Contributor II
Washboard/rough gravel
- Thread starter Kyle Collins
- Start date
Enthusiast III
I agree on both solutions. Obviously the size tire you have to air down makes a big difference. I find speeding up to find the right speed makes a big difference also. A good example is the road between Ubehebe crater and the racetrack in Death Valley, CA. I'm doing ~45-55mph and the road is tolerable. Going between 25-40 is horrendous and feels like the truck will fall apart.
Pathfinder I
Air down and speed it the best way to deal with washboard roads. The tires will soak up the vibration and the speed will allow you to skip over the tops of the bumps. But it's a double edged sward. You also loose a great deal of traction doing this with less ground contact. Use slower steering instead of fast jerky movements. Been about quite a bit on Bessemer mine road in Johnson valley going about 60 or so in my 4 runner to smooth out the bumps. Worked like a charm and made good time going to the rock pile too. [emoji1303][emoji2]
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Pathfinder I
Airing down is good. Upgrading to a shock/spring combo better suited for the terrain is better.
Speed = heat = shock valve degradation. The better suited the valving for the terrain, the better ride you will have.
The tough part is that most of us use our vehicles as daily drivers as well. This is a balancing game we play...
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Speed = heat = shock valve degradation. The better suited the valving for the terrain, the better ride you will have.
The tough part is that most of us use our vehicles as daily drivers as well. This is a balancing game we play...
Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
I don't know about other vehicles, but I know for my discovery, Land Rover went ahead and figured out that the resonate frequency of the truck and suspension is about 20-35 MPH, so traveling at those speeds can help smooth things out without going too over the top with speed
Air down and speed. But trying to make a quick stop on a washboard road at speed is quite the interesting situation. Do so with caution.
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Washboard roads are a pain. Always feels smooth at a high speed, but as mentioned before, you lose traction. I did that one time - once! Turning a corner and it was like driving on ice. Never went back to that.
Also, remember driving on a dirt road usually means wild animals also present. Keep your speed low enough so you can brake/maneuver safely. I've seen remnants of deer too often on the side of paved and dirt roads. Be a smart driver. In my years of driving dirt roads in the mountains of CA I've seen deer a lot, rabbits, porcupines, coyotes, foxes, cougar - rare sighting, in daylight! - and a bear running across the road. Also, remember you're in their home, treat their home as you would want guests treating yours.
And, last point, if you're driving that road, somebody else could be too heading toward you.
Sounds preachy, but developing some rattles that need tightening/fixing later is way cheaper than rolling your vehicle to help smooth the ride.
Also, remember driving on a dirt road usually means wild animals also present. Keep your speed low enough so you can brake/maneuver safely. I've seen remnants of deer too often on the side of paved and dirt roads. Be a smart driver. In my years of driving dirt roads in the mountains of CA I've seen deer a lot, rabbits, porcupines, coyotes, foxes, cougar - rare sighting, in daylight! - and a bear running across the road. Also, remember you're in their home, treat their home as you would want guests treating yours.
And, last point, if you're driving that road, somebody else could be too heading toward you.
Sounds preachy, but developing some rattles that need tightening/fixing later is way cheaper than rolling your vehicle to help smooth the ride.
