Driving and towing distances fatigue

[GQuigley]

Tractorat
Well I guess I just gave up and bought from Geno's a drivers side seat. Figured my existing seat being 15 years old couldn't be in very good shape. I got the new seat, removed my old seat and even though it wasn't crushed it was hard and had shrunk in size. The new seat felt firm and solid and I installed it. Instructions were included on installation. It sat higher and was firm but I really don't know how it compared to the original seat when new because I don't remember. I will get one of those Purple Cushions described in the TDR magazine to sit on while driving. Between both of them I'm hoping they will solve my problem.
Gary
The next day I drove about 40 miles to pick up something I needed. The night before when I took it out on a test drive I was dead tired but today when I went out I was well rested and I must admit the seat was very comfortable much more than my old one. I am still going to get the Purple Cushion, both the seat and back. After I get the cushions I think I will take it on a several hundred mile journey towing my 5'ver. I will post the results and my opinion of my new seat driving comfort.

 

[LandShark]

Here's what works for me:

A new truck did wonders. Going from a '95 to a '15 gave me a much better seat plus a easier truck to drive (it tracks so much better!). 450 miles a day used to be a chore; now it's easy.

Get 2 different seat cushions and swap them out each time you stop. I find that a different feel just seems better and allows me to drive a couple of extra hours a day.

Stop at least every two hours. Park at the far end of the lot and walk. I do this everywhere, not just when traveling. Even when just going to Walmart, I park at the far edge of the lot. No circling around the lot to find a space close to the front doors where it's harder to park and more likely that someone will bang into you with a shopping cart or their car. Walk whenever you can: it's a good habit to get into.

 

[endoscott]

I am 62 and we shoot for driving 4-5 hours and are never in a hurry to get anywhere.hate setting up in the dark too. We just retired so our goal is to just take it easy and enjoy the travels. Different strokes. Wife doesn't drive so for me a 4 or 5 hour day is fine. Coming back from Canada recently we did a one shot all the way home, 8 or 9 hours. I mean it was fine, but wished after I split it into two days.

 

[KATOOM]

Lots of great advice in this thread.....

I fully enjoy spending time behind the wheel and going places besides work and home. But traveling for hours and hours upon hours between destinations is hard no matter what you're driving.

I had the opportunity to drive across the states and back for a month in a comfortable class A some time ago. Learned the hard way that getting from point A to point B was only half the fun. Stopping was the key..... Clearly a month was NOT long enough to rack up that many miles either.

Later on I learned about the "300 miles or 3 o'clock" rule for RVing. The basis behind the rule is dont drive past 3 o'clock so you have plenty of time to stop and setup and enjoy the evening relaxing, and also dont drive more than 300 miles in a day. I try to travel this way now but its still hard because everyone simply wants to GET THERE.

 

[AMink]

Lots of great advice in this thread.....

I fully enjoy spending time behind the wheel and going places besides work and home. But traveling for hours and hours upon hours between destinations is hard no matter what you're driving.

I had the opportunity to drive across the states and back for a month in a comfortable class A some time ago. Learned the hard way that getting from point A to point B was only half the fun. Stopping was the key..... Clearly a month was NOT long enough to rack up that many miles either.

Later on I learned about the "300 miles or 3 o'clock" rule for RVing. The basis behind the rule is dont drive past 3 o'clock so you have plenty of time to stop and setup and enjoy the evening relaxing, and also dont drive more than 300 miles in a day. I try to travel this way now but its still hard because everyone simply wants to GET THERE.

My wife doesn't let me stop and look.

 

[Charley67]

I thank you all for your advice. While is my 60's I could do 500 miles a day and enjoy it but time does go by. I can't afford a new truck so the best thing is to get a new gel type cushion and to pull over at more rest stops and take more breaks and maybe even some "naps". Probably the max miles would be 300 and not push it. One thing I think would help would be taking roads that are not boring and tedious. I really don't want to stop seeing more of this beautiful country of ours. God Bless America!
Gary

Thats the ticket! At 67, I stop a lot more than I used to (for more than one reason

 

[slowmover]

Double post

 

[slowmover]

I have a pair of the Wondergel cushions. Am sitting on one at home as I type. Bought the second , larger one for the Kenworth after using smaller one three years. No appreciable wear.

The larger one fully covers the seat bottom (flatter than the CTD seats), and is better due to larger area. Fully recommend.

The overall goal is NVH control. Noise Vibragion Harmonics. An older truck has more problems in these areas. Studies show that a louder but softer riding truck is more fatiguing than a quiet harder riding one.

Tire pressure too high is likely the biggest contributor to Fatigue. Get on a scale and then adjust pressure to lowest point according to table so long as inside Dodge recommendations.

Second is posture. Close to the wheel and upright is best. The more you lean back, the worse the shocks/vibrations.

Chasing the steering wheel would also be a problem. Number of corrections per 100-miles is an FE problem to Cummins. And makes a very long day at wheel. Fix the slop. My rack&pinion 2WD runs straight nearly as long as the road.

Travel speed is also big. 67-68 mph is about perfect in the Kenworth. Same in Dodge. Gets me around slow trucks but keeps me from mixing with car traffic. That last part is fatiguing. 70+ mph doesn't mean a shorter day at the wheel. The average speed over the course of the day won't change enough to justify it. Especially not for 300 mile or shorter trips.

Don't believe me, do the math. Engine run time versus miles. I ran out of DFW eastbound on IH20 to about Atlanta over two 400-mile days. Coincidentally, both days were within 3-miles of each other and in under five minutes difference. Same cc speed of 68. But average both days was 56-mph. Traffic, construction, etc, weren't bad, but they add up.

Running above 70 is more fatiguing. Truck is driving you. Below 70 cuts that factor. Broader peripheral vision, etc.

Some right lane isolation from other vehicles, near zero lane changes and zero brake/acceleration events is best.

600 miles or more solo is too much. Like hitting a wall. Towing, 300-350 is plenty.

There are threads on converting solid 3rd Gen cab bushings to 4th Gen hydraulic.

And KONI FSD shocks would be the only thing I'd run if mine were 4WD. Developed for ambulances who have same problem.

700 miles/day was easy in the late 1960s and early 1970s especially once west of IH35. Today, with traffic and deteriorated roads, its stupid. Sort of a "grow up and pay attention to changes" thing.

 

[Mick2500]

Gary,
I too replaced my seat foam with the new offering from Geno's for the leather seats. It made a huge
difference but I also just made my first 600 mile trip with my Purple cushion, I kike it so much I'm buying my wife one just so we don't fight over it. This cushion coupled with the new seat foam, is perfection!

Mick

Oh yeh, I just turned 69 (boy, does that sound old)

 

[RClark]

When I was younger, in my 70's, we used to go from Long Beach, Ca to Redding or Fallon NV om 1 day. It involved leaving home at 5 AM to get thru LA. Now we leave at 9-9:30 and are lucky to make 325 a day.
A agree with snoking that the 2015 tows better than my old 2002.

 

[AH64ID]

I did two solo 1050 mile days this past year (Boise - Tucson, and back). They both weren't intentional. The first one I left earlier than anticipated, hit zero traffic, and wasn't fatigued at my intended overnight point so I kept driving. I finally was getting ready to quit about an hour out and finished the drive. LONG day, so on the way back I took the more scenic route and intended to overnight in SLC but there wasn't a hotel with an open room on a Saturday night at 9:30 so I kept moving (tried hotels.com and called 10 or more hotels, all booked). I spent the last 200 miles on the phone with the wife which helped me stay alert. It wasn't dangerous but I have no intentions of doing it again.

 

[Mick2500]

WoW John,
I can't think of ANY scenic way to get from here to SLC other than getting on 89 and following that and I-15 all the way
to SLC. I've done over a 1,000 miles on a bike and I doubt I'll do it again. I went from Youngstown, Ohio to Lawrence, Kansas in about 15 hours once just because I had no reason to stop. It was a great ride but I WAS a little goofy when I
finally did stop for the night, made it home to Tucson the next day and slept for about 13 hours.

Mick,
Tucson

 

[KATOOM]

No one going to comment on RClarks"When I was younger, in my 70's..." statement.....?

I laughed, then thought, thats AWESOME!!!!!

 

[AH64ID]

Going down I took 93 to vegas then thru kingman into Phoenix and down. Coming home I went thru flagstaff and up 89 to 89A into kanab and back on 89 to 70 to 50 into SLC then 84 home. I just found the pics. 1052 going down and 1083 coming home.

 

[Mick2500]

Those are impressive moving averages! I used to get moving averages like that on my 3 Flags motorcycle
rides and it's hard work with a 6 gallon fuel tank. Congrats!

Mick
Tucson

Going down I took 93 to vegas then thru kingman into Phoenix and down. Coming home I went thru flagstaff and up 89 to 89A into kanab and back on 89 to 70 to 50 into SLC then 84 home. I just found the pics. 1052 going down and 1083 coming home.

 

[NIsaacs]

WoW John,
I can't think of ANY scenic way to get from here to SLC other than getting on 89 and following that and I-15 all the way
to SLC.

Mick,
Tucson

I use 191 to get to SLC from Snowflake, that is the closest route, Moab to Price and points North.

Nick

 

[Craw]

As a pro cdl driver I can tell all of you to try to maintain your body first is your position in the seat back fairly straight up the more vertical your legs from knees down the better also wiggle the toes to the tunes playing on the radio helps the flow of blood up the legs running a lot of miles pushing hard isn't the enjoyment of the trip my alert level is to see live critters that way the eyes are always moving *though the traffic an shoulders of the road mirrors kept adjusted cleaned glass helps cut the night time glare down while your out doing laps check your ride out top to bottom front to back actually look at it close you will catch potential problems early *the Rv folks forget air pressure in a old inside dually tire many a bad day because of the little things let go to long *yup old trucker that has had those bad days myself lessons of age is know when to put it down for the night*
May the miles bring smiles *be safe

 

[Bob4x4]

As a pro cdl driver I can tell all of you to try to maintain your body first is your position in the seat back fairly straight up the more vertical your legs from knees down the better also wiggle the toes to the tunes playing on the radio helps the flow of blood up the legs running a lot of miles pushing hard isn't the enjoyment of the trip my alert level is to see live critters that way the eyes are always moving *though the traffic an shoulders of the road mirrors kept adjusted cleaned glass helps cut the night time glare down while your out doing laps check your ride out top to bottom front to back actually look at it close you will catch potential problems early *the Rv folks forget air pressure in a old inside dually tire many a bad day because of the little things let go to long *yup old trucker that has had those bad days myself lessons of age is know when to put it down for the night*
May the miles bring smiles *be safe

It would be nice if pick up seats had as much adjustability as the big rigs especially in the up and down mode.My truck only give about an inch in that mode

 

[BIGNASTY]

I have the seat overlay thats made of wooden beads about the size of olives woven together. I think the idea is stimulation & blood flow. I had seen truckers use these for many years & never gave them much thought because I didn't have a problem with driving legal with the addition of illegal hours when driving, probably due to like Bob 4x4 said SEAT ADJUSTABILITY. When I retired I slowed down to look at things this involves GETTING OUT OF THE SEAT!! a 15 min rest stop/stretching works wonders. I finally bought a beaded seat overly what a difference in the way of less fatigue and cooling of you back & backside which sounds strange but it's amazing how soggy the back of your shirt and drawers get and for me at least sped up the fatigue. I bought one for both the seats in the motorhome and changed the factory RV seats to some REALLY NICE air ride truck seats with massage and heat if wanted. Driving many hours is no longer a chore. We left Washington DC area and drove nonstop to home with the exception of food & fuel 30+ hours. Another thing I've found that can be used at least in my 3rd Gen is TILTING the seat sitting with the seat putting pressure on the hamstrings cut blood flow and induced leg fatigue. I don't like the feeling of having to push yourself back in the seat from sliding forward but just a little less pressure makes a HUGE difference.

BIG