Driving in windy conditions

I agree with others, 16 mph shouldn't be a problem. I prefer not to drive when wind reaches 25 mph, if it will be a crosswind. Size and kind of RV, and comfort level, is different for everyone.

Know what direction the wind is coming from, so you will know what to expect while driving, i.e. so you won't think anything is wrong with the motorhome.

Much like aviators.....Take off is optional. Landing is mandatory! 16 MPH is easy and you should not even notice it. I, on the other hand, ignored the warnings in AZ that said something about wind and high profile vehicles. We drove right into, a new word I quickly learned, the Santa Anna's! 60 MPH broadside winds. We watched tractor-trailers ahead of us have the wheels of the trailer lifted from the ground. There was no passing anyone for fear of sudden lane changes. We hung on for dear life as there were no exits shoulders or pull-offs for many many miles.
I learned what the coach can and cannot do but I now pay much closer attention to posted warnings!

RRTom wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
"If "your rig handles badly in 16 mph there's something seriously wrong somewhere but I doubt you will have any issues,
:C

Thanks, this is what I am looking for. I can't visualize winds of different speeds. I feel better now about the trip.

You're welcome... As a former/retired professional boat captain I used to routinely bet my life on being able to judge the weather in general and specifically wind speeds. When in doubt as to the conditions you will encounter remember this old boat Captain's mantra...

The only weather you can control is the weather you choose to leave in"

It took me three times of not following that sage advice, nearly got myself seriously dead all three times, before it finally sank in. :S

:B

Desert Captain wrote:
"If "your rig handles badly in 16 mph there's something seriously wrong somewhere but I doubt you will have any issues,
:C

Thanks, this is what I am looking for. I can't visualize winds of different speeds. I feel better now about the trip.

"If "your rig handles badly in 16 mph there's something seriously wrong somewhere but I doubt you will have any issues, if you do... Start by checking the inflation of all of your tires relative to the load they are actually carrying - not per the door sticker or the max psi on the sidewalls.

When it gets 25 - 35 I have to start paying a little more attention and when I start getting 50 mph gusts it is time to call it a day. My 24' Class C is about as boxy as they come and I usually am towing an 8' tall 6 X 10' cargo trailer as well.

Three weeks ago while on our way to Yellowstone we encountered 35 gusting to 45 out of the southwest between Casper and Shoshoni Wyoming {we were headed northwest} putting the wind right on the beam of our rig. After and hour of this I pulled off at a rest stop and it was all I could do to get my door open into the wind. Took a break for 15 minutes and then got back out on the road and while it was not fun it was doable. After another hour we made it to Shoshoni and put the wind behind us, end of problem.

:C

Since we traveled mostly out West and throughout the Great Plains I set up our coach just to deal with heavy winds. Naturally getting on the road early in the morning allows you to avoid some of the winds until later when they start to develop.
I added four corner air bags that are adjustable from a dash switch for either the front or rear axle. I would pump them up to 70-90 psi as the winds increased and drop them down to 20-30 psi when the winds subsided. This stiffened up the suspension and would allow me to continue to be comfortable on the highway even with heavy crosswinds. Trucks did not bother me at all.
The air bags gave me the option of a stiff suspension when I needed it and a softer suspension on the back roads and those times when there were no winds.

Cross winds or head winds could cause MH to act like big sail. 55 should be OK. Stay away from large trucks.
Tail winds not bad, good on fuel mileage!