HELP Stability improvements needed- trying to alleviate car-sick kid issue

[othercarasaab]

Hi,

Ok, my daughter is 1 1/2, and gets sick frequently on long (over 1/2 hr) car drives. After throwing up on 5 separate drives in the last 4 months, we need to try and set this up better.

Specifically, we know that decreased motion will help - she's getting sick either in windy highway driving, twisty back-roads, or stop-and-go driving... highway cruising with no wind or traffic is not a problem.

Per a suggestion of friends, we've heard that window tinting can help by keeping her cooler - and done.

Now I've been given free-reign to look up what can be done by way of suspension mods to help the car shake and sway less in the wind and traffic... within reasonable cost constraints...

We discussed lowering springs, and although she'd curious, we're a little concerned about the harsher ride and relatively high cost.
What other ideas you all have for me?

I'm open to anything from sway bars to lowering springs to whatever else you've got. For that matter, if there's a way I can install rear-ac that's found in the '08 into my 2006 Mazda5, I'd probably even look into that...
Information from personal experience in difference of feel (springs especially) would of course be greatly appreciated...

Bring it on... No ideas are too out there, I'll consider anything, but remember I'm going to try to use this to convince my wife (it is her daily driver) that these are things we want to do


Thanks!

 

[AwaKeN]

Look, the problem is not related to the car, the problem is that your kid have the travel sickness, you should talk to your doctor about that. I know that there is some "medication" (Gravol) for that.

 

[othercarasaab]

Car-sickness (hoping to avoid medicine)

AwaKeN,

Trying to avoid medication. I know that's a possible solution - one we might use for especially long car-drives like vacation. But we've got family that lives 1 hour away that we go see frequently, and she throws up about 1/2 way through the trip - only in bad weather or heavy traffic. Hoping to not have to give medicine weekly to compensate for motion sickness.

I was often car-sick as a kid, and know the triggers (including too warm or too much shaking of the car), trying to figure out other ways besides medicine...

Partly, I'd love to stiffen up the handling characteristics, and if I can spend $200 (or however much) on car parts instead of medicine over the next several years, I'd rather spend the $ on the car!

 

[GoFast]

A sway bar would definitely help along with some different springs. I am pretty sure you can slap some ms3 sways and springs on there which should save you some money too. Also, some tires with less sidewall would help as well as a lot of sway comes from those as well.

 

[justanothermp5]

roll down the rear window and dont use AC as much

i know when i get car sick its either because of the smell of leather or because there isnt any fresh air in the car
may be just me tho lol

 

[Metallic36]

Along with adding stuff to your car, I would also suggest talking to the doctor. Just to be on the safe side, you can always tell them you don't want medication for her but just to make sure it really is the usual car-sickness and not an onset of something else, dizziness caused by motion/neurological, inner ear, etc. Another thing is to just drive slow around corners, slow down slowly, just do everything easy, but you're probably already doing that.

 

[justanothermp5]

^thats sometimes very difficult to do with some of the idiot drivers we have on the road these days...

 

[AwaKeN]

Like I said and Metallic36 said, even if you add things on your car, if your baby have the motion sickness nothing will do the job, i'm affraid that we did not tell ya what you want but, if it's something in the ears or anything else the medication and or modifications will not do anything, only time will !

 

[diogenes]

There seems to be some research out there that low frequency motion or vibration, particularly in the fore-and-aft plane (not up and down) can cause motion sickness. (Just google "motion sickness frequency".) I think a blown or worn shock or strut, particularly in the back, can make that worse, so the first thing to do would be check for that. Then you might consider a thick pad under the child's car seat to try to damp vibrations in that range. That might take a lot of experimentation, since some means might amplify the vibration and some will be better at damping it, based on the "natural" frequency of the material. Finally, you might try some stiffer shocks and struts, but that is a greater expense and there is no guarantee it will screen out that low-frequency pitching you are trying to attack.

Good luck.

 

[DKaz]

Drive more conservatively. Keep lots of distance between you and the car in front of you in heavy traffic... I know that's inviting other drivers to cut into your lane but it'll reduce the need for sudden heavy braking.

 

[VenomDesign]

Give her 2 Table spoon of Whiskey 15 minutes before every road trip, that should solved the problem, and this ain't medication

Of course this is a joke

 

[Distinct]

Since your Daughter is 1.5 years old, she's facing forward.

Is she in the middle or the last row? Have you experimented?

Are you driving manual transmission?

You don't mention what brand/model her seat is. Does her toddler seat have big blinders on the side that cramp her space around her head? She might be more comfortable with a different setup. My Daughter sits in a Recaro and it has huge head bolsters that may good for resting her head but bad for limiting her view out the window for objects to focus on to reduce nausea. Before getting vehicle suspension, I would try your Daughter in different toddler seats with different angles and head resting positions.

Any suspension changes will not help, energy transfer is still going to be the same. Based upon the corners and speeds you are driving, because the vehicle does not lean as much (sway bars), it doesn't mean the energy is not being transferred to your Daughter. In my experience, lowering springs are a costly solution and not effective for what you want to achieve (also worse over time). You are trying to control lean compression at the sacrifice of rebound. If you want to get into matched struts/shocks (more $), it will just become that much more harsh in the vehicle, which is probably OK since the bumps are not what is making your Daughter sick.

I've had my Daughter in years of sitting in a race prepped Audi S4 and despite the vehicle looking like it did not lean, dive or squat from the outside, the interior occupants would tell you otherwise.

I suggest driving more slowly and find alternate routes that minimize any turns. Good luck.

Hi,

Ok, my daughter is 1 1/2, and gets sick frequently on long (over 1/2 hr) car drives. After throwing up on 5 separate drives in the last 2 months, we need to try and set this up better.

Specifically, we know that decreased motion will help - she's getting sick either in windy highway driving, twisty back-roads, or stop-and-go driving... highway cruising with no wind or traffic is not a problem.

Per a suggestion of friends, we've heard that window tinting can help by keeping her cooler - and done.

Now I've been given free-reign to look up what can be done by way of suspension mods to help the car shake and sway less in the wind and traffic... within reasonable cost constraints...

We discussed lowering springs, and although she'd curious, we're a little concerned about the harsher ride and relatively high cost.
What other ideas you all have for me?

I'm open to anything from sway bars to lowering springs to whatever else you've got. For that matter, if there's a way I can install rear-ac that's found in the '08 into my 2006 Mazda5, I'd probably even look into that...
Information from personal experience in difference of feel (springs especially) would of course be greatly appreciated...

Bring it on... No ideas are too out there, I'll consider anything, but remember I'm going to try to use this to convince my wife (it is her daily driver) that these are things we want to do


Thanks!

 

[othercarasaab]

Many seem more interested in checking up on my kid than addressing my initial question, so I thought I'd share a few reassuring points.
1) We've talked to doctor already. This doesn't happen every time we drive, or even THAT often, he isn't overly concerned (and he's been our family doctor for years - we know he's good), and he has pointed that we can use medication (we intend to only for special circumstances - ie vacation).
2) These 5 incidents have been over several months - had the car for most of a year - and they have been over the same road that we've driven 40 times (roundtrips) since she first threw up, so it's not an every time thing.
3) This has happened only in the Mazda5, taking either other car - Grand Caravan or Saab - we have never had this problem. The difference is both of those are touring suspension setups, and shake less in the wind. (both other vehicles have a larger footprint - wider track, longer wheelbase, heavier, the Saab is much shorter, and minivan is 1,000 lbs heavier).
4) Happened for each my wife and I driving, so it's not just my driving Overall I would say we drive Midwestern Average in terms of aggression, but we've toned it down even from there since experiencing this issue. Traveling distance, etc, not a problem, starting to use basic hypermiling techniques, but can't account for strong crosswind or severe construction traffic - which seem to be only times this hapens.
5) (Also been with both Winter tires and Summer OE Raptors, so it's not JUST a bad tire either) - but could be something else suspension...
6) Distinct: Middle row - haven't experimented much, usually stroller and suitcases in 3rd row area, Automatic, yes forward facing. Again, issue isn't speed, but wind buffeting and frequent jarring motions, same road in clear weather not an issue. That's why I was wondering if it wouldn't lean/pull as much in a strong wind with a stiffer suspension. I agree that there will still be energy transfer.

Since this doesn't happen with other cars- but ONLY the Mazda5:
That's why I'm looking at suspension or other improvements.
(again, if anyone knows how to get rear air into an '06, I'm SOLD!)

PS: diogenes - thanks for the fore-and-aft motion sickness line of reasoning, makes a lot of sense, and I'll look into it further.

 

[just ang]

Since I will surely not going to have any answers to your initial question, other than I can well instruct your wife how to weigh the car down with bags from the mall but I don't think that is quite what you meant!

2) These 5 incidents have been over several months - had the car for most of a year - and they have been over the same road that we've driven 40 times (roundtrips) since she first threw up, so it's not an every time thing.

This did get me thinking-has this started since you turned her forward facing? If so, try turning her around again. There is much information stating that children are safer, facing rear, even after they are a year old. I do not have my 3 yr old rear facing but I know that I have read about it.

 

[bulwnkl]

If this definitely ONLY happens in the 5 and DEFINITELY NOT EVER in the SAAB or the Caravan, and if the driving patterns are EXACTLY the same in all three vehicles and it still ONLY happens in the 5, then the answer is perfectly clear:
The (relatively) hard and 'sporty' suspension in the 5 is the problem. Lowering springs and other things you want to do for Zoom-Zoom reasons will make it worse, not better. It's the Zoom-Zoom that's the problem, if everything above is completely and entirely the same between the 3 cars and only the 5 causes the problem.

A suggestion: Put 500 lbs. of dead weight in the car; 750 or more if you can get it. Spread it out over the rear and maybe center floor so that you don't bend anything. Don't exceed max GVWR and don't make it sit cock-eyed. Drive around like that for a while and see if it's any better. That'll smooth out the ride and make it a little more stable in the wind. It'll also reduce your mpg, but this is only an experiment.

I was one of those kids that got car-sick a lot, too. It's not fun, but it'll pass. It IS your/her driving and/or the car to one degree or another. You may or may not be able to 'fix' it in the Mazda; you may have to always drive the baby around in the Caravan or the SAAB.

Good luck!

 

[morethan5]

Ears (eustation tubes) telling you that movement is taking place while contradictory indications are given by the eyes can together result in motion or sea-sickness. If the child can only see the interior, and not outside, perhaps there is a clue.

Also, since this is a long trip, how much food or liquid is given before the trip?

(sorry if I missed these comments in earlier replies)

 

[bazooka joe]

take the other cars on the road trip

 

[jasma1]

I got the answer!

Simply look at this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSi6J-QK1lw

This Bose Suspension is simply wonderful!

 

[skyhawk]

I get dizzy when I'm siting low in the seat that I can't see the outside. Same thing if I'm seated facing the rear of the car.

A good car seat (we have brittax) that sits the child higher - he/she can see the outside thru the window- has worked well for the grandchild in our case.