non mb diesel stuff - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 07-20-2005, 01:42 AM

i just returned from a trip to texas with my 03 dodge with six speed and cummins. some observations:

1. i recently installed rancho 9000 (i think) , the heaviest duty available with 9 position adjustment available. the shocks transform the dodge. before when i hit small bumps the front wheels would float and lose traction, especially unnerving when on a turn and pulling my 9000 pound trailer. also the front end bottomed at the smallest suggestion of a bump and the rear bottomes too easily as well. all of the above problems are cured and the ride is very good too. i have the fronts on the stiffist positon and the rears on the softest when solo driving and stiffist when towing.

2. the highest i paid was 2.49 the lowest was 2.29. i saw 2.21 but didnt need fuel at the time.

3. what is it with some truckers? they think that they should regulate traffic. i was coming to a place that narrowed to one lane for construction. i was about a half mile from it cruising in the left lane. a trucker pulled over in front of me forcing me to brake. i pulled into the right lane, cleared traffic and slipped around him. when i came up behind the other traffic, he pulled up to within 3' of my bumper. i looked in the mirror and saw him give me the finger. eventually he backed off, but what is it? he thinks if he decides it is time to move to the left lane that his decision is god like and nobody should dare to pass? traffic was light and there were no cars or trucks near us when this occurred.

another thing they do is when there is traffic backed up because of construction they will drive two abreast and block any body from passing them. i have never figured out what the purpose of this is.

stayalert · #2 07-20-2005, 07:00 AM

I agree shocks can make a big difference

Is the tongue weight of your trailer too high? (could contribute to "float" you described) of course it could just be that your fronts shocks were sacked and not providing damping or well.....shock absorbtion

As for truckers? I dunno but I would think that like any set of people you're going to have your good, your bad, and your ugly.....

I'm not suggesting that your passing on the right incident was typical of your driving or preffered by you but it reminded my of some bumper stickers.....

Cheers

t walgamuth · #3 07-20-2005, 09:32 AM

the tongue weight is about 1000#. i have a leveling hitch with anti fishtailing. the shocks were sacked and were sacked from the day they were new! the factory shocks are just hopeless. i have been trying to buy the ranchos since i bought the truck new but they just became available. i guess they dont offer aftermarket shocks until they feel people will buy them (2 or 3 years).

i offfer this info because i note that quite a few people have dodges on the site.

SD Blue · #4 07-20-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

3. what is it with some truckers? they think that they should regulate traffic. i was coming to a place that narrowed to one lane for construction. i was about a half mile from it cruising in the left lane. a trucker pulled over in front of me forcing me to brake. i pulled into the right lane, cleared traffic and slipped around him. when i came up behind the other traffic, he pulled up to within 3' of my bumper. i looked in the mirror and saw him give me the finger. eventually he backed off, but what is it? he thinks if he decides it is time to move to the left lane that his decision is god like and nobody should dare to pass? traffic was light and there were no cars or trucks near us when this occurred.

another thing they do is when there is traffic backed up because of construction they will drive two abreast and block any body from passing them. i have never figured out what the purpose of this is.

I definitely understand their reasoning and agree with them. Some folks, even after umpteen signs about lane closure, will not merge and cause a steady stream through the construction area. Instead, they race down to the end of the lane to be closed and cause everything to come to a halt when they rudely try to cut over at the last minute. A large truck could be 3rd in line and by the time he gears up he ends up slamming on the brakes again.

Recently, I saw a lady race past a truck in this situation, when he merged, and nearly hit a highway patrol officer. Needless to say, she was stopped and did not save any time.

She was "waved at" by a couple of horn toots.

t walgamuth · #5 07-20-2005, 06:41 PM

i have to drive perfectly to get any sympathy here?

ok, but you guys just wait til you need some!

jsp · #6 07-20-2005, 07:29 PM

On the merging thing:

Yes, there are those extremely selfish brats who don't merge until the last second and cause the flow to stop. I try not to be one, unless for some reason I was not paying attention. Sometimes, at about 20 or 30 feet before the merge point, I merge very leisurely, keeping the car 1/2 in one lane and 1/2 in the other, to "discourage" just those brats.

On the other hand, there are those on the other extreme who insist that everyone should merge a mile in advance of the lane closure, and in effect leave a perfectly good lane open. They get mad at anyone who merges from the right, and tailgate and speed up to prevent the guy on the right from merging in. This defeats the whole purpose of "merging."

Also, I don't like those drivers who feel, just because they are on the left side, that they have the right not to yield. If both lanes are slow, then it should be every other car. Right?

Well, have I made enough enemies yet?

iNeon · #7 07-20-2005, 07:38 PM

the only time i sped up and dont let someone merge in that situation is when they stay 12" from my back bumper and then try to jump a dozen cars just as the lane is ending.

let them sit there.

t walgamuth · #8 07-20-2005, 09:09 PM

as i stated in the post, first, most truckers are fine but a few are overly aggressive using their 40 ton rigs to intimidate.

this situation was really inoccuous, there wasn't another vehicle for a quarter mile in any direction and the truck pulled over into the fast lane about half mile from the cones that forced a left merge by the right lane.

in retrospect i think that he intended to be a stinker by pulling in front of me and was pissed that i went on around anyway. i didn't force anybody to change what they were doing, but he did me.

t walgamuth · #9 07-24-2005, 12:15 AM

i traveled about 2000 miles, probably averaged 75 mph with some 80 and some 65 mixed in and did four fill ups and probably averaged about 20 mpg for the trip. a little town driving too. this is just the truck with no trailer.

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