So I towed to Laughlin one jet ski last year and you can find out what happened here: https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=190569

So this year I went and this time, two (2) Jet Skis. Towing. Yes. I. Think. So.




Two (2) 1995 SeaDoo XP skis each with a dry weight of 815lbs. (yes you heard that right). Plus about 4 gallons of gas in each ski and the trailer. About close to 2000 pounds total. I had the trailer tires pumped up to 40PSI each to ensure minimal friction and made sure the wheel bearing were greased accordingly. Also had one adult passenger and myself, so you can see that weight was pretty significant.

San Diego to Barstow 183 miles and Barstow to Laughlin 166 miles.
One way: 349 miles. Round trip ~700 miles.



So how did I do? Well, this year I had an Ultra Guage which gave me an engine temp read-out which helped me determine how hard my engine was working. Here are some guidelines to help understand:

140 degrees - Blue Temp Light turns off
185 degrees - Normal Temp (Optimal)
205 degrees - Engine Cooling fan turns on
??? degrees - Red Temp light turns on

So throughout most of the drive I was around 190 degrees. I would climb up to 210 during long inclines and 170 during declines. My max temp was 218 degrees during a steep incline near Laughlin (not on the freeway). I never got an overheat light so that was excellent news!

Most of the driving was done in 110 degree heat in the middle of the desert, so this was a definite extreme. Even at that heat with the long inclines, I managed to not overheat.

Speed was abysmal. Coasting on flat freeway I would be maxing out at 62MPH if I wanted at least 26MPG. The heavy weight of the skis was providing just too much for the car to overcome.

Climbing up hills was even worse. The first major incline is Cajon Pass on I-15. I was in third gear before the major climb. Truck lane was a must and semi's were passing me on the left like nobody's business. My max speed was about 35MPH toward the top of the pass, but luckily I didnt have to shift to 2nd gear. I was at about 212 degrees at the top.

The other long climbs on interstate 40 were hard for the car. I made sure to use 4th gear & the torque converter as much as possible because shifting to third = too many RPMs. I stayed under 50MPH on the long inclines. I felt bad for all the trucks having to pass me. As a matter of fact, I blew the emergency blinkers fuse because I was using them so much!

I limited my A/C use to declines and other times when I was in 4th gear with no torque converter. If it was engaged or I was in 3rd, I turned off the A/C.

Here were my abysmal MPGs with minimal time in 3rd gear & 90% freeway driving maxing @ 65MPH:

24.1 MPG SD to Barstow
26.5 MPG Barstow to Laughlin
24.9 MPG Laughlin to Barstow
28.0 MPG Barstow to SD

So in the end: no overheat, and the car made it with more fuel than usual. No big deal! Besides, what truck/SUV can get that kind of mileage towing two jet skis?

I hope this post gives the motivation you need to get out there and tow stuff! My car handled it perfectly. Driving slow isn't that bad. Makes you look cooler. Get a radiator flush and auto transmission fluid exchange done if you havent in a while!

What are your thoughts?

 

Nice I wasn't even aware the xB had any towing capabilities.

 

And I thought I was abusing my towing capabilities last month.

I had three people, a cooler full of food & all our clothes for the weekend in the xB. Then on the trailer was two 20 gallon totes of food, two 20 gallon totes of sheets/blankets & two 20gal totes of assorted camping suppplies. two camp chairs, a hammock, and a 10x10 easy-up shade tent. Even with the tall springs in the back the butt was dragging. And I did the whole drive at 65-75mph in 90deg muggy heat with the A/C going full blast. Hottest the engine got was around 195.

 

Haha aawesome!


Next time try a Jetski roof rack!

 

Very impressive mpgs for that much load under those conditions. You were wise to take your time & shut the AC on those long uphill grades. Awesome!

 

oooo Sentra, I noticed you have been boycotting Arco... How can you be a hypermiler when you arent purchasing the cheapest gas on the planet?

 

Hypermiling isn't about being cheap. It's about doing the right thing for the world, for the environment, for the country, and for your peace of mind.

 

very nice response. haha, unfortunately, since I am a college student, my only motivation for 'trying' to hypermile is to save $$$, and ultimately that means going to Arco. Even if BP were freaking retards...they still have the cheapest gas. I am sad to admit that I do...

 

This is awesome. About to buy one of those hidden tow hooks to add a bike rack onto the toaster, so glad to know it can be used for authentic towing as well!

This was in an automatic yes? Any different approaches for a MT?

 

Then you should be driving a Yugo, and filling your car with Pemex ;)

You're definitely pushing the towing limits for an xB. You're talking about towing a 2000 lb. load with a 2400 lb. car. That's a disaster waiting to happen. A friend of mine was towing a small (16 ft?) trailer with an old Toyota FJ40 up in Alaska in the Spring. He hit a frost heave and the trailer started pulling the FJ. The result was the FJ40 ended up upright, and the trailer ended up a total loss.

 

Yes it was an automatic, and I wouldn't know any different approaches for MT. I dont even know how to drive a stick yet anyway.

 

haha true that

Yes, that was one of my main concerns when doing this trip. I would NEVER do a tow job like this in rainy weather due to the concern of traction/braking in dangerous situations. Jackknifing is a concern in that kind of weather too. The one thing you MUST do when towing a load this heavy is keep a HUGE braking distance in front of you. I aimed for at least 1/5th of a mile distance. And don't only use your front brakes. Use your engine and also your emergency brake to help ease to a stop. Take it easy on the roads and just get there safely.