Hydroplaning Help
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From: Cumming, GA
Hydroplaning Help
Just had my first opportunity to drive my 993 in very heavy rain with lots of standing water on road. I noticed the car hydro planes quite a bit. I guess this is normal? Any tips for handling in these conditions??
brandon
p.s. I feel for my PNW brothers
brandon
p.s. I feel for my PNW brothers
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
Not to be a smart a**,but…… slow down...... 
Really there are only three things that I can think of
1) Slow down, so the tires can do their job, the channels of the tread can only move so much water. If you exceed that capacity you hydroplane.
2) Get newer/better tires. Wider tires=worse rain performance
3)Overinflating your tires may help a very slight amount.
Once you start to hydroplane the only thing you can do is to keep the tires pointed in the direction of travel, do not hit the brakes, and keep a slight throttle (just enough so there is no engine braking). That way when you do regain traction (hopefully before hitting something) you can gradually steer where you want to go. Same goes with braking/acelerating, you want to match what the car is doing, not what you want it to do, then "persuade" it to do what you want.
Really there are only three things that I can think of
1) Slow down, so the tires can do their job, the channels of the tread can only move so much water. If you exceed that capacity you hydroplane.
2) Get newer/better tires. Wider tires=worse rain performance
3)Overinflating your tires may help a very slight amount.
Once you start to hydroplane the only thing you can do is to keep the tires pointed in the direction of travel, do not hit the brakes, and keep a slight throttle (just enough so there is no engine braking). That way when you do regain traction (hopefully before hitting something) you can gradually steer where you want to go. Same goes with braking/acelerating, you want to match what the car is doing, not what you want it to do, then "persuade" it to do what you want.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 3
From: Long Island, NY
Hi,
Drove thru' a veritable DELUGE on I-80 (westbound) last year. I had just gotten off the George Washington Bridge (heading to Oak Ridge, NJ) and the sky literally went BLACK and 'opened up'.
Had my lights on, the wipers on 'full' and the defroster and rear windshield ON.
I slowed DOWN to 50 mph and the car behaved fine in the rain - and even in "wheel-arch-cleaning" puddles -- you know, the ones that go "whoooosh"!
In ground-school (for pilots) we were taught that the speed (kts) for hydroplaning is
9 X sqrt (tire pressure in lbs.sq.in)
So for a p-car, with tires at 36psi, that comes out to 9X6 = 54 (X 1.15 to convert kts to mph) = 62 mph.
Because tires tend to hydroplane if they are 'wide' - I reduced my speed accordingly. My tires are relatively new too, so I'm sure the 'deeper tread' helped to dissipate water more easily.
IMHO, if you think you are about to hit a deluge -- SLOW THE EFF DOWN!!!, pull into the turning/right-hand lane, put on your hazards and drive 'defensively'. Be ready to 'counter-steer' if you feel the tail getting giddy. Say it out loud which way you will turn the steering wheel if the tail turns whichever way - so that your reaction is instant and correct. Let the zipper-heads in their SUVs blast past you (you know, the ones that think the laws of friction don't apply to them!), and just keep your 'stance' until you are out of the storm. Chances are, when the skies clear, you'll be 'back on track' and will be passing these idiots as they find themselves summarily embedded in the nearest tree and are wondering what happened.
My $0.02,
Gerry
Drove thru' a veritable DELUGE on I-80 (westbound) last year. I had just gotten off the George Washington Bridge (heading to Oak Ridge, NJ) and the sky literally went BLACK and 'opened up'.
Had my lights on, the wipers on 'full' and the defroster and rear windshield ON.
I slowed DOWN to 50 mph and the car behaved fine in the rain - and even in "wheel-arch-cleaning" puddles -- you know, the ones that go "whoooosh"!
In ground-school (for pilots) we were taught that the speed (kts) for hydroplaning is
9 X sqrt (tire pressure in lbs.sq.in)
So for a p-car, with tires at 36psi, that comes out to 9X6 = 54 (X 1.15 to convert kts to mph) = 62 mph.
Because tires tend to hydroplane if they are 'wide' - I reduced my speed accordingly. My tires are relatively new too, so I'm sure the 'deeper tread' helped to dissipate water more easily.
IMHO, if you think you are about to hit a deluge -- SLOW THE EFF DOWN!!!, pull into the turning/right-hand lane, put on your hazards and drive 'defensively'. Be ready to 'counter-steer' if you feel the tail getting giddy. Say it out loud which way you will turn the steering wheel if the tail turns whichever way - so that your reaction is instant and correct. Let the zipper-heads in their SUVs blast past you (you know, the ones that think the laws of friction don't apply to them!), and just keep your 'stance' until you are out of the storm. Chances are, when the skies clear, you'll be 'back on track' and will be passing these idiots as they find themselves summarily embedded in the nearest tree and are wondering what happened.
My $0.02,
Gerry
Wallflower
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From: NW Arkansas
Not to be a smart a**,but
slow down......
Really there are only three things that I can think of
1) Slow down, so the tires can do their job, the channels of the tread can only move so much water. If you exceed that capacity you hydroplane.
2) Get newer/better tires. Wider tires=worse rain performance
3)Overinflating your tires may help a very slight amount.
Really there are only three things that I can think of
1) Slow down, so the tires can do their job, the channels of the tread can only move so much water. If you exceed that capacity you hydroplane.
2) Get newer/better tires. Wider tires=worse rain performance
3)Overinflating your tires may help a very slight amount.
and #4... sell your C2 and buy my C4.
I kid.
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Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Tacoma, WA
I've only had this problem with bald rear tires, & it was more of a side to side sway. Yea, we get a lot of rain in the PNW, but mostly it's light, so not a ton of standing water.
I would check you tire pressure, & alignment. Of course the tires, you said they are new, that can also be part of it, they need to scrub in a bit.
I would check you tire pressure, & alignment. Of course the tires, you said they are new, that can also be part of it, they need to scrub in a bit.
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Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 3
From: Tampa, FL
I am surprised to read some of these posts. I live in central FL and use my 993 as a daily driver. With a 40 mile commute each way, I encounter a lot of rain on the ride. In fact the last few weeks I've hit some of the worst rain I've ever driven in.
I have a stock alignment and good tread on my tires. No hydroplaning action whatsoever at freeway speeds of 80 mph or so, with quite a bit of standing water.
A number of times, I've had the experience Stealth 993 described. When the back tires got to the wear bars, the car would yaw (rear end would sway slightly) at steady-state speeds below even 50 mph.
dave
I have a stock alignment and good tread on my tires. No hydroplaning action whatsoever at freeway speeds of 80 mph or so, with quite a bit of standing water.
A number of times, I've had the experience Stealth 993 described. When the back tires got to the wear bars, the car would yaw (rear end would sway slightly) at steady-state speeds below even 50 mph.
dave
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From: CA>Oklahoma!
Driving 80 mph through standing water without loss of control due to hydroplaning is pure luck--many of us have done it with no problem, but it doesn't mean the tires didn't lose contact with the pavement. Gerry's final paragraph is sage advice, succinctly put.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,394
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From: Tampa, FL
Driving 80 mph through standing water without loss of control due to hydroplaning is pure luck--many of us have done it with no problem, but it doesn't mean the tires didn't lose contact with the pavement. Gerry's final paragraph is sage advice, succinctly put.
I was making a point that I did not feel like my 993 was so unstable such that I felt I had to pull over in the right lane and drive 40mph when it gets misty outside.
dave