4 cylinder towing speed engine limit question

This.

 

I'm not sure what you were expecting. My last Taco was a plain 2.2L four banger single cab. I used it to tow a 14ft valco in So Cal. That was maxed out for that truck. It had a 5 spd, and I think it was a 90? It would go up hill at about 60 usually in 4th. Yes I had to shift down to 3rd sometimes. The manufactures tend to overestimate what their trucks can do. I had a 2.8L S10 4 spd. It was OK towing a little 14ft fiberglass boat, but when I picked up a 18ft runabout, I could hardly pull it out of the water. I changed the rear end. It had 2.7 or 3.0s gears and I went to 3.4. It made a big difference. The boat was around 2600lbs. Now the little truck could do the job barely. Chevy rated it higher. Don't buy into the hype! That truck got great mileage before the rear end swap! After the swap, it got about 20 MPG. FYI most of my little trucks got about 20mpg including that 1990 Taco, 2.8l Jimmy, 3.4L S10's. Who needs to tow a boat at 70?

 

I just assumed I didn't need a 6 cylinder for light towing so I got the 4 banger for the extra 2 mpg but I guess I assumed wrong.

too late now, this is my truck for the next 10 years at least, hopefully more

the thing is I had nothing to base my expectations on so I was just making assumptions that the 4s could do light towing without straining.

everyone is getting hung up on the 70 mph towing thing because you guys have realistic ideas of what these trucks can do, and trust me, I get it, bad idea to try it, but I didn't know what the expectations should be when I bought it so now im trying to learn and adjust my mind to it but I came from 35 years of towing with v8s so that's what im used to, I never had to slow down below the speed limit to tow anything before is all. I haven't driven a 4 cylinder since the 80s and that was a manual tranny work truck that never towed anything

 

My point with aerodynamics is that towing at low speeds should be less of a problem and could be what causes the low top speed.

Only on a bicycle does the effect of aerodynamics really hit home. You physically feel every head wind and anything dragging on your bike. If I use side panniers, I probably average about 1-2 mph slower than I do with a rear trunk rack bag. Even something as simple as tilting my head down or moving my arms in can make me go faster.

But that effect only happens at higher speeds - 18 mph or above. At low speeds, you don't notice it. That's because the effect of wind resistance and drag is not a straight curve. It takes twice as much energy to ride a bike at 25 mph as it does at 20 mph.

My guess is that the effect on cars is the same.

Weight is far less of a factor.

 

good point

 

http://bikecalculator.com/veloUS.htmlhttp://bikecalculator.com/veloUS.html

This is a fun calculator to play around with. It's for bikes, but if you make the rider weigh 3000 pounds and the crank out 20000 watts, I'd guess the conditions are similar to that of a motor vehicle.

Then double the weight of the "rider" and you'll find that speed only decreases by about 20%. A truck that was going 85 mph now goes about 70 mph.

 

My point is on the west cost our max two speed is 55 mph. So I typically tow at 60, and try to never exceed 65mph. Towing at high speed is not safe, its bad on the trailer bearings which may or may not be in good shape. Some trailers have those little 11" and 12" wheels on them with crappy little bearing. Have you considered the bearing speed on those rigs? There are cross winds to consider and that stopping thing! Your truck will not stop for crap with the extra weight that you are towing. There is also the issue of wheel failure, a blow out on the single axle trailer at 70MPH can ruin your whole year! I have had a tire separate at 60MPH! That's punker time baby.

 

My parents used to tow a 15 foot runabout ski boat with a 62 VW bus. It had a reduction gear, so I'm sure it was slower than an 8th grader with a hall pass going up the hill to the lake.