Preparing For Corrugations/Wash Boards/Road Ripples (10 Viewers)

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Everybody has already said it. A shock upgrade is going to be your friend. If you’re hitting corrugations that long, you’re probably going to be maxing out most 2” body shocks. The jump in fluid capacity from a 2” twin tube, to a 2” mono tube with a resi, and finally to a 2.5” shock with a resi is substantial. With how heavy most 80s are a 2.5” shock is the minimum that should be run especially if you don’t want to wait around for people. Short stents at 30-40 on empty fire service roads my dobinson yellow shocks fade very quickly and and the compression dampening kind of disappears. You’re going to be killing smaller shocks going 50 for miles.

Lots of people have mentioned king but I’m surprised nobody has mentioned fox, bilstein, or the dobinsons MRAs. Everybody calls king the “industry standard” but the quality of their individual parts (at least on the non-racecar stuff) is not good. Dobinsons MRAs (the only bolt in option), bilsteins smooth body 8100s, or fox with a dsc is what I would recommend for somebody who wants to buy once and be done.

The articles for coilovers but it’s a nice breakdown of parts utilized by each company.

 
Everybody has already said it. A shock upgrade is going to be your friend. If you’re hitting corrugations that long, you’re probably going to be maxing out most 2” body shocks. The jump in fluid capacity from a 2” twin tube, to a 2” mono tube with a resi, and finally to a 2.5” shock with a resi is substantial. With how heavy most 80s are a 2.5” shock is the minimum that should be run especially if you don’t want to wait around for people. Short stents at 30-40 on empty fire service roads my dobinson yellow shocks fade very quickly and and the compression dampening kind of disappears. You’re going to be killing smaller shocks going 50 for miles.

Lots of people have mentioned king but I’m surprised nobody has mentioned fox, bilstein, or the dobinsons MRAs. Everybody calls king the “industry standard” but the quality of their individual parts (at least on the non-racecar stuff) is not good. Dobinsons MRAs (the only bolt in option), bilsteins smooth body 8100s, or fox with a dsc is what I would recommend for somebody who wants to buy once and be done.

The articles for coilovers but it’s a nice breakdown of parts utilized by each company.


I kind of disagree. I am certainly no suspension expert and I probably couldn't tell you if my shocks had fadded or not.

But.... Toyota engineered these vehicles to drive on these kinds of road daily on stock suspension. Land cruisers were not engineered for American pavement driving. They were engineered for environments like the Australian outback, Africa, Egypt, and other places where the vehicles see more dirt than pavement. And they were engineered to go thousands of miles in between services in areas where the closest mechanic might be 1,000 miles of dirt roads away.

This is why I drive land cruisers. They are basically the only vehicles you can buy in America that were designed for the kind of use I put mine through.

Companies like OME and Iron man and Dobinson have been making standard replacement shocks for these rigs that are proven to work for miles and miles of washboard.

10 years ago the OME shocks were good enough to run on vehicles winning the Dakar rally.

Here in America we love to spend our money and it's easy to think we need trophy truck shocks for our rigs. But honestly for high speed washboard it doesn't matter.

It's like anything, spend way more money for an extra 5% of improvement. The law of diminishing returns.

You can buy an awesome rifle scope or binoculars for $1,000.00. Or spend $5,000 and get a 5% improvement. Sure it's better than the cheaper optic but average people won't even be able to perceive the improvements because they don't use optics everyday.
 
I kind of disagree. I am certainly no suspension expert and I probably couldn't tell you if my shocks had fadded or not.

But.... Toyota engineered these vehicles to drive on these kinds of road daily on stock suspension. Land cruisers were not engineered for American pavement driving. They were engineered for environments like the Australian outback, Africa, Egypt, and other places where the vehicles see more dirt than pavement. And they were engineered to go thousands of miles in between services in areas where the closest mechanic might be 1,000 miles of dirt roads away.

This is why I drive land cruisers. They are basically the only vehicles you can buy in America that were designed for the kind of use I put mine through.

Companies like OME and Iron man and Dobinson have been making standard replacement shocks for these rigs that are proven to work for miles and miles of washboard.

10 years ago the OME shocks were good enough to run on vehicles winning the Dakar rally.

Here in America we love to spend our money and it's easy to think we need trophy truck shocks for our rigs. But honestly for high speed washboard it doesn't matter.

It's like anything, spend way more money for an extra 5% of improvement. The law of diminishing returns.

You can buy an awesome rifle scope or binoculars for $1,000.00. Or spend $5,000 and get a 5% improvement. Sure it's better than the cheaper optic but average people won't even be able to perceive the improvements because they don't use optics everyday.
According to one of the few folks I trust to work on my stuff ( @cjmoon ), going with remote reservoir shocks such as King or Fox, or "X", they will make a huge difference in how your truck feels 30 miles in.

He gave me an example of three guys from our club running together along washboard roads at sustained 50-70 mph. (I don't know where it was) and each had a different brand of shocks.

One guy with OME started out ok, but after 20 miles, there was no dampening left and the shocks were way too hot to touch.

Another had something in between and they were ok, but very hot.

The third had Fox 2.5 and even at the end his truck was still smooth as butter and no handling issues.

This is the first side by side example I am personally aware of and would possibly sell me on the higher end shocks. I would still choke on the price tag.
I am used to old school rough riding truck and leaf springs so that's how it's "supposed" to be to me.

However, he is an ME and can explain in detail to me why they are better, so I'll listen.

Now I'm just afraid that if I choose to buy them once, I'll have the need to install those high priced things on everything I own.

I do little off-road so I'll deal with what I have.

If you feel it's necessary to spend $1500+ to save two hours of travel time, then knock yourself out.
 
I kind of disagree. I am certainly no suspension expert and I probably couldn't tell you if my shocks had fadded or not.

But.... Toyota engineered these vehicles to drive on these kinds of road daily on stock suspension. Land cruisers were not engineered for American pavement driving. They were engineered for environments like the Australian outback, Africa, Egypt, and other places where the vehicles see more dirt than pavement. And they were engineered to go thousands of miles in between services in areas where the closest mechanic might be 1,000 miles of dirt roads away.

This is why I drive land cruisers. They are basically the only vehicles you can buy in America that were designed for the kind of use I put mine through.

Companies like OME and Iron man and Dobinson have been making standard replacement shocks for these rigs that are proven to work for miles and miles of washboard.

10 years ago the OME shocks were good enough to run on vehicles winning the Dakar rally.

Here in America we love to spend our money and it's easy to think we need trophy truck shocks for our rigs. But honestly for high speed washboard it doesn't matter.

It's like anything, spend way more money for an extra 5% of improvement. The law of diminishing returns.

You can buy an awesome rifle scope or binoculars for $1,000.00. Or spend $5,000 and get a 5% improvement. Sure it's better than the cheaper optic but average people won't even be able to perceive the improvements because they don't use optics everyday.
Toyota engineered 80s run washboards in 3rd world countries for decades. I completely agree. But it was designed to get people from A to B in stock trim and to be driven like a normal car. But nobody keeps them in stock form and a lot of people don’t drive them like normal cars.

For a reference I’m 1500lbs heavier than a stock 80 with tires that are 4”s bigger than a stock 80s. It’s a pretty normal set up. I thought that a normal dobinsons twin tube shock would be enough because people have been running something similar for decades. But now I’m cooking my shocks driving 30-40mph over rocks the size of baby heads and cooking my shocks doing normal trails in moab so I don’t recommend them anymore. Yes they worked in the Dakar, but they were probably overheating the shock oil and killing a set every race.

OP said he wanted to drive 50 mph over washboards for miles on miles. So I recommended shocks that could keep up with his demand.
 
These trucks are not Ultra 4 racer’s and I can’t think of a dirt road we’re they should be driven at a sustained 50 to 70 miles an hour other then a closed race course.
Please consider other people that might be using the same road and just drive slower for the safety of all.
Rant over 😜
 
These trucks are not Ultra 4 racer’s and I can’t think of a dirt road we’re they should be driven at a sustained 50 to 70 miles an hour other then a closed race course.
Please consider other people that might be using the same road and just drive slower for the safety of all.
Rant over 😜
Can’t argue🫡
It’s irresponsible use
 
I plan to make a trip from Ubehebe Crater to the Racetrack Playa (about 27 miles) in Death Valley this winter. I'm worried about the road conditions as much of it has corrugations and the time needed to travel the 27 miles (many have said to allot 2 hours travel time each way). I can cut travel time significantly if I can maintain 50mph (80km/h) for long stretches. Besides lowering tire pressures and switching to proper AT tires (thinking KO2 or WildPeaks, what would you do to prep the truck for this sort of trek? The truck has 292K miles, original shocks, newer Dobinsons springs, and Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires for in-and-around town and smooth gravel/dirt trail driving. Thanks.
How many hours of seat time at 50mph through the desert do you have under your belt?

To me this all seems like a very unrealistic proposition. Going 50mph might sound like fun, but have you considered what might happen if for whatever reason you might need to hit the brakes hard at that speed? Or hit a washout?

And by the way: speed limit in DVNP is 25mph…
 
if you can't find the time to slow down, stay on federal highways with a minimum speed of 50mph - no modifications required to the truck - WIN-WIN
 
I can’t help but recall the 1000’s of corrugated KM I drive in AU in a troopy with 80psi in its 31” tires at 110 KPH. I slowed down for corners and approaching road trains.

Airing down my 37’s with an upgraded suspension is like riding in a Caddy in comparison. I love my ADS shocks from Slee.

The key is respecting other drivers and knowing your limits. Braking sucks.
 
I can’t help but recall the 1000’s of corrugated KM I drive in AU in a troopy with 80psi in its 31” tires at 110 KPH. I slowed down for corners and approaching road trains.

Airing down my 37’s with an upgraded suspension is like riding in a Caddy in comparison. I love my ADS shocks from Slee.

The key is respecting other drivers and knowing your limits. Braking sucks.

Done plenty of miles on dirt at those speeds too, but on smooth, relatively maintained dirt.

At 80psi on corrugations, you'd be barely skimming the tops of the bumps. You'd be like a rock that's been skipped across a frozen pond :lol:

All of this is all good, until it isn't, or until your caught out by an unexpected change in road conditions.

Aussie salvage auctions are loaded with 4x4s that have gone tits up on dirt roads
 
According to one of the few folks I trust to work on my stuff ( @cjmoon ), going with remote reservoir shocks such as King or Fox, or "X", they will make a huge difference in how your truck feels 30 miles in.

He gave me an example of three guys from our club running together along washboard roads at sustained 50-70 mph. (I don't know where it was) and each had a different brand of shocks.

One guy with OME started out ok, but after 20 miles, there was no dampening left and the shocks were way too hot to touch.

Another had something in between and they were ok, but very hot.

The third had Fox 2.5 and even at the end his truck was still smooth as butter and no handling issues.

This is the first side by side example I am personally aware of and would possibly sell me on the higher end shocks. I would still choke on the price tag.
I am used to old school rough riding truck and leaf springs so that's how it's "supposed" to be to me.

However, he is an ME and can explain in detail to me why they are better, so I'll listen.

Now I'm just afraid that if I choose to buy them once, I'll have the need to install those high priced things on everything I own.

I do little off-road so I'll deal with what I have.

If you feel it's necessary to spend $1500+ to save two hours of travel time, then knock yourself out.
all about heat dissipation. more fluid more heat dissipation. most after market shocks use to much dampening to limit motion and there for heat. = rough ride. if low cost shocks used the correct Dampening. they would over heat even on rougher highways do to to much movement. so high end shocks can have correct smooth ride dampening that has the cooling capacity to maintain that ride though any terrain.

that's why ultra 4 buggies use multiple shocks and 3" bodies and bypass shocks. baja/trophy trucks triple shocks and often swap them out during long races or even different drivers that have different styles of driving.

a 2.5" body with res is not over kill for off road rigs that are driven. I follow Dual Sport bikes in the back country leading to higher speed averages than the average Overlander.
 
I follow Dual Sport bikes in the back country leading to higher speed averages than the average Overlander.


I pass them and I do it with my cheap iron man shocks.

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But driving that fast on washboard pot hole roads can have significant consequences, especially if discount tire puts your new wheels on with the wrong lug nuts 🤣

20160515_193042.jpg
 
But the increased stopping power!
 
These trucks are not Ultra 4 racer’s and I can’t think of a dirt road we’re they should be driven at a sustained 50 to 70 miles an hour other then a closed race course.
Please consider other people that might be using the same road and just drive slower for the safety of all.
Rant over 😜
Not to mention the wildlife.
 
After 40 miles of washboard and driving faster than I should have, the vibration carved a nice hole in my radiator, the fan shroud was mounted incorrectly and rubbed on the fins at the bottom of the radiator. YMMV.
 


Simulating a corrugated road at speed. No nuns injured during the testing.

Smooth body shocks overheat in minutes under less 'stress'. You do get something for your money when you move to remote reservoirs and other bells and whistles.

cheers,
george.
 
Your current shocks will be absolutely, positively fine doing this. This is the WORST place to start for this particular area. I've done this route it in a Subaru Outback, a 1987 Toyota Pickup, a stock 60 Series LC, and my lifted HDJ81 on 37s (both with old crappy Ranchos and awesome Dobison's adjustable remote reservoirs). Your shocks are NOT going to ruin your trip out there, that's a laughable recommendation IMO.

Flat tires are the biggest risk in DV, by far. Hands-down. Make sure you have a good spare + repair kit + air compressor--regardless of speed. I'd also recommend a few cans of Fix-A-Flat, I've had Fix-A-Flat do AMAZING things on massively screwed tires in DV. A MAJOR component of ensuring you don't get a flat, and making your drive infinitely more comfortable (two birds with one stone!), is airing down as much as possible per recommendations given above. You'll want the ability to air back up if you only go to the crater though, that's a long pavement drive at low pressure to get back to a compressor (I HIGHLY recommend the Racetrack if you're bothering to be near it, it's a surreal place).

It's terrifyingly obvious when you're running super sketchy at speed on washboard, so only go as fast as the rig feels in control. I never EVER only go 20MPH on gnarly washboard and jar the hell out of everything, except when I had to in a sub-par vehicle. Living in the Southern Utah desert and spending thousands of miles a year on desert washboard, I literally own a Land Cruiser SPECIFICALLY to go at high speed over washboard roads.

The washboard in certain areas of DV are the worst I've come across in the Western US for long stretches, personally. If you aren't used to washboard driving, that's a rough beginning. It will feel very brutal to your vehicle to power thru them to hit the plane speed. Prior recommendations to check every bolt on your truck aren't crazy, I've definitely had some weird ones come loose!

@leonard_nemoy You didn't come up the Burr Trail without reaching out did you?!? :p Glad you were on dirt for that tire flying off, must have been quite an experience!!!!!
 

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