Finally made it to the Cat scales

[Longshore]

Getting the truck right took longer because of the Covid related supply issues but I did this to simulate a full camper....

I had a full black and grey tank. Fresh was almost empty. Stocked the kitchen with pots and utensils and such. My clothes, camping gear like axe and battery powered chainsaw, a heavy tool box I will make much lighter. Truck had full fuel tank and full propane tanks.....

11,660. 160 over gross. The worst part is the rear axle is 7,300lbs which is 200 over GRAWR. Front axle was 4360lbs.

My thinking was the extra liquid weight would offset the absence of additional people. Black and grey tanks hold 30 gal. Each. Not sure how realistic a scenario this was...

[specta]

Geo*Boy wrote:

EYEMLOST wrote:
What was this thread about again? 😛

Yeah, really.

"Finally made it to the Cat scales"

[Geo_Boy]

EYEMLOST wrote:
What was this thread about again? 😛

Yeah, really.

[EYEMLOST]

What was this thread about again? 😛

[specta]

JimK-NY wrote:
Utah has plenty of hills and mountains. It is really a huge inconvenience for everyone who gets stuck behind a truck grinding up a hillside. Perhaps it would make sense to cut back the maximum loads allowed by a third to help reduce that problem.

For me its not the commercial trucks holding up traffic.
Its the sightseers or the folks who are uncomfortable towing an RV or what ever reason they have to go soo slow.

[JimK-NY]

Utah has plenty of hills and mountains. It is really a huge inconvenience for everyone who gets stuck behind a truck grinding up a hillside. Perhaps it would make sense to cut back the maximum loads allowed by a third to help reduce that problem.

[specta]

My semi is governed to 68 mph for fuel mileage. I'm on an extremely tight schedule and travel almost exclusively on 2 lane HWYs and those folks driving 50-55 in a 65 mph zone are a huge inconvenience for me and the company that I drive for.
Trucking can't find enough qualified drivers right now.
The company I drive for the biggest reason they don't hire most applicants is because they either can't pass a background check or a drug test.

I really don't care what my gas mileage is driving my truck and camper. I drive where I feel comfortable for the existing driving conditions and the gas mileage I end up with is what it is.

I an soo grateful that I don't have to drive 65 mph when I want to drive 70 mph in hopes of possibly picking up a few 10ths of a mile to the gallon.

[Kayteg1]

In last years I noticed that even in 70mph zones, a number of semitrucks drive 60.
I guess higher fuel prices and less orders make driving for fuel efficiency, than for speed of delivery.
20 years ago I've been driving 90 mph and seeing semitrucks growing in my rear view mirror.

[Grit_dog]

Rvnet traffic enforcement department….do y’all have stickers on the side of your RVs that say internet speeding police?
Good grief…..
60-70-80mph, who cares? Not your vehicle and no dog in the fight….
But it sure does make you sound petty.
Fwiw, I can’t stand slow azzz drivers unless they have a reason to be going that slow. The rest of the turtle parade that doesn’t have considerations for the other people on the road lined up behind them, can kiss my ___!

[JRscooby]

jimh425 wrote:
specta didn’t backpeddle. He was simply clarifying because some of you guys like making lots of assumptions to justify how slow you drive.

As far as know how to drive an RV goes, that’s not even part of the point. If you are driving 60 where you know people are driving 85, you are a hazard to yourself and others. You aren’t enlightened. You should think about alternate routes to avoid the danger.

I have spent very little time in Wy. but Neb with 80 MPH limit was pretty common. If I turned my Cat loose, we could stroll. 1 trip, picked up a load from a broke down, the bonus for OT delivery more than cover fuel GPS said average speed from Iowa to Co was 76 MPH. But most of the half million miles I drove that truck it was governed between my ears at 62.
IFAIK, most trucks that might cross the northern border are governed long below 70.

[jimh406]

Notice I didn’t say 70 I said 60. It won’t help you in your recovery if you know the other guy was doing 5 over. I also said, 60 where people are driving 85. The difference in speed is the hazard.

Btw, good on you for doing some Montana research, but the “metro” areas are tiny compared to the East coast. So although the speed limit does reduce to 65, it only does it for a few miles.

I agree 2 lane hwys are different. That’s where you should be if you want to drive 60.

[JimK-NY]

The maximum speed limit in Montana is 70 mph for trucks. Anyone driving on the Montana highways should expect to encounter vehicles at that speed and under. The maximum speed limit in Montana is 80 mph. Anyone driving at 85 is already speeding and breaking the law.

The speed limits mentioned are for rural areas with limited traffic. Passing should not be an issue even though it might be necessary to slow down and wait for a passing lane or a clear, open section of the roadway.

In more congested areas where traffic is more of an issues, Montana speed limits are reduced with a max urban speed limit of 65. You can count on plenty of people driving well under those limits.

[jimh406]

specta didn’t backpeddle. He was simply clarifying because some of you guys like making lots of assumptions to justify how slow you drive.

As far as know how to drive an RV goes, that’s not even part of the point. If you are driving 60 where you know people are driving 85, you are a hazard to yourself and others. You aren’t enlightened. You should think about alternate routes to avoid the danger.

[JimK-NY]

It seems Specta has done some back peddling. There was some confusing discussion of getting the best gas mileage at 70 mph that is hardly worth trying to understand. Now in addition he is concerned about others driving 50-55. Before he could not stand people who would not drive over the speed limit, which for some roads in Utah is 80 mph. Specta thinks it is a tough audience. Well, we have all encountered drivers who own the road and cannot stand anyone else who might impede their progress. It ain't pretty.

A heavy RV should not be driven the same as a car. Fortunately most of us know this.

[JRscooby]

specta wrote:

If the speed limit is 65 and you're going 50-55 mph you're holding up traffic and being inconsiderate to others who don't want to travel as slow as you do. That's why there's always a line of cars behind you.

Move it.

If the speed limit is 65 on a 2 lane road, (normal for most of the area I travel) and I want to cruse at 60-62 (Normal now in my pickup when pulling camper, and most times when I was working in my Pete) and I come up behind somebody doing 55 I feel I have a choice; Change my speed expectation, hang back far enough somebody that passes me has room to drop back in line and drop extra speed until next chance to pass. Or I can drop back, then wind up, gaining on them as we go up hill and hope when I crest I can see a open space to pass. If no room, back off to let next in line have his chance to get past me. The second option hurts fuel mileage, the second is more likely to hurt my schedule. Now, the schedule is rarely important, but when I was working choosing was most important. If it looked like a farmer or trade vehicle, not likely to go very far. A RV? Better pass at first chance.
Now do I think the 55 is blocking my highway, needs to speed up or get off the road? No. The 1 I have the issue with is the donkey that pulls up a few seconds behind 55 and rides along, will not take the chance to pass. To pass a car running 55, you are likely to hit close to 75. If there is a second car at the same speed you have to get around then drop speed in the space between. If you are 2nd in line, and do not allow that space, the only way anybody can pass is take 2 at a time. Lots of speed and big gap in oncoming traffic. The second driver is the 1 I think needs off the road.