Hydroplaining a Max...A Firestone story.....
08-01-2006, 10:35 AM
#1
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Hydroplaining a Max...A Firestone story.....
I'm now pursuing a new set of tires.My current Firestone Affinity LH30 All Seasons put me in a f'ing ditch on the way to work. Light drizzle, exiting the highway,hit the brakes, and I instantly lost grip/steering ,thus sliding off the off-ramp embankment and into the muddy ditch....scariest feeling in the world..
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
08-01-2006, 10:45 AM
#2
Originally Posted by ArcticW
I'm now pursuing a new set of tires.My current Firestone Affinity LH30 All Seasons put me in a f'ing ditch on the way to work. Light drizzle, exiting the highway,hit the brakes, and I instantly lost grip/steering ,thus sliding off the off-ramp embankment and into the muddy ditch....scariest feeling in the world..
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
08-01-2006, 11:05 AM
#4
Supposedly those Goodyear trippletread are really good for all weather (go read some ratings on tire sites) or you could go with some Toyos, can't go wrong there. Theres others... just read up on tire sites 1010tires has lots of good reviews (crappy prices though)
08-01-2006, 11:51 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by the_3d_man
Supposedly those Goodyear trippletread are really good for all weather (go read some ratings on tire sites) or you could go with some Toyos, can't go wrong there. Theres others... just read up on tire sites 1010tires has lots of good reviews (crappy prices though)
Thanks for the responses. Ill Look up the Toyo's, and start savin. Definitely don't need to test these POS tires during a Chicago Winter.....
08-01-2006, 03:14 PM
#9
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I just bought new potenza G009 aparently they are awesome, i havent put them on my car yet but i will as soon as i replace my lower control arms and bushings.
btw, I dont mean to rant, buts hard to believe that you lost control upon exiting, and a light drizzle. Unless it was below 0... I would say you were going a bit too fast for the ramp and then skid forward. The best thing to do in that situation is to let off the brake and straighten your wheels to regain control. anyway just thought i'd comment. Peace.
btw, I dont mean to rant, buts hard to believe that you lost control upon exiting, and a light drizzle. Unless it was below 0... I would say you were going a bit too fast for the ramp and then skid forward. The best thing to do in that situation is to let off the brake and straighten your wheels to regain control. anyway just thought i'd comment. Peace.
08-01-2006, 04:07 PM
#12
Potenzas are way too much money and its not like they're special.. try toyo proxes 4's and TPT's and personally I love Falkens, the Fk452's.
Or if you dont care about tread wear haha go Proxes T1. Then again you live in IL, don't drive with these in the snow lol.
Fk452- UHP/ 300 treadwear
Proxes 4- UHPAS/ 300 treadwear
Proxes TPT- HPAS/ 400 treadwear (this one looks like the perfect one for you)
Proxes T1- MP/ 280 treadwear
Or if you dont care about tread wear haha go Proxes T1. Then again you live in IL, don't drive with these in the snow lol.
Fk452- UHP/ 300 treadwear
Proxes 4- UHPAS/ 300 treadwear
Proxes TPT- HPAS/ 400 treadwear (this one looks like the perfect one for you)
Proxes T1- MP/ 280 treadwear
08-01-2006, 05:49 PM
#14
IMO,under a light dizzle all roads are slick. Even the best tires can lose traction in those conditions. All the oils/fluids from vehicles don't get a chance to wash away, thus making the roads slick.
08-01-2006, 06:26 PM
#16
Originally Posted by fisher01
IMO,under a light dizzle all roads are slick. Even the best tires can lose traction in those conditions. All the oils/fluids from vehicles don't get a chance to wash away, thus making the roads slick.
But IMO you only need all seasons if you have to drive through snow or sleet, otherwise most summer performance tires are great in wet and dry conditions alike. Then again this is FL.
08-02-2006, 06:47 AM
#17
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hamden CT
Posts: 62
I'll give a second vote for Bridgestone's Potenza G009. I have stock size on 15 inch rims for 20,000 miles now. Still stick very well in the wet. Talked the local Firestone guy into $300 complete, inc. mount, balance and tax. Even Tire Rack couldn't beat that deal.
08-02-2006, 07:20 AM
#18
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Originally Posted by ArcticW
Crappy Prices are good. Trust me, when you hit the brakes and all you feel through the steering is the car sliding off the road , you won't give a rats' **** about $.
Thanks for the responses. Ill Look up the Toyo's, and start savin. Definitely don't need to test these POS tires during a Chicago Winter.....
Thanks for the responses. Ill Look up the Toyo's, and start savin. Definitely don't need to test these POS tires during a Chicago Winter.....
BTW the condition that you describe is not hydroplaning, it is just wet road conditions. Hydroplaning is water lifting your tires off the road when you drive too fast and causes your to lose control. You don't even have to brake or corner to lose control.
08-02-2006, 07:23 AM
#19
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Originally Posted by fisher01
IMO,under a light dizzle all roads are slick. Even the best tires can lose traction in those conditions. All the oils/fluids from vehicles don't get a chance to wash away, thus making the roads slick.
Just to make my point, I can chirp the Firestones on a decent launch-with a bad K/S....
To add insult to all this, the rear tires are wearing unevenly, so now the rear-end does a Fox-body routine every time I hit a sideways crack....just one more reason to stay off the tollway I guess......
08-02-2006, 07:40 AM
#20
The best all-around street tire for the money is the falken ziex. I paid about $50 bucks apiece at discount tire direct, with free shipping. There not Azenis, but they have held up very well and worn evenly, and work better in rain than the $100+ (apiece) Michelins I used previously.
I have come to the conclusion that the cheapest way to handle tires is to use the cheapest you can live with on stock wheels on the street, and mount good (azenis in my case) tires for the AX.
If you do like a lot of folks on the road (I'll take hell for this) and mount 17's or 18's, you'll pay a fortune up front and set yourself up to pay a lot of money for fast wearing tires for a long time. And your ride quality goes way down--not that I care about that.
Another thing--be glad you were on 15's when you went off the road--would probably have damaged a larger rim. Glad to hear you and your ride are alright.
I have come to the conclusion that the cheapest way to handle tires is to use the cheapest you can live with on stock wheels on the street, and mount good (azenis in my case) tires for the AX.
If you do like a lot of folks on the road (I'll take hell for this) and mount 17's or 18's, you'll pay a fortune up front and set yourself up to pay a lot of money for fast wearing tires for a long time. And your ride quality goes way down--not that I care about that.
Another thing--be glad you were on 15's when you went off the road--would probably have damaged a larger rim. Glad to hear you and your ride are alright.
08-02-2006, 07:41 AM
#21
When I was on 15's I used Dunlop Sport A2s. They were pretty good all-season tires in all kinds of weather.
They did wear out kinda quick though. 20-30k
The only thing they didn't handle was goin up a steep hill (to parents house) in 2 feet of snow. LOL.
I'm on 17s with Hankook Ventus HR2 tires now and am pretty pleased. Long lasting tread, good grip in all weather, and handles light snow and ice fairly well.
They did wear out kinda quick though. 20-30k
The only thing they didn't handle was goin up a steep hill (to parents house) in 2 feet of snow. LOL.
I'm on 17s with Hankook Ventus HR2 tires now and am pretty pleased. Long lasting tread, good grip in all weather, and handles light snow and ice fairly well.
08-02-2006, 08:00 AM
#22
[QUOTE=96gxe5spd]The best all-around street tire for the money is the falken ziex. I paid about $50 bucks apiece at discount tire direct, with free shipping. There not Azenis, but they have held up very well and worn evenly, and work better in rain than the $100+ (apiece) Michelins I used previously.
[QUOTE]
I had the Zeix and I was not happy with how they felt in the rain. They gave me no confidence when I ran into puddles on the freeway and it felt like moments of hydroplaning. Crappy in light snow too.
[QUOTE]
I had the Zeix and I was not happy with how they felt in the rain. They gave me no confidence when I ran into puddles on the freeway and it felt like moments of hydroplaning. Crappy in light snow too.
08-02-2006, 09:37 AM
#23
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Originally Posted by 96gxe5spd
If you do like a lot of folks on the road (I'll take hell for this) and mount 17's or 18's, you'll pay a fortune up front and set yourself up to pay a lot of money for fast wearing tires for a long time. And your ride quality goes way down--not that I care about that.
Another thing--be glad you were on 15's when you went off the road--would probably have damaged a larger rim. Glad to hear you and your ride are alright.
Another thing--be glad you were on 15's when you went off the road--would probably have damaged a larger rim. Glad to hear you and your ride are alright.
The fcuked up thing wasn't even the accident itself,bad as it was, but every Tom, ****, And Harry plus nosy kids was gettin off the interstate, and the mortifying embarrassment of hundreds of people luckier than u staring at your sunk ride like it's some kind of spaceship or something......and it wasn't like it was totaled or anything gory, just a white car in the mud, and folks was rubberneckin like they neva seen an accident or something. One particular a$$ in a Jeep , takin a pic wit his Razor phone almost drove off the frickin road himself cause of his rubberneckin......
Anyways, /End Rant.
Im tryin to stick to the stock rims, since they are light and don't look comepletely awful IMO. 18" rims look good, but they add unsprung weight, kinda like adding lead shoes to a track runner. So no dubs for me, but finding a good tire at that "small" rim size is the challenge. I'd even go the extra expense of a summer/winter tire combo, but $>me right now.......
PS: Dont Wipe out During Rush Hour!
08-02-2006, 02:25 PM
#24
Originally Posted by ArcticW
I'm now pursuing a new set of tires.My current Firestone Affinity LH30 All Seasons put me in a f'ing ditch on the way to work. Light drizzle, exiting the highway,hit the brakes, and I instantly lost grip/steering ,thus sliding off the off-ramp embankment and into the muddy ditch....scariest feeling in the world..
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
praise God,the only damage was a muddy-a$$ car ( sorry, no gory accident pics...) ..and being stared at by EVERY RUBBERNECKIN MORON during rush hour,but the baseline is, my tires suck, so what's the best tires for a stock 15" rim with stock ride height?
And before the flaming begins,yes, Its my fault cause I got cheap with the rubber,and I coulda died or f'ed up the Max from being cheap,so trust me, i've learned my lesson........
2) Are you looking for an all-season tire, or summer only tire? I assume you want all-season, in which case I'm very happy with my Falken Ziex ZE-512. Good tire, good price. Do not make the mistake of not buying an all-season tire, or the first wet day below the freezing point will be the same off-road experience.
3) If you actually hydroplaned, remember that tread depth is at least as important as the quality/type of tire you buy. Even the best tires will lose wet traction significantly as they get closer to the wear limit. If rain is where you demand performance, the answer is not to buy the best rain tire can afford, but to buy the best rain tire that you can afford to replace *before* they worn out. When rain is a big factor, replace them when they get within 1/16" of the wear bars.
Dave
08-02-2006, 03:32 PM
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by jman7777
Been VERY happy with my Bridgestone Potenza RE950's. GREAT traction on all conditions.
08-02-2006, 04:21 PM
#26
bridgestone, pirelli and michelin.. = 
Falken, hankook, toyo.. most of these companies make tires equivalent to the above mentioned brands for a lot less, thus a greater value. As degeesaman stated, that Ziex tire is a fine tire, still I love my FK452's FTW.
The reason I didn't name Dunlop or Kumho is because I've heard real mixed reviews on them in general, but like everything else ppls opinions on tires differ.
Falken, hankook, toyo.. most of these companies make tires equivalent to the above mentioned brands for a lot less, thus a greater value. As degeesaman stated, that Ziex tire is a fine tire, still I love my FK452's FTW.
The reason I didn't name Dunlop or Kumho is because I've heard real mixed reviews on them in general, but like everything else ppls opinions on tires differ.
08-02-2006, 04:30 PM
#27
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 954
Originally Posted by Custmguru
these are a costco only tire right? Same ones i have on mine. the wife complains about bad traction, but i fling it around corners and drive it aggresively and have never slid.
Nope got mine @ Tirerack.
08-02-2006, 04:43 PM
#28
Originally Posted by Apparition
But IMO you only need all seasons if you have to drive through snow or sleet, otherwise most summer performance tires are great in wet and dry conditions alike. Then again this is FL.
08-02-2006, 06:21 PM
#30
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by VQmaxi17
last year i put on a new set of Falken Ziex tires.... i love them... they have awesome traction in all conditions... and they look pretty good too...
It's my second set of Falken Ziex. I got all four tires installed and balanced for about $320. The traction on wet surfaces is much better than Michellin Pilot MVX (not sure the name). The road noise is also better than Michellin.Try Falken and you will love it.
08-02-2006, 10:30 PM
#31
Originally Posted by svojs
It's my second set of Falken Ziex. I got all four tires installed and balanced for about $320. The traction on wet surface is much better than Michellin Pilot MVX (not sure the name). The road noise is also better than Michellin.Try Flaken and you will love it.
and thats one hell of a deal.
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