NinerBikes wrote:
My TV is a 2013 VW Touareg TDI Sport. 240 HP, 406 ft lbs. Tongue weight 300 dry on a 21 foot 7.5 ft wide TT that weighs in at 3700 dry. Bought the Touareg with factory hitch, 7700 lbs, limited by the unibody construction on all engines. Tongue weight is 770 lbs, max.
With propane, battery, etc, I run a 600# Equalizer Hitch. I probably have 300 to 400 lbs on board the trailer.
At this point, in 2 years, I have 16000 miles on it. I will not trailer if cross winds are much over 25 mph, I pull over. No equalizer hitch will help you in a cross wind if a big rig blows by you at 80 mph while you are doing 55... 21 foot of wind sail leaves you with sweaty hands and white knuckler moments, too much hinge effect at the trailer hitch point with the SUV having a short wheel base. Allows the trailer in a cross wind to have a lot of leverage at the pivot point, where the two vehicles are joined.
Out west, there is no way I'd go much over 21 to 23 or 24 feet, with a 5000 # Touareg, Cayenne, or Q7.
Trailer is a Palomino Gazelle G21.
3.0 Liter diesel at 55 -58 MPH and 8 speed transmission averages 16.5 to 19 MPG. I seem to manage to find some tailwinds most of the time from Los Angeles to Yellowstone.
I do slow down a bit going up the steeper grades in CA, NV, UT,ID and MT. Retired, no rush, don't believe in pushing my motor hard going up hill doing a lot of work. I try to keep fuel consumption at no more than 4 to 4.5 gals per hour of diesel fuel being burned when going up hill. Function of speedometer, and instantaneous MPG in the dash keeps me from running hot. Don't burn the fuel fast if you want the heat dissapaition spread over a longer time.
Ninerbikes.... You really need to get your rig set up optimally. You have one of the highest rated TV's money can buy yet you are struggling with it because it is set up so poorly. PS... my ride is a Fuel 98. Luv it.
