KO's in rain?

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http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104299










I went to buy 30/9.50x 15" bfg at ko's today and the dealer said he didn't like this tire. Claimed they would hydroplane because no straight grooves. Are these tires alright on a cupped out 2 lane after or during rain? Some people say they ride rougher wich I could see with a three ply sidewall but I hear michelins are stiff also. I don't like mic.s either. This is the wifes daily driver and she likes the sidewall tread look. (Cool wife huh!?) I don't want a tire that isn't good on gravel, wet or dry. Is the Geolander at or Goodyear ATS better? Please help as I'm confused. Current tires are GY R/TS and have 55000 but been bad in wet weather since I bought it with 40000. Love this board! PS I currently have 32" mud TA's on my f150. These are great tires. I buy these when ever I can find blems so do you ever find blem ko's

[Edited by 4x4 on 08-22-2000 at 06:51 AM]

 

[Mikey]

Hydroplaning on KOs

I'm sure you all love your tires. There is only one problem with the criteria that you used to arrive at your conclusion. Hydroplaning is not a "skid" and it is not losing traction while taking a corner too fast. You can't test whetether or not a tire hydroplanes by slamming on the brakes.

Hydroplaning occuurs between 40 and 60 miles per hour and is caused by the tires failure to disperse water. If the tire doesn't displace water well, the tire actually rides on the water as opposed to the roadway surface. This means that you lose directional control (car won't steer). Once this happens people over-react and oversteer the car. This is something you don't want to do in an Explorer.

So before you decide that your KOs are so awesome that you can drive at any speed when the pavement is wet, think again, you probably will be pushing your luck.

 

[Goober]

quote] from KVO
It will not hydroplane, but then again, if you're driving too fast it wouldn't matter what kind of tires you have [/quote]

I don't think anyone was trying to say they wouldn't hydroplane, just they are better than most tires tried. By using the term 'slipping' I assume they meant the loss of control or contact from the road. I am not sure from where you get the info that hydroplaning only occurs between 40 -60 mph. I would tend to believe if the truck/car is moving and hits enough water so the tires lose contact, that is when you hydroplane. I'm pretty sure I have lost road contact at lower speeds due to large pools of the watery stuff. You are right that it isn't due to just sliding around a corner or mashing the brakes to see how far you can slide. That's just plain skidding.

 

[Ru Dawg]

Re: Hydroplaning on KOs

Originally posted by Mikey
I'm sure you all love your tires. There is only one problem with the criteria that you used to arrive at your conclusion. Hydroplaning is not a "skid" and it is not losing traction while taking a corner too fast. You can't test whetether or not a tire hydroplanes by slamming on the brakes.

Hydroplaning occuurs between 40 and 60 miles per hour and is caused by the tires failure to disperse water. If the tire doesn't displace water well, the tire actually rides on the water as opposed to the roadway surface. This means that you lose directional control (car won't steer). Once this happens people over-react and oversteer the car. This is something you don't want to do in an Explorer.

So before you decide that your KOs are so awesome that you can drive at any speed when the pavement is wet, think again, you probably will be pushing your luck.

No offense, but I think some of your info is incorrect. You CAN hydroplane when slamming on brakes and/or taking corners tightly at ANY speed. As the weight of the vehicle is transfer from tire to tire, the tires loosing weight CAN rise to the surface of a good sized puddle and HYDROPLANE. I don't think you want to do this in ANY vehicle. One of the advantages of the BFG KO's is that the tire itself is quite a bit heavier than most truck tires. Also, take a look at a pic of a BFG KO's tread...tell those babies can't displace water!

 

[Mikey]

Hydroplaning

I didn't come up with the 40-60 MPH figure. It stems from the laws of physics and an algebraeic formula. It is well known among accident reconstructors and investigators, the latter of which I happen to be.

Don't take things so personally. I wasn't slamming the tires or Explorers.

 

[rustytr]

I had 33\12.50's and only got a chance to have them on snow and they sucked on the harder packed snow and were great in deep stuff, but that's because they were wide. Don't get me wrong, it's a great tire, my friend put 33\9.50's on his 84' cj. It has a 350 in it and those things on that lite little cj were awesome on hard packed snow and a bit of standing water.

by the way, he had the skinny tire only for the winter, he had big ol' mudders for the rest of the time.

 

[2001ExpSport]

Mikey is correct, hydroplaning only occurs when the tire fails to disperse water at high speeds. Anything else is just traction(friction) loss. Actually, hydroplaning is friction loss as well, hydroplaning is just a term.

[Edited by 2001ExpSport on 08-30-2000 at 06:12 PM]

 

[T-Bone]

I'm going to drive with snow chains from now on! Ok, wait....ok no.

T-Bone

 

[2001ExpSport]

T-Bone, we aren't going to Attica this weekend. Looks like Early Oct. Get your a$$ ready!

 

[Tom Wilk]

Yes, Mikey is right. I've done it before. You pretty much lose all steering ability; the car acts like a boat without a rudder. All you can do is gradually slow down until the tires can again make contact with the road. I was lucky; it was a worn road with water built up in the grooves. I felt things go loose, but the car I was in gradually drifted out of the grooves and reconnected with the road. It was over in a few seconds. I suspect that people encounter this quite often, but if they panic, the results can be devastating.

That being said, I'll stand behind what I said about the BFG's. They channel water much better than the Firestones did. I haven't hydroplaned in them, and although I do slow down for water, I haven't had to crawl through puddles by any stretch of the imagination.

BTW, the car that I did hydroplane in had pretty well worn tires on it. As your tires wear, the chances of hydroplaning go up. The more tread you have, the faster you can go before hydroplaning occurs.

 

[2001ExpSport]

There is no doubt that the BFG KO's are an excellent tire, any BFG for that matter.

 

[T-Bone]

Matt-

Sorry you guys aren't going. I'll be ready in Oct.! Skid plates on order!

T-Bone

 

[2001ExpSport]

Where did you get them, I want some as well. How much?

 

[T-Bone]

Matt-

They aren't ordered yet. Next few days. I'm going to order them thru Ford, unless you know of anyone else.

T-Bone

 

[2001ExpSport]

Not really, did they give you any prices?

 

[T-Bone]

No, I didn't check out prices yet. I'm guessing within $250. I hope I'm not wrong. I need to hook up with my cousin sometime soon. He is one of these master welder and sheet metal guys. He's got all his own equipment. I ruined a bumper on my '87 Ranger about ten years ago and he said he could make me one out of some iron pipe. I gave his the truck and I went to see it a few days later and he made this BAD A*S bumper made of 3/8" thick 6" diameter black iron pipe. He also welded on two 45 degree ends for the straight pipe and brackets to the frame/bumper mount. Serious professional welding. I was awestuck. Anyway, 500 years from now all that will be left of that vehicle will be that bumper! LOL.
I should give him a call. He lives in Rockford. Maybe he can make up something for me (us). He's a gear head too so that helps.
T-Bone

 

[2001ExpSport]

Ya, that would be cool.