Scott Brady’s weekend with an Earthcruiser

[MJCake1]

It didn't sound like he was too crazy about the highway driving part though. Anyone else have a different opinion. Like most people, at least 95% of my driving would be on the Interstate getting to a location. I don't think I would be happy about not being able to run at least 70 MPH.

I've been driving our 2015 now for over 2 years and I've had it up to 75 mph and it handles great now that we removed the suspension wedges Sportsmobile West installed for lean correction. No lean either. I usually cruise about 55 for fuel conservation, safety and I'm retired too.
Tires are Toyo M608Z 285-70R 19.5.

 

[Michelle@EarthCruiser]

If I recall that weekend was nearly 10 years ago in a different model FG chassis than what is available here. The FGs available to us go 75 miles on the highway easily. They like fuel at that speed but...

 

[MJCake1]

I thought it was 2012? But...?

 

[Howard70]

I thought it was 2012? But...?

I think the article was originally published in 2012, thus the trip was probably earlier. I just finished 1,650 miles in 75 hours in one of the early Australian EarthCruisers (I think it was a 2010) - a great drive, handled rough & smooth paved roads (ours was a delivery trip) well. Definitely different than our 2017 in terms of ride and driving. Bottom line - I like them both! Either one drives as fast as I want to move in something weighing over 11,000 pounds with brakes on only two axles.

Howard

 

[Grenadiers]

As a big rig owner, we average 6 mpg at 55mph in our Saurer 6dm. The rig weighs 28,000 pounds, and there is no way I’d want it to go faster! Full air brakes and oem exhaust brake to stop the beast. But, with the freeways clogged with drivers it’s a challenge to go from point A to point B. We’re winter travelers, and driving the dinky backroads to get to the SW for example, is 1800 miles from NW Wisconsin, and we prefer to get there as soon as possible. I understand the journey is the big thing, but the reality of traveling dictates otherwise to us anyway.

 

[charlieaarons]

I second Grenadiers. At 27,000 lb I am fortunate enough to have a Euro III electronic controlled engine that gets a relatively fantastic 9mpg despite fulltime AWD and portal boxes. Like him I have air brakes and exhaust brake. The rig will go top speed 68-70mph but I choose to cruise at max 57-60mph due to economy, portal boxes, tires and general safety. One gets used to it and I actually like it.

 

[kevindhamilton]

I second Grenadiers. At 27,000 lb I am fortunate enough to have a Euro III electronic controlled engine that gets a relatively fantastic 9mpg despite fulltime AWD and portal boxes. Like him I have air brakes and exhaust brake. The rig will go top speed 68-70mph but I choose to cruise at max 57-60mph due to economy, portal boxes, tires and general safety. One gets used to it and I actually like it.

I'll throw in a third on this. I can do 70 mph (even 75 but don't like it one bit) but with my tires rated at 60 mph and our weight, we are perfectly content at 55-60 mph. I wrestled with this quite a bit before buying the truck but have found that it is much more pleasant to get off the interstate and meander down backroads which typically have speed limits in the 50-55 range anyway. Each to their own I suppose, it helps that when we're out with the truck we can/do work from the road so we're not often in a huge time crunch.