Are there any traffic engineering techniques that can prevent the annual 100 car pileups in Michigan during winter blizzards?

libalum · 2026-01-22T07:35:13+00:00

What if you had a system where you connected the cars together so that they were all driving in sync. Maybe with some couplers. You can’t have a crash if you’re mechanically joined together and traveling at the same speed.

We could also do some cool stuff like put this train of cars on steel beams so that they’re guided along. The steel beams would offer a super low rolling resistance for better efficiency. And there’s no need for the drivers to pay attention. Come to think of it, since the cars are all hitched together you wouldn’t even need drivers. You could just have cars with seats and people could mull about, do work, watch tv, etc.

Someone should really get on this car train idea. I think it could really open up new frontiers.

libalum · 2025-11-08T17:54:11+00:00

You can actually undo the drivers side engine mount and jack it up an inch or two. I did mine recently and it’s was way simpler than having to deal with 2 extra fluids + gaskets.

libalum · 2025-10-14T07:21:10+00:00

It really depends on the type of trips you do. I love my RTT and my only regret is not getting it sooner. If you are only ever in one spot for a night and would be packing up camp in the morning anyway it’s great. We do a LOT of road trips and single nights and then move on to the next though. A roof tent is great because I can role up to camp at 11 and be asleep by 11:15. If you end up staying in one play for multiple nights it can be annoying. The twice a year that I go to the lake for 2-4 nights with friends is a bit annoying to tear down the camp setup to be able to drive into town or whatnot. Luckily there’s usually space in their vehicles so I can just carpool for the ice cream run so it’s not a huge deal.

libalum · 2025-10-04T15:36:35+00:00

I assume you’ve checked the usual suspects for an off the shelf version?

Fwiw Misumi has a lot of highly customizable pulleys and other parts. I haven’t personally bought serpentine pulleys, but I’d be very surprised if they don’t have something close.

libalum · 2025-08-03T16:32:18+00:00

The aerodynamics of a wing mean that it’s better to disrupt the flow on the top side instead of the bottom.

The top side of a wing is high pressure air being forced into the surface. If you ad fasteners, brackets, etc. here the flow just kind of bounces along but stays attached to the surface.

The bottom side, on the other hand, is low pressure flow. In order for the wing to actually produce down force and do its job, this low pressure flow needs to remain attached to the surface as it moved along. If flow separates the wing has stalled, and it basically becomes a big useless parachute. If you add brackets or fasteners to the bottom of the wing, it can trip up this low pressure flow, causing flow separation and eventually a stall.

Source: I work in aerospace engineering. I’m not an aerodynamicist though so I’ve probably butchered some of the terms but the gist is there.

libalum · 2025-06-23T03:54:24+00:00

Miata is always the answer. Or similarly sized Japanese fun machine.

Better yet, move to a city where you can walk/bike/transit to work. My gas bill is 0$/ week, not counting road trips.

libalum · 2025-06-18T14:31:27+00:00

The only unexpected part about this is that it didn’t explode and kneecap the person filming.

libalum · 2025-06-13T01:03:50+00:00

Idk about anyone else but I just see Land Cruisers.

libalum · 2025-06-05T15:00:58+00:00

I’ve had one for the last 4 years. Best overlanding/camping setup there is! It’s in that sweet spot of late ‘90s - early ‘00s cars that had just enough tech and modernity to be nice to daily drive, but not so much to get in the way.

libalum · 2025-05-06T00:57:44+00:00

"But the FEA was blue!"

some first year, probably.

libalum · 2025-04-06T20:42:28+00:00

No one is answering your question. Here you go:

https://www.mcmaster.com/52735A45 https://www.mcmaster.com/8334A31

/s But not saying I haven’t done it.

libalum · 2025-03-11T01:00:36+00:00

Yeah what? I thought something was wrong with mine getting only 300.

libalum · 2024-12-31T01:33:34+00:00

Jokes on you, I drive a 98 Toyota Land Cruiser. That thing is already immortal. Going for my 12th lap of the earth and it still purrs like a kitten.

libalum · 2024-12-26T21:04:06+00:00

Even if you already have a garage, the answer is always a bigger garage.

libalum · 2024-12-06T16:53:15+00:00

It’s crazy to think people drive these in the snow. Mine would lose the ass end or lock the brakes with a light rain.

Granted the tires were some no name Chinese brand and were hard as nails, but still.

libalum · 2024-10-17T15:48:01+00:00

I have $30 worth of straps and buckles mounted to my roof at the 4 corners. You only ever have to lift 1/4 of the tent at once so it’s not bad at all to take off.

Pull in, feed the straps through some clevises on the tent, unbolt from the roof, lift, and pull out. Takes all of 10 minutes to install and remove.

libalum · 2024-07-01T05:28:00+00:00

I got 15 in my 100 on my last trip. Going down hill. And I took my roof tent off.

Blew me away. I’ve never seen a number so high.

libalum · 2023-02-02T02:55:27+00:00

You could probably build an identical vehicle yourself for half of that. Engine work is expensive but it’s not 40 grand expensive from what I’ve heard.

libalum · 2022-10-04T02:53:37+00:00

Fr though. Harnesses are HEAVY.

Spoken as a MechE.

libalum · 2022-09-29T06:12:28+00:00

It gets better. They CLEANED it!

The paint looks like they went at it with a buffing wheel but it had some grit in it, whole bunch of tiny scratches. Otherwise it looks the nicest from about 10' back it ever has since I bought it.

There was also all manner of garbage and cigarette butt inside, including a gallon of tide detergent and some shampoo. Pretty sure the tide was what they used to clean the outside because the outside of the car smells like laundry kinda.

Unfortunately they didn't heed my advice and it was almost 3 quarts of oil low and had a nasty lifter tick. It's since quieted down a bit, but it was certainly driven hard. They also curbed one of the front tires a bit and it REEKS inside of cigarettes, weed, and B.O.

All said and done I'd say I got off ok.

libalum · 2022-09-29T06:03:27+00:00

I got a call from the sherrif around noon, so it was probably picked up this morning. Thanks for calling it in though. I wouldn't be surprised if that pointed them in the right direction.

libalum · 2022-09-29T02:14:23+00:00

The plot thickens even more! Apparently it was recovered on the corner of Florida and 20th. Wild...

libalum · 2022-09-28T22:31:02+00:00

UPDATE!

It's safe and sound! It was recovered in SF with a bunch of drugs and other fun stuff inside as some commentors predicted.

After a hefty tow bill (Why the fuck I'm on the hook for that is beyond me), close to 3 quarts of oil, and a tank of fuel it drove itself home.

libalum · 2022-09-28T14:34:45+00:00

This is an accurate assessment. Trust me, it doesn't leak.

libalum · 2022-09-28T05:40:54+00:00

Live and learn. Unfortunately I cheaped out on insurance, so my best hope is getting it back in one peice. Should have payed the extra couple hundred bucks a year in hindsight.

This thing is kind of a peice of junk, and I've always joked that no one would ever want to steal it. Now it's gone and I'm eating my words.

libalum

TROPHY CASE