Terrible handling on gravel roads

pdxhiker

Member
I was out in Eastern Oregon last weekend checking out few remote places (away from all the crowds). I drove probably 100 miles on gravel roads where the road is even but with ribs like profile (small bumps), the vehicle handled terribly fishtailing many times where it felt like driving on ice/snow. Engaging 4x4 seemed to help but not whole lot. Any idea what is happening? I have taken Subaru and Prius on the same road few years ago and they did very well, but with Sprinter I felt I will lose control go to the ditch or worse fall off the cliff into the river at few hairy sections. The van is stock without any conversion, is this due to lack of weight or stock tires or tall vehicle means center of gravity is not optimal?
 

tinman

Well-known member
My datapoint. I drove 1100 miles on gravel, variable conditions, a few years ago without any extraordinary handling issues. As a class B, fairly well loaded. Airbags on the rear. Tire pressures (Michelin LTV) 80 psi rear, 55 front per upfitter's recommendation. I think, based on experience with other vehicles, aft load helps.
 

Mike DZ

2016 View 24V (2015 3500)
Some will disagree, but I find that good rear shocks will make a difference on washboard for rear wheel drive vehicles. First learned it in 1978 in my full size Blazer.
 

ENMeyer

Well-known member
Washboard is brutal. Air WAY down and aim for the non-washboard, try better shocks, but I don't think there's a really good fix unless you put some massive tires at 15 psi. Make sure to air up when getting back on the highway.
 

pdxhiker

Member
The whole point of buying a 4x4 is to goto those places and not be stuck in a campground. If the same road wasn't brutal to the tiny-weeny Prius go figure MB :)

I might check the TP, never had to check since it came straight from the factory/dealer.
 

Eric Experience

Well-known member
Hiker.
Driving on gravel roads is a lot safer and comfortable with 30 psi front and 25 psi rear, also when you are sitting up high you tend to drive faster. Eric.
 

pdxhiker

Member
is..20-30mph faster? 30/25 psi for stock van without additional conversion tied weight? does it also work on the highway?
 

VAN7

Member
Did you have load out back?
Pickup trucks fish tail with no weight, old bush trick is to get narrow sandbags and put them at back.
Be careful on interior weight like this .. need to cargo net down etc..
 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
I just got back from 11 days on the road with extensive dirt-road travel every day on a variety of different surfaces from smooth packed sand to washboard to cobblestone rock and rocks ledges. My longest drive was out to Alstrom Point where you get all that in one drive. For that particular nasty road I aired down to 22 lbs, and had an absolutely plush ride. But even with full pressure (75lbs/75lbs as set by the dealer) I never experienced what you described.

Was the gravel you were on deep? Deep gravel does what you describe, particularly on motorcycles. It grabs your wheels and deflects you around which at first is scary as hell. But once you get used to it, you just drive with a light touch, guiding the vehicle where you want to it go, ignore the wiggling and let the vehicle do its thing. If it wasn't deep gravel then I'm stumped.
 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
OK, packed gravel with washboard. I think you just needed to air-down. I found 22 lbs to be simply awesome and you can fly down a road like that in complete comfort and control.

This is a section of the trail going out to Alstrom Point. If you want to get there, you have to do this. I wish I hadn't stopped the video near the top when it got hairy, but I really needed to concentrate and use two hands.

 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
Did your Sprinter feel like it was chattering on that washboard? Vibrating?

Look how smooth I can travel on these roads, even over ruts and small rocks.

 

Eric B

Well-known member
@VanGoSki did you say your factory air pressure was set to 75/75? .... wow ! The driver side door jamb sticker for tire pressure states 46F 70R for my 170 Cargo 4x4... Did I read you right?
 

VanGoSki

Well-known member
@VanGoSki did you say your factory air pressure was set to 75/75? .... wow ! The driver side door jamb sticker for tire pressure states 46F 70R for my 170 Cargo 4x4... Did I read you right?
Yessir! They even had the TPMS set to that. I looked on the door pillar as well before airing back up to 46/62. Stupid gas-station pump wouldn't go over 62! LOL.

And why gas station air? I pulled out my portable pump and found this.



Yes, the filler hose was in five pieces. WTH?
 

VAN7

Member
U can get vibration dampers on rear leaf think option ct21

Dealer can order part and u can install..
 

Eric B

Well-known member
@VAN7 You can't buy the vibration dampers by themselves, you need to buy new leaf springs with them already attached from the factory

These will help with the known 70mph resonance on an empty cargo on the freeway (they are standard on passenger vans, opt on cargo), but they will not help much on dirt / washboard roads outlined here
 

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