At certain speeds the washboard harmonics will hit just right and you'll feel not even connected to the road no matter what vehicle it is,depending on the road.But it is fun in the middle of nowhere to play rally driver for a while.
Truck and dirt roads
- Thread starter supton
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Add some weight to the bed definitely helps and also a lighter foot. Even my weak 3.4L will spin its rear end with no load on slick roads.
The Jetta has a solid beam in the rear. Does have Koni Red's for struts/shocks, albeit set to soft setting. Pretty stock otherwise, and with narrow rubber (195's).
I did go back yesterday, with the Jetta, and at the same speeds--25-30mph, give or take--the car was basically fine. Only in one spot did I think it was getting really loose, and in that spot it was clear to me that I could easily do so with a flick of the wrist. Actually, it was sliding around a bit, just not that badly. That stretch of road is signed at 30 or 35, I forget, and is usually paved, and gets a fair amount of traffic. [For some reason the town decided to strip it just prior to winter.] So I guess the truck is being just a truck, and I'm driving too hard for the road surface.
I do have to admit, I'm realizing now that I did pump up the tires on the truck, a bit over the door plate. I did some reading on "best" pressure for the tires I have, and it seemed like 36psi (rather than the 30/33 on the plate) might have best tire life. That no doubt is hurting, I forgot all about that.
I did go back yesterday, with the Jetta, and at the same speeds--25-30mph, give or take--the car was basically fine. Only in one spot did I think it was getting really loose, and in that spot it was clear to me that I could easily do so with a flick of the wrist. Actually, it was sliding around a bit, just not that badly. That stretch of road is signed at 30 or 35, I forget, and is usually paved, and gets a fair amount of traffic. [For some reason the town decided to strip it just prior to winter.] So I guess the truck is being just a truck, and I'm driving too hard for the road surface.
I do have to admit, I'm realizing now that I did pump up the tires on the truck, a bit over the door plate. I did some reading on "best" pressure for the tires I have, and it seemed like 36psi (rather than the 30/33 on the plate) might have best tire life. That no doubt is hurting, I forgot all about that.
good job--- going back with the jetta and doing a comparo. also good find on the tire pressure. FWD does greatly change the dynamics of what happens when things start to break loose. Sounds like the gaping difference between a FWD sedan and a RWD truck just surprised you.
I had to re-learn... wet roads, especially cold wet roads, can be very tricky when starting from a stop. Especially on an incline, or pulling out in a busy street from a side entrance. Especially if you have a mechanical LSD, which by doing its job can also break the other tire loose. Even more so as the tires age. You'll get used to it--- just drive it like you would your grampa's car.
-m
I had to re-learn... wet roads, especially cold wet roads, can be very tricky when starting from a stop. Especially on an incline, or pulling out in a busy street from a side entrance. Especially if you have a mechanical LSD, which by doing its job can also break the other tire loose. Even more so as the tires age. You'll get used to it--- just drive it like you would your grampa's car.
-m
Standard stuff. How well you learn to drive an empty truck on dirt/gravel roads would depend on how often you intend to visit your friend.
What's really fun is running down the road at 50 mph and skimming over all those pesky dips/bumps/ruts/washboards.
What's really fun is running down the road at 50 mph and skimming over all those pesky dips/bumps/ruts/washboards.
I think the solid axle just cannot keep the tires on the road over washboards.
Our family place is 3 miles of dirt roads with 1400' elevation climb.
My Acura MDX with SH AWD is amazing on dirt roads. It can kick power to either rear wheel 100% based on stability control to keep the vehicle from sliding out and works so effectively. I always turn on the torque graph of SH AWD when zipping along and you see it live in action.
I am unclear how 4wd would do much when the axles are coupled together for control. One thing for sure is primitive 4wd is much better for deep snow and mud. My traction control system gets quite confused in deep snow and mud. I have to disable the stability system I discovered as it would basically slow down until getting stuck(8-20" snow) with stability control.
Our family place is 3 miles of dirt roads with 1400' elevation climb.
My Acura MDX with SH AWD is amazing on dirt roads. It can kick power to either rear wheel 100% based on stability control to keep the vehicle from sliding out and works so effectively. I always turn on the torque graph of SH AWD when zipping along and you see it live in action.
I am unclear how 4wd would do much when the axles are coupled together for control. One thing for sure is primitive 4wd is much better for deep snow and mud. My traction control system gets quite confused in deep snow and mud. I have to disable the stability system I discovered as it would basically slow down until getting stuck(8-20" snow) with stability control.
Yeah, it just surprised me--new learning experience. I don't think I've driven RWD on dirt since '99 or so, and even then it wasn't that much. And I thought all I had to learn about was what fluids this would take!
The control issue I found: when I put it into 4HI, center locked (since there's no unlocked on my Tundra), the rear axle could not turn faster than the front. In 2HI the rear wheel(s) could spin faster than the front once they lost contact. So 4HI helps to tame consequences of wheel hop a bit.
The control issue I found: when I put it into 4HI, center locked (since there's no unlocked on my Tundra), the rear axle could not turn faster than the front. In 2HI the rear wheel(s) could spin faster than the front once they lost contact. So 4HI helps to tame consequences of wheel hop a bit.
Originally Posted By: ChemicallyChargd
Sounds like the truck is quite light on the rear, wouldn't say it's bad, on a dirt road I'd limit speed to a couple miles an hour unless your familiar with the road and every bump or rut if any. 4wd is nice to have on dirt roads, just remember on the pavement both front wheels want to turn at the same speed on most 4x4 trucks, you don't feel it on dirt because the inner wheel can slip a little in a turn, that's why it's bad to run a 4x4 in 4wd all the time unless the vehicle is geared and intended to be awd all the time. Just a little info tid bit. As far as a bad decision, you could have gone worse than a tundra, the 2013 Chevy 1500 5.3 is advertised at only 315hp with a push rod engine, Ford's 3.5liter v6 is making more than that. The tundra v8 coming from Toyota I'd imagine it's at least a SOHC and more than likely has 4v per cylinder Toyota hasn't made an engine in awhile that hasn't.
You mean fords, 3.5 L twin turbo v6 right? Just another GM basher is what you are! It took ford two turbos to out perform GM. Fords 3.7 naturally aspirated v6 puts out 302 hp, but at what rpm? Working a little hard there…
Sounds like the truck is quite light on the rear, wouldn't say it's bad, on a dirt road I'd limit speed to a couple miles an hour unless your familiar with the road and every bump or rut if any. 4wd is nice to have on dirt roads, just remember on the pavement both front wheels want to turn at the same speed on most 4x4 trucks, you don't feel it on dirt because the inner wheel can slip a little in a turn, that's why it's bad to run a 4x4 in 4wd all the time unless the vehicle is geared and intended to be awd all the time. Just a little info tid bit. As far as a bad decision, you could have gone worse than a tundra, the 2013 Chevy 1500 5.3 is advertised at only 315hp with a push rod engine, Ford's 3.5liter v6 is making more than that. The tundra v8 coming from Toyota I'd imagine it's at least a SOHC and more than likely has 4v per cylinder Toyota hasn't made an engine in awhile that hasn't.
You mean fords, 3.5 L twin turbo v6 right? Just another GM basher is what you are! It took ford two turbos to out perform GM. Fords 3.7 naturally aspirated v6 puts out 302 hp, but at what rpm? Working a little hard there…
Has nothing to do with YOUR truck; that's classic for *trucks* in general honestly.
I live on a 10-20 mile dirt-road & have all ranges of trucks, stemming from a super heavy truck with a very light-weight rear-end without a load; i.e. dodge cummins 4x4 2500, very notorious for doing the same as your Tundra. It does better by keeping tire psi in the rear a tad lower, which I can do without a load...if I have the trailer attached it doesn't tail spin at all.
Also own an '04 Tacoma 4dr, not quite as bad on the tail-spin; also have a 97 Isuzu Rodeo w/a 3/4 ton rear-end - this truck was truly known for doing that until I put new shocks on the rear along with better tires suited for dirt roads.
Driving a TRUCK on a dirt road has no resemblance to driving a car on a dirt road....that truck will handle VERY differently in good and bad ways, doesn't mean it's good or bad, it's just different and one has to learn that. A car will grab at the dirt faster, being front-wheel drive, which helps stabilize in corners; a truck has no weight in the rear, so it's going to feel floaty.
fwiw - I also own a town & country minivan, front-wheel drive; which behaves night/day difference on our dirt road than anyone of our trucks. I can go 10 mph faster, in general, in the minivan then I can in any of the 3 trucks.
I live on a 10-20 mile dirt-road & have all ranges of trucks, stemming from a super heavy truck with a very light-weight rear-end without a load; i.e. dodge cummins 4x4 2500, very notorious for doing the same as your Tundra. It does better by keeping tire psi in the rear a tad lower, which I can do without a load...if I have the trailer attached it doesn't tail spin at all.
Also own an '04 Tacoma 4dr, not quite as bad on the tail-spin; also have a 97 Isuzu Rodeo w/a 3/4 ton rear-end - this truck was truly known for doing that until I put new shocks on the rear along with better tires suited for dirt roads.
Driving a TRUCK on a dirt road has no resemblance to driving a car on a dirt road....that truck will handle VERY differently in good and bad ways, doesn't mean it's good or bad, it's just different and one has to learn that. A car will grab at the dirt faster, being front-wheel drive, which helps stabilize in corners; a truck has no weight in the rear, so it's going to feel floaty.
fwiw - I also own a town & country minivan, front-wheel drive; which behaves night/day difference on our dirt road than anyone of our trucks. I can go 10 mph faster, in general, in the minivan then I can in any of the 3 trucks.
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