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Old 10-30-2016, 12:06 PM   #901 (permalink)
slowmover
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
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Yup, we be a long way from beginning.

I'll bet it's great to drive, now!

IMO, time to play with tire pressures. The, "maximize the contact patch width & length versus reduced RR", as driver ought to be able to better decipher crosswind effects from road surface irregularities.

Whatever will reduce steering wheel twitches is gold. (Corrections per 100-miles being a measurable FE reducer per Cummins). On my last tractor, going from 110-psi to 100-psi was big in ride quality, and bigger in being able to "let go" of the steering wheel. On my CTD Dodge, 5-psi over Load & Pressure Table values -- solo or towing -- means less wheel twitch. Better ride, and directional stability less affected by crosswinds.

Had gotten the "noise" out of the system (truck with 35' trailer;,combined length 63') in using a virtual pivot projection hitch (trailer could not move unless turn initiated by truck); what remained was movement of truck body versus suspension. Added rear anti roll bar and upsized front bar.

Still could use a Panhard Rod, and age/miles means new bed and cab bushings would help. Same for steering compon by wear.

But tire pressure is a way of balancing its FE possibilities against need to reduce vibrations transmitted to driver to maintain fine motor skills on those 300+ mile days.

Summation is that by reducing tire pressure from high to lower is to reduc their noise to listen for other "noise in the system" (what causes higher effort or sustained effort by driver).


Last edited by slowmover; 10-30-2016 at 12:40 PM..
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