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Why do Camaros hydroplane so easily?

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Old 11-21-2011, 01:17 PM
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Only time I ever had a problem in the rain was running 275 40 17 et streets out back when I was too lazy to swap my street tires back on the day after going to the track. And this is coming from someone who's previous car was a GTP so we are in the same boat experience wise.
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Old 11-21-2011, 06:30 PM
  #42  
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Same here never to Dr's in the rain it was a come to Jesus experience for me.
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Old 11-21-2011, 06:56 PM
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Driver error..

About 60% of people I've ridden passenger with drive way too absurdly fast/aggressive for aggravating conditions.
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Old 11-21-2011, 09:39 PM
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What in the hell are you people doing in the rain? I've got stuck out a handful of times in my cammed Fbody and ET Streets and had no problems.
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Old 11-22-2011, 01:57 AM
  #45  
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Exactly. Accidents in the rain aren't really accidents, they're situations brought about by people not respecting the conditions properly. I love it when news agencies talk about how the "rain caused this, that, etc..." It wasn't the rain, it was the people rocketing along in it. I see people blast by me all day long in pouring rain as I cruise along at a nice, warm and safe 60 mph...
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Old 11-22-2011, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by myk
Exactly. Accidents in the rain aren't really accidents, they're situations brought about by people not respecting the conditions properly. I love it when news agencies talk about how the "rain caused this, that, etc..." It wasn't the rain, it was the people rocketing along in it. I see people blast by me all day long in pouring rain as I cruise along at a nice, warm and safe 60 mph...
It's not always the people's fault. I drive my car very slowly and carefully in the rain, because I know how dangerous it can be. And even then, there will still be instances where I will momentarily lose control of the car. If the rain were a little deeper, and the oil mixture a little more it could have been worse.
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Old 11-22-2011, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
It's not always the people's fault. I drive my car very slowly and carefully in the rain, because I know how dangerous it can be. And even then, there will still be instances where I will momentarily lose control of the car. If the rain were a little deeper, and the oil mixture a little more it could have been worse.
If you are momentarily losing control of the car while driving slowly and carefully in a simple rain storm, then you need new tires now....right now. In a way, this is still driver error.....not necessarily error in terms of driving skill, but rather in terms of recognizing faulty equippment that is leading to an unnecessarily dangerous situation.
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Old 11-22-2011, 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by RPM WS6
If you are momentarily losing control of the car while driving slowly and carefully in a simple rain storm, then you need new tires now....right now. In a way, this is still driver error.....not necessarily error in terms of driving skill, but rather in terms of recognizing faulty equippment that is leading to an unnecessarily dangerous situation.
So whenever someone hydroplanes it's their fault or their fault for having worn out tires? I don't buy that for a second.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
So whenever someone hydroplanes it's their fault or their fault for having worn out tires? I don't buy that for a second.
A vehicle does not accelerate on its own. Your foot is on the gas making the vehicle travel at a high enough rate to induce hydroplaning. And if you are not running the proper tire for the conditions, e.g. drag radial, or are driving on a worn out tire then damn right it's your fault. If the motor blows up because you didn't change the oil in 20,000 miles is it the motor's fault? Operator input yields vehicle output, period.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:23 PM
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Originally Posted by MI-Z/28
A vehicle does not accelerate on its own. Your foot is on the gas making the vehicle travel at a high enough rate to induce hydroplaning. And if you are not running the proper tire for the conditions, e.g. drag radial, or are driving on a worn out tire then damn right it's your fault. If the motor blows up because you didn't change the oil in 20,000 miles is it the motor's fault? Operator input yields vehicle output, period.
You're kind of missing the point.

My car with brand new tires would hydroplane on the roads. When you're going down the interstate, speed limit is 70MPH minimum speed is 45MPH. Even going 45MPH I can hydroplane, on brand new tires.

Now are you going to fault me on not buying the right tires?
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
You're kind of missing the point.

My car with brand new tires would hydroplane on the roads. When you're going down the interstate, speed limit is 70MPH minimum speed is 45MPH. Even going 45MPH I can hydroplane, on brand new tires.
Hydroplaning at 45?? Unless you're driving through standing water I would almost call BS on that.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by HVYMTL
Hydroplaning at 45?? Unless you're driving through standing water I would almost call BS on that.
There are pockets of standing water on the highways and interstates you know.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
Now are you going to fault me on not buying the right tires?
Instead of dancing around the issue how about you state specifically what tire you're running. You could have cleared that up in post #1 and did not.

If you are running an all season tire and are hydroplaning at 45mph you have some other issue to sort out. As I stated earlier I am running a 245/50-16 Riken Raptor ZR summer only tire. I have 12,000 miles on them and at 70mph I have zero issues on the highway in wet conditions. Even in a down pour my car handles like it's on rails unless I'm jerking the wheel or hammering on the gas.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by MI-Z/28
A vehicle does not accelerate on its own. Your foot is on the gas making the vehicle travel at a high enough rate to induce hydroplaning. And if you are not running the proper tire for the conditions, e.g. drag radial, or are driving on a worn out tire then damn right it's your fault. If the motor blows up because you didn't change the oil in 20,000 miles is it the motor's fault? Operator input yields vehicle output, period.
Agreed.

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
You're kind of missing the point.

My car with brand new tires would hydroplane on the roads. When you're going down the interstate, speed limit is 70MPH minimum speed is 45MPH. Even going 45MPH I can hydroplane, on brand new tires.

Now are you going to fault me on not buying the right tires?
I think that you are kind of missing the point. It's just simply not the car's fault. If it was, then this would be happening to every single person that drives one of these cars in the rain, and as you can see by this thread, that is not the case.

What I can't buy for a second is that you'd be hydroplaning while driving 45mph on brand new (street) tires on a modern expressway with decent drainage in a normal rain storm. Now, if you're driving through a hurricane then maybe 45mph is still too fast for conditions, regardless of the car.
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Old 11-22-2011, 05:52 PM
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Originally Posted by RPM WS6
It's just simply not the car's fault.
You're right!

It's not the car's fault, it's the rain's fault. This is not the only car that hydroplanes, plenty do.

I have 245 60 16 Fuzion high performance summer tires on my car. In dry weather they're pretty good. In rain they are good, at slow speeds. At highway speeds (55MPH+) they make me very nervous.
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Old 11-22-2011, 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by RPM WS6
Agreed.



I think that you are kind of missing the point. It's just simply not the car's fault. If it was, then this would be happening to every single person that drives one of these cars in the rain, and as you can see by this thread, that is not the case.

What I can't buy for a second is that you'd be hydroplaning while driving 45mph on brand new (street) tires on a modern expressway with decent drainage in a normal rain storm. Now, if you're driving through a hurricane then maybe 45mph is still too fast for conditions, regardless of the car.
In fairness to the OP, he lives in Meridian. There is no modern expressway there. The freeway is uneven and filled with debris, and floods quickly when it rains. You can't necessarily drive too slow, because tractor trailers fly through there at unbelievable speeds and may hit you from behind.

Based on what he's describing, it sounds like it's due more to the shitty roads than the car. The dynamics of a powerful, rear-wheel drive car just exacerbate the problem.

I learned to just stay off the freeway in Meridian when it rained. It's not a fun place to drive.
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Old 11-22-2011, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by nmbr5ml
In fairness to the OP, he lives in Meridian. There is no modern expressway there. The freeway is uneven and filled with debris, and floods quickly when it rains. You can't necessarily drive too slow, because tractor trailers fly through there at unbelievable speeds and may hit you from behind.

Based on what he's describing, it sounds like it's due more to the shitty roads than the car. The dynamics of a powerful, rear-wheel drive car just exacerbate the problem.

I learned to just stay off the freeway in Meridian when it rained. It's not a fun place to drive.
You're familiar with the roads around here?

There is an interstate that passes through Meridian, but like you said, it's not very modern, and it's not the best road. But it's okay.

Twice a year I take my car on a 750 mile trip from Mississippi to Indiana. The interstate through Alabama, especially around Birmingham is in the worst shape. That's where I experienced hydroplaning on the interstate for the first time, even going at lower speeds.
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Old 11-24-2011, 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by WhiteKnight '01
You're familiar with the roads around here?

There is an interstate that passes through Meridian, but like you said, it's not very modern, and it's not the best road. But it's okay.

Twice a year I take my car on a 750 mile trip from Mississippi to Indiana. The interstate through Alabama, especially around Birmingham is in the worst shape. That's where I experienced hydroplaning on the interstate for the first time, even going at lower speeds.
Yeah we used to have a regular rotation for my job where we'd have to stay in Meridian for a few months at a time, working out of the Air National Guard base. One great thing about it is there are nicely paved, smooth roads in the middle of nowhere, where you can go haul ***** and no one really cares (unlike here in Nebraska) but the freeways are awful.
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Old 11-24-2011, 12:05 PM
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All I got to say is I can take my S10 out in the pouring rain at 70mph down the highway with no issue, brand new Cooper Cobra White Letter 235/60/15's, vehicle weight of 3050 with me in it, and it's a little *** truck with no *** to it and it drives fine.

Now around corners is a different story..
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Old 11-24-2011, 03:10 PM
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Eh, guess I'm just a spoiled city boy-I bitch and complain when I see 1 inch deep pothole. Honestly I wouldn't know what to do on an unpaved road in less than ideal conditions. I've always said that I don't know how anyone drives in snow, ice, etc in ANY kind of a vehicle...
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