9-day Trip to Hilton Head, SC – (THH#1: 55mph!!):

[LoveToCamp]

I download audio books from our library Website. Load them onto an MP3 player (a 4gb player holds 60 hrs, or so), and listen when I want to. If you load them as soon as you download them, they don't "expire".

[hillbillyhotel]

WELL I WAS GOING TO SAY, FOR ME A WELL STOCKED CD CASE AND FOR THE DW , SHE ALLWAYS PICKS UP READING MAG. FROM THE WELCOME CENTERS AND REST AREA'S
BUT AFTER WE SPOKE IT IS MORE LIKE SOMEBODY NEEDS SOMETHING OUT OF COOLER, FUSSING AT ONE OF THE DOGS TO GET BACK IN BACK SEAT, OR PLZ LET ME GO MORE THAN 45 MIN BEFORE I HEAR, PAPAW I NEED TO PEE AGAIN OR ONE OF THE 400 QUESTION'S A 4 YR OLD WILL ASK IN THE COURSE OF A TRIP, OR THAT IS THEY WAY LAST WEEKS TRIP WENT

[rvcycleguy]

Since I do all the driving, I'm awake...glad for the XM, no fiddling with radio stations. Driving relaxes me and I enjoy the drive. Wife sleeps mostly. In Dec. our trip to CA, 36hr drive, she slept 24 hours. I like to listen to audio tapes and we stop at Cracker Barrell and rent them. Wifi hot spot allows for iPad browsing and following the little dot on the maps of our present and always moving location. Bathroom breaks only occur when we stop for gas. We carry a cooler with soft drinks, water, snacks, sweets, etc.

Using TM tv antenna

Ok, I admit to occasionally watching tv in the TM. Something I do very rarely at home, but sometimes married people do what needs to be done, you know what I mean? Anyway, cable is not always available in the cheap sites, so TM has a good antenna and I try to use it, BUT finding any available stations can be a pain.

I have found a method which takes some advance prep unless you take your computer along with you (which I do) but which can tell you in advance what stations and networks are available.

When I went to Hilton Head, SC, I stayed at Hardeeville RV, which is located in the middle of nowhere about half way between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, GA. It does have cable, but I will use this location as an example
.
Here is a link to the end result (then at the page shown, choose “Only Analog” for the stations that the antenna will get):
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1ddabac631a913

The method takes a few minutes:
1 Find the address of your selected campsite.
2 Go to this link to get map coordinate and don’t forget to put “USA” in address:
http://universimmedia.pagesperso-orange.fr/geo/loc.htm

3. Go to this link and choose to input “coordinates”. Then use 10 feet as Antenna height.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

4. Take along a compass, mine is magnetic, so I set the TM antenna to the magnetic direction indicated in the list for the channel desired.

It might seem like a lot of work, but it actually save time in the long run if you really want to watch a particular program or game on a strong signal.

[Robert's TM]

I was not aware there was a max towing speed.

I pulled my camper 2004 TM 3023 from Indiana to south Kansas at speeds of 70 +.

Last part of the trip I was on Turnpike .... Speed limit 75. Probably hit 80 mph a few times

Trailer towed beautifully .... Hardly knew it was behind my 96 Silverado 3/4 ton

Checked tires and hubs. About an hour into the trip and a couple times after... They were not hot.

Trailer was empty.... Just bought it.... And was bringing it back home.

[mjlaupp]

The dealer I bought my first 3 TMs from used boast about towing them at + freeway speeds when picking them up from the factory. That was when they had 4" steel box bumpers on the back. They would bolt a receiver to the back bumper and hang a second TM behind. Worked OK until he totaled two TMs. Tires were not the problem. Simultaneous wind, bumps and passing semi's were.

ST (Special Trailer) tires like those installed on a new TM are rated for 65 mph max.

[davlin]

Originally Posted by Robert's TM

I was not aware there was a max towing speed.

I pulled my camper 2004 TM 3023 from Indiana to south Kansas at speeds of 70 +.

Last part of the trip I was on Turnpike .... Speed limit 75. Probably hit 80 mph a few times

Trailer towed beautifully .... Hardly knew it was behind my 96 Silverado 3/4 ton

Checked tires and hubs. About an hour into the trip and a couple times after... They were not hot.

Trailer was empty.... Just bought it.... And was bringing it back home.

Robert, trust me, you do NOT want to continue towing any trailer with ST tires at that speed. It's not a question of if you will have a tire failure, it's just a question of when. Try to imagine what happens to the trailer and possibly the tow vehicle when a single axle trailer tire disintegrates at 80 mph. There is lots of good information about tires and towing on this website. I'm not sure how much you have access to as a trail member, but I recommend joining and doing some research.

Best wishes with your new TM, and happy camping!

Dave

[rvcycleguy]

Originally Posted by davlin

Robert, trust me, you do NOT want to continue towing any trailer with ST tires at that speed. It's not a question of if you will have a tire failure, it's just a question of when. Try to imagine what happens to the trailer and possibly the tow vehicle when a single axle trailer tire disintegrates at 80 mph. There is lots of good information about tires and towing on this website. I'm not sure how much you have access to as a trail member, but I recommend joining and doing some research.

Best wishes with your new TM, and happy camping!

Dave

I would agree. There has been numerous stories here about tire blowouts destroying the TM plumbing, side walls, etc. As a camper, the tires sit in place for weeks at a time and the loads are stressful on the rubber compounds. The heat generated at excessive speeds will cause the tires to blow at some point. Save your money and possibly your life by slowing down to normal tow speed.

I would suspect that many folks on this forum would consider 65 a very healthy towing speed. Beyond that one is really pushing their luck.