High top conversion van Handling in the wind
Iam looking for a solution to the awful handling my van has in the wind. I've almost been blown off the road with winds as little as 25 mph. My van is a 1999 Chevy High top conversion van. I have re...
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Our LT (Dodge chassis) is the exact same way. We just purchased it used over the summer (2003 model). Exact same handling characteristics that you've described. I've also found that in non-windy conditions, it will handle fine on some road surfaces (the concrete highways of Fl for example) yet will wander ALL over on some asphalt roads (like I81 through Virginia.) I40 through New Mexico with 35-45 mph gusts was harrowing!! With no winds, it drove like a champ on the same interstate.
The previous owner made no mention of handling concerns, and during our test drive on a rural road it seemed to handle fine. The prior owner had just put news tires on it and new shocks. Hmmmmmm.
Through lots of research, I think I *may* have stumbled across the cause, and better yet a solution; the caster of the front wheels needs to be very positive! Before we spend a penny on sway bars, spacers, Bilsteins etc, I'm simply going to have the alignment checked for positive camber on the high end of the specs for the chassis.
As mentioned, ours is a 2003, and had nearly 100k miles on it when we bought it, so it's been driven. I surmise that the tire shop set all alignment parameters to dead center of specs, presuming they were doing the 'right thing' for their client.
Once the weather clears and I get ours to a reputable mid-sized truck alignment shop, I'll report back with the findings and results (if any). This is the articlearticle that enlightened me. I then did additional research and am cautiously optimistic.
The previous owner made no mention of handling concerns, and during our test drive on a rural road it seemed to handle fine. The prior owner had just put news tires on it and new shocks. Hmmmmmm.
Through lots of research, I think I *may* have stumbled across the cause, and better yet a solution; the caster of the front wheels needs to be very positive! Before we spend a penny on sway bars, spacers, Bilsteins etc, I'm simply going to have the alignment checked for positive camber on the high end of the specs for the chassis.
As mentioned, ours is a 2003, and had nearly 100k miles on it when we bought it, so it's been driven. I surmise that the tire shop set all alignment parameters to dead center of specs, presuming they were doing the 'right thing' for their client.
Once the weather clears and I get ours to a reputable mid-sized truck alignment shop, I'll report back with the findings and results (if any). This is the articlearticle that enlightened me. I then did additional research and am cautiously optimistic.
