Wind vs drivability

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TooMuchControl
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Wind vs drivability

Postby TooMuchControl » Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:07 pm

Was going to ask a general question regarding wind, wind noise and drivability.

Basically, the wind grabs the truck when driving - It's always felt this way.
During the winter time, it makes me a bit nervous driving, as it seems the truck feels like it's drifting around.

I've had pretty good alignments done on it and in normal conditions, if I flat out floor it, the truck tracks perfectly straight and linear. There's zero veer under acceleration, per se.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this "feeling" while driving, and what that could be attributed to.
I do have a front hood deflector and a sunroof deflector - but that's about it.

Characteristically, though, the truck has a lot of wind noise while driving, too. And it has me buggered, as when you look outside to see trees / branches swaying, they look still.

The first step in finding a cure is accepting that you have a problem.
Any ideas? Is this normal?

I see comments about the truck having negligible wind noise through the cabin at highway speeds - to me - this is a foreign concept to this vehicle.


bozoneX
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Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2021 12:02 pm

Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby bozoneX » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:50 pm

Do you hear it coming through the door seal or in general? Roof rack? I have sound deadening on the floor which reduces tire noise, but I've never found the wind noise to be terrible. Maybe I just turn the radio up!

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ShipFixer
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Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby ShipFixer » Wed Dec 22, 2021 10:52 pm

Delrin steering rack bushings have pretty much eliminated this for me. The Pathfinder has a lot of sail area so it's going to get pushed around, and the give in the OEM bushings meant crosswinds could push it around. No more on my truck.

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palmerwmd
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Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby palmerwmd » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:21 pm

It is a box boxy vehicle.
This large area is common to vehicles of this class.

I never noticed it being unusually bad though. :)

TooMuchControl
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Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby TooMuchControl » Thu Dec 23, 2021 9:36 pm

Thank you for all this input!

I actually have ordered and received the new steering rack bushings from SuperPro. Next week I'm swapping.
Based on some positive inputs on this forum, it makes some sense to try this. The highway steering corrections are a bit tiring.

Today, I tried with a little more conviction to figure out where the drafting is coming from/around.
I found when I pushed my hand against my drivers window (what other window, duh) , just behind my ear, the draft pitch changed. It continued to occur as I continued to press through the top sill. Inspecting my seals (after stopping of course, otherwise that would be brave of me), it appears the very corners, the seals have shrunk and are not tight to the "welds". The welds are visible. There is a gap of over 3/4 inch maybe more.

On the passenger sides, there is a bit of sag as well.
I figured what happened was that the Krown rustproofing I had performed 3-4 years ago seems to have damaged the seals or affected them?

I also found this really ingenious tip on how to solve seals that may have lost their elasticity...but I have a couple of spare door seals I grabbed off an 08' and will test fit them later next week. To my collection they were in good shape and for some reason on an "all you can carry parts day" at the recycler, these were in my hand.

Credit to this guy to think of such a simple solution for making door seals tight?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XR-J7VTN80

Again, thanks for inputs. I hope to give some feedback later next week.
Ironically, both of these conditions I want less of, from the vehicle itself :roll:

Happy Holidays to everyone! For me, a Merry Xmas as well.

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palmerwmd
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Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby palmerwmd » Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:32 pm

TMC: Merry Christmas
You are an asset to this board! :D

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ShipFixer
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Re: Wind vs drivability

Postby ShipFixer » Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:20 am

Changing the window seals is a minor PITA but worthwhile vs. trying to make old ones work. The fronts require removing the mirrors...I was able to do it with them hanging loose if I remember correctly. I seem to recall greasing the back side of them was the key to getting them in easily. There is lubricant for the glass-facing side of the seal too.

Door seals are super easy to change and worth looking closely at.

One minor note about steering rack bushings...stock is squishy, and most polyurethane replacements will be "as good as new OEM, but for longer." The Delrin ones from PRG are both a stiffer material and stiffer shape.

My old stock ones on the left (note they really hadn't deteriorated much), and Delrin ones on the right:

Image

My steering is significantly tighter than OEM and the truck doesn't get pushed around by wind easily :-D


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