Hydroplaning resolved....interesting solution

stormyday · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 10:24 pm

A few weeks ago I wrote in about hydroplaning with my new Nitto Terra Grappler AT tires P265/70 R17 (31.57") on my 03 Liberty. It was so bad I could not drive on wet or ponded roads without coming close to losing control. Initially I blamed the tires since I had just changed them. Also the suspension was suspect since mine is pretty much worn out. I've ordered a new OME suspension from JBA and the parts are coming piece by piece.

After a couple of 1200 mile round trip storm chases I noticed a drastic loss of tread on the outside edges of my front tires. In fact about half the tread was gone!! I traced it back to the alignment shop I had used and they admitted their machine was "out of calibration." Turns out my toe-in was so bad my tires plowing down the road and the friction was released by scraping off the outside rubber. That said, when the pavement was wet they were breaking loose and sliding all over the road, so I had them realigned. Two nights ago I drove through a severe thunderstorm with 1-3 inches of water on the road and no problems, the tires tracked straight and held the road fine. Lesson learned, it may not be the tires when hydroplaning starts.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 10:31 pm

Funny , first question I asked you before was :shock:

....about the alignment :lol:

L.O. · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 10:56 pm

I hope the alignment shop bought you a new pair of tires.

stormyday · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 11:04 pm

tommudd wrote:

Funny , first question I asked you before was :shock:

....about the alignment :lol:

Yeah, you did and I had just had them aligned.....so I thought I was clear on that one.

Who stops to think the alignment shop is out of alignment :shock:

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 11:05 pm

stormyday wrote:

tommudd wrote:

Funny , first question I asked you before was :shock:

....about the alignment :lol:

Yeah, you did and I had just had them aligned.....so I thought I was clear on that one.

Who stops to think the alignment shop is out of alignment :shock:

Thats the thing you trust them to be right and their machine right but....

KJ in CO · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:06 pm **Posts:** 346

I had a similar situation, where I could not figure out whyi had such a difficult time steering in the snow and for about 800 miles I experienced pulling to left... It was just after I put new lift, tires and rims. I got an alignment, took it back to the shop two times after the initial alignment cause it wouldn't stop pulling. I thought they were pullin my chain!!! turns out I had a "tire pull". I rotated the tires, back to front, front to back and the problem cleared up. Although it killed my front two tires on the outer sides. In Less than 1000 miles! How are you supposed to diagnose that situation?? :roll:

colts_kj · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 2:23 am

I want to go storm chasing :shock:

riptricket · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 2:47 am

my brother does here in Oklahoma, and he has a hail guard for his truck!

stormyday · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 9:43 am

colts_kj wrote:

I want to go storm chasing :shock:

LOL, one of your two addresses is Kansas.....to that I say "look out the window."

I'm going through quite a learning curve with the Liberty. My previous chase vehicles were more "ready to go." ....especially my 2dr Cherokee.

colts_kj · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 5:44 pm

stormyday wrote:

colts_kj wrote:

I want to go storm chasing :shock:

LOL, one of your two addresses is Kansas.....to that I say "look out the window."

I'm going through quite a learning curve with the Liberty. My previous chase vehicles were more "ready to go." ....especially my 2dr Cherokee.

I grew up there I spend most of my time here in WV now. I always wonted to chase tornadoes my dream was to be an officer in Ks. and chase tornadoes when i could. Now I would like to just do it for a summer one time. I looked in to it once to go on one of those tours is like $2,000 or more and i was a year to young.

nightdrv · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 8:39 pm

riptricket wrote:

my brother does here in Oklahoma, and he has a hail guard for his truck!

This, I have to see!

stormyday · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 10:31 pm

colts_kj wrote:

stormyday wrote:

colts_kj wrote:

I want to go storm chasing :shock:

I grew up there I spend most of my time here in WV now. I always wonted to chase tornadoes my dream was to be an officer in Ks. and chase tornadoes when i could. Now I would like to just do it for a summer one time. I looked in to it once to go on one of those tours is like $2,000 or more and i was a year to young.

Biggest expense is gasoline, having it $4.00+ was a killer. That's why I use the I-4 engine in my Liberty, it actually does save me gas over the V6 that is so popular. Before I got the big tires I touched on 26 MPG a few times and got 23-25 MPG most of the time I was not off road. Now with the lift and larger tires I've dropped at least 2 MPG. Still I get 22 MPG much of the time. Of course I suffer from lack of power, but it still runs pretty good if I wrap it up to a higher RPM to make my shifts. The biggest single gas mileage killer for me is a strong head wind, I just don't have the pistons to push into it without dropping a gear (4th) or holding it on the floor.

riptricket · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 12:23 am

Don't have a picture right now, but i will get one!

nightdrv · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 9:48 am

Hold ya to it!

Hydroplaning resolved....interesting solution

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