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I have about 72,000 miles driving our 1999 Liberty XL45. I don’t think I get pushed around very much.
I also deliver finished box trucks for Marion Body Works. They range from 16′ boxes on gasoline powered Isuzu cab over chassis to 28′ and 30′ boxes on tandem axle Peterbilts and Kenworths … and everything in between. The trucks are empty; just the chassis, drive train, and empty box.
These trucks tend to get pushed around by semi’s and even enclosed car trailers pulled by one ton duallies.
I think it comes down to a number of factors:
1. Weight of what we’re driving. 49,000 pounds for an XL45 on a 45′ coach and corresponding wheel base. The weight per tire on the pavement is relatively high.
2. Weight distribution. Low center of gravity on our coaches. I think that ads significantly to our stability.
3. Geometry. The long wheelbase of the coach adds to the stability. More leverage to keep it stable. I’ve noticed the shorter wheelbase box trucks can get really pushed around, longer the wheelbase not so much.
Think about the stability of our buses in high cross winds. I think the same forces are at work.
So our high relative weight, low CG, and long wheelbase results in a very stable vehicle.