Trailer speed

[E-Fishin-C]

I never towed a trailer before and I know that the trailer I have will go 70mph with no swaying BUT Whats the recommended safe traveling speed for towing a trailer behind a scoot

[Sling]

I pull a Tag-along trailer, it is small but I guess that doesn't matter that much except for stopping! Two up with the trailer we've done 70-75 mph. Usually we are on secondary roads so mostly 60-65mph. is what we ride at..

[Brake Pad]

I ride about 65-70, on the highways ( In the right lane)

Fastest riding solo 78 MPH, loaded. two up, 65-70

[RandyR]

I just brought a trailer home with my new (used) RSV and probably rode 70mph average (not counting stops) for 900 miles.

[dynodon]

Properly loaded and set up any legal speed in the US should be plenty safe, and if 5-10 over, that should be OK too.

 

I would not try beyond about 80 though, too much can happen way too fast, in addition to tickets. Most states have lower speed limits for vehicles with trailers, watch out for those laws, although I don't think most police watch bikes the same as big trailers on trucks/cars.

 

But MOST IMPORTANT is to make sure it is loaded properly and set up right, and you check it often.

 

You want about 10% of the total trailer and load (inside or on the trailer including any coolers on the front or back) on the hitch ball or mount. So if the total trailer and load is 500 pounds, you want 50 pounds on that hitch. If you are off a few pounds that is OK.

 

The danger is if you have too little weight on the ball or hitch mount, the trailer could start swaying and easily walk you off the road or into another lane!

 

So weigh the trailer and everything you put in it on a scale so you know fairly close what your typical load is. You can estimate this once you know what things weigh without the scale. Put the end of the trailer tongue on a piece of wood that goes down to the scale so you can see what the weight is when loaded. Move things around so that you get the 10% figure close.

 

then look at how the trailer sits, it should sit slightly downhill. This makes sure that if weight shifts, it goes the best direction, more weight on the tongue, but it is best to pack so that stuff won't shift around. Put bed rolls/blankets or something on top to keep things in place if you don't have a net inside.

 

Also, and forgive the book here, but I am obsessive about trailer safety....Make sure your wheel bearings are well lubed and properly adjusted. At EVERY STOP, feel the tire tread and sidewall, and the wheel bearings (don't use hubcaps that cover the bearings!) for heat. Tires can get hot on hot days, but the bearings should stay almost room temp even on h ot days. Anything too hot to touch for a few seconds is a warning sign that something is wrong. Hot bearings can heat up tires to the bursting point, or they can seize and cause a wreck. A tire with too little air can get hot and melt, or with too much air it can burst as heat increases the temp. Follow manufacturer recommendations, and remember the MAX air inflation on the side of tires is just that for Maximum loads, and not usually for typical loads or speeds.

 

If you follow these tips, you can go down the road with pretty good peace of mind. Have fun.

[Carbon_One]

Properly loaded and set up any legal speed in the US should be plenty safe, and if 5-10 over, that should be OK too.

 

I would not try beyond about 80 though, too much can happen way too fast, in addition to tickets. Most states have lower speed limits for vehicles with trailers, watch out for those laws, although I don't think most police watch bikes the same as big trailers on trucks/cars.

 

But MOST IMPORTANT is to make sure it is loaded properly and set up right, and you check it often.

 

You want about 10% of the total trailer and load (inside or on the trailer including any coolers on the front or back) on the hitch ball or mount. So if the total trailer and load is 500 pounds, you want 50 pounds on that hitch. If you are off a few pounds that is OK.

 

The danger is if you have too little weight on the ball or hitch mount, the trailer could start swaying and easily walk you off the road or into another lane!

 

So weigh the trailer and everything you put in it on a scale so you know fairly close what your typical load is. You can estimate this once you know what things weigh without the scale. Put the end of the trailer tongue on a piece of wood that goes down to the scale so you can see what the weight is when loaded. Move things around so that you get the 10% figure close.

 

then look at how the trailer sits, it should sit slightly downhill. This makes sure that if weight shifts, it goes the best direction, more weight on the tongue, but it is best to pack so that stuff won't shift around. Put bed rolls/blankets or something on top to keep things in place if you don't have a net inside.

 

Also, and forgive the book here, but I am obsessive about trailer safety....Make sure your wheel bearings are well lubed and properly adjusted. At EVERY STOP, feel the tire tread and sidewall, and the wheel bearings (don't use hubcaps that cover the bearings!) for heat. Tires can get hot on hot days, but the bearings should stay almost room temp even on h ot days. Anything too hot to touch for a few seconds is a warning sign that something is wrong. Hot bearings can heat up tires to the bursting point, or they can seize and cause a wreck. A tire with too little air can get hot and melt, or with too much air it can burst as heat increases the temp. Follow manufacturer recommendations, and remember the MAX air inflation on the side of tires is just that for Maximum loads, and not usually for typical loads or speeds.

 

If you follow these tips, you can go down the road with pretty good peace of mind. Have fun.

 

Excellent set of rules to follow here. Safety is and should be #1 at all times regardless whether we're pulling trailers or not. I pretty much just drive what the speed limits call for, sometime maybe 5 under. It all depends on the road type and amount of traffic I'm in. Always give yourself extra stopping room since you will increase stopping distance while pulling a trailer.

Larry

[dmoff1698]

How do you measure the total weight of your trailer?

 

We have a farm store in town which has a scale for vehicles but that is a PIA and you have to get it there first.

 

I have a bathroom scale which I could use under one wheel at a time, but that doesn't tell me the total weight.

 

I've pulled a trailer for years and just winged it by estimating around 20-25 pounds on the toung. Never had a problem, but would like some peace of mind by knowing the true weight of my trailer when loaded.

[Herb In Texas]

+1 on most of what everone said above, But. It ain't how fast you can go Its how fast you can stop. We all know about Venture brakes, but thats a whole nuther can o-worms.

[Venturous Randy]

You can use a bathroom scale on each wheel, one at a time. Put under one wheel and a board the same thickness under the other wheel. Then swap wheels and then put the scales under the tongue than add all the weights up. That should be the total weight of everything.

RandyA

[BradT]

I think the safe speed depends on a lot of things but the higher the speed the higher the risk. I pull mine chasing Naugh-T at 80 mph (on the GPS) without a problem most of the day. I also know i have crept over that speed to pass or catch up.

 

I would follow the comments above but I believe a heavy object behind the wheels and even achieving a decent tongue weight will also make the trailer sway. All heavy items tools, or suitcase should be directly above the axles or towards hitch. Even a case of liwuid beverages should be ahead of the axle.

 

I find the heavier hitch weight is better and riding solo will allow you to have more tongue weight than the 10% rule.

 

Make sure you have Equal tire pressure as this will also cause you some grief, which the faster you go the bigger the issue you will have.

 

Have fun, and you will get used to it very fast. Backing up is a Bit.h

 

Brad

[E-Fishin-C]

I think the safe speed depends on a lot of things but the higher the speed the higher the risk. I pull mine chasing Naugh-T at 80 mph (on the GPS) without a problem most of the day. I also know i have crept over that speed to pass or catch up.

 

I would follow the comments above but I believe a heavy object behind the wheels and even achieving a decent tongue weight will also make the trailer sway. All heavy items tools, or suitcase should be directly above the axles or towards hitch. Even a case of liwuid beverages should be ahead of the axle.

 

I find the heavier hitch weight is better and riding solo will allow you to have more tongue weight than the 10% rule.

 

Make sure you have Equal tire pressure as this will also cause you some grief, which the faster you go the bigger the issue you will have.

 

Have fun, and you will get used to it very fast. Backing up is a Bit.h

 

Brad

 

Who has an axle, I dont I have 2 Torsion Springs

[flb_78]

When I was towing with my Roadstar, I did over 120mph going down some Tennessee mountains.

[E-Fishin-C]

When I was towing with my Roadstar, I did over 120mph going down some Tennessee mountains.

:buttkick:

:doh::doh:

[Dano]

Who has an axle, I dont I have 2 Torsion Springs

 

 

I KNEW we would find out whats wrong with you one of these days!!!!

 

 

 

 

Good answers on all of these posts, just remember to keep the heavy stuff up front (that means the liquid beverages for you Charlie!), cooler outside on the tongue, and LEAVE THE WIFES STUFF AT HOME!! That way you'll have more room for the beverages!

 

Don't forget to include a spare on a carrier in front of the trailer too!

[bongobobny]

Charlie, I pulled my piggybacker behind me at near 90 mph already, and even negotiated the dragon with a bent hitch following Mother...

 

A lot depends on how solid your hitch is, the wheel size of the trailer, the load, nd most uimportant, the road you are on!! I was very happy with the solid hitch on my 1st gen, zero free play, as oposed to the hitch on my '09 which had a lot of slop to it. I still traveled at highway speeds up to 80 with it, but didn't feel as confident as I did with the '84.

 

I guess the bottom line is how crazy you are, and I already know the answer to that!!!

[BradT]

Who has an axle, I dont I have 2 Torsion Springs

 

You do they are called Torsion axles, and you actually have two, my apologies for misleading you to believe you only have one axle.

 

Brad

[StarRider07]

How do you measure the total weight of your trailer?

 

We have a farm store in town which has a scale for vehicles but that is a PIA and you have to get it there first.

 

I have a bathroom scale which I could use under one wheel at a time, but that doesn't tell me the total weight.

 

I've pulled a trailer for years and just winged it by estimating around 20-25 pounds on the toung. Never had a problem, but would like some peace of mind by knowing the true weight of my trailer when loaded.

 

 

I have pulled into weigh stations on the highway to use the scale. Never had a problem and the guys have always been good about it.

[Monty]

Seems to me the cooler would add quite a bit of tongue weight. I have been thinking of adding a cooler rack, but just wondering about the weight.

[tsigwing]

How do you measure the total weight of your trailer?

 

We have a farm store in town which has a scale for vehicles but that is a PIA and you have to get it there first.

 

I have a bathroom scale which I could use under one wheel at a time, but that doesn't tell me the total weight.

 

I've pulled a trailer for years and just winged it by estimating around 20-25 pounds on the toung. Never had a problem, but would like some peace of mind by knowing the true weight of my trailer when loaded.

 

I elevated the tongue to the same height as my ball (with a piece of 2x4) and weighed this on a bathroom scale. Weighed each wheel individually and added it up. It is pretty accurate (at least as accurate as your scale which I unscientifically calibrated with some workout weights I have) and you will have the total weight.

[tsigwing]

Seems to me the cooler would add quite a bit of tongue weight. I have been thinking of adding a cooler rack, but just wondering about the weight.

 

I tow a time out camper now, but my first trailer was home built Harbor Freight with a Sears car top carrier. I built a cooler rack and never had any issue with it. The total weight of the trailer (with cooler) was small enough that you could hardley tell it was back there.

[hunter 1500]

I just did a test tow with my new trailer and I had 6 cement blocks 16x16 x1 in it and 4 bags of mulch. It actually towed much better with the weight. I figure it was over 200lbs easy. I put the blocks up towards the front keeping the weight on the ball.

[Brake Pad]

when we travel, we keep the heavest stuff, just forward of the wheels. even though our cooler, sits, just behind the wheels, in a deep well, but the spare tire, sits closest to the front, in a hiden well

we believe the most we carried was just over 500 lbs in the trailer