Wet weather scariness? Anyone else, just me?

[74_5.0L_Z]

I used Dunlop SP8000 (245/50/15) for a while. They were pretty good in the rain. My rear suspenion was set-up with zero toe. You should NEVER EVER have toe out in the rear.

 

I got caught out in the rain once coming back from the drag strip with 4 bald auto cross tires on the car(Kumho Victoracers). I drove the entire 35 miles home at about 40 miles/hr in 5th gear. I was still all over the road any time I hit a puddle. These cars are very scary in the rain with bald tires.

[johnc]

My worst wet weather experience in my 240Z was driving back from an autocross, at night, in the rain, on a set of well worn Yoko A008RS2s.

 

The Z had a 30amp early 1970s alternator so I could run headlights or wipers (but not both), the car had an 8lb modified Tilton aluminum flywheel, a welded 3.54 rear, the front had 3/8" toe out, and I had left the Tokico Illuminas at 5 on the rear and 4 on the front.

 

About 15 minutes into the drive I gave up being scared and decided to enjoy the adventure. By the end of the 1.5 hour drive I could keep the car at a 15 to 30 degree angle to my direction of travel on the freeway for 2 or 3 minutes at a time. Just like driving on a dirt oval.

[JMortensen]

That is hilarious johnc.

 

I've got a similar story:

 

I had just done an alignment on my Z. When I zeroed the alignment machine, something went wrong. I ended up with about a degree (!!!) of rear toe in, I was shooting for .35 total. Somehow I didn't notice how much adjustment I was making. About a week later my rear tires were BALD, and it started to rain.

 

I was driving home from a friends house with a big line of cars behind me, probably wondering why I was going 25 mph. As soon as I hit the 1st puddle the back end stepped out about 2 feet, and the car behind me went from riding my butt to about 20 car lengths back. My car would swing the back end over every puddle either way depending on the slope of the road. This is on a winding road, and every corner was cambered slightly. It's an interesting sensation to have the back end swinging towards the apex of a turn when your going 25!

 

By the end of my 5 mile drive home I was laughing hysterically!

 

After that experience, and one more similar one on a Porsche 928 that ate up its tires after a week, we tape measured every toe setting just to make sure that the machine had correctly zeroed.

 

Jon

[260DET]

One thing I learnt the hard way in the wet was to back the Koni rear shock rebound setting right off. Lucky it was on a race track so some embarassment was the only penalty as it happened. A nicely executed 360 onto the infield. 8)

[Guest Perry]

My 280Z with 215-60-14 BFG radial T/A's and the turbo engine handled well in the rain.

I agree get the toe out fixed.

but what I really wanna say is I love a good rain and a rear wheel drive car. you can slide them around at much lower speeds than dry. After some practice and with a little common sense you lose the pucker and start to enjoy it. I can't wait to get the Z back on the roads with the almost 400 horse small block in it, I'll be able to hang the rear out at will.

When in high school I lived near a Ford facility with a huge parking lot that was empty on Sundays. at first in the snow then in the rain I learned to do 360's and spin the car for a 180 in a narrow place and lots of other stunt like techniques.. We used to spend a lot of time in that lot. I learned all this in my 86 300ZX I had. The lot was big enough to spin the car at 70+ mph in the snow with no worries about hitting anything at all, no light poles or even pavement breaks. Of course that was high school when I was a bit more bulletproof than I am now.

8) Perry

[zr240]

I agree, if the rear toe is out zeds really get tailey. I had a problem with the rear lower control arm bush had worn out on my 240 and the rear would just brake loose in the wet at slow speeds around corners. It really scared the crap out of me the first time it happened. I am now restoring the car so I will fix it.

 

Ash

[dot]

I switched to Perelli's as well...problem solved

Cheers...:::Glenn

[pparaska]

Wow, I just saw this thread!

 

That's a horrible looking crash aftermath! Glad you weren't hurt.

 

How fast do you think the car was going when it hit - oh, and what did it hit.

 

Got another Z yet?

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[Kevin.pk]

car was going about 40 when it hit.... wrapped it around a light pole.

Still looking for another Z but also in need to scrap up some cash to get one as well.. until then im cruisin in a saturn... gotta love going from a sporty looking Z to a 4 door sedan.... i miss my Z

 

Kevin

[Guest Killer Zx]

My car as well was fairly scary in the rain and after putting new bushings, struts, and springs it was still a lil scary so i started experimenting in tire pressure to help. Try running your tires with a few more psi in them seemed to help my car out a little. I am running 225/50/16 tires.

 

Cody