Big truck passing

[Johnynorthla]

Originally Posted by MickUpi

I done several searches on the following topic but could not find anything on it. I am usually driving in the right lane on the interstate or a four lane road. When a big truck passes an the left as it gets about even with me our rig is pushed to the right. It's usually just slight but sometimes it be a fairly hard push. It's only scared me once on a US highway. It happened right as I and the truck driver crossed a bridge. After a rather strong push I am estimating the side of our MH was less than a foot from the bridge and it was a bit scary. Some big trucks don't blow our MH at all. I'm not sure what's up with that. Our MH is 28 feet long and 11 feet 7 inches high. I have noticed bridges on US highways can be much more narrow than on interstates.

Rear Track bar and new, heavy duty, front sway bar. I did all the suspension upgrades you can think of, Track bar by far was the best bang for the buck!

[KentZ]

I had a 2009 hurricane 30 ft. Did everything including sumo springs. Last thing I did was Air Tabs. Could not believe the difference! Now have a 2004 Alpine 40 ft diesel. Going to Florida in Feb my rear spoiler came loose and I had to tie it to the ladder with bungee cords. Because it was no longer in the correct position, I could feel the trucks pushing me when being passed. When we got to Daytona, I went to HD and bought some aluminum L channel and put it back where it was originally. Coming home it was good with very little movement from being passed. Aerodynamics are more important than you think. I didn’t like the way Air Tabs looked on my Hurricane, but honestly it was the biggest bang for the buck. Rear track bar helped a lot too. Sumos were good on rear, not so much in front. Koni shocks were better ride. It did handle like a go cart and was easy to drive, but we love the big and lunky Alpine DP.

[walygator]

As soon as the truck gets about half way beside you accelerate. I've found that this works great

[pduggs]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

They don't move me much, if at all, but my MH weighs 52,000#'s loaded. I suppose the lighter the rig the more it's a problem.

I suppose the tag axle helps a lot.

[Cloud Dancer]

I cruise at 65 mph. I keep up with what traffic is all around me. If I see a big rig closing in on me from behind, I already know what to expect (I refer to it as wake turbulence coming). So, I simply slow down and give him a couple of feet more of side clearance. The slower I go the more control I have. I like to force them to pass me quicker. As soon as the speeder passes me I quickly switch over to the speeder's lane, because I know that the big rigs like to switch over to my lane as soon as they pass me. For some reason they love to keep you in dirty air.
BTW if there's lots of traffic I use a different approach, since everyone is going slower.

[Jchemie]

I just spent 4 days driving from AZ to PA and a week later another 4 days straight driving from PA back to AZ. I had noticed the push-pull effect as mentioned more often when the passing rig was going 10 mph (usually more) as it passed me, as I was at a steady 65 mph and the passing rig was doing 75+. The front of the rig is moving air away from in front, causing a push of air at a 45* angle which shoved me aside. As the rear was moving past, it creates a vaccum behind it and sucked the trailer towards me. I learned to anticipate this and compensate for it the push over, but the rear vaccum suck in of the trailer was the scarry part because the driver of the rig doesn’t realize it and even if they did, couldn’t do anything about it. I’d be looking at the rear end getting dangerously close to my window. Basically if the rig pushed me aside, I’d stay a bit to the side until the trailer end got past me.
P.S.....the worst road ways are all of PA, and I-40 10 miles east & west of Flagstaff in AZ. Pity because I’m formally from PA and now live south of Flag and have little choice in staying clear of that minefield they called I-40.

[Olroache]

Did you ever figure out what the CC had different from the Essex that made it handle better?

[Olroache]

At 54k gvw I rarely feel the push from passing trailers. The Newmar Comfort Steer is responsible for that. At the same time when I see them coming I move over slightly and gently accelerate. Most importantly if you get pushed or sucked DO NOT OVER CORRECT.

2009. Newmar DutchAire DP 44ft 425hp

[Olroache]

Absolutely the tag axle add tremendous stability at high speeds

[asuperheat]

I agree adding a rear track bar on a older class a I had once was the biggest improvement. I have a tag now and never experience it anymore but when I pass I can tell you most Gas class A's , Class C's and bumper pull trailers get pushed. 5th wheels not so much.

They get sucked in then pushed out. Happens all the time.

[Eric1959]

It's not the semi's that bother me, it's the pickup trucks, straight box trucks and vans. I've go a Road Master steering stabilizer which I think helps.

[Peaceful]

Most of the difference you feel is the direction of the winds as you are being passed. A truck moves a large mass of wind and then for instance you were on a bridge where wind can happen from any direction. Just be alert you'll get used to it. It even bother the the big rigs believe me.

[move on]

A big bus has a bigger bow wave than a big truck. I was once following an intercity bus down the middle lane of the highway. He came up on a long row of rvs in the right lane. As he passed them he got as close to them as possible. They all started wobbling and swaying. I'm sure he did it deliberately to see how many drivers he could freak out.

[Redeemed1972]

I increased my sidewalls on my tires from 16 ply to 18 ply and it made a huge difference! I barely move at all now.