Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Science of Washboarding
From:Rocket J Squirrel
Date:Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:55:17 -0700

On 9/27/2009 10:13 AM David Marshall wrote:

 > Mythbusters did something on this - there is some truth to driving
 > faster over wash board.

Yeah, I saw that episode, too. They determined that the ride inside was
smoother when driving fast enough that the suspension decouples the
vehicle from the washboard surface.* They didn't address wear and tear on
the tires and suspension and weren't using a Vanagon anyway so there was
.... NO VANAGON CONTENT!

=============
*  Roughly when the frequency of washboard-induced vibrations is above the
resonant frequency of the suspension's compliance working into the mass of
the vehicle. A gross oversimplification: Mike S or someone pointed out to
me that the Vanagon's mass/compliance system is far more complex than the
simple model of a weight hung from a spring.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR