# How fast do you drive?



## utmtman (Apr 11, 2008)

Today made a propane run to Flying J in Winslow, Az.  On the way back had an Essex Motor Home pass me like I was sittin still.  Figured they were doing 75+, I was doing just under 70 (driving my toad 99 GMC Sonoma Pickup) and the speed limit east bound I-40 is 75.  Now I  always heard its not good to haul your toad much over 65 let alone 75+, and this is not the first time one of them thar big old RV's has passed me on the interstates.  Either them folks gots lots of money for diesel or they is just always in one big hurry.
So lets here it, how fast do you drive?   I will start by saying I try to keep my RV around 59 to 61.   Next!!!!


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## elkhartjim (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

Tex will want to know whether uphill or downhill.
I drive 60 w/325 cummins 6 speed allison and average 9.1 w/toad with 6400 miles on odometer.


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## SnowbirdInFlight (Apr 11, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?

We drive 50 because: 1. You get better gas mileage and Lord knows we pay enough now!  2. We're RETIRED! Why be in a hurry to get anywhere!


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## DARLING (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

When I drive its between 62-63  but when Honey drives its 68-70.  

We have a 330 cat & it shows on the milage drop when he drives.

I guess men are more agressive/more confident at that speed.

WE were coming south on !-95 and was passed by a big shiny Marathon  & the truckers were all talking on the cb  how they were going 80 +and the Marathon blew their doors off.  

There is NEVER any reason to drive that reckless.  jmo

Darlin


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## TexasClodhopper (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?



 Jim, I'm from a different part of Texas than you. Tell me, what's a hill?   

I cut back to averaging 52 to 53 mph. Most of my trips end up averaging close to that anyway whether I drive 55 or 65. The GPS helps keep track of that.

Sometimes, it's just downright unsafe to drive too slow for the traffic around you. 





> elkhartjim - 4/11/2008  3:39 PM  Tex will want to know whether uphill or downhill. I drive 60 w/325 cummins 6 speed allison and average 9.1 w/toad with 6400 miles on odometer.


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## rjann (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

I drive back roads at 55 mostly. If I have to be on an Interstate, my speed depends on the traffic. Heavy traffic and I go the speed limit. Light traffic and I sit in the right lane at about 64. It's not so much for the gas -- the difference in 11 and 12 mpg is not really significant -- as it is for the comfort and noise and general tension.


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## DL Rupper (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

When towing the 5th wheel, I drive 65/68 mph on the Interstate in 6th gear (2200/2400 rpm's).  If I go much slower, I lug the engine on the hills.  On smaller roads or in the mountains I drive at 50/55 mph in 5th gear (2200/2400 rpm's).  I get the best mileage at these speeds while towing.

I get passed mostly by DP Motorhomes.  Occasionally I have big 5er's come by going faster.  I laugh knowing they are just burning up their diesel.

My biggest concern is my tires.  Speed generates heat in tires.  I try not to drive in temps over 80 degrees or speeds over 68 mph.  The hotter in gets during the day, the slower I drive.  Even if that means I slow down to 50/55 mph in 5th gear on the Interstate.  When it gets around 80 degrees I start looking for a RV park.  In the summer when traveling, I get up early and stop early.


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## Kirk (Apr 11, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

We sit in the right lane and run about 58 to 62, depending upon the terrain. On the two lanes we typically run more on the order of 50 to 55.


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## tinkerer (Apr 11, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?

I don't like to brag about it but my 2007 Discovery seems to be set up to cruise at 70-75. It cruises over the hills without losing very much mph. If you go slower it seems to loose more mph when cruising over the hills. I usually set the transmission on economy which won't downshift until the rpms hit 1500 rpms.  Maybe if I was a fulltimer I would slow down.


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## SnowbirdInFlight (Apr 12, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?



*Observe the Speed Limit* 

While          each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or          range of speeds), *gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above          60 mph*.        

As a rule of thumb, you can assume that *each 5 mph you drive over 60          mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon* for gas.        

Observing the speed limit is also safer.                                        Fuel Economy Benefit:            7-23%
                                          Equivalent Gasoline              Savings:            $0.23-$0.74/gallon







Source


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## onthecoach (Apr 12, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

When I drive our 2005 Bounder TD, I stay in the 55-60 range, when DH drives he's got it up to 70-75.  We did discover that our coach has a 'sweet spot' at 73mph.  It just glides at that speed.....BUT....with diesel prices being what they are....we will be staying in the 55-60 range.  Yes, there is a HUGE difference in the mileage.  When I drive I can get about 10mpg, when HE drives we get about 6mpg!  But....I agree!  We are RETIRED!!!!  What's the hurry???  Besides....it's the JOURNEY -- not the destination!


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## jc2 (Apr 13, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

60-63 mph and get 7.5-8.0 mpg.  Our sweet spot seems to be between 2000-2200 rpm. :approve:


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## Steve H (Apr 13, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?

Try to dial in at 60. Works for me! Doesn't seem to work for all the people passing me with the 1 finger salute! Maybe it's a WA coast thing?


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## TexasClodhopper (Apr 13, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

My Winnie doesn't like to pull below 2300 rpm. She wants to shift out of OD when the grade pulls her down there, and that could just be a long overpass.

That rpm equates to about 60 - 65.  Must be a common design criteria for MH manufacturers.


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## H2H1 (Apr 14, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

I know when I am driving I like the 70 mph mark, I also notice that I get bad MPG (6.1) at this speed so when I drop it down to 60 and maybe 65 I am getting 9.6 mpg. So next month when I head out to AZ I will be doing 60-65 mph. It's funny that 5-10 mph would make so much different's in your gas consumption, but it does.


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## dggreer (Apr 14, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?

I had a 1990 southwind 30 ft with the Gm 454 and any thing over 60 was uncomfortable to drive and gas milage ran in the 6 to 8 mpg. Last year I traded for a 2007 allegro bay 34 ft, workhorse chassis with the 8.1 L with the 6 speed allison. It drives comfortable at any speed but the diff between 60 and 70 MPH is drastic. At 60 I get 7 to 10 MPG, at 70 I am lucky to get 6.


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## Shorty (Apr 16, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

In all trips in my 94 454 with throttle body injection, at speeds over 70 6-7 mpg
at speed of 62-67 got 7-8
58 - 60 I milked 9.6 out...no air or generator running either
Put 124k miles on this coach and drove in the 62-67 mph range all while flat towing a 4400 lb jeep

Now in the new DP 325 Cummins, at 2000 rpm runs 73 mph and gets a solid 10 mpg, this is while towing also
I will experiment more this summer on the trip from FL to WIsc to MN to NY and back to FL, but I expect 10-12 mpg since more will be setting the cruise and letting the auto pilot take over :laugh:


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## vpg1 (Apr 22, 2008)

RE: How fast do you drive?

To fast according to everyone here...lol I have been know to look in my rear view mirrow and see the trailer and look at the gauge and see 90. I guess 75 is to fast also. Maybe I will get better milage slowing down some, maybe to 60 and see if it help me. I tow a 5th 34' 4 slider with a 07 Dodge Ram 2500 cummings. It loved the hills in Washington. This trip will be from Tx to Ky and then Fl and home to Tx.


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## elkhartjim (Apr 22, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

Just got home from 11 days out...intended to only be gone 2.  Put 831 miles on the ole DP beast and averaged 8.9 mpg and ran the genset most of today..260 miles.  Average price of fuel $4.04.  Headwind heading south didn't help and I'll be dang if a norther didn't blow in just as we headed norht.  Curses.


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## Buckeye Chuck (Apr 23, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

Hi,

Just a remark form the small rig here, F150 pulling a 5,000 lb hybrid.  I drive 60-65 mph when the speed limit allows.  My tires on the camper are rated for 65 mph.    
Like DL I like to leave early and stop early.  I check the tire pressure before starting out each day and bing them up to max. 

One more thing I noticed is that I don't get that much more mileage than you big guys, around 10 mpg average for a 3800 mile trip from Michigan to Utah.

-BC-


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## utmtman (Apr 23, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

I had several trucks with several campers, also long time ago I had a winnebago on the dodge frame and I got the same fuel with all my trucks whether we were hauling a camper or pulling a trailer, 7-9 mpg.  Got that with the winne too.  Worse I got was a couple of years back I bought a ford truck with a 460 engine and a 27 foot holiday rambler trailer and we drove to missouri and back and got 4 mpg.  Traded that truck and trailer in after one trip for the motor home we have now.  And I kept my speed between 55 and 60 with the truck and trailer.  With my trucks and campers I drove around 65 on average.


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## Paul235 (Apr 25, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

The key to getting to the sweet spot for economy appears to be keeping the motor turning at the peak of the torque curve.  My V10 curve tops out at 2500/3200 rpms.  You can check out various curves at:http://www.gearvendors.com/hrfordhptorque.html
Lugging any lower is just as bad for economy as revving it at higher speeds.  More hp produced but a loss in economy.


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## TexasClodhopper (Apr 25, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?



The chart that I get on my V10 is exactly accurate. Thanks Paul235.

This is exactly where my Winnie 'feels' right and doesn't downshift on the uphill side of small hills. The chart shows max torque of 400 and a horsepower of 175 where the two curves cross.

On my Winnie it is 2300 RPM @ 60 mph in OD. My last tank showed a high gas mileage of 8.8 mpg on a segment of the short trip that I'm on.

If I gohigher in rpm (speed) to 2500 the gas mileage will drop down. If I go lower in rpm (speed) the mileage will go up about 1/4 to 1/2 mpg, but I can't stand to drive 55!


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

Re: How fast do you drive?

u got a gearvendor also Tex ,, i have one on my MH ,, but as of last trip it's outta commision ,, had a very bed vibe when it went into over/overdrive ,, contacted GV ,, and they told me that the final frive sprag was shot ,, and for the price they quoted me to have it rebuilt ,, i can buy a new one ,,, JMO     :approve:  :approve:


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