Traction Please!!

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 09:09 AM

Had my car for just on a month now..

AU 1 XR6 5 speed.

Anyone else have the problem that in the wet it just wants to slide all over the freekin road!!

I wasn't getting up it.. the engine was cold.. im on my way to work this morning, 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, sideways up the road trying to correct the car and stay in my damn lane!

Anyone else have this problem I WAS NOT even getting up the car! the tyres maybe cheap (dealer fitted) but they have plenty of tread!

Anyone else got some scary storys and close calls.. geese scary in the wet!!!

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 09:10 AM

Once again I will add i was not being an idiot the *** just wants to break loose once the revs go over about 2200 lol .. and i have to slip the clutch like all hell just to keep traction off the mark

Casper · 29-08-2006, 09:12 AM

Your tyres must be shockers. Even with my setup I dont have anywhere near that sort of problem.

Pinkbits · 29-08-2006, 09:18 AM

Prior to today, when was the last time it rained? If it has been a while, oil and other rubbish on the road surface will be a factor.

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDXR8BLOKE

Prior to today, when was the last time it rained? If it has been a while, oil and other rubbish on the road surface will be a factor.

Yeah it was really really wet when i bought the car i remember accidently breaking the rear loose at the lights so i started slipping the clutch a hell of a lot in the test drive but none of this sideways crazy stuff like this morning.. it has been a while since a good rain i suppose. Maybe the tires are really dodgy cheap? I'll check the brand out later.

janek · 31-08-2006, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot

Yeah it was really really wet when i bought the car i remember accidently breaking the rear loose at the lights so i started slipping the clutch a hell of a lot in the test drive but none of this sideways crazy stuff like this morning.. it has been a while since a good rain i suppose. Maybe the tires are really dodgy cheap? I'll check the brand out later.

If this was in brissy, id believe you... my auto slips all over the joint with a tad of acceleration... it has been raining really heavily here, and the sludge and crap is all over the roads..

In a manual it would be hardcore

sickxr · 31-08-2006, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janek

If this was in brissy, id believe you... my auto slips all over the joint with a tad of acceleration... it has been raining really heavily here, and the sludge and crap is all over the roads..

In a manual it would be hardcore

Yep it was crazy drivin home this afo with my manual

justa6 · 29-08-2006, 09:20 AM

when mine was standard it had the original tires (bloody expensive) and it got good drive in the wet, and that's a ute. so yeah it's not the car it's the tire's

sfr rob · 29-08-2006, 09:20 AM

my old AU is fine to drive in the wet, there isnt enough power to mess up in it, plus it has 18's on it which have good treat that helps. :P

If your saying that you are all over the place... maybe you need to take the car back to the dealer and get better tyres put on the rims, or get them to turn them around.. maybe they are directional tyres.
IT sounds pretty dangerous to you and others on the road.
In my ba fairmont ghia V8 it is near on impossible to drive in the wet with 17's, now with 20's it is still hairy, but you can manage it with traction control on, but i dont think that is an option on the AU's.

TheSneakiness · 29-08-2006, 09:33 AM

It's been a while since we got any rain here, it's more than likely oil and grime on the road. I was extra careful this morning on my way into work, cause my rear tyres aren't exactly in the best condition.

nat_daly · 29-08-2006, 09:37 AM

the tires could be put on the wrong way and may be running against the specified rotational direction. That would cause you to have amazing problems in the wet..
my tyres are knackered, and they arent that bad...

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 09:50 AM

Tyres are rotational but rotating the right way, might help when I get my 18's rather than the stock 16's

JeffAU1 · 29-08-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot

Tyres are rotational but rotating the right way, might help when I get my 18's rather than the stock 16's

the difference will be huge.

I went from 15's which spun alot on the dry, and HEAPS in the wet

But now ive got my 17"'s which are a bit wider plus a better tyre, the difference is amazing.

hilly1981 · 29-08-2006, 10:59 AM

My AU with 17's and budget tyres with about 60% tread break traction if I gun it in the wet doing anything up to 60km/hr. Good thing is the car doesnt fish tail or anything on the straights. No way I would ever gun it in a car in the wet on a corner.

I think it is just because it is not a high quality type of tyre. In the dry however they are quite good and grip the road on the corners very well.

xr8ute · 29-08-2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot

Tyres are rotational but rotating the right way, might help when I get my 18's rather than the stock 16's

The rim diametre really has no affect on the quality of the tyre.

Foxtrot, check the brand of tyre you have got. Sounds like they are cheap rubbish....possibly Falken ZE-326?

LG · 29-08-2006, 11:02 AM

I'd say, the 16s, plus the skinny tyres, plus the manual isn't a good combination. The 18s will definately help you out.

LG

The Monty · 29-08-2006, 11:07 AM

Foxtrot, are you coming on the queensland cruise this weekend? If not you should. And I think its just the tyres, cross with a bit of oil on the road as it hasnt rained in a while.

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 11:12 AM

There's a cruise? sweeet, fill me in on all the details or link me up to the info. My mates AU Forte 5 speed with nice 20's just ran out of rego or he could come too ahh PLUS i could have my BA XR 18's on by now had i not gone stupid on the pokies last week. :|

EvilChief · 29-08-2006, 11:11 AM

Tyre size, width, tread pattern and compound are the key to traction.

You will have to evaluate what you expect from you tyres; comfort, traction (wet & dry), long live, racing or daily driving, load ratings (heavy or light loads) and budget. Once you know these aspects it is best to contact your local tyre dealer and tell them exactly what you need.

I used Azenis ST115 R17 225 for daily driving, lots of traction in the dry, ****ouse in the wet, good handling, 25thou km to the tyre, suitable for racing, light loads. A little bit more expensive than normal tyres.

Also used Gt Radials R16 225 for daily driving, great traction in both wet and dry, good handling, sliced the tyres up after lockup after only 5thou kms, well priced.

Azenis RT215 R17 295 for racing only, traction in dry wicked, wet never tested, excellent handling, ****house tyre wear, expensive, suits racing.

Toyo Campino (sp) R17 255 for street, great all rounder, good traction in dry and less in the wet, tread pattern of a ST115 with a softer compound but same milage, slightly cheaoer than ST115s, can be used for racing.

Had some Chinese R18 235 for a while, even with bigger rolling diameter it had less traction wet, dry, ****house handling, all around crap

LowEL2XR8 · 29-08-2006, 11:11 AM

The compound of the tyre is probably a bit too hard as well.
I have a similar problem in my EF XR6. Plenty of tread left but the tyres are so old the rubber has hardened a bit and in the wet I have to take corners very slow. Not so much a problem in a straight line though.

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 11:15 AM

Im just hoping the 18's i purchased (I'll get them soon, the BA XR ones) help. They come with Firestone tyres which are probably also cheap... being 18's though im guessing will improve over 16's anyway.

SirHenry · 29-08-2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot

Im just hoping the 18's i purchased (I'll get them soon, the BA XR ones) help. They come with Firestone tyres which are probably also cheap... being 18's though im guessing will improve over 16's anyway.

I know a lot of people bag the Firestones but I had exactly the same probs with the standard 15" rim. I bought a pair of Firestone Wideovals 215/60/15 I've been on them for about six months and let me tell ya I found these puppies stick really nice in the wet, I have not had the same problems as what I did with my old Yokahamas.

In my humble opinion I like the Firestones better than their parent company Bridgestone. I know not everybody likes them but you just have to find what suits your driving style and your vehicle best.

Cheers
Chris

StookEB · 29-08-2006, 07:19 PM

I now this an AU forum but,
I had a similar problem, my tyres had gone hard over time and I nearly killed myself a couple of times in one day driving home. Well that was in a EA CFI, they were great fun but dangerous, now i've got hankook not sure of type but they only loose traction if you try and do it.

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 11:23 AM

Srixon4's on the back and Sava Intensa's on the front

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....eModel=SRIXON4

foxtrot · 29-08-2006, 11:27 AM

In all honesty it felt like I was on skateboard that was speed wobbling for a while this morning

The Monty · 29-08-2006, 11:34 AM

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=59986

**Mechan1k** · 29-08-2006, 12:57 PM

Put the Sava's on the back at least for now .... they are OK-ish ... but Srixon ... never heard of them ... so in other words ... absolute rubbish indeed.

Still Sava Intensa's in 17" fitment still wasn't the best in the wet. But i still had traction of some sort though.

Dazza XLT · 29-08-2006, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Put the Sava's on the back at least for now .... they are OK-ish ... but Srixon ... never heard of them ... so in other words ... absolute rubbish indeed.

Still Sava Intensa's in 17" fitment still wasn't the best in the wet. But i still had traction of some sort though.

Srixon... Golf ball manufacturer?

GK · 30-08-2006, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Put the Sava's on the back at least for now.

Agreed.

If you swap them around and it's no better at all, then you get an idea if indeed it's the tyres or not.

It will cost you nothing but a bit of time to do it!

GK

**Peuty** · 30-08-2006, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Put the Sava's on the back at least for now .... they are OK-ish ... but Srixon ... never heard of them ... so in other words ... absolute rubbish indeed.

I would prefer to have the better brand on the steer tyres myself. Minimal traction at the rear is far less deadly than on the front.