How fast do you drive with camper on? .

[silverbullet555]

Curious how fast y'all drive with camper on.

No speed limits.
Smooth freeway.
No safety concerns.

Dry?
Rain?

I'm mostly interested in how speed impacts the longevity of the camper and rain water intrusion at speed.

[Supercharged111]

macdale4 wrote:
70ish. I had a blow out at 65 and totaled out the truck, camper and tow jeep in less time than it takes to type it. The faster you go the more catastrophic the outcome if something goes wrong. I like 65 but it seems hard to maintain on the interstate.

Was it a SRW?

[free_radical]

I drive as fast with camper on as without it.
Weighs about 1500 lbs
Dont even feel its back there

[specta]

macdale4 wrote:
70ish. I had a blow out at 65 and totaled out the truck, camper and tow jeep in less time than it takes to type it. The faster you go the more catastrophic the outcome if something goes wrong. I like 65 but it seems hard to maintain on the interstate.

glad you're here to share with us

[Grit_dog]

specta wrote:

JimK-NY wrote:
And what is that guy going 48 mph supposed to do? I see there is a passing lane in the other direction. So it might not be long.

Fortunately with a diesel I am not underpowered. A gentle hill like that would be 65 mph in 5th or maybe topped out at 6th gear.

Look for a pullout and let others pass. He passed several of them and drove through two small towns before we came to a passing lane.

He's just plain inconsiderate of others.

The was a down grade. Diesel of gas had nothing to do with his choice for speed.

So newbie chicken driver. Everyone has to learn but holding up traffic for miles on end is just ignorant.
Kinda like the folks on the freeway, even rural middle of nowhere, who sit in the left lane doing just at, or below the speed limits.
My weekly commute now involves 700mi round trip over 2 days and 1 night with a 10+ hour work day both days. Ask me how impatient I am when I have 4+ hours to drive before or after work…..the difference between poking along at 70mph and doing 90 for most of the drive is almost an hour difference each way.
To the slow drivers, glad you are relaxed and don’t have anywhere to be right now, but move the f over, because I do!

[Grit_dog]

JoeChiOhki wrote:
45-55 mph. For me, its more than fast enough and I'm usually meandering on two lane back country away from the main routes more than I am on interstates. Plus, the truck is old and powered by a naturally aspirated small block V8 gas engine. Even with 4.10s, she's not going to be winning any races :p.

On my bigger trips, I normally only drove about 200-300 miles a day at tops, as I was more interested in the journey than just the destination.

If we're on flat lands, I usually pull off to let folks get around, or when we reach the top of a grade if we're climbing one, pulling out before then just means the next batch of folks will be stuck behind me going even slower because I'll have lost my momentum and will be starting again on a hill, so instead of going up the hill at 45, they're now doing it at 30.

On most quality roads, there are usually passing lane segments that come up and that's when most folks can safely get around.

So you’re mostly speed limited by the capability (power and age) of your truck.
Aka, one of the vehicles on the road that frustrates other drivers who are trying to get somewhere before their weekend is up or their next birthday comes around!

[macdale4]

70ish. I had a blow out at 65 and totaled out the truck, camper and tow jeep in less time than it takes to type it. The faster you go the more catastrophic the outcome if something goes wrong. I like 65 but it seems hard to maintain on the interstate.

[Supercharged111]

I never set the cruise on the return trip to CO over 70. I'm going to tally up the fuel bill to see if it was worth it. I was too chicken to push the fuel stops to the limit, so could have realistically pulled the same stops at 75 vs 70. Truck seemed happier though, only downshifted for a scant few hills coming back vs going down at 75 zinging back and forth 4-3-4.

[covered_wagon]

monkey44 wrote:
Agree with 1Flyboy - we run generally 50-60, lots of back roads, enjoy the scenery, and are retired -- never in a hurry.

Generally take an extra day or two getting there. Sleep till I'm rested Get into camp early enough to have time for a good workout, go for walks, get settled. I avoid the freeways, big cities and the race.

I like old mountain towns uncrowded no tourists. I like it when the gas attendant says your the biggest excitement of the day. LOL

[jimh406]

joeshmoe wrote:
Me driving the speed limit or at a safe speed for the conditions at worst might make some people frustrated. Passing wrecklessly, playing chicken with oncoming traffic is the ultimate inconsiderate move.

You can argue who is the most inconsiderate, but the point is that many of us prefer not to make people frustrated. That encourages them to take a risk and potentially putting us in the middle of a wreck if they don’t make it.

[hotrodfords]

~70 MPH, not to exceed road conditions or speed limit

[markchengr]

On 2 lane roads, I'm usually at or more likely slghtly over the speed limit and I use pullouts when I have 5 vehicles behind me as required in many states but often with less than 5 or even one if they've been back there for awhile. However, it seems there is often someone who is in such a hurry that they will pass me in a no passing zone.

[JoeChiOhki]

45-55 mph. For me, its more than fast enough and I'm usually meandering on two lane back country away from the main routes more than I am on interstates. Plus, the truck is old and powered by a naturally aspirated small block V8 gas engine. Even with 4.10s, she's not going to be winning any races :p.

On my bigger trips, I normally only drove about 200-300 miles a day at tops, as I was more interested in the journey than just the destination.

If we're on flat lands, I usually pull off to let folks get around, or when we reach the top of a grade if we're climbing one, pulling out before then just means the next batch of folks will be stuck behind me going even slower because I'll have lost my momentum and will be starting again on a hill, so instead of going up the hill at 45, they're now doing it at 30.

On most quality roads, there are usually passing lane segments that come up and that's when most folks can safely get around.

[joeshmoe]

There's the flip side where often I'm on some two lane hwy with a 55 or 65 limit, but the three or four cars behind me want to go 85-90. These people are willing to make an extremely dangerous move just to get past me, putting everyone at risk.

Me driving the speed limit or at a safe speed for the conditions at worst might make some people frustrated. Passing wrecklessly, playing chicken with oncoming traffic is the ultimate inconsiderate move.

[specta]

This is about the only time I might be considered not very courteous.
If you're coming up an on ramp, don't look and don't signal I'm not budging one inch.

Heavy traffic, you're looking for a spot to merge into traffic, you're signaling..... I'll give you all the room you need.

[specta]

mkirsch wrote:


You're the exception to the rule. Most people who drive slow have no concept of courtesy, are oblivious to the line of cars they're holding up, or are holding up traffic on purpose.

Amen. I followed three of them same day same HWY.