Is there a way to keep the car from bottoming out on unknown roads? Stiffer or bigger bump stops, suspension changes, etc.

[Noleftist]

I was driving on unknown roads to me, to Summit Point Raceway and there was a bunch of roly-poly roads. I ended uplaunching off this one small hill and bottoming my 2022 MACH 1 with Handling package. Then later that day, at night, I was driving through the town of Winchester, and there was Again another Hill I guess due to elevated railroad crossing. I didn’t know this town and its roads. I would think the roads are intelligently designed and shouldn’t it be anything to worry about. I was WRONG. when I went over the railroad the car again got launched and Landed really hard.
my day was feeling like I was in the DUKES OF HAZZARD!
The Dukes of Hazzard was a fun show, but I don’t like bottoming my car!
Thank you.

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[young at heart]

I have found it helps a lot to deploy the drag chute and try to get under 75-80 mph when going over an unfamiliar RR crossing.

Just me, YMMV.

 

[Skye]

I was driving on unknown roads to me

Any time I'm in a new area, I drive like a "normal" person. I'm exploring, performing reconnaissance, even if the road looks killer. For physical issues and LEOs. I've been in some promising places, only to find problems in key segments. Because of those issues, I cannot apply power consistently, but have to lift or significantly slow down. Many times it's worthwhile to return. Sometimes, not. Or at least not in a spirited way.

Those with suspension mods can comment on what could be done to stiffen the suspension. But IMO, limiting vehicle roll and movements are made to improve traction and performance, not necessarily to prevent bottoming out when encountering an elevation change. The used surface is expected to have a reasonable amount of smoothness to it.

In the mean time, you might want to experiment with different suspension modes. Sport+ is what I use about 9 out of 10 drives.

From a previous thread, we commented of how a portion of your belly pan was missing. I wouldn't attempt anything challenging until that is replaced. While its key purpose is aero, I'd rather spend a few hundred on a new belly pan, than an even greater amount on underside damage.

Attached is a photo of recent hazard I barely missed, just doing the limit in a residential neighbor hood. While the city's sewer system has proven stout, the road settled around it. I keep a simple log of these hazards, occasionally reviewing it before going out.

If approaching elevated areas (speed bumps, steep driveways), I gain a lot by approaching at an angle and slow speed (sometimes crawling), versus something faster and straight on.

 

[raptor17GT]

if you dont know the roads then unexpected launches if you're on it driving style are going to happen. Cheapest mod is to drive slower on roads you don't know, once you know where the bumps / ramps / unforgiving cambers are then you can drive in a more spirited mode.

 

[Boyd]

The only way to keep from bottoming out on those exact roads (yeah, I've been there) is to a) slow down, or b) build a much more compliant, soft, suspension. Like those on a Trophy Truck. Which is, of course, ridiculous.

I've had my old SVO airborne on those exact roads. And a close friend slid off the outside of a hard left 90 and ended up with his BMW on top of a stump. Those roads are no joke... slow down and be safe.

 

[Noleftist]

I was not going fast, especially over the in town railroad.

 

[young at heart]

I was not going fast, especially over the in town railroad.

the car again got launched and Landed really hard.

I’m sorry, but this kind of thing doesn’t happen if you’re going slow. RR crossings don’t spring up with no warning. You have time to react before “launching”.

 

[Paddles]

the car again got launched and Landed really hard.

I’m sorry, but this kind of thing doesn’t happen if you’re going slow. RR crossings don’t spring up with no warning. You have time to react before “launching”.

Yep too much speed if you landed that hard.
I see this kind of thing as a free excuse to go WOT. I like to slow to a crawl over the tracks and then punch it.

 

[TonyT930]

I was driving on unknown roads to me, to Summit Point Raceway and there was a bunch of roly-poly roads. I ended uplaunching off this one small hill and bottoming my 2022 MACH 1 with Handling package. Then later that day, at night, I was driving through the town of Winchester, and there was Again another Hill I guess due to elevated railroad crossing. I didn’t know this town and its roads. I would think the roads are intelligently designed and shouldn’t it be anything to worry about. I was WRONG. when I went over the railroad the car again got launched and Landed really hard.
my day was feeling like I was in the DUKES OF HAZZARD!
The Dukes of Hazzard was a fun show, but I don’t like bottoming my car!
Thank you.

How about slowing down on roads you don't know?

 

[VoR]

Anybody else think this is what happened to the belly pan?

 

[SheepDog]

I was driving on unknown roads to me, to Summit Point Raceway and there was a bunch of roly-poly roads. I ended uplaunching off this one small hill and bottoming my 2022 MACH 1 with Handling package. Then later that day, at night, I was driving through the town of Winchester, and there was Again another Hill I guess due to elevated railroad crossing. I didn’t know this town and its roads. I would think the roads are intelligently designed and shouldn’t it be anything to worry about. I was WRONG. when I went over the railroad the car again got launched and Landed really hard.
my day was feeling like I was in the DUKES OF HAZZARD!
The Dukes of Hazzard was a fun show, but I don’t like bottoming my car!
Thank you.

Yes

 

[Noleftist]

Anybody else think this is what happened to the belly pan?

In your position I would think the same thing too, but I only recently as in this past weekend went to Summit point. So the belly pan/skid plate damage couldn’t have happened.
None of the roads I’ve driven on until then had been anywhere near as bad!

 

[Noleftist]

And lets say I was driving like Bo, in the Dukes of Hazzard every day, is it kind of odd that the belly pan only underneath the oil pan was broke off/cut? or is that normally what happens?

 

[AZ_Ryan]

We've all bottomed out a couple times. You learn to slow down and scan the road when coming through strange intersections. Also, GPS shows you all RR crossings.

I will say that since I changed to a 35 profile tire, I scrape much less. The extra 3/8" in hight helps.

 

[Trout1]

I was driving on unknown roads to me, to Summit Point Raceway and there was a bunch of roly-poly roads. I ended uplaunching off this one small hill and bottoming my 2022 MACH 1 with Handling package. Then later that day, at night, I was driving through the town of Winchester, and there was Again another Hill I guess due to elevated railroad crossing. I didn’t know this town and its roads. I would think the roads are intelligently designed and shouldn’t it be anything to worry about. I was WRONG. when I went over the railroad the car again got launched and Landed really hard.
my day was feeling like I was in the DUKES OF HAZZARD!
The Dukes of Hazzard was a fun show, but I don’t like bottoming my car!
Thank you.

Don’t outrun your headlights.

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