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Topic: Maximum crosswinds  (Read 1524 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #25 –
When we lived in Wyoming 35 years ago the storyline there was, Montana blows and Nebraska sucks and we're stuck in the middle. The truth is, if you live on the east side of the Rockies then you will experience strong gusty winds, weather in northern New Mexico or southern Montana and anywhere in between.
88 Grand Villa 36' ORED 3208 (throwaway)Cat.
 Build # 3150
Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire.

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #26 –
Well, we just made the trip up from Las Vegas to Pocatello, Idaho on I-15 with 50 plus mph cross winds!  It was ugly and had to slow down to just under 60 to manage the drive.  We saw a covered utility trailer laying on its side and further down the road, a semi with trailer was on it's side on the shoulder.  Didn't appear anyone hurt, but certainly makes you hang on to the steering wheel with both hands!  We are now in Pocatello, boon-docking at the Clean Museum here.  Winds have subsided thankfully!  However, it is cold and not going to get warmer as we head up to Montana and then head into Gardiner, MT at the Yellowstone NP entrance there!  Pay attention to weather warnings, etc., and drive your own drive!  Those who took a motorcycle training course will know what I am referring too!
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #27 –
Joe,

Museum of Clean is a new one on me.  I checked out their web site and am adding it to my list of places to visit.  Thanks for mentioning it.

Richard
Jan & Richard Witt
1999 U-320  36ft WTFE
Build Number: 5478 Motorcade: 16599
2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited w/Air Force One
Jan: NO5U, Richard:KA5RIW
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Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #28 –
"Passed many  trucks turned over on the side of the road and in the median." Those are called sleeping semis. <grin>

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #29 –
Quote from: folivier –
Bingo!  and that is the true danger for most of us.  I've had it happen coming through LaVeta pass in Colorado coming around a bend when the trees ended and a strong crosswind hit me broadsides and pushed me over the center line.  That will get the pucker factor up.  This type of crosswind is much more difficult and dangerous than a steady crosswind.
Also more happening when this happens. As the coach is being pushed by the gust it starts to roll from neutral and at the very same time you are adding input to counteract this reaction actually adding to the roll of the coach and adding more surface area by exposing more of the bottom of the coach. Basically making a bigger sail for a moment. Father you go the more you add until it's unrecoverable. I'm curious how much broadside wind speed would be needed to statically flip a coach over?
Scott

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #30 –
No way of accurately telling. Depends on the height of the coach, difference between wind speed and the gusts, reaction of the driver, traffic around the coach, how the coach is loaded inside, topography and last, vehicle speed. Lots more lateral Gs when you try to correct the faster you are going. Sometimes you can be stationary and blow over. Quick gust can get the mass moving and trying to stay in your lane can be all it takes. No one is quickly enough to react fast enough to keep the coach from changing directions and when you try to straighten it, over she goes.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #31 –
Quote from: Jan & Richard –
Joe,

Museum of Clean is a new one on me.  I checked out their web site and am adding it to my list of places to visit.  Thanks for mentioning it.

Richard

We did the tour and really enjoyed it.  I did not know that there were that many vacuum manufactures out there!  He has quite the collection of everything, including commodes and washing machines to boot!  $6 per person and you can spend 4 to 8 hours there!
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #33 –
When heading west from Texas into Arizona the weather was getting bad with a winter storm warning. I got a notice from text hub about bad weather ahead with winter storms and high winds. I could have either stayed in the Maria for 3 days waiting it out for try to get ahead of it. I went for it and made it to Benson Arizona with some strong winds but not nothing I couldn't handle. Same thing in Benson. Waited out or go on I decided to go on. I was a little bit unnerved in Arizona with all that high wind signs and dust storm signs but I continued. Only one time that I feel that maybe I bit off a little more than I could chew and that was when a tractor-trailer passed me on the left and his trailer started scissoring and almost clipped the front of my coach. Retarder on I took my foot off the gas and slowed down and let him passed and there was a couple times when I thought that I was going to have to jam the brakes on when he went over but he didn't he managed to keep it upright and down the road but it was close.
I made it to Salome without any real issues. And I would probably do it again the same way. I could have stayed in Balmorhea. I could have stayed in Benson. I said above I think it has to do with your level of risk tolerance versus avoidance. Since I don't have anybody sitting in the co-pilot chair yacking in my brain about it I can make my own decision. Hopefully I'll continue to make the right ones because the winds are not going away.
on a side note there was a country coach here the other day that had the whole roof covered in solar panels but they were about 10 in or more above the roof covering the air conditioners. I don't know how many watts he had on the roof but my guess is it was the maximum you could put on maybe 2000? Anyway I was wondering how that would feel driving down the road with that much windage that high up. My solar panels have about an inch of clearance between the bottom and the roof. I just wonder about that.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #35 –
So I would think that being ten inches above the top of the coach would add to the total square feet of surface area. Something else I had forgotten about is the negative pressure pulling on the down wind side. Think airplane wing. So not only is the wind pushing you but also pulling on the back side. At core values I love the idea of taking my own shade with me. My service truck I built for work has a 5'x8' deck on top of it. Genuinely makes a difference in the summer sun. Was going to add a similar shade on the Bronco project but make it out of canvas and aluminum tube. Strong enough to be on top of. Possibly sleep on rather than be on the ground with the snakes. Shade is very important too me. 5700 sqft around my home. Still hoping for more numbers. Travel speeds and crosswind speeds
Scott

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #36 –
https://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/50675.pdf

For F0 wind speeds of about 34 m/s (75 mi/hr), there should be no reference to vehicles in damage descriptions because they are not expected to be moved or tipped by the wind.
For F1 winds speeds of about 43 m/s (95 mi/hr), "Semi-trucks and other high profile trucks, trailers, and buses may be tipped over; cars, vans, and pickups are not tipped."
At F2 wind speeds of about 56 m/s (125 mi/hr), "Cars, vans, and pickups may be moved but fewer than 10% are tipped over."
At F3 wind speeds of about 70 m/s (155 mi/hr), "Cars, vans, and pickups are moved and 10% to 50% are tipped over. Vehicles that are tipped over may be rolled or lifted and thrown."
At F4 wind speeds of about 90 m/s (200 mi/hr), "More than 50% of cars, vans, and pickups are tipped over. Vehicles that are tipped over may be rolled or lifted and thrown."
Scott

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #37 –
A few years ago I was traveling North in the Prairies and looking back it would have been smarter to have waited another day
as it was really hard to keep the coach in its lane. I was driving a Monaco Dynasty but I think the Foretravel would have been
just as hard to control.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport
 

Re: Maximum crosswinds

Reply #38 –
Quote from: dsd –
https://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/50675.pdf

For F0 wind speeds of about 34 m/s (75 mi/hr), there should be no reference to vehicles in damage descriptions because they are not expected to be moved or tipped by the wind.
For F1 winds speeds of about 43 m/s (95 mi/hr), "Semi-trucks and other high profile trucks, trailers, and buses may be tipped over; cars, vans, and pickups are not tipped."
At F2 wind speeds of about 56 m/s (125 mi/hr), "Cars, vans, and pickups may be moved but fewer than 10% are tipped over."
At F3 wind speeds of about 70 m/s (155 mi/hr), "Cars, vans, and pickups are moved and 10% to 50% are tipped over. Vehicles that are tipped over may be rolled or lifted and thrown."
At F4 wind speeds of about 90 m/s (200 mi/hr), "More than 50% of cars, vans, and pickups are tipped over. Vehicles that are tipped over may be rolled or lifted and thrown."
Scott
Betting F0/75 mph crosswind would turn over a lot of RVs and trucks. That is the start of a Class 1 hurricane. Just imagine driving with a protective hill next to your lane when the hillside disappears into a draw, the wind moves you over two or three feet, you correct back into your lane and the next thing you hear and see is the side of your coach sliding along the pavement.

I left Hong Kong on the way to Manila in Force 10 winds in the dead of Winter. Cold and since I was pointing as high as I could so I would not miss the entrance to Manila Bay, the waves sounded like telephone poles hitting the hull every few seconds. I lost 18 pounds in 8 days and I was drinking sugar drinks to keep my energy up constantly. I had two reefs in the main and mizzen, the storm jib and still though it was going to bring down the rigging. Here is a more realistic description of what high winds will do. Beaufort scale - Wikipedia

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)