When I say monsoon rain, that means 1-3" standing water usually over several hundred yards of roadway. It's the worst test you can throw at wet traction and it's unreal when you hit it, but again, George's home-brew anti-lock braking works like a champ.
-George > Well, I've got 16X7's on Kumho Ecsta 711's, car is lowered on Neuspeed > springs, and Koni's...I live in Colorado, and have NO problem. I can > RIP down the interstate steady as a rock in the rain, and it does great > in the packed snow too. Ice/slick streets? Not as good as you can > imagine. Drive for the weather... > > So I really dont know what to say. > > Willy > > > > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > From my own experience during monsoon rain storms here in Florida, > > the stock > > 13" steelies did an "okay" job keeping the car planted on the road. > > After I > > lowered the suspension on Eibach Pro Kit springs and put the 205/50 > > R-15 > > Koenig rims on, the car had a horrible time driving through any > > slicks of > > water at high speed- felt like a crazy crabwalk. > > > > Willy- you're right on the money 'cause it turned out to be the > > alignment. > > Once I had a 4-wheel alignment done, the car now tracks straighter > > than ever, > > *but* if I fly through standing water at speeds above 55mph (not that > > I ever > > go faster than 55mph :P) the car loses traction like it's floating on > > the > > wider tires and starts going diagonally towards the lower shoulder. > > > > Here's the interesting point- all I have to do to recover is a series > > of quick > > tap-tap-tap's on the brake pedal and the car corrects back to a > > straight path > > almost instantly. This is George's home-brew anti-lock brakes :). > > > > > > George > > '89 DX-Hybrid-D16Z6, 128k miles > > "Sweeeeeeet to drive" > > > > > > > > > > Actually, the tire/wheel "size" does matter a little. The WIDER > > the tire's > > foot print, > > the more it dissapates the weight, just Kuhn said. So you wouldn't > > really > > need a taller > > wheel/tire, but maybe a more narrow one, so that less weight is > > distributed, > > and the tire > > 'cuts' through the water faster. This is much more apparent in mud > > and snow > > conditions, > > but does pertain to wet conditions as well. So take that into > > consideration, > > and then > > that tread information is also vital as well... > > > I had a 93 MR2, that was TERRIBLE on ANY kind of adverse > > conditions. I > > finally realized > > that it was HORRIBLY out of alignment..You could get that checked. > > Once > > adjusted, it was > > a champ! > > > The stock size should be just fine. Your tires are probably very > > worn, or > > just have poor > > weather handling condition. You can check out ratings for different > > tires at > > http://www.tirerack.com. When you go through the whole picking tires > > routine, > > and you are > > looking at the list of PICTURED tires, the name just to the right of > > the tires > > picture > > should be a link that you can click on, to view the individual area's > > rating: > > > Dry traction, WET TRACTION, hydro resistance, snow traction, > > cornering > > ability, steering > > response, ride comfort, noise comfort, and tread wear. It's very > > easy to read > > and > > understand. > > > That way you can find the tire that best suits your needs, not just > > what the > > shop has that > > they are trying to push, and tell you they are the BEST out there. > > > > > > Willy > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus.yahoo.com
