Boy, I hate Kansas!

[Ivylog]

Some things are love-hate but Kansas seems to get worse each time I cross it…all hate. Seems like the worst 424 miles in the nation because of the winds and today was no exception… strong wind out of the SW and we are headed W. The 1st picture below is with the wind from the side…45 degrees of crab on the steering wheel…even more once I got on I-70.
Decide to not use the Interstates where I can average 60 mph and not have big trucks head on at 129mph with 2’ of separation…. thought one was going to crack the windshield from the wind burst. OH, and the dozen times I’m not sure how our mirrors didn’t hit, especially the wide load on a very narrow road.
OK, part of the the reason for using 60 from Paducah, KY to Springfield, MO was Sam’s had diesel for $2.63 plus 13 cents back with a Sam’s credit card…$2.50 and using the TSD card would have been $2.68.

The DW is right, there are 2 good ways to see Kansas…from 30,000’ or at night. Second picture is all the bugs I smashed and even 2 birds while only averaging 50 mph. Sorry, the blue/red roads are not for me when trying to get somewhere.

[ncsteve]

We will be making that trek in 3 weeks. Hoping for better weather. 
 

[Cubflyer]

We came across the whole state of KS on I-70 a week ago Sunday.... made it to Denver just in time for record heat --- 100 degree days, day after day...  Stopped for an overnight in Wilson, KS at a Missile Silo Harvest Host deal.  I was pleasantly surprised how well my RR8R chassis is handling with the newly installed front swaybar and Watts link and rear crossbars. Drives much different (better).  I head out to UT thru the mountains on Thursday on I-70. That will test the suspension and engine/transmission power.... fingers crossed I'm not crawling up the long uphill grades at 45mph....

 

[Ivylog]

I love how my S-10 tag chassis handles, especially today, but I disliked the Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer previous owner installed… made driving tiring in anything but perfect conditions. The extra force to hold it off center, even with power steering, is very noticeable. Removed it until I could make it adjustable on the fly, but the +\- 1” from center that I can adjust, isn’t enough for strong crosswinds as I still had to hold pressure against it with my adjustment all the way into the wind. Probably needs to be 2” in either direction for conditions like today….45 degrees of crab on the wheel.

[Dr4Film]

Dick B, that's exactly what the Henderson Trim Kit added to the Safe-T-Plus accomplishes, to remove the stress in holding the steering wheel in a crab angle position.

As far as driving through Kansas, the first and only time we were driving through Kansas was back in 2012 after we spent time in Tulsa OK visiting friends on our way to Arvada CO to visit my sister and nephew for a few days then on to Utah for our National Park Tour. Had a hard time staying awake with the straight boring roads and holding the steering wheel in one position. That monotonous time behind the wheel is a recipe for a disaster. I will avoid Kansas if at all possible in the future.

[6Wheels]

I was following a truck at 65 mph about 200 ft. back in Kansas on I-70 when I saw an object between the truck's tires on the road bed.  It was a steering knuckle just sitting there in the middle of the lane.  I could not avoid it by changing lanes as there was another vehicle passing me, but the front axle was just high enough to clear it.

However, the mud flap on the Discovery made contact and flipped the knuckle into the rear cap and chunked off a piece of the fiberglass, and that impact pulled the cap loose along both sides.  Then the object bounced off the U-Haul I was pulling and into the ditch.  No damage there.

Repairs cost $3,800.  I am also not fond of Kansas.  Sorry Bob Dole.  Sorry Dorothy.

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

For us half the fun of driving anywhere was the drive.  We would see new scenery.   Everywhere we went was a two timer, The first and last time we went that way, or it was come back to see more in the future.  We never let the cost of fuel determine where we went.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[Nevada Rob]

There is an app for your phone or IPad or Tablet called "Wind Finder". It shows great current and forecasted winds with excellent graphics. I too plan for fuel stops to some degree but I think maybe the strong head/cross winds eliminated any savings by going that way. 

[Chet P]

X2 on the Henderson Trim kit with my Safe-T-Plus. I have it and came accost Kansas 4 weeks ago when the wind was holding the flags at 90Deg to the road. The trim kit makes all the fight to hold the wheel go away and makes the drive much less tiring. 

See: "https://designrr.page/?id=93494&token=5644860&type=FP"

Chet P

2004 SIG Castle IV towing a Tesla in a Haulmark trailer

[Ivylog]

I looked at the trim kit and had most everything to build my own, but decided a 12V electric one would be easier to make and control. A $7 tongue jack reversing switch and $71 for the activator… total of less than $100 in parts.

The right hand portion is the S-T-+ mounting arm and the moving arm I added is the blade tip from a bush hog. I may remove the moving arm and drill a hole half way up to get more movement.

[Guest Ray Davis]

Dick,  I take it you haven't made a trim kit for this vehicle yet.

[Ivylog]

Ray, I made the adjustable mount pictured above BUT it doesn’t have enough travel for really strong crosswinds… only 1” and it probably needs to be 2” in either direction. Moving the mounting hole up will increase the movement.