Notices
S197 Handling Section For everything suspension related, inlcuding brakes, tires, and wheels.

Driving in the rain

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-02-2008, 11:22 PM
  #1  
IronHorse330
Thread Starter
 
IronHorse330's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Deltona, Florida
Posts: 3
Thumbs up Driving in the rain

So ok everyone, I just got my first Mustang and I am very new to all of this forum stuff but I do have a question that I need help with. I have an 05 4.0L manual. Now things were going well for me while driving until I hit rain and the second I hit it I went sideways in the middle of the highway and thank god no one was around me even though I did recover from it. Close one at that, like to scared the heck out of me. I literaly had to slow down to like 45 mph just to be able to handle driving in the rain and I can drive pretty good. What I would like to know is what brand of tires would be a better fit to handle the wet roads. I have BF Goodwrench tires, but I am also wondering if is just me going to a rear wheel drive from a front wheel drive. Does the mustang just not have very good handling in the rain or do they have great handling with the right equipment. Please let me know because my impression isn't the best on my car right now and hopefully its something I can correct. Thanks: Troy
IronHorse330 is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 04:49 AM
  #2  
Ato
4th Gear Member
 
Ato's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1,083
Default

Rear wheel drive handles just fine in the rain, I think it's just your lack of experience w/ it b/c you were used to how a fwd reacted in the rain. You don't need new tires, just take it a little slower until you get the feel for it and always be a gear higher then you think you should be in. This way when you give it a little gas it will have that bogged down fee so you should be much less likely to kick the rear out.
Ato is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 07:43 AM
  #3  
IronHorse330
Thread Starter
 
IronHorse330's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Deltona, Florida
Posts: 3
Default

Yeah I was thinking that maybe its just that I needed to get used to this car because I would have been going right through it with no problems in my Fusion I had. I was also heading about 70 mph when I hit the rain and was a heavy rain at that. Scared me a bit but I new what to do to recover or I would have been in the trees. Thanks for the reply.
IronHorse330 is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 08:57 AM
  #4  
mustangfan410
The 2014 Mustang Forums T-Shirt Design Winner
 
mustangfan410's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 730
Default

u just need to get a feeling for the car and the way she handles.
mustangfan410 is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 10:22 AM
  #5  
acascianelli
5th Gear Member
 
acascianelli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
Posts: 4,409
Default

I've driven through 2 Michigan winters, and many MANY thunderstorms and have never had any problem controlling my car in any weather. Having more power and LSD, I would think my car would be more difficult to drive in that sort of weather than yours. I just can't see how hitting rain would instantly send your car into a skid, unless you were either going way too fast around a turn, or have bald tires.

As said above, know that your car does not behave the same as a FWD car. Being RWD it will have more of a tendency to oversteer.
acascianelli is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 11:04 AM
  #6  
Full Throttle
2nd Gear Member
 
Full Throttle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 283
Default

Same thing happened to me when I first got the car lol. I wasn't used to the way she handles so just take it a bit slower in the rain especially in the turns. However, once I swapped my tires for some Cooper Zeons it is then that I realized just how much the stock tires $uck. Night and day difference in handling, rain or shine.
Full Throttle is offline  
Old 09-03-2008, 05:34 PM
  #7  
IronHorse330
Thread Starter
 
IronHorse330's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Deltona, Florida
Posts: 3
Default

Thanks everybody I appreciat the info. After driving her today i kind of realize its just getting used to the way she drives. Will take a few days but I love the idea of driving a manual rwd now after today. I took her around Orlando for about 4hrs just driving around. Definately feel much better about driving Mustangs now.
IronHorse330 is offline  
Old 10-15-2008, 10:54 AM
  #8  
drfister
3rd Gear Member
 
drfister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ontario
Posts: 618
Default

Yeah, stock tires and rain are a horrible combo. I was going straight and accelerated ever so slightly and the rear started to swing around. Not fun stuff on a busy road. Watch your driving habits but most importantly get some new tires. The stock rubber I found was good for only one thing, burnouts. Lots of burnouts. If you dont live in the desert, and rain is fairly common in your area, look into getting some General Exclaim UHP's. I have these tires and man ohhh man in wet conditions these things rock.
drfister is offline  
Old 10-15-2008, 02:42 PM
  #9  
danbevsv6rumbler
3rd Gear Member
 
danbevsv6rumbler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The OC, CA
Posts: 879
Default

be a man and get a handle on your girl

driving in the rain can be difficult. I used to drive a ranger before the mustang - if you think the mustangs are weird, just imagine a truck! 4.0 engine with hardly any weight over the wheels (not to mention okay tires) = dorifto maximo! lets just say I had to replace the right front ibeam once by miscalculating a turn in the rain....

nevertheless I agree it'll take some getting used to... but once you do, you'll be pro in your sideways mustang hahaha
danbevsv6rumbler is offline  
Old 10-15-2008, 08:26 PM
  #10  
bigmax350
1st Gear Member
 
bigmax350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: philly pa
Posts: 93
Default

the rain can be a little tricky. the stang is nowhere as bad as the svt lightning.... just always take your time in the rain
bigmax350 is offline  


Quick Reply: Driving in the rain



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:10 AM.