on a run tonight, we were on zee highway, and we were coming around a very very slight bend, we were up around 90 or so, and i turn. the back end shakes a little bit, and the truck doesnt turn. i hit the rumble strips and then the truck finally turns…as in the back end kicked out and fishtailed and i swear to god we were an inch away from going into a concrete wall at about 80. i have no idea what caused this, the road was dry all of my steering and everything is fine, so i have no idea what happened. mayb it was just damp enough out that there was a slight film of moisture on the road or something?
but anyway, it scared the shit out of me and the person who was with me. this happened over an hour ago and im still shaking. what i can say is this deffinately scared me enough that im keeping everything to the track from now on. but man, that really woke me up to how dangerous this shit really is. the funny thing is, i read a story on a Dakota forum earlier this afternoon that depicted almost the same thing happening, but it was a race between an Accord, Eclipse, and a Camaro i think. basically something happened to the Accord and he ended up plowing into a wall and killing himself and his girlfriend.
moral of my story here is that im thinking that this experience is trying to tell me something, and i am now done with racing on public roads. i will only go to the track. i went once this summer, and had a blast! i felt nice and relaxed and had a really fun time and enjoyed myself. i didnt get this nervous and edgy feeling that usually comes on when im on public roads. theres no cops around, no other traffic to worry about, and 99.999% of the time at the track, you go home and sleep in you’re own bed that night.
im not really a religious person, but i know for sure that someone ‘up there’ was watching out for my friend and i tonight. i kno people will still race on public roads regardless and some will prob laugh at me for this story and think im embarassing myself, but it scared the shit out of me, and made me realize what a stupid idea racing on the street is. i think there are a few people on here that have had some similar near-death experiences on the streets that have kept it at the track. that is all.
Its a pickup truck, theres alot of space between the trucks bottom and the ground. Get going fast enough and alot of air builds up under there, giving your truck “lift”
you were doing 90 on an unbanked curve
that is a recipe for disaster, untill you lower that thing, do some suspension work, and get some good meats on it, dont treat it like its a sports car
Consider yourself lucky, learn, and keep this incident in the back of your mind. Then come to a track-day and see how much fun it is on a closed-course.
I’ll spare you the were doing what in a what, with a what speach. You and and friend are damned lucky.
i found the problem…my left front went flat apparently…runflat tires FTW. so whatever i hit with the BACK left a while ago, i must have also hit with the front left and at speed must have caused it to take a shit. and the turn wasnt really that sharp at all, i think it jsut seemed sharp because i was trying to turn right with the truck apparently pulling to the left.
i know that my v6 magnum dakota is quite tipsy and slippery when its the slightest bit damp out…of course its got baloony ass bald tires on but stil…goin from a nice handling 240sx to this its wierd…cant wait till i get the s13 back!
my first car was a ranger and doing 85 in it was scarier than doin 120+ in my camaro. most trucks are definately not setup for speed. but good to see nothing bad came your expirience.
why? awd is still going to have throttle lift oversteer. front wheel drive is the most forgiving platform, for people who don’t really know how to drive. thats why its so popular
ok, i found the problem. when i went to change the tire, i jacked it up and noticed that you can turn the left frint tire very easily and independednt of the other, it was like jsut flopping around. i looked and saw that there was a a steering or suspension part just kind of hanging off. not good. so i posted on a Dodge forum about my experience and some other R/T people said to give Dodge a call and see what they say. so i did that, and after checking my VIN, there was a recall (issued in 1998) for certain Dakota R/Ts for the steering system, and my truck was never taken in for it. there was also a recall on all 1998-2002 Dakotas for ball joints, which mine was never taken in for either. so, Dodge is coming to my house tomorrow morning with a flat bed to take it to the dealer where everything will be fixed free of charge. good to kno everything will be taken care of, and i guess it was jsut a freak thing. im still scared away from racing on public roads though.
you drive an fbody, so by default you should be sleeping with your cousin and making sure your keeping your handlebar moustache and mullet well trimmed.
