How do you drive when towing?

[MadBison]

I have been playing with different driving techniques when towing my approximately 1 tonne to 1.1 tonne loaded camper trailer.

When just setting the speed limit on the cruise control and leaving it, the coolant, trans, and intake temps climb to over 100 degrees in 25 ambient. Fuel economy is also higher than ideal.

I have found that thus technique is the best for temps and fuel economy:

1) Shift to manual and use 5th gear only when going down hill.
2) On the flat on freeways, I don't bother going over 100km/h on the GPS. That's about 107 km/h on the dial
3) Do the speed limit at the bottom of the hill, and 10 to 20km/h under the speed limit at the top. How much I slow depends on traffic around me, number of lanes, and steepness/length. Safety first over fuel efficiency.

Just doing this has saved fuel and certainly lessened the stress on the Paj engine.I found that it dropped all the temps by at least 20 degrees. More cash in the pocket for travel, and a longer lasting tug has to be worth the extra effort.

Any other thoughts/Ideas?

David

[Ian H]

There's a can or worms been opened a few times on here, mainly around which gear to tow in. 4th for me and generally 100k on the dial so realistically 95. I'm in no hurry to get anywhere like I used to be.

[Nab]

I'm the same as you David but my camper weighs 1400-1500kg. Anything over 100kph (GPS) and the Pajero seems to be out of its comfort range regarding revs/fuel use/noise etc. 4th all the way.

[2bad4u]

+3

4th gear using sport mode and 95-100kph (van weighs 2500kg).

[MadBison]

I have Torque showing the engine load and I can see a big difference between 5th and 4th when going up hill and on the flat.

And there is a lot less engine load when you enter the bottom of the hill at max legal speed and back of at the top, instead of just maintaining speed all the way to the top. My wife only drives at 93 on the GPS, and does not drop speed when going up hill. When she takes over driving, the fuel economy is worse than me hitting 110 on the GPS at the bottom of hills, and doing 100 on the GPS on the flat.

Using the Paj fuel economy display at the top of the dash, I averaged 12.9 litres per 100 from Canberra down to Wollongong. The return trip averaged 14.9 litres per 100. 13.9km average while towing approximately 1.1 tonne. The paj had two adults, and a decent load of gear, full bash plates, winch, alloy bullbar, 3 roof racks, awning. Not too bad given the load.

David

[Dicko1]

Recently towed a 1.0 boat/trailer. Highway, hills and suburbs. Mix of 4th in sports mode and 5th in auto. 4th for the hill sections and full auto for the flat highways and suburbs, I find the arse about gear select in sports mode annoying.

[RUGGA]

You can change the shift pattern around Dicko, have a read here https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum...tl+mode+switch

[erad]

I have a manual transmission NW diesel. I tow a 16.5 ft Jayco Poptop. Unladen weight is 1075kg according to the nameplate. It is much heavier than that by the time SWMBO loads it up... . I have found that driving at 100 km/h indicated by the speedo (94 km/h GPS) I get around 12.7 L/100 km on flat country. Push it to 100 km/h GPS, and consumption increases to about 13.4 L/100 . The engine is not being stressed at either speed.

One time, I was climbing Talbingo Mountain with the van in tow. This is a steep climb. Hot day as well. My scangauge showed the engine temperature around 98 Deg C but the air inlet temp was 115 Deg C. I was concerned. I was in second gear and pulling a bit under 3000 R/min. I put it into 3rd Gear and the revs dropped to around 2400, but more importantly the air inlet temp dropped by about 10 Deg C. It chugged without too much distress up the rest of the hill (at the gear change point it was still in the steep section). I guess that the boost must have dropped a fair bit when I went to 3rd gear, contributing to the drop in air inlet temperature. I cannot remember what the boost was, but other times it has not gone over 18 psi. The boost must have been OK because that is why I bought the scangauge. That climb was stressing the engine, but it handled it quite well - a lot better than an 80 series Landbruiser towing a similar load.

[Pajshomoneroguntero]

I have Torque showing the engine load and I can see a big difference between 5th and 4th when going up hill and on the flat.

And there is a lot less engine load when you enter the bottom of the hill at max legal speed and back of at the top, instead of just maintaining speed all the way to the top. My wife only drives at 93 on the GPS, and does not drop speed when going up hill. When she takes over driving, the fuel economy is worse than me hitting 110 on the GPS at the bottom of hills, and doing 100 on the GPS on the flat.

Using the Paj fuel economy display at the top of the dash, I averaged 12.9 litres per 100 from Canberra down to Wollongong. The return trip averaged 14.9 litres per 100. 13.9km average while towing approximately 1.1 tonne. The paj had two adults, and a decent load of gear, full bash plates, winch, alloy bullbar, 3 roof racks, awning. Not too bad given the load.

David

Keep in mind that Canberra elevation is circa 2000 feet higher than sea level Wollongong. Virtually unnoticable over the ~250Km drive but you don't get something for nothing.

[GOSSAMER]

I have the app to monitor the trans temp and that's what dictates what gear i'm in. I set the cruise control for the speed limit so if it's 110 im doing 110 even in the hills where applicable. My camper weighs in around the 1500kg mark, on a recent trip to Cessnock from Melb i averaged 13.5/100 from melb to the border and 14.5 from the border to Cessnock and basically the same on the way home, i contribute the extra fuel nth of the border to NSW being hillier. I am happy to tow in 5th when i am able, the trans temp sits around 70-80 degrees depending on ambient, as soon as the trans temp starts to rise i pull it back to 4th, i generally rarely let the trans temp go over 100 if i can avoid it and it seems to work ok for me.

P.S. i was told after my last trip the the towing speed limit in NSW is 100kph even on the 110kph Hume anyone know if that's true???

[nj swb]

P.S. i was told after my last trip the the towing speed limit in NSW is 100kph even on the 110kph Hume anyone know if that's true???

I believe it is. I just came back from Sydney towing a car trailer with the remains of an NW, so we looked it up. Definitely 100km/h limit in NSW, website might've said same applied Australia wide, but I wasn't planning to travel above 100km/h anyway.

I don't recall that there was any weight limit i.e. if it only applied to trailers above xxx kg, or if it was a blanket rule for all towing. At an estimated 2.8T I was happy to accept that it applied to me.

[MadBison]

Before reading Gossamers post I had never heard of a towing speed limit in NSW despite driving and occasionally towing for 30 years in NSW.

This site says no towing speed limit in NSW, and they are the governing body:

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-rules/towing.html

There are some other trusted sites like NRMA that say the limit is 100 kph if the tug and trailer is over 4.5 tonne, otherwise it is the posted speed limit. My max allowed between the tug and trailer is 4.3 tonne and I would never go near that weight.

http://m.mynrma.com.au/motoring-services/caravan-towing.htm

http://www.withoutahitch.com.au/caravan/state-state-tow-vehicle-trailer-speed-limits/

Ya learn something every day! :-)

And interestingly, on my last trip, I saw two temporary roadside car inspections including what appeared to be a portable weigh bridge. Never got pulled over for either. Kindav wanted to get a weight to save the $25 it cost me to get it weighed here! :-)

[Alex86]

Regularly taken the ~1.2t boat up to 110 in 5th but normally sit on 90-95 in 5th with no ill affects (that I know of anyway). As long as I've got over 2300 revs in whatever gear for whatever speed (when it comes to highway driving) it seems to be happy.

Many factors at play though- wind, gradient etc. thinking ahead helps- drop down before you begin to struggle climbing a hill etc.

[Nab]

You can change the shift pattern around Dicko, have a read here https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum...tl+mode+switch

+1.

My work ute has them opposite so when I got the Paj I was forever changing gears the wrong way! Half an hour later the wires were switched and all is good....

[GOSSAMER]

Before reading Gossamers post I had never heard of a towing speed limit in NSW despite driving and occasionally towing for 30 years in NSW.

I'd never heard of it either hence why its something i'd never looked up

Tassie is 90kph and WA is 100kph by the look of it

http://www.withoutahitch.com.au/caravan/state-state-tow-vehicle-trailer-speed-limits/