Tower up or down for long drive

MattSh · **Joined:** Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:11 am **Posts:** 31

We are going Interstate for a holiday. We will be taking our T22. It is a 10 hour drive. I have never had to drive with the tower down before but wondering if people would recommend it for such a long trip? Fuel-efficiency etc?

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ndahlberg12 · **Joined:** Wed May 27, 2015 8:13 am **Posts:** 111

I’ve never towed with my tower down and frankly don’t know that I would ever try.

When we take long trips I wrap the tower, board racks and speakers in shrink wrap to keep the bugs off.

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steveA20 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:35 pm

The axis towers do not lock in place like the Malibu towers when folded down. I would never tow with the tower down, the tower would be resting on the arms and would probably cause some damage.

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Clayne100 · **Joined:** Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:23 pm **Posts:** 48

Doesn’t axis ship them with the towers down resting in a wooden leg? I have one when I fold mine for the garage so it’s not sitting on the tower arms.

That said, I wouldn’t tow with it down. Long trips it gets wrapped in plastic wrap.

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granddaddy55 · **Joined:** Tue May 24, 2016 7:44 am **Posts:** 149

Glad press and seal, though if Sams still sold the smaller rolls of plastic I might use that,
Go slow and wrap it tight, it may shred some by the end but it will still stop the bugs, wrap the towers mirror arm , anything attached to it like the bimini boot

You can also wrap with press and seal easily above and below rub rail and use your cover and it won’t chaffe gel. DONT DO TEN HOURS WITHOUT COVER. Dirt from one on the road shower will have you cussing cleaning it up

You can even wrap whole windshield snd frame to protect that from cover chaffing, yes it has own padding for that but higher speeds can press unpadded part of cover against gel below windshield and lower parts of windshield where cover is not padded.

If you use your cover and it has wear and tear around tower pole openings and other from using it to Trailer locally , take it to a canvas shop to refresh those problems

admin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:00 am **Posts:** 1115

If you want the handheld wraps check out a shipping or box supply store. That is where we normally pickup those for boardstop.

I never have towed with the tower down. I just never want to take the risk of the brace moving and causing my tower to bounce on the dash for 100 miles. They do come from the factory with the towers down however those boats are still the responsibility of the trucking company.

Coreyfire · **Joined:** Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:30 pm **Posts:** 79

I don’t see the point in wrapping the tower in plastic wrap for bugs. I’ve never wrapped and drive 6hrs to havasu and 14 to Powell. Bugs clean off easy with boat bling or general spray cleaner. Probably takes longer to cut and clean the wrap off than just wiping it clean.

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Coreyfire · **Joined:** Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:30 pm **Posts:** 79

And dealers say never drive with tower down.

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ndahlberg12 · **Joined:** Wed May 27, 2015 8:13 am **Posts:** 111

Coreyfire wrote:

I don’t see the point in wrapping the tower in plastic wrap for bugs. I’ve never wrapped and drive 6hrs to havasu and 14 to Powell. Bugs clean off easy with boat bling or general spray cleaner. Probably takes longer to cut and clean the wrap off than just wiping it clean.

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Not around here. It would take me hours to clean my white tower after just a 30 minute drive home at night from all of the bugs. 10 minutes of wrapping saves 2 hours of scrubbing for me.

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Tower up or down for long drive

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