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View Full Version : Gas mileage towing - tower up or down?


csuggs
06-14-2012, 08:49 AM
I'm leaving on Sunday to go to Badin Lake in NC - about 300 miles. I'm thinking about towing with the tower down to save gas . . . Anyone tried this? Make a difference? I figure it can't hurt.
Jetlink
06-14-2012, 09:12 AM
No difference for me, at least anything noticeable. In my opinion, less hassle leaving it up.
CornRickey
06-14-2012, 10:32 AM
Is be worried about damage from it being down. Damage to what its resting on and to the tower. It seems that they all bind a little when folded up.
DGREEN
06-14-2012, 10:42 AM
I'd leave that bad boy up to avoid damage.
kvand347
06-14-2012, 11:20 AM
Up for sure unless going under low bridges! :eek:
jzelt
06-14-2012, 12:27 PM
Yep. As mentioned, I leave it up because of the bouncing it would hit. But I do wrap it entirely with plastic wrap (cheap stuff from grocery store).
Unbelievable the amount of bugs it collects if not wrapped.
csuggs
06-14-2012, 03:31 PM
Yep. As mentioned, I leave it up because of the bouncing it would hit. But I do wrap it entirely with plastic wrap (cheap stuff from grocery store).
Unbelievable the amount of bugs it collects if not wrapped.

Sounds like thE consensus is to leave it up! I think I like the plastic wrap suggestion - I've noticed the bugs can get bad as well.
Jetlink
06-14-2012, 04:09 PM
Sounds like thE consensus is to leave it up! I think I like the plastic wrap suggestion - I've noticed the bugs can get bad as well.Just tow with a vehicle that has a large profile and that will cast a turbulent airflow around the tower...no bugs, problem solved... Found that out with the difference between towing with the GX470/Denali compared to the RX350...:D
Sluggo
06-14-2012, 05:09 PM
Concur with the tower up. Love the platic wrap idea. I had been using speakersox but that does not cover everything and now the speakersox have bug guts imbedded so deep that they won't come clean. I usually just make sure to clean them off once we get where we are going so they don't bake on and thus take a ton more elbow grease.
varun
06-14-2012, 05:15 PM
I've tried them both, and its more or less the same, i'd leave it up.
csuggs
06-14-2012, 10:38 PM
I've tried them both, and its more or less the same, i'd leave it up.

Glad I asked then. If there's not a noticeable difference, I'll leave it up. I always tow with it up around here, just over-thinking this trip!
jzelt
06-15-2012, 10:32 AM
I start at the lowest point on one side or the other, pull some extra out and manually wrap the low end where the roll won't fit, then just wrap it put all the way across and down the other side with some overlap on each wrap. 3 wraps on each speaker, with it starting and ending on the side of the speaker. Also do 3 wraps on the front forks for the boards.

It takes 5 mins to do, and 3 mins to undo, and very little time cleaning afterwards. I only do this on long trips.