Washboard Roads .... uuuggghhhh

[Todd_Rammit2023]

Again new to ram and these trucks but came to visit the mother for the ol mother's day up in angel fire NM and came a different route than normal. ended up on some nasty washboard dirt roads for a short time. I was driving slowly around 20mph give or take a few depending on the spot. Obviously when i hit the washboard sections i attempted to slow down but how bad are those on newer trucks? I felt like the whole dam truck was shaking apart even at lower speeds and trying my best to be cautious due to my ocd about my truck especially being almost new and definitely new to me.... I want to keep it as long as possible didnt feel like that road did me any favors =-(

 

[Darksteel165]

Should be fine.
It's going to feel shaky because of what you are driving on lol.
As long as you don't get airtime should be fine imo.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Take your sway bars off they'll feel a lot better.

 

[Dewey]

Drive faster. You’ll feel them less. Kinda like moguls on a snowmobile trail.

 

[hockeyboy]

Drive faster. You’ll feel them less. Kinda like moguls on a snowmobile trail.

I saw an episode of the show Mythbusters about this. They said it was true. Faster driving on washboard roads actually results in a smoother ride.

 

[H2OMAN]

I saw an episode of the show Mythbusters about this. They said it was true. Faster driving on washboard roads actually results in a smoother ride.

It is true. Especially if you have Bilsteins

 

[Darksteel165]

I saw an episode of the show Mythbusters about this. They said it was true. Faster driving on washboard roads actually results in a smoother ride.

Makes sense for me.
Less time for the suspension to fully adapt to the bumps.
Same thing with speed bumps, there's a few nearly I go fast over because it's smoother then going slow. It they are really big slowing is nicer on the truck. I also have air suspension to that might change how it is. Going faster\harsher results in a smoother ride.

Either way the truck isn't going to break.

 

[WXman]

The reason these trucks feel so out of sorts is because they use a coil spring rear. So not only is the axle cycling vertically, but it's also cycling horizontally because they have to rely on a track bar to locate the axle. They can feel quite squirrely at times compared to a tried and true leaf setup.

 

[jkm312]

This brought back a memory and a smile for me. First time I ever drove a truck, I was 12 years old with my Grandfather out on a gravel country road. Was doing alright, 53 Chevy, 3 on the tree. Came around a banked curve with a washboard in it. Truck went sideways and I kept on the road OK. My Grandfather being a rock steady salt of the earth kind of person just said matter of factly, "Damn you have to be good to get them all."

 

[millerbjm]

Definitely true that you'd be better at 40 mph. I drive a lot of forest roads with washboard and below 30mpg it's terrible but get going a bit and you don't feel it.

 

[boogielander]

like many said before, washboards = speed up time.
40mph+ works better.

Also, if you have shocks developed by race shock companies (Fox 2.5 or King) and go fast you will have a lot of fun.
Speaking from experience.

 

[SD Rebel]

Again new to ram and these trucks but came to visit the mother for the ol mother's day up in angel fire NM and came a different route than normal. ended up on some nasty washboard dirt roads for a short time. I was driving slowly around 20mph give or take a few depending on the spot. Obviously when i hit the washboard sections i attempted to slow down but how bad are those on newer trucks? I felt like the whole dam truck was shaking apart even at lower speeds and trying my best to be cautious due to my ocd about my truck especially being almost new and definitely new to me.... I want to keep it as long as possible didnt feel like that road did me any favors =-(

As mentioned, your best option is to go faster, the slower you go the harder the washboards are on your vehicle. For me, 35-40 mph or so is the sweet spot, this is with full tire pressure. You can also drive very slow, like 4mph, but that would take forever.

However, you want the best ride, drop your air pressure to around 20 psi, washboards became smooth even at lower speeds. Though this isn't ideal if you are only on them a short time and don't have an easy way to deflate and inflate your tires.

Don't worry about the stress on the truck, they are designed for it.....

 

[HSKR R/T]

Drive faster. You’ll feel them less. Kinda like moguls on a snowmobile trail.

I wish more people could figure this out. There is a set of railroad tracks on a 45mph road where I live. If you hit them at 44-50mph, you barely notice them. But there are those who will slow down for them, some even as slow as 15 mph, and they feel horrible. Which then makes them slow down more.

 

[Scram1500]

Again new to ram and these trucks but came to visit the mother for the ol mother's day up in angel fire NM and came a different route than normal. ended up on some nasty washboard dirt roads for a short time. I was driving slowly around 20mph give or take a few depending on the spot. Obviously when i hit the washboard sections i attempted to slow down but how bad are those on newer trucks? I felt like the whole dam truck was shaking apart even at lower speeds and trying my best to be cautious due to my ocd about my truck especially being almost new and definitely new to me.... I want to keep it as long as possible didnt feel like that road did me any favors =-(

Your rear tire pressure might be too high. Unless loaded or towing try 34 psi in the rear. Also, if this was a used truck make sure it doesn't have helper bags or something

 

[Richard320]

Just to echo what's been said.... Maybe 30 years ago I was in Death Valley in my 1988 Ranger and drove to Skidoo. The road was total washboard -- I could barely steer. Were it not for the seatbelt I would have slammed my head on the ceiling. I went slower and slower and it got worse and worse and then I had a lightbulb moment. If slower meant worse, faster might mean better. And so it was. It felt like I was giving it the old Twin-I-Beam Torture test (Some of you may be old enough to remember the commercials) and playing desert racer hauling across the desert at 50 mph. I must have left a dust cloud half a mile long, which was fine, because the guy I passed going the other way was, too, so we both knew there was someone else on the road and we were both able to coast down and creep past each other.

 

[boogielander]

Just to echo what's been said.... Maybe 30 years ago I was in Death Valley in my 1988 Ranger and drove to Skidoo. The road was total washboard -- I could barely steer. Were it not for the seatbelt I would have slammed my head on the ceiling. I went slower and slower and it got worse and worse and then I had a lightbulb moment. If slower meant worse, faster might mean better. And so it was. It felt like I was giving it the old Twin-I-Beam Torture test (Some of you may be old enough to remember the commercials) and playing desert racer hauling across the desert at 50 mph. I must have left a dust cloud half a mile long, which was fine, because the guy I passed going the other way was, too, so we both knew there was someone else on the road and we were both able to coast down and creep past each other.

we did DV many times and can confirm airing down + speed makes it a hella fun drive. We all run chase lights (basically rear facing bright LEDs in amber color) to let the people behind us know our position despite the big clouds of dust.

In one trip we just skidded through all the washboards and did :
Day 1: Los Angeles -> Ridgecrest -> Barker Ranch
Day 2: Barker Ranch -> Mengel Pass -> Geologist Cabin -> Warm Spring Camp -> West End Road -> Furnace Creek -> Beatty (Fuel stop) -> Ubehebe Crater Rd -> Death Valley Rd -> Eureka Dunes
Day 3: Eureka Dunes -> Death Valley Rd -> Waucoba Saline Rd -> Wheeler Canyon -> Saline Valley -> Saline Valley Rd -> CA-190 ->Los Angeles

Going fast enough and it felt like we were driving Baja trucks lol

 

[Insanity]

I wish more people could figure this out. There is a set of railroad tracks on a 45mph road where I live. If you hit them at 44-50mph, you barely notice them. But there are those who will slow down for them, some even as slow as 15 mph, and they feel horrible. Which then makes them slow down more.

There are a few sets of tracks near me that if you don't let up you just sail over them. Tires may just kiss them but people slow down and creep over them because they are just straight trash. Like just do 55 scardy cat.