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Old 05-21-2023, 09:11 AM   #1
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Name: Tim
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Minnesota
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bouncy hiways

Has anyone attempted to map out our wonderful freeway system to section out those parts where driving/towing your RV trailer is dangerous to your health and equipment by simply driving over uneven concrete roads not good for yours/mine fiberglass trailers.


I travel the same route every year from Minneapolis to Florida and certain sections of my route I have identified as unacceptable for towing my Scamp 16' behind my Dodge Caravan. Your teeth can fall out from the bumpy ride.


I 94 from St.Paul to Hudson Wisconsin...........possibly the worst stretch of highway to be found in the entire US. I 94 from Tomah to Portage in WI. Take alternate highway #16 to avoid. I 39 in Illinois from Rockford to LaSalle.


After that my journey through Kentucky,Tenn,Alabama and Florida are all acceptable decent highways. I guess being south of the Mason/Dickson line makes highway construction/maintenance a little better.


Anyway........if you would like to add more Freeways to this, I will put it on my map.


Swenny
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Old 05-21-2023, 09:41 AM   #2
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It's been many many years since I drove east of the Mississippi, but I remember how bad the Pennsylvania and Ohio Turnpikes were. Potholes and dead deer everywhere.
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Old 05-21-2023, 01:05 PM   #3
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PA interstates are still poured sections of concrete that have dipped at the pour seams/joints. I-84, I-81 last weekend from NY-NJ-PA intersection to Carlisle.
I-80 was also 'disjointed' last time I drove it, but decades ago.
The concrete joints are an annoyance even without a trailer.

I've noticed that the torsion axles are less prone to jumping than leaf spring axle trailers, maybe just the trailers I've had?
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Old 05-21-2023, 02:57 PM   #4
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More Bounce per Mile!

It's been awhile so maybe these two sections of Interstate have been improved, but I doubt it!

When we drove up (and back) to get our Scamp, I-94 from Minneapolis up to White Cloud was so "rough" people were pulling over to check if they had a flat.

And then I-76 from Denver up toward Nebraska, where it merges with I-80 was almost as bad, at least in the right lane. I was able to occasionally get some relief over in the left lane, but of course had to keep getting out of other peoples way.
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Old 05-21-2023, 07:36 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swenny View Post
Has anyone attempted to map out our wonderful freeway system to section out those parts where driving/towing your RV trailer is dangerous to your health and equipment by simply driving over uneven concrete roads not good for yours/mine fiberglass trailers.


I travel the same route every year from Minneapolis to Florida and certain sections of my route I have identified as unacceptable for towing my Scamp 16' behind my Dodge Caravan. Your teeth can fall out from the bumpy ride.


I 94 from St.Paul to Hudson Wisconsin...........possibly the worst stretch of highway to be found in the entire US. I 94 from Tomah to Portage in WI. Take alternate highway #16 to avoid. I 39 in Illinois from Rockford to LaSalle.


After that my journey through Kentucky,Tenn,Alabama and Florida are all acceptable decent highways. I guess being south of the Mason/Dickson line makes highway construction/maintenance a little better.


Anyway........if you would like to add more Freeways to this, I will put it on my map.


Swenny
Twin cities to Madison was just NEVER right.
Whoever ran the screed when pouring the concrete should be ashamed!
Still, concrete is usually not as nice as blacktop.
Poor little Scamp looks like a basket ball behind the truck

I-57 to I-24 to I-75 are great especially I-75 south from Atlanta!
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Old 05-22-2023, 04:13 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by swenny View Post

After that my journey through Kentucky,Tenn,Alabama and Florida are all acceptable decent highways. I guess being south of the Mason/Dickson line makes highway construction/maintenance a little better.


Swenny
Here in the frozen north, water freezing and thawing turns a freshly paved road into broken pavement and pot holes in as little as 5 years. Not something you're likely to see much of south of the Mason-Dixon line. And this time of year all the broken pavement becomes airborne, headed right for your windshield. On the bright side, shops that do tire changeover, wheel alignment and wind shield replacement are all very busy. Good for the economy and no doubt tax revenues.
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Old 05-22-2023, 07:30 AM   #7
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It's a rolling earthquake out here!

Quote:
Originally Posted by swenny View Post
I 94 from St.Paul to Hudson Wisconsin...........possibly the worst stretch of highway to be found in the entire US. I 94 from Tomah to Portage in WI. Take alternate highway #16 to avoid. I 39 in Illinois from Rockford to LaSalle.Swenny
I'm boondocking in Indiana and just drove from west central Wisconsin to Indianapolis. I have damaged 3 different RVs 4 times over the years from coast to coast. the biggest problem areas are bridge approaches, really bad when traffic is on the shoulder.
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Old 05-22-2023, 07:31 AM   #8
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Haven't been there in many years, but I-10 "down south," pretty much East-West in direction, was about as bad as any road I've ever driven on.
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Old 05-22-2023, 06:26 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Rod D View Post
...And then I-76 from Denver up toward Nebraska, where it merges with I-80 was almost as bad, at least in the right lane. I was able to occasionally get some relief over in the left lane, but of course had to keep getting out of other peoples way.
I also look for relief in the left lane on I 76. Usually when we take it, the traffic is light and I check the rear view mirror constantly.
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Old 05-23-2023, 07:16 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rod D View Post
When we drove up (and back) to get our Scamp, I-94 from Minneapolis up to White Cloud was so "rough" people were pulling over to check if they had a flat.

It's been awhile so maybe these two sections of Interstate have been improved, but I doubt it!
There were two sections of I 94 near St Cloud that never should have been approved. We used to take them every time we went to Mpls/SP (we've now moved 300 miles SE to Lanesboro). I know the one has been entirely replaced (I doubt it lasted five years) and I believe the other (by Clearwater) either has been or is currently being replaced.

Let's not even get into the discussion about Wisconsin and their poor roads. I do know the worst streets in Minnesota are in Duluth.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 05-23-2023, 03:57 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Meadowlark View Post
It's been many many years since I drove east of the Mississippi, but I remember how bad the Pennsylvania and Ohio Turnpikes were. Potholes and dead deer everywhere.
10 years ago or so, we were pulling our big Airstream that we had at the time through PA and had the same luck. Somehow, the length of our rig hit the wavy surface of the highway that the big rigs cause at some sort of "harmonic point." It made the whole rig bounce up in the air--very unsettling. Our rig was just the wrong length...

When we got back home, the truck wasn't acting right. Turns out we had completely broken one of our heavy duty Monroe shocks on the truck. We were just lucky we got back home without any bad incident. The trailer was fine though--the rubber axles were no worse for wear, and we didn't end up with any weird cabinet problems or anything. The shock was replaced under warranty (along with the other side, also covered).

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Old 05-24-2023, 07:05 AM   #12
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I drive a tractor trailer. We are encouraged to stay in the far right lane. Many highways are just beat up by the trucks. If it's too bad just move left a lane. That's what I do.
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Old 05-24-2023, 08:31 AM   #13
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I used to hitchhike when I was in my late teens and 20's. On the Winnipeg bypass I got a ride with a day cab semi that was hauling gravel. The Winnipeg bypass is also made of poured sections of concrete that have dipped at the pour seams/joints, just like Jon MB describes above. The truck shook so much that I found myself airborne about half of the time. I looked over at the driver and he was trying, (and failing) to get his cigarette out of his nose.
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Old 05-24-2023, 09:55 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by jwcolby123 View Post
I drive a tractor trailer. We are encouraged to stay in the far right lane. Many highways are just beat up by the trucks. If it's too bad just move left a lane. That's what I do.


Yup! I move to the left lane on rough roads whenever possible.

You almost had to on those two spots on I-94 near St Cloud.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 05-24-2023, 10:49 AM   #15
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left lane

Has anyone tried driving in the left lane with you warning lights flashing indicating vehicle in distress . Would that warn or placate faster drivers from behind that they must move to the right lane and pass, or would you be inviting anger from the road rage folks?
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Old 05-24-2023, 11:46 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by swenny View Post
Has anyone tried driving in the left lane with you warning lights flashing indicating vehicle in distress . Would that warn or placate faster drivers from behind that they must move to the right lane and pass, or would you be inviting anger from the road rage folks?
Unfortunately, in many states you can be ticketed for driving in the left lane except for passing...
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Old 05-24-2023, 12:32 PM   #17
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I would never force people to pass on the right, and yes, you will make folks angry if you do. I occasionally drive and tow in the left lane when the right lane is in poor condition, but only when traffic is light, and I move right when there is overtaking traffic.

I only see roads getting worse. More trucks, more vehicles overall, heavier electric vehicles, and declining highway budgets as funds are diverted to clean energy projects….

Our local highway is a hot mess after two hard winters, and I was told it’s not due for a full resurfacing for 5 years. So instead, they patch, and then patch the patches…
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Old 05-25-2023, 08:28 AM   #18
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Haven't been there in many years, but I-10 "down south," pretty much East-West in direction, was about as bad as any road I've ever driven on.
The part of I 10 in Louisiana was built over swampland and has the heaves in places such as the long bridge West of Baton Rouge.
Also US 90 Lafayette to New Orleans.
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Old 05-27-2023, 10:23 AM   #19
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Roads VS Scamp

Y'all are missing the real problem:
Roads are there as they are. You can't change that.
We stay off the interstates as much as possible, have less traffic, and better, usually asphalt roads.
Your excessive bouncing - is caused by the trailer/TV going into resonance with the cracks in the pavement. you have to either slow down, or speed up to get away from that resonant frequency. And, pay attention to weight distribution in the trailer. keep the weight forward for 15% or more on the hitch.
Also- is your hitch drawbar to receiver fit loose? that will aggravate the problem.
And most important, the wheel base - distance from TV rear axle to Scamp Axle,
If that matches the space between highway slabs, it will bounce like crazy.
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Old 05-27-2023, 06:27 PM   #20
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Haven't been there in many years, but I-10 "down south," pretty much East-West in direction, was about as bad as any road I've ever driven on.
Greg,
We will never travel that road again in Louisana....period!!!!!!!!
John
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