Aquaplaning

[MrJan]

Just been driving around in the puring rain for work and once or twice the car lost grip for a split second. Now I know that you should not move the steering wheel whilst aquaplaning but what are you supposed to do with the throttle? It's just that I got scared a lifted but now I'm wondering if this was the right thing to do because usually when a front wheel drive loses grip (in an oversteer situation anyway) you floor it.

[rah]

Just been driving around in the puring rain for work and once or twice the car lost grip for a split second. Now I know that you should not move the steering wheel whilst aquaplaning but what are you supposed to do with the throttle? It's just that I got scared a lifted but now I'm wondering if this was the right thing to do because usually when a front wheel drive loses grip (in an oversteer situation anyway) you floor it.

just keep on going on your original path, if it is mid corner then you may have to straighten up a bit before correcting your path (that is if you are not in a crash by then).

[Allyc85]

I had a big moment myself this afternoon. Was near Honiton and took a corner 15mph slower than usual but it had a stream across it which made under steer that suddenly turned to over steer! That's with brand new tyres on the front and half worn rubbish Pirrellis p5000 the back! Took me by suprise to say the least.

[Erki]

Just been driving around in the puring rain for work and once or twice the car lost grip for a split second. Now I know that you should not move the steering wheel whilst aquaplaning but what are you supposed to do with the throttle? It's just that I got scared a lifted but now I'm wondering if this was the right thing to do because usually when a front wheel drive loses grip (in an oversteer situation anyway) you floor it.

Interesting. I was taught at school to just press the clutch and turn the steering wheel.

You also didn't tell us which wheels aquaplaned. Front or rear. ;) Or maybe both? Nevertheless, I think pressing the clutch would have worked well too.

[Daniel]

Most tyre companies recommend putting your best tyres on the back for that very reason. I don't think the throttle really does much while you're aquaplaning.

[MrJan]

Was the front wheels that lost the grip, only very briefly though. I was probably revving the car a bit too high for the conditions as was just at the top of a big hill that it always struggles to get up.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Surely if you try to accelerate ten the weight distribution will go to the back meaning the front tyres will have even less grip. If you slow down then the weight distribution will go to the front wheels, helping them displace the water and grip the road? :erm:

But I suppose if you are aquaplaning your inputs will have no effect

[wedge]

Surely if you try to accelerate ten the weight distribution will go to the back meaning the front tyres will have even less grip. If you slow down then the weight distribution will go to the front wheels, helping them displace the water and grip the road? :erm:

But I suppose if you are aquaplaning your inputs will have no effect

Assuming its a FWD car, its a similar principle to lift-off oversteer, to straighten the car you press the accelarator

????

[Daniel]

I'm confused as to whether you were aquaplaning. Surely if it was on a hill the water would have been running down rather than just standing. Are you sure it wasn't just wheelspin? Wheelspin and aquaplaning are two different things.

[rah]

Running water can still make a car aquaplane.

For understeer you lift off. If you accelerate when understeering you will keep on going forward and not turning.

For oversteer it depends if it is FWD or RWD. It also depends on how far it had gone.

[Daniel]

True enough. Just that there needs to be a lot on a hill to cause you to aquaplane.

[MrJan]

It was at the top of a hill, a sort of plateau bit. Happened just as I changed gear. To be honest I'm not sure myslef (usually means that actually wasn't aquaplaning) but didn't feel like wheelspin and didn't have the same noise or feel. Like I said before it was very brief and before I really did anything the car gripped again.

The reason I thought it could be aquaplaning is that the car has bigger tyres on it which of course are more seceptible to it and the pressures are a touch out at the minute. Tread is fine though :D

Still the question remains though. Some people have said accelerate, some say turn, some say don't turn. Seems like everyone has a different idea on the subject.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Still the question remains though. Some people have said accelerate, some say turn, some say don't turn. Seems like everyone has a different idea on the subject.

Well if it aquaplaning their is nothing that you can do (apart from pray) as your car is boat and you are a passenger.

[Easy Drifter]

Cranking on steering while aquaplaning will do very little good. It is usually the front end that lets go. If you have steering lock on when the aquaplaning stops (hopefully while you are still on the road) the vehicle will shoot off in the direction the steering is pointed either off the road or into oncoming traffic! Backing off will transfer weight to the front end which may help. Once you get grip be prepared to make quick corrections. It is similar to hitting ice but with even less control.

[MrJan]

Well if it aquaplaning their is nothing that you can do (apart from pray) as your car is boat and you are a passenger.


Yes but at some point the boat will reach land and that's the important bit :D

As for the praying option I am sadly an Atheist so will prefer to actually DO something rather than ask a possibly real, possibly unreal, likely to be quite busy higher being to sort out my car trouble :D

[306 Cosworth]

One thing if for sure though, never brake when aquaplaning if you do then you're fooked :p :

Can't say i've experienced aquaplaning yet, not that I want to anyway(something bad will happen when I do, always does)!!

[MrJan]

Happened again yesterday and this time it was most definately proper. Saw the puddle and lifted a touch but was still going a bit fast. For a split second I was just a passenger, not a good feeling. Luckily everything was fine although I did establish that accelerating does little apart from raise the revs a bit :D

[Zico]

I had a very scary moment a few months back. It had been raining very heavily and there was a stream of water flowing downhill as I came round a long sweeping left hander at about 70mph on a dual carraigeway, I started aquaplaning and lost the front, no steering, I immediately let off the throttle but drifted towards the central reservation and was getting ready to (hopefully) bounce round the corner on the curb when the grip returned literally centimetres from the curb. A big fright indeed.

The tread depth on the front was pretty low so I promptly swopped the front for the rears which have loads more tread. Its much safer now and havent had the slightest hint of aquaplaning since.



Most tyre companies recommend putting your best tyres on the back for that very reason.

Do you have a link? I struggle with the logic of that... largely due to the fact that in most scenarios the front tyres displace most of the water before the rears reach it making it less crucial at least in FWD applications .
As a FWD car owner, rear wheels aquaplaning is one thing I've never experienced due to this reason... even since swopping the low tread front tyres to the rear. Id also much rather have front end grip and hopefully be able to correct it.

[J4MIE]

Zico, think Daniel was meaning if you have your better tyres on the rear, then the average driver is less likely to lose the back end.

[Daniel]

Zico, think Daniel was meaning if you have your better tyres on the rear, then the average driver is less likely to lose the back end.
Pretty much. I have my best tyres up front but my rears aren't exactly shot :) But the way it was explained to me is that they prefer you to understeer off the road and have a head on accident with the scenery than oversteering off and hitting it side-on. Your car is better equipped to hit stuff head on than side on so I guess there is merit to it. I feel safer with the good tyres on the front as there are a few steep hills around here and it's not fun when you have to stop on one in the wet and do a hillstart because although my car isn't that torquey it'll just spin it's wheels and **** the tyres up.

[MrJan]

Oversteer seems better to me, as Richard Hammond put it once: "With understeer you come into a corner too fast, slide of the road into a tree and die. With oversteer you come into a corner to quickly, lose the back end and go backwards into a tree and die. Oversteer is better because you don't see the tree that kills you." :D

[Rani]

I had a very scary moment a few months back. It had been raining very heavily and there was a stream of water flowing downhill as I came round a long sweeping left hander at about 70mph on a dual carraigeway, I started aquaplaning and lost the front, no steering, I immediately let off the throttle but drifted towards the central reservation and was getting ready to (hopefully) bounce round the corner on the curb when the grip returned literally centimetres from the curb. A big fright indeed.

The tread depth on the front was pretty low so I promptly swopped the front for the rears which have loads more tread. Its much safer now and havent had the slightest hint of aquaplaning since.




Do you have a link? I struggle with the logic of that... largely due to the fact that in most scenarios the front tyres displace most of the water before the rears reach it making it less crucial at least in FWD applications .
As a FWD car owner, rear wheels aquaplaning is one thing I've never experienced due to this reason... even since swopping the low tread front tyres to the rear. Id also much rather have front end grip and hopefully be able to correct it.
Here's a link:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52

[Daniel]

Here's a link:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52
I guess it's silly to disregard such good advice but I felt quite safe tonight when we went for an 80 mile roundtrip on some snowy and icy roads with the best tyres on the front but to be fair the michelin's on the front still have about 50-60% of their tread whereas the Continental's on the front still have 90-95%. When spring comes around I think I'll chuck the Michelin's back on the front.

[MrJan]

Call me picky but I refuse to trust anything that can't even spell the word TYRE ;) :p :

[Dave B]

I cannot stand those people who everytime they kick up a bit of water from a puddle are convinced they've just survived an aquaplaning incident.

[edv]

Above posters are correct. Best tires go on the rear, regardless of FWD or RWD

[MrJan]

I cannot stand those people who everytime they kick up a bit of water from a puddle are convinced they've just survived an aquaplaning incident.

Trust me it was definately aquaplaning. I couldn't steer and the revs rose because of loss of traction even though I was in 5th gear.

[Abo]

Aquaplaning is where the tyre tread cannot get rid of the water fast enough, and the wheels are turning fast enough to ride up on the water. Backing off the throttle should sort things out.

One thing to do is, if you can, watch for patches of standing water or other potential aquaplaning conditions and if you think it might occur e.g. you are giving it big beans on the motorway ;) lift off the throttle before you hit the water...

[Zico]

Here's a link:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52


Thanks for the link.. I dare say the type of car, its cornering balance, the competance of the driver and Daniels point that a front end shunt is undeniably safer to be involved in has its merits to support this mindset but from personal experience as described in my last post, I still dont believe that it would be best for my car and me. I know what I much prefer.

[donKey jote]

I guess it's silly to disregard such good advice but I felt quite safe tonight when we went for an 80 mile roundtrip on some snowy and icy roads with the best tyres on the front but to be fair the michelin's on the front still have about 50-60% of their tread whereas the Continental's on the front still have 90-95%. When spring comes around I think I'll chuck the Michelin's back on the front.


you donkey ! :p :

[Civic]

I love driving into puddles on the freeway. I usually don't start hydroplaning (what we Yanks call it) until about 70-80mph. And yes, it's rare for the rears to aquaplane, unless they're slicks/bald.

Hydro/aquaplaning usually occurs at higher speeds in a straight line. The tire isn't displacing water fast enough. Think of a rock being skipped along the surface of a lake. The rock is traveling too fast to displace enough water to get submerged.

Losing grip in a turn in the wets isn't hydro/aquaplaning. I do realize that if you break it down, the tires lose grip earlier on a wet road because of a layer of water separating the tire from the road. The principal is the same as a hydroplaning tire, but the term doesn't apply to that.

Basically, just lift off the throttle if you're going straight, which is usually when hydroplaning occurs.

Most people in the U. S. and A. drive in the rain the same way they drive when it's sunny. There are so many accidents here every time it rains because there are so many idiot drivers here.

Also, rotating tires keeps regularly keeps the tread depth about equal on all four tires, unless the car has a staggered front/rear set.

[Mark]

Well I'm soon going to be buying new tyres as my fronts are quite worn but the rears are ok. Despite what they say I would feel better about having the new tyres on the front.