M923A2 Doing 80 MPH!!

[jerry v]

50 55 mph thats it.and we as mv owners must be responsible

 

[rhurey]

Not to forget there also is a destiny in this world where God makes things happen

Tell the lawyers that.

Today there's always someone else to blame. Living in a (relatively) advanced, stuff does still happen.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I consider these exact things actually. Stirring the pot is good, as you may provoke someone to think...

60mph is pretty much wide open in an M925 with 11.00R20's, so I don't really have the option of going faster. The speed limit in this area was 65mph, so I wasn't all that far below the posted limit, and I was well over the posted minimum of 40mph.

His speed was probably 85+.

I note you mention you run your M923 at 65-70. Is it safe to presume you have an M923A2 or that you have made changes to your M923?

I had a m923 A0 that I bobbed and added 16.00r20 XZL's on FMTV wheels, bobbing the truck really made it easier to get up to speed in all traffic conditions and the 16.00's were just to raise the speed and looks. I really wanted to get a set of 5.81 gears and run the goodyear MVT's that are rated at 68mph that my fmtv wheels came with since I really like the looks of them on these trucks and that would hopefully give me a combo that could still do speed limit without revving the truck to the limit the whole time. I also was rather fond of the 11.00r20 G177's but as you note there is really no way to get the truck to 65-70 with those tires short of redlining the motor (with fuel up and governor tweaked) or a gear/trans swap. I also ran 425/65R22.5 cement truck tires on the front for short time since they matched the 11.00's in height but gave better flotation in soft fields, a set of civi 445/65R22.5's would be an ideal size I think but $$$.

I dont think an MV should be doing 15-10 or even 5 over the speed limit due to liability and public opinion, but the flip side of that coin is also true doing 15-5 under the speed limit can also cause people to dislike sharing the rds with MV's and could possibly be a liability if there is an accident and it is brought up that you were impeding the flow of traffic or something. I think the safest option is to do the posted speed limit, if you cant in the vehicle you are driving then other routes would be best.

 

[350TacoZilla]

50 55 mph thats it.and we as mv owners must be responsible

If you think doing 50-55mph in a 65 or 70mph speed zone is being responsible your mistaken, at 15-20mph under the speed limit what you would be is a hazard. I have run farm equipment on rds for a fairly long trip and I have to say it makes me nervous with people running up on you with that type of difference in speeds. My dads tractor will do about 32mph at the hp rated rpm and I never drive it on a rd thats over 50mph speed limit, prefer to keep it on 30-35mph rds but sometimes its not a route you can take. Luckily the 50 mph rds around here usually have pretty large shoulder and you can keep out of people's way for the most part, if we are going somewhere that its not viable to drive it we trailer it with a truck and trailer that can keep up with traffic.

 

[98G]

I completely agree that differences in speed pose a safety hazard. With that in mind, can someone explain to me why California has different speed limits for different vehicles on the same road?

Here we sit discussing ways to avoid it, and the People's Republic essentially mandates it legally....

 

[gottaluvit]

If you think doing 50-55mph in a 65 or 70mph speed zone is being responsible your mistaken, at 15-20mph under the speed limit what you would be is a hazard. I have run farm equipment on rds for a fairly long trip and I have to say it makes me nervous with people running up on you with that type of difference in speeds. My dads tractor will do about 32mph at the hp rated rpm and I never drive it on a rd thats over 50mph speed limit, prefer to keep it on 30-35mph rds but sometimes its not a route you can take. Luckily the 50 mph rds around here usually have pretty large shoulder and you can keep out of people's way for the most part, if we are going somewhere that its not viable to drive it we trailer it with a truck and trailer that can keep up with traffic.

I'd get in trouble in your state in my cars. We have no "mph roads", except the interstate, and it even varies around where there is a lot of exits. Even on gravel roads in Ohio, the speed limit is 55 unless otherwise posted. Im my cars, I "try" to do 55 but always come upon someone in a car completely capable of safely doing the speed limit. I think, even here, generations older than mine, think county roads have some mysterious lower speed limit.

 

[Suprman]

If you are driving a MV at its reasonable speed say 55 on a highway where everyone else travels at say 75 you need flashing amber lights or strobes on the back of your truck. They are easy to magnet mount and you can tap into the rear lights for power.

 

[turnkey]

Saw one M35A1 hit 100mph///Shot off a carrier in 1972...Great stuff...The VW bug went at least 1/4 mile before hitting the water...

 

[Special T]

In Wa state doing 55 you wouldnt need flashers on. @ 45 you would. Imo if you look at commercial vehicle regs for the state you are in you will likely attract less attention & be safer.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I completely agree that differences in speed pose a safety hazard. With that in mind, can someone explain to me why California has different speed limits for different vehicles on the same road?

Here we sit discussing ways to avoid it, and the People's Republic essentially mandates it legally....

Didnt know that, around here there are a few sections of interstate that have a lane just for rigs/trucks and have their own speed limit but it is only small sections (hilly area or a rather tight turn etc). Same way a few areas have "no trucks left lane" sections but again they usually provide a 3rd lane so there is always 2 lanes available.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I'd get in trouble in your state in my cars. We have no "mph roads", except the interstate, and it even varies around where there is a lot of exits. Even on gravel roads in Ohio, the speed limit is 55 unless otherwise posted. Im my cars, I "try" to do 55 but always come upon someone in a car completely capable of safely doing the speed limit. I think, even here, generations older than mine, think county roads have some mysterious lower speed limit.

Thats odd, I lived in Wilmington OH years ago and remember posted speed limits on just about every rd but I may be mis-remembering.

 

[gottaluvit]

Thats odd, I lived in Wilmington OH years ago and remember posted speed limits on just about every rd but I may be mis-remembering.

Well, I am over here in no man's land. Usually only signs in towns.

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

I completely agree that differences in speed pose a safety hazard. With that in mind, can someone explain to me why California has different speed limits for different vehicles on the same road?

Here we sit discussing ways to avoid it, and the People's Republic essentially mandates it legally....

It's the same here in Illinois (at least the Northern part where I live.) Minimum speed on the highway/interstate is 45mph. Standard speed is 55, but there are roads around here that are as high as 65-70mph. Many of them also have signs saying that the max speed for vehicles over 4 tons is 55mph. So in some cases you have cars going 70mph, and heavy vehicles doing 55mph (and they can encounter people doing as little as 45mph, legally.) That in itself is dangerous. But what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that almost no truck drivers, RV drivers, or people pulling trailers obey the speed limit for their vehicles. Today I was doing the speed limit of 70mph in my work van on one of the busier roads, and I was passed by semi trucks doing at least 10mph faster than I was. There were a number of cars that passed me doing 15-20mph faster. It's bad enough that these people are violating the law.. They are also putting my life at stake with their stupidity. Theirs too, but I could care less about that.

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

I should point out that slower traffic and trucks are only allowed in the right lane, or 2 right lanes depending on the size of the road. That should theoretically make the different speed limits less of a hazard, but people disobey that too.

 

[EO2NMCB]

It's the same here in Illinois (at least the Northern part where I live.) Minimum speed on the highway/interstate is 45mph. Standard speed is 55, but there are roads around here that are as high as 65-70mph. Many of them also have signs saying that the max speed for vehicles over 4 tons is 55mph. So in some cases you have cars going 70mph, and heavy vehicles doing 55mph (and they can encounter people doing as little as 45mph, legally.) That in itself is dangerous. But what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that almost no truck drivers, RV drivers, or people pulling trailers obey the speed limit for their vehicles. Today I was doing the speed limit of 70mph in my work van on one of the busier roads, and I was passed by semi trucks doing at least 10mph faster than I was. There were a number of cars that passed me doing 15-20mph faster. It's bad enough that these people are violating the law.. They are also putting my life at stake with their stupidity. Theirs too, but I could care less about that.

Trucks only have to run 80 mph when people in cars think that they should not be passed by trucks and speed up them. See it all the time, poor guy in a company truck that only runs 65 and so the car speeds up on them. I've had a couple think they are going to play that game, till they find out this freightshaker will run! Also why I run a dash cam all of the time, funny how peoples story will change when they find out they are on film! I'm not going to win any argument with you on the internet, when speed limit drops to 55 for trucks it also drops to 65 for cars in Chicagoland.

 

[gottaluvit]

When I took my cdl test, the tester told me I had to go the speed limit as there are more accidents from going too slow. I was a nervous wreck with so little experience, but that actually broke me of the intimidation. However, these MVs arent designed to do 70 mph. So I just stay off the highway. Five to 10 under on a windy state or county road is still safe.

We too, had 55 mph on the interstate for trucks and 65 for cars until recently. It was chaos. A truck wants to pass another truck and both lanes are blocked. They leveled them both to 65 and about a year later lifted them both to 70 in most places.

 

[Csm Davis]

Okay I haven't seen a minimum limit less than 50. The posted speed limits are maximums not the speed expected for you to run, to many people treat it that way. When the max speed limits were relaxed around here there were and still are many tickets written for 2-3 mph over and enforced in court. No HWY patrolman I have ever met would advise more than 55 mph in any of these MV'S. The one thing I would recommend for all MV'S is good bright tail lights like the LED tail lights. Anyone that hits a large truck that is going 55 mph is going to be held liable, not the trucker.

 

[74M35A2]

Adding to above, minimum speed limits exist for a reason. If you willingly enter a freeway knowing your vehicle can not achieve the minimum, and somebody rear ends you, you could be standing in court with a judge asking you why you got on the freeway, when you knew the minimum posted speed limit, and knew the capability of your vehicle was less than that. That seems like very open liability. This is of course if you are not forced to slow down from somebody in front of you. Personally, and I know this makes some here mad, but I am against those who get on the freeway and deliberately go under the posted minimum limit, MV's included. It usually results in an "Impeding the flow of traffic" ticket. Yellow amber warning lights don't make it any more correct, but it will reduce the chance of you getting hit. There are ways to do it legally, but it involves obtaining a permit and escort vehicles to do so.

If the freeway minimum is 55mph, and you get on it and go 48mph in your M35A2 with 9.00 tires because you are scared your connecting rods will fly out at anything over 2200rpm, and somebody rear ends you, I think you are going to carry most if not all the blame in that situation. Do as you please, but if something happens, I don't see a way you are not liable in this situation, when likely you could have easily just taken a different road path to your desired route endpoint.

Situation becomes simple I think, is it legal to go under the posted minimum speed limit without a permit to do so and nobody in front of you? It is not legal to go 80mph either.