Cruising at 85-90 mph seems like the sweet spot

https://www.iihs.org/topics/speed/speed-limit-laws This one should be more up to date.

 

Yes, it shows 70 for interstates, at least.

 

Never even thought about it till now, but it seems BFG LT tire speed ratings are 75mph, and 106mph for heavy duty LT (load e I presume?). Something to consider especially if cruising at longer distances at higher speeds.

The other day I spent about an hour at 80mph. Very stable and smooth, true, but some close calls as a “yout” keep me too tense for comfort at those speeds.

 

Which ones are rated at 75 MPH? I think my LT/C KO2s were rated at somewhere around 100 mph.

 

At least you have Eve of Destruction for your speed fixes. I was fortunate enough to go there in the 2006-8 timeframe.

 

72 is a safe spot on I95 in the southern states....Depending on the amount of window tint.

 

BFG KO2 in both load range C and E have a speed rating of “S” which is 112 mph max. Not sure how you got 75 mph max LOL

 

82 if you're in Florida. 75 is like that as well.

 

I visit Florida every winter. It seems like 80 to 85 is pretty typical on 75.

 

Weird, I thought it was lowish too. This is where I got it from

 

Go look at the specific sizes of the KO2’s. Most of them have speed rating of Q (99 mph), R (106 mph), or S (112 mph). None of them have L (75 mph) rating. Don’t generalize by just looking at the chart that says L (75 mph) for off road and light truck tires. I’ve never seen any tire, even cheap chinese ones rated for 75 mph.

I even took my T4R up to 110 mph with S rated KO2’s.

 

Seems like a good thread to ask this question… when traveling at 80mph with a 20-30mph headwind, should we be running in S4?

When towing, the drivers manual says don’t run in D (I think). And in my mind, it seems like 80mph with a strong headwind is much like towing?

 

Uhhh… after 60 mine doesn’t wanna stay on the road. At suggested speeds aero becomes an issue (I assume, I never break the speed limit or any laws ever.)

the alphabet boys cans stop reading now.

 

I would go by how much it's downshifting. With that strong of a headwind, you may be right.

 

Sounds like there's something wrong with yours.

Fuel economy definitely takes a hit at higher speeds. That's why I usually take my time.

 

I have never gone above 80, I think. And at that speed it seems pretty stable to me.
Honestly I like that it forces me to drive a bit slow. This is my road trip vehicle and I'd much rather drive a little slower.

 

The maps app on apple phones is what I’ve been using lately, as my kids convinced my google maps was junk. I do use waze at times as well.

On the highway, just drove from Maine to Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Kentucky and back, very few folks do within 10 mph of speed limit, when I’m at 75 in a 65 and being passed by 9 vehicles for every one I pass, makes me think 10 plus over is fine now, but I’m not looking to see how fine it is. At those speeds packed I get about 17 mpg, while off the highway averaging 55/60 I got 20 plus.

 

quite possible. Wondering if it has the front bearing issue, bought with 3k at the dealer and was wondering why it ended up back there…..

or shit alignment, either way

 

When I was younger and dumb I towed my boat with my old Explorer going 75/80 on straight highways coming home from Lake Erie fishing. In hindsight it was stupid hard on my trailer, truck and if I blew a tire I would have been screwed. Plus trailer tires are not supposed to go that fast. All that shizzo to maybe shave 15-20 min off my drive time.

Now I tow in right lane maybe hit 65 and just enjoy life and less stress.

I will admit though every now and then I like to take the Acura out on a weekend and crank it up just for a few miles though. The insurance here in Michigan is ridiculous enough without giving reason to pay more for speeding. That ticket lasts three years in your premium so not worth it.

 

On I-40, you have to go fast or you'll get run over, even in the slow lane.

When I worked for the Feds, I liked to drive a full-size Bronco (hey, I didn't pay for the gas). I was heading South, just south of Sacramento on Hwy 99 and doing 90 and I was STILL getting flipped off for driving slow!

 

In some places there is a big difference between posted and actual speed limits, a difference that depends largely on the intensity of law enforcement. In Europe, radars and police are everywhere as traffic control is a big revenue source and entrapment is fair play. If the posted limit is 130 you had better drive 130, so the posted and actual limits are the same.

I was in the States in a top 10 city driving on the freeway through a densely populated urban area for 25 miles a day for three weeks. The posted speed limits were 55 and 65. The non rush hour traffic moved at 85 and above. I drove at 75 and got honked at. I saw cars driving well in excess of 100 slaloming though traffic. What I did not see was either police or radars, anywhere except one day when there was an accident and another day when a truck was burning. No traffic control or law enforcement anywhere. When I asked a local about this they said, “you can drive as fast as you want but better to keep it below 20 mph over the posted speed limit.” In Europe if you get caught driving 18 mph over the posted speed limit you lose your driver’s license for a year, pay a huge fine and maybe be indicted for ‘reckless endangerment.” But in this US city 20 mph or more over the speed limits is the norm, and shockingly on roads in such poor condition that they resemble freeways from Europe in the 1970s. So the posted limit in this place is 55-65 but the actual speed limit is 85+ to your heart’s content because there is no law enforcement.

 

somehting is definitely wrong with yours like bad alignment. On mine even if let go of the steering wheel it will go dead nuts straight.

for your alignment try:
Max out positive caster (should be 3.2 degrees max with stock suspension.
-0.5 degrees negative camber
0 to 0.2 toe-in

it should drive pretty good with those settings

 

I95 in central FLA traveling 40 miles each way to and from work. I usually set my cruise at or around 80 mph and it rides smooth as silk. Sometimes I'm closer to 90 mph depending on what traffic is doing but not for any extended period of time. Regardless, still smooth as silk. Head or tail winds notwithstanding, I usually get about 19 - 20 mpg at 80 mph. At 75 mph I get around 18-19 mpg. This is with a 3" lift and stock size AT tires. Funny I know, but that's what my truck likes. Either way, everything feels better at 80 or above than it does at 70 or below. At slower speeds it feels sluggish (handling wise) and when the speeds increase it feels more agile.

 

My 2WD SR5 runs very smooth at 80, especially with the Michelins on it. That being said, its easy to get comfortable there and most people don’t realize how fast shit happens at that speed.

 

I would suggest that feeling is misleading. Maybe the difference in drag at 70 vs 80 contributes to the perception of being more planted? Or maybe the amount of weight carried?

I guarantee that any thoughts of stability or agility at high speeds being described in this thread go out the window when you have to brake hard to avoid something on the road at anything above 70.

I have Dobinson IMS springs and shocks, with a 2.5/1lift. It makes the 4runner feel like a nicely sorted heavy sports sedan. Well, it’s not actually that, despite what it feels like.

I experienced a “panic braking” situation at night, at about 65-70mph on a perfectly smooth flat country road. I was loaded with weekend camping gear and recovery equipment(maybe 300lbs evenly distributed). By the time I realized a black shadowy something in the middle of my lane, all I had time to do was hit the brakes as quickly as I dared and put in some slight steering. Despite the nice suspension, physics takes over. The amount of travel in the suspension meant heavy dive/pitch and an extremely light rear end. Light steering input with the rear so lightly loaded made the back end feel like it was going to step out if I gave any more steering input (K02s started to make those scrubbing/skidding sound of tires at their traction limits). I successfully avoided the “thing” in the road, but I needed to have a cigarette afterwards lol. And this was at “regular” highway speeds. Perhaps a stock height suspension would have pitched less, but I doubt it given the situation.

My point is that perceptions of agility or stability at 70-100 mph aren’t real. Well, ok, they’re real for steady state cruising and normal lane changes, but that a bit like saying the vehicle handles well in a parking lot. Cruising at 80mph is a static situation for the suspension, it doesn’t tell you how the suspension deals with full-tilt dynamic situations. This is not a sports car. In reality, it’s not a car either. Trying describe it’s agility is like trying to describe how well a hammer functions as a screwdriver. I think we all need to be aware of the risk we assume going this fast in these kinds of vehicles.

I wont say I don’t take these risks ever, but I have an acceptance of how small the margin for error is at those speeds.

 

Interesting that manual doesn't mention directly tire speed rating. It simply says:
"Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has highspeed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds"

 

Bigfoot? Chupacabra? The moth man? Jersey devil? Jackalope? A harrowing tale regardless.

Good observations about the unpredictable nature of suspension dynamics at high speeds.

 

Yes, it's pretty crazy. But there is huge variation by city and state and there is always some level of enforcement even if inadequate (sometimes including camera systems that catch you and mail you a ticket). I just drove through Chicago again and even though I'm familiar with the area I'm still uncomfortable going over 80 in a 55 zone even with cars driving well over 100 and changing 4 lanes to make a move. All in all quite a bit more logical and civilized (and safe) in Europe in my experience.

 

No way it was a Yeti, what I saw was too small, even for a baby yeti. I believe it was a Chupacabra “del norte.” Rare subspecies for the northwoods, but it wouldn’t be the first sighting.

I suppose it could have been a dead black bear though. There was a guy that had pulled over about an 1/4 mile further down the road, maybe pulling out bear bits from his radiator.

 

Go to South Korea. They'll take an 8 lane one way highway and turn it into a 16 lane road. I'm from Long Island and I thought I knew crazy drivers, until I got stationed there for a year, as a military driver.