Ram Dually, High Winds, Heavy Fiver

[nomad297]

Sometimes it just doesn't matter how well you are prepared, how good your equipment is and how experienced you are. Bad things can happen. This fiver was on its way to the dealer from the factory when a gust got ahold of it.



Bruce

[ManlyMan]

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith, there will be a slight delay in delivery of your Redwood.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by nomad297

Sometimes it just doesn't matter how well you are prepared, how good your equipment is and how experienced you are. Bad things can happen. This fiver was on its way to the dealer from the factory when a gust got ahold of it.

Attachment 95886

Bruce

Any idea how high the winds were?

I don't mean to flame the transport drivers as a whole, but I travel daily on a 60 mile section of the PA turnpike and I usually come upon RV's being transported a couple of time a week. A fair percentage of those transporters are not the most careful and courteous drivers on the road from what I have witnessed. Also, since most ST tires have a 65mph limit on speed you would think that professional transporters would know and follow that? Not really.

[larryo]

I transport trailers for a living. 10 years with mno vehicle or trailer accidents. Yes, I have hit a few deer. I do agree that some drivers are terribly inexperienced and those are usually the ones with the bad attitudes. If the weather is making you uncomfortable. .......find a place to stop!

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by larryo

I transport trailers for a living. 10 years with mno vehicle or trailer accidents. Yes, I have hit a few deer. I do agree that some drivers are terribly inexperienced and those are usually the ones with the bad attitudes. If the weather is making you uncomfortable. .......find a place to stop!

"I don't mean to flame the transport drivers as a whole"

I hope you did not take offense? Didn't mean to offer any.

You're not delivering a Rockwood Roo to Pittsburgh today or tomorrow are you?

[larryo]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

"I don't mean to flame the transport drivers as a whole"

I hope you did not take offense? Didn't mean to offer any.

You're not delivering a Rockwood Roo to Pittsburgh today or tomorrow are you?

Absolutely NO offense taken.

[nomad297]

This happened on I80 in Montana or Wyoming. High wind warnings were in effect.

Bruce

[Bama Rambler]

I've seen the wind flip a few semi's and even a couple of train cars in Wy.

A slightly windy day to those folks is a hurricane to us. :-)

[Cowracer]

if the wind can turn one over standing still (it happens) then rolling down the freeway will make no difference at all.

Mathematically, (using Turbs' new 320RS as an example) you have a length of 38 feet and a height of 12.5 feet. The roof slopes, so lets figure an average height of 11.5 feet. That gives you a skosh over 435 square feet of sail area. With a GVWR of 14300 that works out to 32.75 pounds per square foot, or .22 pounds per square inch of sail area.

Using the conversion of PSF/.00256 (standard PSF to MPH at sea level formula) you can see that to completly offset the weight of the camper you need about 112 MPH. At that point, you probably got bigger problems than worrying about your camper. But it only takes about 61MPH to display 1/3 of that campers weight. 61 MPH crosswinds are common in certain locations. If you hit one, you just side-loaded your truck to the tune of about 4300 lbs. (not including the sail area of the truck itself). Look at it this way. You will now have a GE J85 Turbojet engine in afterburner sitting cross ways on your pin box. You WILL depart your direction of travel. And while I cant calculate the center of mass of the camper, as it is higher than the center of rotation (the road) in the roll axis, you have also generated a significant roll moment. If your center of mass height is over 1/3 the total height, then that would be enough to roll you over on your side.

Driving skill, attention or experience has nothing to do with it.

Tim

[IdahoBob]

Welcome to Wyoming!

[GOTTOYS]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Any idea how high the winds were?

I don't mean to flame the transport drivers as a whole, but I travel daily on a 60 mile section of the PA turnpike and I usually come upon RV's being transported a couple of time a week. A fair percentage of those transporters are not the most careful and courteous drivers on the road from what I have witnessed. Also, since most ST tires have a 65mph limit on speed you would think that professional transporters would know and follow that? Not really.

What do they care...Time is money. They don't make very much to start with and going 65mph will cut into their paycheck...Most of them don't stay in the business very long and move on to better paying jobs.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by nomad297

This happened on I80 in Montana or Wyoming. High wind warnings were in effect.

Bruce

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I've seen the wind flip a few semi's and even a couple of train cars in Wy.

A slightly windy day to those folks is a hurricane to us. :-)

X2 Bama

We lived in Las Cruces, NM for over 13 years. Like Bama, I've seen everything from a MoHo to a semi blown over on the road. When, as Bruce said, High Wind Warnings are in effect, get off the road and try to find some sort of shelter from the wind (the lee side of big buildings comes to mind).

Spring in South NM/West TX can see sustained winds of 50+ MPH with gusts to 70MPH

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

if the wind can turn one over standing still (it happens) then rolling down the freeway will make no difference at all.

Mathematically, (using Turbs' new 320RS as an example) you have a length of 38 feet and a height of 12.5 feet. The roof slopes, so lets figure an average height of 11.5 feet. That gives you a skosh over 435 square feet of sail area. With a GVWR of 14300 that works out to 32.75 pounds per square foot, or .22 pounds per square inch of sail area.

Using the conversion of PSF/.00256 (standard PSF to MPH at sea level formula) you can see that to completly offset the weight of the camper you need about 112 MPH. At that point, you probably got bigger problems than worrying about your camper. But it only takes about 61MPH to display 1/3 of that campers weight. 61 MPH crosswinds are common in certain locations. If you hit one, you just side-loaded your truck to the tune of about 4300 lbs. (not including the sail area of the truck itself). Look at it this way. You will now have a GE J85 Turbojet engine in afterburner sitting cross ways on your pin box. You WILL depart your direction of travel. And while I cant calculate the center of mass of the camper, as it is higher than the center of rotation (the road) in the roll axis, you have also generated a significant roll moment. If your center of mass height is over 1/3 the total height, then that would be enough to roll you over on your side.

Driving skill, attention or experience has nothing to do with it.

Tim

Lol

[transamz9]

All I can say is that pulling a 5er of that size he needed a Dually. You know they are more stable than a SRW.......

[Mountndream]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

if the wind can turn one over standing still (it happens) then rolling down the freeway will make no difference at all.

Mathematically, (using Turbs' new 320RS as an example) you have a length of 38 feet and a height of 12.5 feet. The roof slopes, so lets figure an average height of 11.5 feet. That gives you a skosh over 435 square feet of sail area. With a GVWR of 14300 that works out to 32.75 pounds per square foot, or .22 pounds per square inch of sail area.

Using the conversion of PSF/.00256 (standard PSF to MPH at sea level formula) you can see that to completly offset the weight of the camper you need about 112 MPH. At that point, you probably got bigger problems than worrying about your camper. But it only takes about 61MPH to display 1/3 of that campers weight. 61 MPH crosswinds are common in certain locations. If you hit one, you just side-loaded your truck to the tune of about 4300 lbs. (not including the sail area of the truck itself). Look at it this way. You will now have a GE J85 Turbojet engine in afterburner sitting cross ways on your pin box. You WILL depart your direction of travel. And while I cant calculate the center of mass of the camper, as it is higher than the center of rotation (the road) in the roll axis, you have also generated a significant roll moment. If your center of mass height is over 1/3 the total height, then that would be enough to roll you over on your side.

Driving skill, attention or experience has nothing to do with it.

Tim

I was not aware that there would be math on this thread. can we all go back to talking about half truths based on hearsay and truck brand loyalty?

[B and B]

Brand of truck has nothing to do with it in this case. The Redwood in the ditch teaches use no matter what you have some things just cant stop the accident from happening.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

I was not aware that there would be math on this thread. can we all go back to talking about half truths based on hearsay and truck brand loyalty?

I agree. This information bordering on facts is making my head hurt/spin. Opinions and errors stated as fact are easier to dismiss.

[SuwanneeDave]

Cowracer; good analysis but there is another factor involved which is oscillation. The slightest sway or compression of the trailer suspension can set off an oscillation that is reinforced by the wind. The amplitude will increase until the trailer tips.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by SuwanneeDave

Cowracer; good analysis but there is another factor involved which is oscillation. The slightest sway or compression of the trailer suspension can set off an oscillation that is reinforced by the wind. The amplitude will increase until the trailer tips.

And do not forget to factor in inebriation into your amplitudinal oscillation equation. I have found that no matter what the dilemma, even if its an RV 90 degrees off kilter, inebriation is usually the proper action to take after the fact.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by Cowracer

if the wind can turn one over standing still (it happens) then rolling down the freeway will make no difference at all.

True, but if it can't turn one over standing still, moving down the road will make the problem worse. Imagine a wind coming at you at a 45 degree angle off of the front, now add your road speed. The road speed will add to the natural wind speed and put more side pressure on the trailer.