Lots of Easter eggs and experience contained in this post. Summarizing techniques it looks like; airing down the tires, match speed to road surface (safely), Driving on smooth parts using all of the road to minimize washboard effect, use adjustable (air) shocks as necessary if you have them, maintain your equipment and don't wheel when tired. Did I miss anything? Some of you guys need to collaborate and then write a book...
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Jefe: I am also glad you lived to "tell the tale", but my wife will never read that story! She already gets pretty nervous when she is not at the wheel of control...
wsedpa: The Hole-in-the-Rock Road is one of the culprits on my truck, and especially where you hit the county line part-way down. I guess they don't get the graders in there too much. Some friends tell me "just stay off the washboard roads" but when you spend as much time as we do hiking in the canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau, in southern Utah, it's a necessity for two reasons: to get to a destination off one of those roads, or to shortcut many additional hours of driving the relatively few blacktop roads. If you're hiking in the region, don't miss opportunities off the unpaved Cottonwood Road, Skutumpah Road, House Rock Valley Road, etc....but be prepared for an occasional rough ride. The Hole-in-the-Rock Road seems to be the one that seems to have the longest stretch of washboarding.
I have airbags in the rear, so other than that, it seems like the keys could be: trying to stay on the least-washboarded part of the road (which I think many of us instinctively try to do); using 4wd; dropping tire pressure, at least by some amount; and possibly dialing down the shocks. Thanks to everyone for all the advice.
Mike
P.S. By the way, Jefe: I think you've paraphrased Blazing Saddles, and before that the Treasure of the Sierra Madre with "Shocks? We doan' need no steenkeeng shocks!"....as I remember, the guy who said that ended up dead....! so thanks for the lesson!
I can vouch for the 70mph thing working.... A rented Trailblazer on that road into Chaco Canyon a couple of years ago I drove in early morning slow and was beat to death. Regressed back to those days of being 20 and drove out at sunset whooping like an idiot. Great fun, but probably stupid. I did slow down long before the corners.....
wsdepa wrote: "You have to drive faster than seems sane on washboard. There were times when I drove up to 70 mph on washboard. Of course this was not in a loaded TC (oh, plus I was in my twenties)"
and Northriver wrote: "I can vouch for the 70mph thing working.... A rented Trailblazer on that road into Chaco Canyon a couple of years ago."
Hmmm? There is a pattern here. Some kind of truth is emerging. It's all about ownership.
Nothing off-roads like a rented or company car.
No car that you own corners, or brakes, or loads up like a rental or co. car. Nothing.
No vehicle washboards like a rental or co. car.
Faster the better. Finding the harmonic rhythm of the washboard? Who cares? The tires are probably half flat anyway if it's a rental, so not to worry. Smoother ride, better sand traction. So what if they're hot.
Hey, you're getting MORE than your money's worth.
I just haven't heard anyone on here mention they actually drive 50, 60, or 70 mph in their OWN TC.on a washboard road. 8<)
Yes, I've driven thousands of miles of washboard in jeeps with lowered pressure, and @50-60 mph. No harm no foul. Well, actually, I think I cracked my jeep's frame doing this last Nov. in Death Valley. It's in the shop now getting frame plated.
regards, as always, jefe
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Thought about this post just today, We took a ride down Utah 128 byway (Cisco cutoff to Moab) we turned down a dirt road leading to Fishers Towers and sure enough about 50 yards into it the washboard started, Remembering what I had read here I reached down and pulled it back into 4wd and gave it a little more pedal, the wife asked what I was doing and I told her "Consider it research" sure enough the ride did smooth out somewhat.
Sure is a lot of nice boondocking sites along that stretch.
Yeah Jefe ya got me there.... I will admit I would not even dream of doing that in a loaded truck or even my own vehicle at this point in my life (I'm 52) but I let that lapse for a few miles on a regresive impulse while in that rental... but the point was there is a cadence thing that seems to happen when you reach the right speed that feels as if one is driving at the perfect match to the tops of the "note" if you will. Again I am normally not that foolish, but back in the motorcycle days I was religious about wearing a helmet even before the laws were enacted- except for that occasional spring morning, just to feel the wind in my hair....
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