Trailering 1,000 miles advice needed.

[Pigeonman]

Hey All, I'll be pulling our 4-H's traveling pigeon loft from Northern Michigan to a Western suburb in Chicago. There is an AU (American Racing Pigeon Union) national convention there. The loft and trailer weigh 1040 lbs. (Commercial scale). I do not plan on any passengers or extra weight in my vehicles. My Maverick is a 2025 hybrid with the towing package. I plan on driving 55-65 mph. Here are some other facts to consider:

1. If I tow this loft in the trailer mode, I get about 16 mpg. (It seems that the electric motor never kicks in). If I tow in the regular normal mode, I get about 23 mpg. (Electric kicks in occasionally)

2. I also have a 2015 F150 which I get about 14 mpg with this tow.

3. No pigeons will be traveling in the vehicle or trailer.

4. What would be your advice??? My thoughts are to tow with the Maverick in Normal mode. What I'm I forgetting? Is this a "no brainer".

Thanks, Mike

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[OleFordGuy]

Imagine lot of wind resistance in either vehicle. Don’t imagine it would be a problem with either vehicle weight wise. Use either one you would feel better with. Go with your gut feeling after evaluating all the circumstances (safety, comfort, etc) just my 2 cents

 

[Pigeonman]

Imagine lot of wind resistance in either vehicle. Don’t imagine it would be a problem with either vehicle weight wise. Use either one you would feel better with. Go with your gut feeling after evaluating all the circumstances (safety, comfort, etc) just my 2 cents

Thanks.

 

[Maverick123]

That's super light. I'd tow it in standard mode

I hope that is very well built, wouldn't want the roof flying off and the whole thing to come apart on the freeway. Has it been towed at similar speeds and distance before? Passing semis create a LOT of wind shear and this looks flimsy, like a cheap garden shed ...

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I recommend for something like that drive in normal mode over mostly flat lands.

Use tow/haul in hilly and mountainous terrain.

 

[Geo8866]

I recommend avoiding Chicago. Just kidding Chicagoans.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I recommend avoiding Chicago. Just kidding Chicagoans.

This time, this year, hell ya.

 

[Pigeonman]

That's super light. I'd tow it in standard mode

I hope that is very well built, wouldn't want the roof flying off and the whole thing to come apart on the freeway. Has it been towed at similar speeds and distance before? Passing semis create a LOT of wind shear and this looks flimsy, like a cheap garden shed ...

The loft was from an old garden shed left in pieces after a huge wind storm with a sign on it saying FREE!!! I took it home and internally reinforced all the parts with wood. I have taken it on the highway with no problems (so far!)

Thanks for your reply. Mike

 

[Pigeonman]

I recommend for something like that drive in normal mode over mostly flat lands.

Use tow/haul in hilly and mountainous terrain.

Thanks. Good suggestion.

 

[Fender66]

You might want to consider which truck as the larger gas tank.

Before getting my Maverick, I drove full size Silverados for the past 30 years. I was always concerned with how many miles-per-tank I was getting. When I got down to a 1/4 tank, am I good for 50 mile or 100 miles. And where is the next gas station.

Just something to think about since you have a choice.

 

[Paul Thomas]

Hey All, I'll be pulling our 4-H's traveling pigeon loft from Northern Michigan to a Western suburb in Chicago. There is an AU (American Racing Pigeon Union) national convention there. The loft and trailer weigh 1040 lbs. (Commercial scale). I do not plan on any passengers or extra weight in my vehicles. My Maverick is a 2025 hybrid with the towing package. I plan on driving 55-65 mph. Here are some other facts to consider:

1. If I tow this loft in the trailer mode, I get about 16 mpg. (It seems that the electric motor never kicks in). If I tow in the regular normal mode, I get about 23 mpg. (Electric kicks in occasionally)

2. I also have a 2015 F150 which I get about 14 mpg with this tow.

3. No pigeons will be traveling in the vehicle or trailer.

4. What would be your advice??? My thoughts are to tow with the Maverick in Normal mode. What I'm I forgetting? Is this a "no brainer".

Thanks, Mike

Hey All, I'll be pulling our 4-H's traveling pigeon loft from Northern Michigan to a Western suburb in Chicago. There is an AU (American Racing Pigeon Union) national convention there. The loft and trailer weigh 1040 lbs. (Commercial scale). I do not plan on any passengers or extra weight in my vehicles. My Maverick is a 2025 hybrid with the towing package. I plan on driving 55-65 mph. Here are some other facts to consider:

1. If I tow this loft in the trailer mode, I get about 16 mpg. (It seems that the electric motor never kicks in). If I tow in the regular normal mode, I get about 23 mpg. (Electric kicks in occasionally)

2. I also have a 2015 F150 which I get about 14 mpg with this tow.

3. No pigeons will be traveling in the vehicle or trailer.

4. What would be your advice??? My thoughts are to tow with the Maverick in Normal mode. What I'm I forgetting? Is this a "no brainer".

Thanks, Mike

My thoughts are to follow Ford's manual and tow in tow mode. A couple of considerations how much money are you going to save and is it worth screwing up either the engine or transmission. If I were making that to it would be in "Tow Mode" . Have a safe trip. Paul

 

[Gray Goose]

For 2 MPG, I'd use the F-150. Might seem like overkill in normal circumstances, but having the heft of the F-150 in case of an emergency would be my preference. I've driven Chicago often, and the drivers are crazy. The mass of the F-150 will get more respect.

 

[Pigeonman]

You might want to consider which truck as the larger gas tank.

Before getting my Maverick, I drove full size Silverados for the past 30 years. I was always concerned with how many miles-per-tank I was getting. When I got down to a 1/4 tank, am I good for 50 mile or 100 miles. And where is the next gas station.

Just something to think about since you have a choice.

Thanks. Something more to calculate.

 

[OleFordGuy]

For 2 MPG, I'd use the F-150. Might seem like overkill in normal circumstances, but having the heft of the F-150 in case of an emergency would be my preference. I've driven Chicago often, and the drivers are crazy. The mass of the F-150 will get more respect.

Yep all things considered I agree, that would be my choice also. The differences in fuel cost would be the least of my considerations.

 

[Pigeonman]

For 2 MPG, I'd use the F-150. Might seem like overkill in normal circumstances, but having the heft of the F-150 in case of an emergency would be my preference. I've driven Chicago often, and the drivers are crazy. The mass of the F-150 will get more respect.

Your response brought many thoughts to mind. I lived in the Chicago area for over 60 years. Now, I live in N. Michigan where most of the drivers are super courteous. Hardly at all in N. Illinois! Trailering means leaving more room in front of me for braking. Unfortunately this leaves more room in front of me for drivers weaving in and out!

The positive thing no matter what vehicle I'm driving is people will notice and say to themselves, "What the hell is that going down 'da road!!!"

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