Dodge Magnum The Dodge Magnum, the wagon that made wagons cool. The unique look of the Dodge Magnum makes any trim level, from SE to SRT-8, an absolute head turner.

Terrible in wind?

Old Dec 12, 2004 | 02:37 AM
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Default Terrible in wind?

Anyone else find this car quite exhausting to drive in high winds? My truck never handled like this. Add in the tendency to go which ever way the road is angled, made it quite fun. Made a 2000~ mile trip from san Antonio to St. Louis Missouri and back. On the way back hit a lot of storms. Got tired of it pulling to the right (like normal, but I'm 80% sure this is road crown now) to all of a sudden pulling to the left hard, then back to the right, then not pulling at all... oui... I was physically exhausted when I returned...

Anyone else notice this? I think my father's 2000 Ford Excursion 4x4 with large 4x4 tires isn't all over the road like this.

On a side note, after the 500 mile mark, my back and butt where killing me. Passenger's seat was a little more comfortable, but neither seem as comfortable as my truck (silverado) was.

 
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Old Dec 12, 2004 | 03:06 AM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

I drove an SE from Chicago to Lafayette IN and I noticed it swayed alot too in the wind on the Highway.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2004 | 07:50 PM
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While I'm still waiting form my Magnum (36 days down 80 to go?) I see a fundamental problem here - you cannot compare a truck suspension with high profile tires to a sport suspension with low profile tires. It doesn't make sense. Further people just don;t seem to realize that low profile tires HAVE DRAWBACKS! My 1980 500SEL has 14" rims and tall sidewall tires on it and people on the Mercedes list call them "funny looking" and "old fashioned" well that's what Mercedes originally put on it. I drove that car up to Chicago a few times on 55 and just glided along. Drove our c280 Sport with low profile tires on it up there and was wondering how 55 could have deteriorated so fast. Bumps, ruts, crown pull.. then BIG DUH!! I thought of course - wide aspect ratio/low profile tires. Case 2 - IDOT was putting about a 2" or 3" layer of ashault down on a cross street, drove over the bump with the 500, heard a "thunk" each time and thought nothing of it. I made a mistake and drove the c280 over that without slowing way down and KAWAMMMM!!! I thought the whole dashboard was going to fly out the window.
Now as for constant pulling to one side the question is it constant? If it pulls in the right lane to the right but pulls left or is neutral in the left lane maybe you need more toe-in. If it pulls right in the left lane then it needs an alignment.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2004 | 07:59 PM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

I didn't notice any abnormal handling in high cross winds in mine. I drove from Vegas to Scottsdale AZ across the open desert through quit a storm and the car seemed to handle fine and I'm used to the way a truck handles.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2004 | 08:59 PM
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I just noticed when I drove that "SE" from Chicago to Indiana it handled similar to a '98 Cherokee I reneted once. Cuaght the wind and drifted a little side to side. As for "VIA500" if that "BUMP" was not marked you should get in touch with the road dept and have them replace your rims if they are bent from that asphalt lip. I was going 45 down the expressway into the City and hit once of those that wasn't marked and thought ****! Didn't do anything about it then on the news a few years later same thing happened to a woman, her rims got bent so she called and I guess IDOT payed her like 500 bucks or something like that for new rims
 
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Old Dec 13, 2004 | 07:18 PM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

Just remember that the Magnum has a lot of profile, sort of like driving a mini-van. The bigger the side profile, the more a side wind will affect the handling. A tail or head wind won't be so bad, it is the side winds you have to look out for.

I have not noticed any problems with my RT, but then we don't usually have high winds in Florida - unless it is hurricane season.....LOL.

Bob
 
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Old Dec 13, 2004 | 08:41 PM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

The only thing I notice is that at about 90 mph, the Continental tires float. The car just feels looser than I'd like. Crosswinds below 80 mph didn't bother me at all. I'm a private pilot though, so it would take a lot of crosswind to excite me.
 
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Old Dec 13, 2004 | 09:13 PM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

Real windy day today and yes the Mag did get a little busy..
 
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Old Dec 13, 2004 | 11:02 PM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

Here in Michigan it's been 40 mph winds, snow and rain turning to ice. My SXT has been fine. Out here we do 70 as the posted speed limit and doing 75 with the high winds, the magnum handled fine, better then my Grand Caravan or my Sedan Deville. Hitting an off ramp with Ice, it did an awesome job. I'll wait till tomorrow when there's more then a few inches on the ground and let you know how it goes.

The really bad thing is, man the car is so dirty, Michigan winter. The weater is looking like it will be awhile until I see it cleaned again. This week was the first time I let it get dirty since buying it in June. Redhouse
 
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Old Dec 14, 2004 | 11:36 AM
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Default RE: Terrible in wind?

I have had my RT up to 120MPH and had no problems with the handling, it is great to be able to pass 5 cars at a time on a 2 lane road!!! LOL

Love that big burst of speed and power.

Just wish the tires were Z rated and the speed limiter was gone.

Bob
 
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