Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 We are planning our drive down to the Fort from Indiana. Usually we can make the trip in 13 hours not pulling a tt? What kind of time frame should I plan for? Maps says a distance of 220 miles can be traveled in 3.5 hours. Should I add an extra hour? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ependydad...Doug 176 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Between towing and my family's slowness at stops, we plan for an overall average of 45-50 mph when planning on travel time for any trips that include a meal stop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Mostly depends on how big a difference you'll have in gas mileage and speed. Both vary quite a bit for us from car travel to towing. Our trip is about 1400 miles. I can do it in just under 20 hours driving a car, including gas/pit stops only (no naps). It's roughly 24-25 hours of driving when towing. That includes our speed (nearly all highway) going down considerably from 70-75-ish to more like 55-60, and roughly the same amount of stops for gas - although they take longer as the truck has a much bigger gas tank (pretty much double) and also *everybody* makes a pit stop... including the 3 dogs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 It's a bit over 600 miles from our house to WDW. With the trailer it took us about 10.5 hours to get there not counting the traffic we hit going through Orlando. We average 10 mpg when towing and have a 20 gal. tank. I stop to fill up when the gauge drops to 3/8 of a tank which is roughly every two hours. When we used to drive to Orlando before the trailer I used to be able to do it in about 9 hours but I don't stick to 65 mph or lower when I'm not towing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsey......Todd 134 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I use an average of 50MPH to figure time, seems to be what we average with stops and kids unscheduled potty breaks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 We do the same as Todd, 50 mpg seems to a good overall average for us. Only unknown, of course, is traffic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specularius 102 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Just take the mileage door step to door step and divide by 53 and that should get you very close then add 30 minutes for every 5 hours. You may travel faster and beat that time,but then that is just a bonus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specularius 102 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 We do the same as Todd, 50 mpg seems to a good overall average for us. Only unknown, of course, is traffic. Wow Nacole....we all need your tow vehicle.....50 MPG!!!!! sorry for being such a smart a&%, but I couldn't let it slide! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Wow Nacole....we all need your tow vehicle.....50 MPG!!!!!sorry for being such a smart a&%, but I couldn't let it slide!Mercy.... I hurt my back this morning, so I'm a little out of it and typing on my cell phone.. not a good combo. But yes...could imagine? Heck, we could afford several trips to the Fort each year!! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specularius 102 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 That would be 5 trips for the price of one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Oh wow this is going to take a while. We will be driving through the mountains. Any advice and also are there any warning spots? Like mercy you had better take these few miles at a snails pace because of the.... Any tips on bringing this rig in safely is greatly appreciated. I am not sure what is worse pull up the mountains or breaking down the mountain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Just take the mileage door step to door step and divide by 53 and that should get you very close then add 30 minutes for every 5 hours. You may travel faster and beat that time,but then that is just a bonus.Perfect, thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Between towing and my family's slowness at stops, we plan for an overall average of 45-50 mph when planning on travel time for any trips that include a meal stop.My hope is to limit breaks and food in the car. Mess but my crew at a stop could add 45 minutes to an already long trip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Any tips on bringing this rig in safely is greatly appreciated. I am not sure what is worse pull up the mountains or breaking down the mountain. We go over the Berkshire Mtns sometimes to visit friends. Uphill is no big deal with our truck - it tows like a champ - it's the downhill where we slow way down, mostly to keep control of things and not have the camper pushing the truck, but also to try and save wear and tear on the brakes. Depending on your setup and how steep the mountains you're traveling over, your mileage may vary. My hope is to limit breaks and food in the car. Mess but my crew at a stop could add 45 minutes to an already long trip. We've streamlined our stops over the years as much as possible, as our goal is to get there as quickly as possible. We pack a cooler with sandwiches and snacks (plus wipes and paper towels), and at gas stops = everybody pees, humans and canines alike - to avoid any extra stops. Thankfully our dogs are amazing travelers and will "go" on command. Usually one of us pumps the gas while the other walks the dogs. If all goes well, we can usually get back on the highway within 15 minutes. It also helps to roughly plot out your gas stops, or have your co-pilot on top of this. Our trip is mostly interstate and we've learned over the years to stick to the big exits where we know gas is close vs wandering for miles and wasting time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Oh wow this is going to take a while. We will be driving through the mountains. Any advice and also are there any warning spots? Like mercy you had better take these few miles at a snails pace because of the.... Any tips on bringing this rig in safely is greatly appreciated. I am not sure what is worse pull up the mountains or breaking down the mountain. Which way over the mountains and which interstate are you planning to use? We have a much smaller trailer and TV but the 5%-6% grades we hit going to Asheville or through West Virginia slow us down to the 45-55 mph range going up and 35-55 mph going down. It all depends upon other traffic, where the grade ends and how curvy the road is. To me going down is the more critical time. The last thing you need to do is overheat the brakes and lose them so I rely on engine braking as much as possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Santa ... Shannon 160 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Gas stops were a killer with our TT, seemed like we were stopping constantly. And of course every stop meant bathroom breaks, and quick walk for the dogs, and... oh, you get the idea! The motorhome has a 150 gallon tank so we should be able to do the round-trip on one fill! That'll be nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Heading down I-75 all the way. Depending on construction we may go the Richmond, KY to Chattanooga route. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Which way over the mountains and which interstate are you planning to use?We have a much smaller trailer and TV but the 5%-6% grades we hit going to Asheville or through West Virginia slow us down to the 45-55 mph range going up and 35-55 mph going down. It all depends upon other traffic, where the grade ends and how curvy the road is. To me going down is the more critical time. The last thing you need to do is overheat the brakes and lose them so I rely on engine braking as much as possible.I was told to rely on the trailor breaks going down hill. You would use the van/truck breaks? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 We pull with a Ford 350 Econoline xlt heavy duty passenger van. We pull a 32' Jayco with 3 slides. If that helps at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 I was told to rely on the trailor breaks going down hill. You would use the van/truck breaks? You should have a brake controller for the trailer that triggers and applies the trailer brakes when you use the van brakes. The idea is the trailer brakes slow the trailer and the tow vehicle brakes slow the tow vehicle (and somewhat the trailer). In any event when going down hill you do not want to rely upon the brakes to slow and keep your speed down. The idea is to let the engine and transmission slow the vehicle/trailer as much as possible and then use the brakes intermittently when the engine cannot slow everything by itself. This keeps the brakes from overheating so you have them in an emergency. It also helps keep your speed slower so you are less likely to have an emergency. As an example when I come home from Asheville, NC I have five miles of a 6%, closer to 7%, grade to go down. This is a steep grade to drive up or down. It also has a lot of curves. The posted truck speed limit is 35 mph and 55 mph for cars. I use the truck speed limit until I get close to the end where the road is straight. To maintain 35 mph I put my TV in third gear and coast. When I start to creep above 35 mph I apply the brakes to get back to 35 mpg and start coasting. If I'm on a stretch where it is safe to drive faster I still use engine braking when going down hill and only use the brakes when I exceed the speed I want to maintain. I use this basic technique regardless of my driving speed while in the mountains or even on the curvy, hilly roads like we have here in the Piedmont. It is really just using common sense and not trying to rush things when driving with a trailer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Okay that makes sense. We have a little device on the underside of the dash. I am not completely clear as to when to use it. The dealer told us it was the emergency brake for the camper. I have never used it but was told that by tapping it lightly it would slow the camper without using the van brakes. Can you explain what it is to me. I am very nervous to pull this rig down to the Fort and want as much information as I can get. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Okay that makes sense. We have a little device on the underside of the dash. I am not completely clear as to when to use it. The dealer told us it was the emergency brake for the camper. I have never used it but was told that by tapping it lightly it would slow the camper without using the van brakes. Can you explain what it is to me. I am very nervous to pull this rig down to the Fort and want as much information as I can get. Is it built into the dash board? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 If it is there is a Towing section in your owners manual that talks about adjusting the integrated brake controller. The way it works is when adjusted the brakes on the trailer work in tandem with your vehicle brakes. You can also activate them manually in an emergency as the dealer showed you but this is not normal operation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 Okay I get it. You are refreshing my memory, thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 One last question. What is the best way to handle Atlanta. We will be coming in on a Saturday morning. We have talked about going around. Any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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