Recently (two weeks) I had the front tires on my 2000 S2K replaced with S03s, I've always used the S02s before. I've read the S03s have better wet traction than the S02s, but on I75 yesterday the first bit of rain I encountered caused the front to hydroplane badly. In fact, I did a quick unexpected 360 into the grass median and came within four feet of the front bumper of an oncoming semi. At the next rest stop I checked my tires and shorts...
The remainder of the trip I had to slow down to under 60 mph to keep the front end from dancing around like it was on ice, while everyone from Kias to Kenworths were blowing by me at 80 mph plus.
Rear is still S02s, stock size, and alignment was checked but unchanged.
Needless to say, I'm quite unhappy with this setup. This has never happened with the S02s.
Anyone else had this experience?

Russ

 

Tire pressure was.........................??

 

It could have been a mental thing that because you had S03'S on the front which you believed handled wet better you were pushing the limits a little bit with a false sense of security....

It could be that miss matching your front and rears you are not getting the true wet performance of the tire.

It could be that the rears are what hydroplaned and not the fronts. With the rain the S03's could have possibly induced oversteer with your S02's on the back.

Why don't you try getting the whole set on S03's and evaluate them again....

 

32psi all around. checked it before leaving.

 

I definitely wasn't pushing it. Even under 60 mph when I went over bridges, which are concrete surfaces, the car was unstable. Old people pulling their Airstreams were honking at me from behind...

It's possible that it was the rear tires causing the problem, but I've not experienced this with all S02s

 

When the front tires loose traction you don't do 360's you continue the direction you were travelling. Ever hear of a guy named Newton?

 

[QUOTE=l8brakr,Jun 28 2005, 01:28 PM]When the front tires loose traction you don't do 360's you continue the direction you were travelling.

 

And the word is lose, not loose.

 

i pull over regularly with my S02's when it rains..my back tires are the ones that hydroplane...i just pull over and think of all good reasons we have sports cars...it's fun chatting with bikers too since i have a bike also

 

First bit of rain on the road is usually pretty slick because of surface oils. Perhaps the car slipped instead of hydroplaned.