How Much Wind to Flip a Big Rig

allen griggs

Since I drove an 18 wheeler through a hurricane last night, or, at least, the fringe of one, I now need to know.

With a straight sideways wind, how strong must the wind be to flip my trailer over? Let us say, with a moderate load of 20,000 pounds like I had last night?

Would it make any difference if that wind hit you while the truck was doing 65 versus sitting parked?

asphalt cowboy

I've heard of winds of 55-65mph laying rigs over on I70 here in Kansas.

Don't know about your area, but here it's more often the wind currents pushing them off the road and laying them over than straight line winds pushing them over.

Marc1301

I would think it would take a lot more wind to flip one sitting parked, than flying down the road at 70MPH.

A 'lift effect' probably comes into play when moving, or at least my common sense tells me that should be the case.

On the other hand,....I could be flat out wrong![:D]

River Rat

All I know is I've seen several that had flipped in a big wind on I-25 near Cheyenne. And I'm pretty sure they don't get hurricanes there.

woodhog

This usually happens when trailer is loaded with something like potting soil or lettuce. Trailer full but light, center of gravity moves up.

Gashauler

I don't know exactly but I am reminded of about ten years ago around Cheyenne they had straight line winds of 80-90 laid over a bunch of trucks in the Petro parking lot.

When it gets really windy makes me happy I am driving a tanker.

toolmaniam

I was sitting in the Windmill truck stop in Rapid City and there were 90mph gusts and I didnt flip. I was hauling drilling mud on a 48' flat bed though.

kimi

quote:Originally posted by Gashauler
I don't know exactly but I am reminded of about ten years ago around Cheyenne they had straight line winds of 80-90 laid over a bunch of trucks in the Petro parking lot.

When it gets really windy makes me happy I am driving a tanker.




That's the area I was thinking about when this subject came up.

Riomouse911

They get flipped every year here when the Santa Ana winds blow down the Cajon Pass into Fontana. They actually stop rigs and motorhomes from using the I-15 when they blow 45-50+ MPH.

Rocky Raab

We have what they call canyon winds here in Utah. Cold air rushes down the narrow passes in the Wasatch Front at speeds of up to 100 mph. I've seen sustained canyon winds topping 80 for four days straight.

Not only big rigs but even boxcars get regularly dumped over on I-35 and the tracks next to it between Salt Lake City and Ogden. The last big one was last December 1st. There were upwards of 4,000 trees blown down, hundreds of roofs stripped bare of shingles, and both trucks and trains were tipped over.