgrounds, like KOA or GoodSam campgrounds (they both have apps for your cell phone).

Get the app, "Gas Buddy" on your phone. It's a life saver traveling to new location and looking for a gas station. Down load it now, and start using it now so you have familarity with it. It's absolutely priceless when traveling.

Every time you stop somewhere, do a quick walk around your entire "rig" and make sure everything is still OK. 99.9 percent of the time it is. But that 0.1 percent of the time, something could come loose, or find a bumper cap missing, or a plug cover wiggled loose. Also, check your turn signals and brake lights on the trailer often.

Bring along easy to fix meals and keep that in the camper, like sandwiches and Jello cups and such. Works great, and save a LOT of money eating at McDonalds along the way. However, it is nice to go inside and sit down too, but not every time. You loose a lot of time this way.

If you park for the night, you do not necessarily need to unhitch the tow vehicle from the trailer. Just unplug the trailer pig-tail from the tow vehicle and plug the trailer into shore power. If you have slides, follow your camper's manufacturer advise if you should lower the stabilizer jacks or not first. If so, then do it. It only takes a minute to lower them and makes for more stable experience inside the camper.

It sounds like you have a specific destination in mind, but don't forget .... traveling there is half the fun too! Don't short cut the driving experience and all that can be seen and done along the way. If you see an interesting amusement, restraunt, event, shop, or unusual site, overlook, or scenic view, take the time and stop and see it. The unknown, unexpected, unanticipated stops are often the ones you remember the most years later.

Most of all, have fun! Make the entire experience a fun experience for everyone. Please don't drive like your on a race to the moon! Enjoy every moment of the experience ... even the planning stages you are in right now. It's all part of the "adventure." Make it all meaningful. That's the MOST important thing!

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
You will need to average 400 miles a day every day of your two weeks leaving little time to see anything for long. Seven to n8ne hours of actual drive time. Dogs and toddlers wonโ€™t be that happy. Iโ€™d do a shorter trip or take more days. Interstates can be scenic but US and state highways are generally better IMO but they are slower. Check the pressure in all tires every day and kick them all at stops.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

BB_TX
Nomad
Nomad
Is that a round trip? Or a one way trip?
That is 2,700+ mile trip one way. You will average 50-55 mph factoring in stops for food, fuel, restroom, etc. Assuming about 400 miles per day (a long day of about 8 hours on the road) it will take 7 days to get there. And that is just travel time without stops for any sightseeing.

Jaxom
Explorer
Explorer
Do you have any experience towing a trailer? If not, go to a wide open parking lot and practice. Forward and backing up. Get used to how the rig handles, accelerates and brakes. Make sure you have good tow mirrors. They are critical. Keep your headlights on at all times. It makes you more visible to others, especially in bad weather. Check the age of your tires. 5 years old maximum or you risk blowouts and damage to your trailer.

For the trip itself, I would start out mid morning after a good night's rest. Plan on a short drive the first or second days. You don't know how everyone will handle the traveling. Don't expect your husband to do ALL the driving. You should be capable of taking over the driving duties should he get sick or hurt. It happens.
Jerry
2015 Jayco Seneca 36FK
2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport 2 door
2011 R & R 20' Aluminum Enclosed Car Hauler
2007 Montrose 16' Aluminum Flatbed ATV Trailer