First Tow Experience

[brucebotti]

Well, I had my first long distance towing experience. I installed my class III hitch, wiring, and brake controller about three weeks ago. This past weekend we went to our car club's annual show at Washington's Crossing State Park in Pennsylvania. It was a 215 mile (one way) trip. My TVR weighs about 2,300#'s and the trailer weighs about 1,100#'s. The trailer has four wheel brakes and I used weight distribution bars on the hitch setup.

I was pleased with the way my '05 Renegade towed. The real shocker was the fuel mileage. On the way down it was sunny and dry, and I drove around 65-75. I kept playing with the OD and tried to keep it "on" as much as possible. It was on about 40% of the time. I got 15.4 mpg. On the way back it was constant rain / drizzle, so I kept the OD "off" the whole time and averaged 55-65mph. On this leg of the trip I got 15.6mpg. This is what I average around town when I'm not towing. It helps that the height of the car and trailer is slightly lower than the Liberty.

I don't think that I would tow anything much heavier due to the short wheel base. I am well pleased with the Liberty's towing performance!

Bruce

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Bruce, make with the pics of the TVR already!

ThunderbirdJunkie has been impressed with his KJ's towing abilities since day 1. Glad to see you say the same!

 

[KeswickDave]

Yes pics of the TVR please!

That is GREAT gas mileage as far as I'm concerned... I tow a travel trailer, about 3500 lbs, and I get 9 - 13 mpg per tank depending on terrain and wind, average around 11.

Frontal area seems to make a big difference - I guess the TVR was drafting the Jeep!

I have a weight distribution/anti-sway setup and I am very pleased with it's towing capabilities... just a bit more power and less gas would be nice!

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[Atrus]

What size trailer is that, Dave?

 

[Atrus]

Oh, and pics of the TVR!

I'll be flat towing my '68 Sprite next summer.

 

[KeswickDave]

What size trailer is that, Dave?

It is 19'. Dry weight according to the sticker is 2700 lbs.

I don't actually know what it weighs loaded so I'm just guessing around 3500.

Edit to add it's a RoadRunner 180, made by Sun Valley RV... who went out of business earlier this year.

Here's a better profile shot:

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Dave

 

[boebr1]

did you ever think of putting an air deflector on the roof to help get the wind over the nose of your trailer? it can make a huge difference in mileage, and your ability to go higher speeds. you can get removable deflectors for not too much money, or just make one out of a sheet of diamond tread aluminum, and use it for a table when you get where you are going... just an idea anyway

 

[Powerslave]

Can't wait till all the kids are gone, so we can get our trailer. We go to the Easyriders Bike rodeos, and without a trailer, you got to bear the weather. The butler one this year was all damp, it sucked.. I slept in the Jeep Saturday, as the Tent thing on that Friday just wasn't doing it for me with the weather. That's a decent camper... My wife wants a freekin' 5th wheel one, like the big Raptors, but no way... I don't have anywhere to park any trailer really, let alone a Raptor. That also means a pickup truck, and well, forget that too. The next thing I get will be an H3.

 

[KeswickDave]

did you ever think of putting an air deflector on the roof to help get the wind over the nose of your trailer? it can make a huge difference in mileage, and your ability to go higher speeds. you can get removable deflectors for not too much money, or just make one out of a sheet of diamond tread aluminum, and use it for a table when you get where you are going... just an idea anyway

boebr1, I have thought about it actually... did some research a while back, and wasn't convinced that it would be of great benefit... Given the distance between the back of the Jeep and the front of the trailer I thought it might create an area of turbulence between them... Anyone with aerodynamic experience wish to comment?

brucebotti, I hope you don't think we've totally hijacked your thread

 

[KeswickDave]

Can't wait till all the kids are gone, so we can get our trailer. We go to the Easyriders Bike rodeos, and without a trailer, you got to bear the weather. The butler one this year was all damp, it sucked.. I slept in the Jeep Saturday, as the Tent thing on that Friday just wasn't doing it for me with the weather. That's a decent camper... My wife wants a freekin' 5th wheel one, like the big Raptors, but no way... I don't have anywhere to park any trailer really, let alone a Raptor. That also means a pickup truck, and well, forget that too. The next thing I get will be an H3.

We are really enjoying it... roughing it in a tent has it's place and I still do that sometimes, but it's hard to beat 4 walls and a roof! (Oh and heat, and A/C, and a toilet... lol)

One tip I learned the hard way, don't tell your wife the actual towing capacity of your tow vehicle, or she will be trying to get one as close as possible to that limit...

I told her the Jeep was rated at 5000 lbs, so all of the sudden we're looking at 4900 lb, 25' trailers... a bit much I thought.

So I told her I didn't want to go more than 20' and 3000 lbs. This one fit the bill perfectly and we really like the layout!

Dave

 

[brucebotti]

boebr1, I have thought about it actually... did some research a while back, and wasn't convinced that it would be of great benefit... Given the distance between the back of the Jeep and the front of the trailer I thought it might create an area of turbulence between them... Anyone with aerodynamic experience wish to comment?

brucebotti, I hope you don't think we've totally hijacked your thread

No problem on hijacking the thread....I wasn't looking for answers / help / etc, just passing on some information.

I'm sure my mileage is helped by the low profile of the TVR. Hopefully the pic comes across.

Bruce

 

[boebr1]

boebr1, I have thought about it actually... did some research a while back, and wasn't convinced that it would be of great benefit... Given the distance between the back of the Jeep and the front of the trailer I thought it might create an area of turbulence between them... Anyone with aerodynamic experience wish to comment?

brucebotti, I hope you don't think we've totally hijacked your thread

ya, i was kinda thinking that when i was looking at the profile. you can also get a wide bubble looking thing made of fiberglas or lexan that you attach to the nose of the trailer, then the wind coming off the jeeps roof should be hitting the top part of the bubble and flowing up over and around the sides a little better. or try making one like this guy did: http://www.johnbridge.com/travel_trailer_aerodynamics.htm

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[KeswickDave]

ya, i was kinda thinking that when i was looking at the profile. you can also get a wide bubble looking thing made of fiberglas or lexan that you attach to the nose of the trailer, then the wind coming off the jeeps roof should be hitting the top part of the bubble and flowing up over and around the sides a little better. or try making one like this guy did: http://www.johnbridge.com/travel_trailer_aerodynamics.htm

Hmm... thanks, that was an interesting read, and an interesting idea! It amazes me that the manufacturers haven't improved this aspect more.

Dave