This happens too often to be coincidental

[Jusplainwacky]

I don't get this...on a long trip and passing many 18-wheelers along the way I found many of them start to wander over towards me as I'm passing them...and I'm not talking just slightly. Sometimes I thought our mirrors would hit. And there were times that my SO would be saying "WATCH OUT"!!
It happens too often to be coincidental and many times I find myself trying to leave plenty of room between me and them when passing.

What puzzles me is why are they drifting over??

[16ACE27]

Suction. Same reason the push and pull you around when the pass you.

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Suction. Same reason the push and pull you around when the pass you.

I was wondering if that was the case...but I also questioned if it might be them looking in their side mirrors and not where they are going.

I plan to review threads about stabilizers, cause I was in high wind areas, and I was getting blown all over. I ended up buying one but haven't put it on.
But what puzzles me, is how does a stabilizer keep the rig from being blown around or when passing these rigs? Seems to me that the wind is going to push the rig regardless if you have stabilizer on.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

I don't get this... passing many 18-wheelers along the way

And why are you trying to pass 18 wheelers?
Simple solution is drive 65mph or less and then they have to be concerned with that!!!

Just teasing you....

ACE just told you above.

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

And why are you trying to pass 18 wheelers?
Simple solution is drive 65mph or less and then they have to be concerned with that!!!

Just teasing you....

ACE just told you above.

Many of the 18-wheelers were passing me...some of them really move.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

I was wondering if that was the case...but I also questioned if it might be them looking in their side mirrors and not where they are going.

I plan to review threads about stabilizers, cause I was in high wind areas, and I was getting blown all over. I ended up buying one but haven't put it on.
But what puzzles me, is how does a stabilizer keep the rig from being blown around or when passing these rigs? Seems to me that the wind is going to push the rig regardless if you have stabilizer on.

More likely, at their phones. We see it all the time when they can't seem to stay in their own lane.

[Vibeman]

I had a Saf-T-Plus stabilizer on my coach, but I recently took it back off. In my opinion it is a trade-off. Some things get better, some things get worse. As far as why you get blown around at highway speeds, here is my opinion. My 2019 Ford F-53 chassis has a significant amount of play in the steering wheel, it is normal, but still significant. As you are driving, this play will allow your front wheels to move slightly left or right in reaction to wind load even though you are holding the steering wheel totally still. This will cause the coach to drift left or right. The steering stabilizer attaches directly to the tie rod and holds it, and the front wheels, stationary. The play is still felt in the steering wheel, but does not affect the front wheels until enough force is applied to overcome the springs inside the stabilizer. Many other factors affect handling also, the stabilizer will help with one factor but don’t expect it to stop all the effects of crosswind.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by Vibeman

I had a Saf-T-Plus stabilizer on my coach, but I recently took it back off. ...

I have the 2020 Chassis (2021 MH) therefore the improved Ford stab. bars, etc but I too took the safe T plus off.
The main reason was that I was never able to make it right.
When I say right I mean, I take the hands off of the steering wheel and the coach keep a strait line.... (what I can do w/o it now, provided there is no side winds..)
If you have to constantly be fighting the safe T plus, even if just a little, it is my experience that it just make the sidewind/semis passing trouble worst.
I also can say that I just recently lubricated the front axle and that made a difference for the better on handling....

[Muggs]

I use the roadmaster damper. It is spring loaded to center and seemed to make a difference. The oem damper may have lost some of its oil or was simply defective. Install was easy, drive straight to swale and swap out. Had no need to adjust.

Trucks/semis passing less of an issue, possibly got used to driving RV. Gusty side winds bother my unit more than anything. Not much to do other than slow down.

Trucks/semis usually great to freight train with, saves fuel staying just out of wiggle area. I do not like running beside them if a choice. There have been times I break away as they start wandering. Is good this thing can handle great at speeds above 75 mph. Will never fall asleep driving it as watching mirrors for overtaking trucks is constant.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by Muggs

Trucks/semis usually great to freight train with, saves fuel staying just out of wiggle area.

Until...
You get a rock that cracks your windshield and realize your front cap is full of marks of lil rocks ....

I preffer to keep the semis far from me, even when they are ahead of me...

[Muggs]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

Until...
You get a rock that cracks your windshield and realize your front cap is full of marks of lil rocks ....

I preffer to keep the semis far from me, even when they are ahead of me...

Once again, all depends on conditions. Clean new road vs construction areas. I did have windshield cracked by rocks on I4 around Orlando once. I was alone in the slalom during constuction. It may have been off opposite side of road. Florida zero deductable took care of it.

Everything is as conditions allow. Lost my trailer tag south of Memphis TN in some of the biggest potholes I have ever seen.

[Muggs]

I am old, but try real hard to be a sour puss old guy.

[MJC62]

Have a friend who is a truck driver and he says when truckers are wandering all over the highway back and forth over the lines, they are pissing in a cup.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by Muggs

Once again, all depends on conditions....

I had "something"hit my windshield on Hwy 1 going down to Key west...
Clean hwy but someone rode over something an caused a 1ft+ crack on my 4 months old MH windshield....

Since then, 100ft+ is what I try to keep from the guy in front of me....

[simidrm]

I drove a semi for over 20 years and worked on them another 10 and in my experience a truck wandering is the driver is distracted by talking on a phone, eating, peeing, using there Qualcomm, half asleep or just a plain crappy drivers and sometimes they wander over on purpose, and remember a Rv is a lot like a semi a rolling bill board subject to wind issues , with there weight and size difference between you and them, you will never cause enough draft to affect them, and like I tell my wife if you have to pass them do it quickly as being beside them is not the place to be if they have a tire blow out.

[Muggs]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

I had "something"hit my windshield on Hwy 1 going down to Key west...
Clean hwy but someone rode over something an caused a 1ft+ crack on my 4 months old MH windshield....

Since then, 100ft+ is what I try to keep from the guy in front of me....

I used to collect fishing lures off truck mirrors going to Key West in old days.

I do not know what RV you drive but with our Vegas, inside 100' the turbulent air shakes cab. Since we usually towing race trailer we are 50' long aand I am usually never closer the 3 lengths. The e450 ABS works great along with tethering dog. Had a prius go around me on FL pike headed to WDW. I was doing 70, he passed and cut in front slamming his brakes on. Came within 6 to 10 feet of becoming a hood ornament.

Also never follow dump trucks/trailers and flatbeds with loads tied down.

In flodia heat semi tires put on great fireworks, I never run along side. Usually you smell rubber when behind before they pop.

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by simidrm

I drove a semi for over 20 years and worked on them another 10 and in my experience a truck wandering is the driver is distracted by talking on a phone, eating, peeing, using there Qualcomm, half asleep or just a plain crappy drivers and sometimes they wander over on purpose, and remember a Rv is a lot like a semi a rolling bill board subject to wind issues , with there weight and size difference between you and them, you will never cause enough draft to affect them, and like I tell my wife if you have to pass them do it quickly as being beside them is not the place to be if they have a tire blow out.

This is what I have noticed...I didn't think it was a "suction" issue and if anything, they would be pushed away as I'm pushing the wind into them. About everyone we passed that was moving we saw the guy drinking, one was actually texting, another hanging up his CB radio mic, and I think others look in their rearview mirrors and not ahead. A couple of them I honked at them.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

I was wondering if that was the case...but I also questioned if it might be them looking in their side mirrors and not where they are going.

I plan to review threads about stabilizers, cause I was in high wind areas, and I was getting blown all over. I ended up buying one but haven't put it on.
But what puzzles me, is how does a stabilizer keep the rig from being blown around or when passing these rigs? Seems to me that the wind is going to push the rig regardless if you have stabilizer on.

I having air suspension had to do four things to correct the "getting pushed" while driving. Also admit that I have an entry level diesel pusher. First thing is to understand that your rig is being pushed by wind force. This causes the box to lean causing you to try and correct. First is weigh and make sure you have the proper air pressure and then a front end alignment. After that is proper and you still get pushed, add the largest rear stabilizer bar you can get which will do the most to help. I had to add new stiffer shocks for two reasons. The OEM were soft and would allow the front to bottom out and still had pushing. Not as bad, but still a pain. Then I added air bag isolators that stopped the left and right side air bags from transferring air from one side to the other. After that I still got some pushing that I did not like. Manly from big wind gusts form the side. The kind that can push big rigs almost out of their lane. Then I added the Safe-T-Steer. Much better now for me. Some do not like the Safe-T-Steer and some do. Obviously you do not need air bag isolators. Try one thing at a time. Go on a trip and see if you can be comfortable with the change. If so you are good to go. Otherwise try the next.

[Jusplainwacky]

MPL...thanks for taking the time to write all that...it's good information!

Since you brought up air bags (which I have on my pickup truck), maybe you can help me with this also. I park my rig on the side of my house, but to do so, I drive over my lawn. Under my lawn, I have a plastic grid (honeycomb) system on top of compact gravel, so the rig doesn't sink into the grass. The problem is this...I believe my neighbors tree is causing my grass/plastic honeycomb to raise up, and now when I'm backing up over the curb (with curb ramps), the backend of my coach is digging into the lawn (actually the hitch).
Now I could put some raisers on the sidewalk so that my back,wheels are higher, or I was thinking I could install airbags to raise up the backend. Same thing happened to me while I was at a campground where they had these drainage paths that when the back wheels went over, the back end (again the hitch) hit the ground. I am also considering putting on a roller wheel on the back of the hitch so it won't hit.
As I mentioned, I put air bags on my truck which wasn't that difficult but not sure how difficult it would be on the coach.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

MPL...thanks for taking the time to write all that...it's good information!

Since you brought up air bags (which I have on my pickup truck), maybe you can help me with this also. I park my rig on the side of my house, but to do so, I drive over my lawn. Under my lawn, I have a plastic grid (honeycomb) system on top of compact gravel, so the rig doesn't sink into the grass. The problem is this...I believe my neighbors tree is causing my grass/plastic honeycomb to raise up, and now when I'm backing up over the curb (with curb ramps), the backend of my coach is digging into the lawn (actually the hitch).
Now I could put some raisers on the sidewalk so that my back,wheels are higher, or I was thinking I could install airbags to raise up the backend. Same thing happened to me while I was at a campground where they had these drainage paths that when the back wheels went over, the back end (again the hitch) hit the ground. I am also considering putting on a roller wheel on the back of the hitch so it won't hit.
As I mentioned, I put air bags on my truck which wasn't that difficult but not sure how difficult it would be on the coach.

I had an Itaska Sprit that was a tail dragger. I put air bags on it to level it. Adding weight to the front worked wonders on the way it handled. Boy did it get pushed around until I did so. I also added a large rear stabilizer, had the front end aligned, and new shocks. The air bags should lift it enough to clear your grass so long as it isn't too deep. If you get the Air Lift system, you can get a remote. I did so on my GMC diesel dully. When I had a fifth wheel, the weight made it squat. I had two settings. One for the fifth wheel and one for without.