I've driven in front of U-Hauls about 4-5 times, but this is the most recent. Hopefully this recap helps someone else who's considering it.
I drove approx 650 miles from Fort Collins, CO to the outskirts of KC. Made the drive across 2 days since I couldn't pick up the trailer until 9am and didn't get on the road until mid-day.
5x8 Cargo weighs 900lb empty. I put maybe another 200lb into it - some bulky but light items like Ikea dresser and desk, plus a mattress and some soft things.
Interestingly enough - we know the OB has a 200lb tongue weight limit, but the 5x8 has a placard on it that says "Recommended loaded trailer tongue weight: min = 160, max = 390lb. So in the ideal world, you have about 40 lb tongue weight range to work with.
I probably had at most 100lb tongue weight, just under 10% of the load.
Highway speeds between here and there are 75 MPH limits. Elevation started about 5100' and ended at 1000'. Temps were 92F at the highest and averaged mid-80s. I kept the RPMs between 2500 and 3000. This kept the speeds between 65 and 70. Trying to maintain a 75 mph speed limit put the RPMs up around 4500 and that's higher than I wanted to maintain for anything other than a quick burst. I loaded the trailer with extra weight in front. On the highway it tracked straight and the nose didn't bob up and down.
I did not use the cruise control, I mainly watched RPM over MPH. It meant I stayed in the right lane and minded my own business.
Hills, and Kansas has them, do make for extra work and a greater appreciation for what semi drivers go through every day.
First tank got about 23 MPG. Next two tanks were 16 MPG. Final tank was 18 MPG. That last tank took me through areas where the speed limit was 65, 60, and 55. That extra 5-10 MPH adds a lot of wind resistance and a corresponding loss in MPG.
I drove approx 650 miles from Fort Collins, CO to the outskirts of KC. Made the drive across 2 days since I couldn't pick up the trailer until 9am and didn't get on the road until mid-day.
5x8 Cargo weighs 900lb empty. I put maybe another 200lb into it - some bulky but light items like Ikea dresser and desk, plus a mattress and some soft things.
Interestingly enough - we know the OB has a 200lb tongue weight limit, but the 5x8 has a placard on it that says "Recommended loaded trailer tongue weight: min = 160, max = 390lb. So in the ideal world, you have about 40 lb tongue weight range to work with.
I probably had at most 100lb tongue weight, just under 10% of the load.
Highway speeds between here and there are 75 MPH limits. Elevation started about 5100' and ended at 1000'. Temps were 92F at the highest and averaged mid-80s. I kept the RPMs between 2500 and 3000. This kept the speeds between 65 and 70. Trying to maintain a 75 mph speed limit put the RPMs up around 4500 and that's higher than I wanted to maintain for anything other than a quick burst. I loaded the trailer with extra weight in front. On the highway it tracked straight and the nose didn't bob up and down.
I did not use the cruise control, I mainly watched RPM over MPH. It meant I stayed in the right lane and minded my own business.
Hills, and Kansas has them, do make for extra work and a greater appreciation for what semi drivers go through every day.
First tank got about 23 MPG. Next two tanks were 16 MPG. Final tank was 18 MPG. That last tank took me through areas where the speed limit was 65, 60, and 55. That extra 5-10 MPH adds a lot of wind resistance and a corresponding loss in MPG.
