Door opened while driving!

[Alanh1]

Learning as I go, now will always put the deadlock lever on before driving. However, quite a dangerous situation that this can and did happen. Dealer said as the motorhome is driven the body can flex and cause the door to open if not deadlocked. As I said, I'll now always remember to trip the deadlock ... until the one time I forget!

This leads to a second question.

After reading and agreeing with several folks' advice to install a Safe-T-Plus I had one installed. Feel a little improvement in steering and less of 'sawing' my way down the road, but I'm still amazed at the sway caused both by a crosswind and big rigs going by on the interstate. Really makes driving in windy weather (nothing extreme) quite a trying and tiring experience. Any advice on how to further improve the handling on my new Thor Windsport 33x?
Thanks!

[TurnerFam]

Originally Posted by Alanh1

...but I'm still amazed at the sway caused both by a crosswind and big rigs going by on the interstate....
Thanks!

true, and annoying, if not unnerving at times, but it's really a simple physics discussion - unless you weigh as much, or more, than those 'rigs' passing you at high speed, then you are certainly going to be the one who gets 'moved' by the movement of the wind, specifically the wind that THEY create - ask any Nascar driver and they will tell you that speed and proximity to another vehicle, especially while passing them, even at almost exactly the same weight, can create havoc.

The idea that a motorhome should not have any issues while driving at 60+ mph, with semi trucks and trailers that are much taller and much longer passing by, might be a little short sighted - and not because we don't all understand the physics, but maybe just because we don't 'think' it should be happening to us.
Any vehicle, no matter how heavy, long, or how many wheels, can be pushed by wind - ask the semi driver who's semi and trailer is now laying on it's side during a heavy wind storm on the interstate. Small vehicles, though, have a much easier time - not much 'bulk' for the wind to catch, and much more aerodynamic bodies. RVs are not.


: ) Enjoy!

[TurnerFam]

...your coach and mine are similar, if not almost exactly the same, except for the engine and powertrain, etc...

I've found that passing semi trucks and trailers create either a 'PUSH' or a 'PULL' as they are approaching to pass, and when they are finishing their pass. What I mean is that the wind is being 'redirected' when they first reach your rear of the coach. You may not realize that you are 'steering' into the wind, and when they then come up beside you, the wind that you were steering 'into' is now blocked by the semi and trailer, making you feel as though you are now being pushed, even though they are now BLOCKING the wind, and the opposite when they are finishing the pass.

I take the approach that, as a semi approaches my rear, to be ready to react to the wind change - it IS going to move my coach, maybe not a lot, but sometimes YES, quite a bit.
I've also found that simply moving my foot off the gas pedal will alleviate some of the reaction to the wind that the coach has. If I'm on cruise control, and several semis are about to pass, I take it off cruise until they all have.

Expectations while driving a large motorhome should not be the same as driving your daily driver. Take your time. Drive a slower speed than most everyone else. Plan for only 250-300miles maximum per day - it relieves you from the stress of having to 'be' somewhere at the last minute, driving faster and faster to make it happen.


: )

[Bob Denman]

Here's what I would feel when being passed by an eighteen-wheeler:
I would get an initial push to the right: followed closely by a pull to the left!

Once I got the hang of how to time my steering inputs: it was kind of fun!

[Shawn62]

Alanh1,

Have you done the Cheap Handling Fix (CHF)?

[Lt Keefer]

The saf-t-plus, CHF and front end alignment stopped 95% of the truck and bus passing sway. It also helped with the wind buffeting on the open road. It seems like the only sway I get now is when of those mega busses heading to or from Mexico passes me. But they are usually doing 80. My coach is a 29M.

[Shawn62]

Correct tire pressure is important also. The 33X has a 228 inch wheelbase so it should be rather stable when passed by trucks.

[Alanh1]

Cheap Handling Fix sounds good to me. What is it?

[Shawn62]

Originally Posted by Alanh1

Cheap Handling Fix sounds good to me. What is it?

The CHF is a quick adjustment to stiffen up the front and rear sway bars on the F53 chassis. Made a huge difference on my 35M. Do a search on this forum. Also take the time to read through Jerry’s Hurricane Mods started by halfprice. It’s well worth it. Also, when you have your Windsport loaded up to travel get your front end alignment. It will save wear on your tires and improve handling.

[Mustang46555]

Our last 2018 trip we spent a lot of miles on the interstates so I started paying closer attention to the brand truck passing us and how it affected our motor home. I've found that when getting passed by semi's the brand of the semi makes a big difference in how bad our coach gets moved around. Droop nosed KW's and Pete's aren't too bad. Freightliners put out a pretty nasty push as they go by depending on model. But by far the worst are the Volvo's with the angled bar in the grill. They have a vicious push going around. Trailer type also affects the pull as they finish their pass. As Turnerfam said it's all about the aerodynamics of the big rig.

[halfprice]

Rear track bar stopped all the pushing from semis

Jerry

[Squerly]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Here's what I would feel when being passed by an eighteen-wheeler:
I would get an initial push to the right: followed closely by a pull to the left!

Once I got the hang of how to time my steering inputs: it was kind of fun!

Agreed! I've only got 600 miles behind the wheel and learning this "slight turn to the left, followed by a short turn to the right" was all it took to smooth things out. Became second nature by the end of the first day.

[mcr1010]

Or go faster than the slowest truck, and pace the fastest truck not having trucks pass you. I have been influenced by "Bob"

[Bob Denman]

We call that: "Finding the sweet spot"!

[Miramar Owner]

I agree with "halfprice"...in addition to the Safe-T-Plus a larger rear track bar/anti-sway bar made a big difference. It also greatly reduced the rocking caused by pulling through a driveway. Made it much more fun to drive.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Mustang46555

Our last 2018 trip we spent a lot of miles on the interstates so I started paying closer attention to the brand truck passing us and how it affected our motor home. I've found that when getting passed by semi's the brand of the semi makes a big difference in how bad our coach gets moved around. Droop nosed KW's and Pete's aren't too bad. Freightliners put out a pretty nasty push as they go by depending on model. But by far the worst are the Volvo's with the angled bar in the grill. They have a vicious push going around. Trailer type also affects the pull as they finish their pass. As Turnerfam said it's all about the aerodynamics of the big rig.

I haven’t noticed a big difference by brand, but have mentioned before noticing the difference by truck style. The tractors that have a large sleeping area shaped like a fairing that goes right up to the top edge of the trailer do not create as powerful a pressure wave or leave as much wake behind them.

Tractors that have low roofs where the top of the trailer’s front end is exposed to the wind will cause a much larger pressure zone, and thus turbulence.

Even tall delivery trucks (much smaller than semis) built with much of the bed sticking up past the cab can create a big push due to poor aerodynamics.

[10scDust]

Originally Posted by Chance

I haven’t noticed a big difference by brand, but have mentioned before noticing the difference by truck style. The tractors that have a large sleeping area shaped like a fairing that goes right up to the top edge of the trailer do not create as powerful a pressure wave or leave as much wake behind them.

Tractors that have low roofs where the top of the trailer’s front end is exposed to the wind will cause a much larger pressure zone, and thus turbulence.

Even tall delivery trucks (much smaller than semis) built with much of the bed sticking up past the cab can create a big push due to poor aerodynamics.

I noticed that same phenomenom many years ago, only then I was on two wheels!

[GrayDawg]

even the deadlock can still allow the door to open with heavy flexing. I always deadlock my door to keep "unwanted" passengers from boarding at a stop. Mine still popped open a couple times. So to prevent it from happening again, I place a bungee cord on it and all is fine. It doesn't stop the door from opening, but at least it wont open out into traffic again.

[Miramar Owner]

Originally Posted by GrayDawg

even the deadlock can still allow the door to open with heavy flexing. I always deadlock my door to keep "unwanted" passengers from boarding at a stop. Mine still popped open a couple times. So to prevent it from happening again, I place a bungee cord on it and all is fine. It doesn't stop the door from opening, but at least it wont open out into traffic again.

It's hard for me to imagine enough flex to cause the door to open with the deadbolt fully engaged. The deadbolt extend almost an inch into the frame. I always lock the deadbolt when traveling.