[cardinal_creek]

Get this--
I pulled a 180 on the way home from work and luckily didn't touch a thing. But I can't figure out what went wrong...

Traction Control ON. Car has LSD. Dry, 32 degrees. 17" stock rims with stock Bridgestones.

Came to a rolling stop (5 mph). Made a 90 degree left turn, gassed it a little bit because of an oncoming car. The rear fishtailed and before I knew it I had done a 180 and was in the opposite lane facing the direction that a car would be going in that lane. Bizarre.

Any ideas as to why the rear swung out on me? I certainly wasn't flooring it - maybe 1/2 throttle at most. There also didn't appear to be any oil or anything on the road.

The second close call you ask? Well, I was stopped a few minutes later by a cop - rolling through a stop sign and going 40 in a 25. Luckily, he let me off with a warning. Phew.

[This message has been edited by cardinal_creek (edited December 13, 2000).]

 

[Young]

Cold tires? Black ice? Maybe a little more throttle application than you thought? Maybe you bought the wrong car? -_^

 

[SophieSleeps]

I've done that too. That's why i started the best handling post.

I really like to push my car in turns and see what they can do. Rear wheel drive really doesn't help when you don't want to slide out.

I slid out once, it wasn't raining, temp was normal, car was relatively warmed up. However, there was slight dew on the road. Maybe that was it?

 

[cardinal_creek]

Originally posted by Young:
Maybe you bought the wrong car? -_^

Low blow

Maybe the add'l $7K would have prevented it

 

[Daniel]

Like Young said, it was probably the cold tire (not the wrong car part). I have gotten the tires to spin even though I was barely touching the gas and the time I was able to spin the tires for 1 sec or so was a very cold day, and I had driven for 30 minutes already. I guess that's why these are called summer tire.

 

[tony]

Hard (i.e. cold) tires do not stick... One of the things I started to dislike about the Dunlop SP8000's was that they started to harden and get brittle, thus slip, will still plenty of tread left.



------------------
Tony
'01 Spectra Blue
'94 Turbo Miata

 

[DtEW]

cardinal_creek: Was the gear selector in "M"?

 

[str8upchillboi]

Close call you say:
Here's my story. Last night I was going to my girlfriend's place and my whole car fishtails to a complete 360. Just light step on the accelerator and the next thing I know, I had to control my car from hitting others. What the hell? If my car keeps acting like this, I'm gonna get rid of it for sure. I've never heard or seen how easy it is to spin this car out. Just going over a speed bump at 2mph and making a turn while speeding up slightly to 8mph or so can completely wipe my car out like it's on an ice rink. Doesn't make sense. Even my previous car doesn't do this. Can anyone explain this strange act? Now I'm dead scared to even make a turn while slightly speeding up.

K

 

[Young]

str8upchillboi, you have LSD too? Perhaps it's LSD or traction control gone wrong?

 

[Russell]

I did a 180 this past weekend on my IS300 in the rain, but I had traction control off and went in the turn with then intent to slide...... and boy did I get what I wanted, thought I was going to spin it on around completly but somehow I pulled out of it and got her back straight...Controlled slides are fun but when you loose that control

not good.

------------------
Russell
2001 IS300 Graphite Gray Pearl
Auburn Extreme Racing

 

[cardinal_creek]

Originally posted by DtEW:
cardinal_creek: Was the gear selector in "M"?

DtEW, No, I was in D.

Getting into the mechanics of emergency manuevers - I turned the wheel to the right in an attempt to straighten the car. Logically, it doesn't sound right to turn the wheel to the left because that would continue to spin the car. Can any autoX'ers help me out on this?

Regarding Daniel and WM's comments about cold summer tires, does this mean I should replace them even though I don't plan to take the car out in the snow? I guess the rubber compounds are so soft in summer tires that they don't "stick" as well in freezing weather? Bummer.

 

[SeattleSheila]

I was always instructed to turn "into" the slide..ie in the direction the rear end is sliding. Had to do it a couple of times when I lived in Pennsylvania some years ago. Worked.
I have the 17" Potenzas on my IS. It's been freezing in the mornings here and I've noticed that the front end is a little mushy/squishy/slippery in the curves on the way to work. I think it's because the tires are cold. I'm just taking it easy and it's been working well...except that some IDIOT in a Chevy Suburban almost rear-ended me this morning. He fish-tailed trying to stop. I was flinching already. I had to stop, since the guy in front of me decided to let a car in from a side street. Well, the brakes work...keep an eye on the rear-view mirror you guys!

 

[hurricane]

Here is a thought... Are all of that have experienced the fishtailing/cold traction running the Bridgestones? Has anyone had this trouble with the Goodyears? Maybe this is another Potenza problem.

 

[ciccone376]

Sounds like a few of you have had some problems! the car I woned before the IS was an A4 Quattro, for two years. The thing stuck to the raod like glue. However, I took the time to learn about tire tech, temp, compounds etc. A rear drive car can be VERY fun if driven correctly. Most of you are riding on SUMMER tires in the winter!!! This is BAD. At the temperatures we have the tires may NEVER get to their optimal operating temp. it is extremely easy to spin tires when they are rock hard.

Do yourself a favor and get All-Seasons or Winter tires if you have to drive this car during the winter! Put the summers in storage until the spring. It is not worth wrecking your 35K car because you were to lazy or cheap to buy a $500 set of winter tires.


Also, take the car to an empty parking lot and LEARN how it handles to different types of input.

Just my .02 cents


later,
Chris

 

[hurricane]

Good advice. I'm getting winter tires soon. LM-22's I think.

 

[Daniel]

This is why race drivers hate cold weather. They just don't have grip and for cars like Champ Cars or Formula 1, it will like putting something like 800 to 900hp on ice.
For people in the places that has temperature constantly below 60 degree, you guys should go get winter tires. These tires are just not meant for the weather.