On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, James H. McCarthy wrote:

> I recently took a very hard look at a Riata.  The graywater outlet ran
> downward toward the front of the vehicle with a clearance of less than nine
> inches at the end.  It looked like a good candidate for pole vaulting when
> driving over a speed bump.  Jim McCarthy
This probably wouldnt cause a pole vault.  The greywater outlet is most
likely plastic or light gauge metal.  The reason that the center
driveshaft polevaults a car is because it is FIRMLY attatched at both
ends, is a large steel pipe capable of handling tons of force, and the
back end has something solid to push on.

If the front end comes undone and digs in, teh car continues forward, and
the driveshaft doesnt.  Since the driveshaft is so strong and well
attached the car will fly in the air or the driveshaft will push the
engine out the back of the car (more likely that it would come off its
mountings, then get stuck in the back end of the chassis, thus leading to
a polevault and all sorts of other complications.)

So, IMHO, a camper accessory is not likely to cause an entire van to
hurtle through the air.

If i am incorrect or way off, please let me know.  I wouldnt want to
misinform anyone.

Peace,

Steve
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    A box of rain will ease the pain, and love will see you through
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spwhite@artsci.wustl.edu     	       http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~spwhite