How to drive on dusty roads in convoy??

[mike_nofx]

Just wondering if there is a proper way to drive in convoy on very dusty roads?

eg. is it better to follow closely, or further away?

I found that if i tried to follow far enough away from the vehicle in front of me that i wasn't driving in a cloud of dust, i was nearly half a bloody km away and losing the pack. On a day with no wind, the dust just stays there.

My particular example is the roads around yalwal, nowra. I drive a soft top Sierra, at the end of the day i look like i have been in a solarium all day (dust tan) and would have breathed in about a kilo of dust. If i close windows, and turn on fan i will die of heat exhaustion, so window is usually down.

Also for vehicles with A/C, It would be windows up and ac on recirc? I have heard people say use recirc, and others who say vent/outside air to pressurise cabin.

Back to soft tops, if i remove the top will it be better or worse for dust? I found that just opening the back (rolling up the back plastic window) actually makes the dust worse as it sucks the air in.

Sorry if the questions seem a little stupid!

Mike

[matto]

when i was in the army we would try to stay out of the dust veil, sometimes you cant but your air filter will thank you if you stay out of it.
usually you can see the where the thick dust stops and the fine light stiiit lingers.

[-Scott-]

I do windows up, a/c on recirc and hang back as far as practical. Keep in touch by UHF.

Travelling from Birdsville to Innamincka the dust was hanging around so much that our convoy of 4 spread an estimated 15km - I was TEC, and could only hear the lead vehicle intermittently.

[pongo]

yep stay back and perhaps slow down to keep the dust down.

Might pay to put the non aircon cars up front too.

Also some sort of decent donaldson pre filter would be the go. The work truck is a highway jobbie ( T604) converted to truck and dog and at least once a week im blowing the air cleaner out for about 10 mins where we never did bother with the T404SAR which had the big air cleaners on each side of the bonnet.

I hate dust. There were actually road based used around some areas that contained asbestos. Nice stuff to chew on.

[alien]

the general rule on gravel is 10m for every 10km/hr... for dust that number doubles!

Also - i've done dust in my zuk with the top both on and off and on is by far better!!! when its off the air is sucked in through the back - so you suck up your own dust as well as everyone elses =P haha

My vote is drop in a bigger engine and be the first out of every rest stop to stay infront!

[Kingston_99]

just hang back and also dust infront means there still there so no need to be right into the dust, also if you are following, make sure you have you lights on so it easy for on coming traffic to see you through the dust.

[love ke70]

best thing to do in dust is be the one in front, failing that, just keep holding back, as long as you all know where you are going then there isnt really a need to even be insight of each other.
radios and phones for if you do need to contact each other and you should be fine

[BundyRumandCoke]

If proper convoy proceedures are followed, it doesnt matter how far the convoy stretches out due to dust, and stretch out it must. Never ever drive in the proceeding vehicles dust, it can hide an approaching vehicle, or you from it- you should be aware of its approach via UHF, but he doesnt know how many in the convoy. The vehicle in front may also have to stop suddenly due to a washout, bend, ect, and you dont see him stopped till its too late (speaking from experience, rear ended another vehicle I was travelling too close to, didnt see him slow down significantly for a washout) The only time correct convoy proceedure is modified is for non AC vehicles, always have them as far to the front as possible.

[raptorthumper]

Come on. This ain't tech.

[grazza]

also if you are following, make sure you have you lights on so it easy for on coming traffic to see you through the dust.

I also think the lights on is a good idea, even "mandatory" in dusty conditions (well any condition with reduced visibility - not including bright sunlight on city streets )
Its useful for the car behind to be able to see your rear lights.

Been on a few club runs lately where I thought it was a little dangerous to be running too close and without lights - bloody dusty too.

[stinger]

Driving in Convey is actually quite technical and I think there are a lot of people who could learn a thing or two about driving in convoy, as I have witness on a number of Logan Runs.

Two main things, always allow room for the vehicle in front to clear an obstacle before preceeding, this may be dust, creeks, hills, mud, etc. As others have already said following too closely does not allow time to react or allow room for the vehicle in front to stop reverse and have another go. If this means leaving a very large gap well so be it. If you are afriad of lossing the pack see the next point. I came across a vice on one back road, if I had have been travelling too closely to a vehicle in front in the dust I would not have seen it and the result would not have been pretty....

The other thing is too ensure the vehicle behind you has acknowledge a turn or change in direction before proceeding into the divation. Usually this can be watching for the vehicles indicator behind you. In dusty conditions this could be radio contact with the vehicle behind you (ensure you use names to identify each other in long convoys) and be specific about the turn.

the other thing is join a good club that teaches these things and more.

As I said travelling in convoy is an art but when you get it right it can be a pleasure rather and problem, nice to enjoy a few beers with mates at the end of the day rather than sitting there on your own...

[coxy321]

Driving in Convey is actually quite technical and I think there are a lot of people who could learn a thing or two about driving in convoy, as I have witness on a number of Logan Runs.

Two main things, always allow room for the vehicle in front to clear an obstacle before preceeding, this may be dust, creeks, hills, mud, etc. As others have already said following too closely does not allow time to react or allow room for the vehicle in front to stop reverse and have another go. If this means leaving a very large gap well so be it. If you are afriad of lossing the pack see the next point. I came across a vice on one back road, if I had have been travelling too closely to a vehicle in front in the dust I would not have seen it and the result would not have been pretty....

The other thing is too ensure the vehicle behind you has acknowledge a turn or change in direction before proceeding into the divation. Usually this can be watching for the vehicles indicator behind you. In dusty conditions this could be radio contact with the vehicle behind you (ensure you use names to identify each other in long convoys) and be specific about the turn.

the other thing is join a good club that teaches these things and more.

As I said travelling in convoy is an art but when you get it right it can be a pleasure rather and problem, nice to enjoy a few beers with mates at the end of the day rather than sitting there on your own...

I agree on the above.

For corners, the leader waits at the turn for #2, then goes (to wait at the next turn), #2 waits for #3 to reach the corner then follows up the leader and so on....

Lights on all the time, as it helps in dust/crap weather/bush to see if the person that is supposed to be behind you is still there.

I find running the interior blower/heater fan on full using fresh (NOT recirc) creates a positive pressure in the cab (we're not talking 40psi here sm@rtarses) and tends to push air out of any crap seals, rather than letting the dust find its way in.

I always find dropping back to be a better option than sitting right up someones arse - it gives more time to repond to possible dangers.

I give my air cleaner a quick bang/blow out of a night-time too.

[mike_nofx]

I find running the interior blower/heater fan on full using fresh (NOT recirc) creates a positive pressure in the cab (we're not talking 40psi here sm@rtarses) and tends to push air out of any crap seals, rather than letting the dust find its way in.

This is another debate. Fresh air or recirc air?

People have different opinions on this, I would think fresh air would let the dust in through the vents?

[bogged]

I would think you would just drive to the conditions. Depends on terrain, wind/weather conditions, surface of road, how far your travelling etc.

1/2 a klm away is fawk all in the bush, even less in the desert, where convoys can be spread out over 20kms or more.

[Bingham]

and just note that while your mates are ginning about getting the missus a softdrink from bottom of the fridge after you decided to go havig been stopped for an hour simply get out in front...... then the dust is no longer your concern...... this is offcourse till you catch a road train then your in strife

and slow drivers should always be courtious to others on the road..... allow 5 mins then parke lights on then mains then musical horn!!! non courtious driver shite me... simply pull over and keep everyone on the road happy.... this even so if a single car comes up behind a small convoy if they are clearly faster then notify other on the uhfs and wave those around when safe... Remembering the comfortable speed on corrugations in the gu coil shall be different to your leaf hilux ute for example

[coxy321]

People have different opinions on this, I would think fresh air would let the dust in through the vents?

Pollen filter. Dust does still get in (not huge amounts though) either way though.

On Bingham's post, we alternate leaders too. Just like trail riding, there NOTHING worse than eating dust all day. Its not good for you OR the vehicle.

[mule75]

slightly off track.... but i'm a lover of the funny looking toyota snorkel caps for dusty touring.

on my 75 i had a standard safari cap and i couldn't do the cape without my air filter light coming on and now in my 79 with the ghhey looking snorkel cap i did 11 500km(melb to darwin via canning stock route) and couldn't blow one speck of dust out of my air filter.