[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Also, many speed breakers are local jobs and may not be equally high. Also, many tend to get reduced in parts by time and usage. So find the lowest part. Also, often you will find the sides not given the treatment. So try and drive from the side.

+1 to this. Whenever I ain't in a mood to slow down much for a breaker, I find and take the lower most section and sides usually are, at least in Noida.

[xenxer]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Instead of car at 45 degrees, I wish all the speed breakers are at 45 degrees to the road.

+1 He He i liked that. ..

This would obviously do the need for the speedbreaker and will reduce the scraping.

[sam_b]

My 2 cents -
Angling across is the most efficient, but not the most practical especially on busy roads.
Ideally speed breakers need to be built with a slant across the road, this would make them efficient (reducing speed), safe (for the car underside) and useful..

Cheers!
S

[lsp]

Originally Posted by sam_b

....
Ideally speed breakers need to be built with a slant across the road, this would make them efficient (reducing speed), safe (for the car underside) and useful..

Originally Posted by msdivy

Instead of car at 45 degrees, I wish all the speed breakers are at 45 degrees to the road.

Wouldn't that make it a bit dangerous for the Two wheelers esp if the road is wet?

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by Judemayne

Dhanushs-I follow the method adopted by you...

Originally Posted by DieselFan

I adopt what is called one wheel at a time approach same as the one detailed by dhanushS.

Originally Posted by GTO

The best way is indeed, the angled approach. Tackle the speedbreaker one wheel at a time.

Originally Posted by nitrous

The entry angle should be 45 degrees to the speed-breaker.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I do not go 45 degrees but more like 30 degrees or so.

So, the 'angle'd approach is indeed the most effective one.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

So find the lowest part.

A very practical way, considering todays speedbreakes are very much inconsistent in design.

Originally Posted by RemingtonSteele

My way of dealing with these scrapy speedbreakers is I let the vehicle speed remain and apply breaks just before the speed breaker and then release the breaks and let it roll over the speed breakers with the momentum it carries.

Do you gain any GC in the process, by suspension travel?.


Also, over not so high humps, driving at a speed/way where there is little or no suspension travel might help?.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Instead of car at 45 degrees, I wish all the speed breakers are at 45 degrees to the road.

Atleast in busy roads, where the angled approach might prove to be a disturbance for fellow users, wont this speed-breaker design be helpful?. Or are there any -ve's?

[rajivanoj]

Oh! Lancer vs speed breakers, i am afraid of those car breakers, when my lancer approaches one, i slow down much and move on. But if there are 5 people it will surely scrap the ground, its fate of lancer.

Most locally built speed breakers will scratch the car, especially my experience with lancer, I think i have to increase Ground clearence by raising suspension with the help of aluminium bush, but i have heard it is not advisable, i love my lancer, but i hate its lower ground clearance.

[v.anand]

Speed breakers and car breakers, a popular topic and discussed in length before, but not able to find the thread now. My first learning and experience with dealing with speed breakers started thanks to Maruti Zen we had sometime ago. Since then, one of the key tests during new car purchase has been its ability to clear them, but encounter the agony in my friends cars now.

Angled approach is recommended for some cars but not for some, especially by Honda dealership people on Civic. Their logic is it exposes some unprotected components to the hit which would otherwise not get damaged due to the protective shield under the chassis which is the first addition to Indianization of new cars.

I feel @Remingtonsteele's approach a bit dangerous too here in Bangalore because some humps do manage to hit no matter what but when done in speed, leaves a much larger dent as compared to an ordinary scrape without visual dent otherwise.

The method I follow other than the universal angled approach is to cut the speeds to the bear minimum before the hump and start accelerating from the point the front wheels are on top of it. This way, the suspension travel is on the upward movement which translates in gaining the precious millimeter increase in GC.

Like I said before, some humps do manage to scrape no matter what and the best way to avoid it is to purchase cars which possess this ability.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by GTO

The best way is indeed, the angled approach. Tackle the speedbreaker one wheel at a time.

Picture from Timeline studios:
Attachment 474166

I take this approach, but what about rear wheels?

Should we straighten the steering or keep it angled (the opposite side) after the front wheels have moved on?

(Yet to hit a breaker)

[ghodlur]

I have tried the angled approach on numerous occassion with and without success. A couple of monstrous speed breakers are still difficult to cross. I feel the issue is the moment the front wheel cross the bump and the rear is still in the process of crossing the underbelly would be scraped if the GC of the car is smaller than the bump height. If the bump is smoothly built then no issues.

[nandans2005]

I feel the issue is the moment the front wheel cross the bump and the rear is still in the process of crossing the underbelly would be scraped if the GC of the car is smaller than the bump height

Exactly, i have not seen the underbelly scraped, if the rear wheel climbs the hump immediately after the front wheels have landed from the hump. I think it is mostly the width & height of the hump which matters.

Driving an ANHC, humps are always done with great care and with people onboard, humps are a nightmare in this car.

[bzr77k]

Originally Posted by DWind

Would increasing the tyre pressure by a few psi help? Especially when the car is fully loaded?

When loaded (with 4-5 people), its definitely helpful to have your car tyre pressure filled to a couple of psi above the recommended... but this could lead to handling issues and needs caution.

Otherwise, i dont think its recommended to take the one-wheel-at-a-time approach... unless your sure to avoid the speed-breaker. If by chance you hit the speed-breaker then u could end up causing more damage to the car than you wanted

[thedreamcatcher]

Angled approach is definitely good. But what if you are in traffic and dont have the liberty to do so

Simple thing is to go really slow over it and most often it does not bottom out. But yes, if the car is loaded and the speed breaker is very big, then it is a bit difficult to avoid. But can minimize the bump.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Should we straighten the steering or keep it angled (the opposite side) after the front wheels have moved on?

(Yet to hit a breaker)

In any traffic situation, you can take your time. Most understand. I usually put on hazards, start slowing everyone behind, put cotton in my ears (kiddin') and take the angled approach. It is usually at the extreme end as it has less angle (sometimes).

The rear comes to the ground with able helping from clutch and brake. Post this do a Lewis Hamilton on the traffic behind and I am off (switch off the hazard once I shift into 2nd gear)

Edit--I go extreme slow and for once I ignore honks and road-sense, but then its for my Car and I better be safe than sorry and repent later.

Originally Posted by thedreamcatcher

But what if you are in traffic and dont have the liberty to do so

[Chewbacca]

quote=dhanushs;2189816]

So.. what exactly is the correct method of approaching/getting through a speed breaker without scraping the underbelly?.

[/quote]

There is no practical solution and we have to live with it.

Originally Posted by rajivanoj

i love my lancer, but i hate its lower ground clearance.

This is OT but Lancer's GC is highest in the sedan class at 175 mm (SFX) and 185 mm (GLX/SLX)
Scraping speed breakers with a Lancer is only possible on the SFX model because it came with stock 14" alloys with lower profile tyres and body skirts, but GLX / SLX came with 175-80/R13 and provides the highest GC at 185 mm -that's higher than Maruti's SX4.

Anythiing lower than the stock 80 profile on a GLX / SLX (after a rim upgrade or switch to tubeless) will reduce the GC by 8 mm at the least and that's too much, especially with 5 people onboard this goes down further because side-wall of tubeless is thin and bulges easily, further reducing the GC.

---------------------------
Chewbacca

[prats]

Hi all,
Here are a few things that i have learnt about speed breakers

• Most of them are unscientific. In order to clear the bumps the car must have a high ground clearance.
• Approach the bump at a slower speed and slightly angle the car while going over the bump.Moreoften than not, it helps.
• Have a rethink on those ultra low profile tyres. They do bring down the clearance. While they look good, they are not so good when it comes to clearing road humps and bad roads
• Get rid of excess weight in the vehicle. Even a few kilos count in some places.
• If the speed breaker is in your locality complain to the local civic authorities. I have seen this happen and bad speed breakers have been redone. Jaago Naagrik Jaago!!