MORE hydroplaning

[SuffolkD at aol.com]

Gent(s):

I wrote a hydroplaining reply and deleted it because its was ambiguous and 
some other posts mentioned my points like channeling water, sipes and thread 
depth.

Richard:  When the front tire encounters a water puddle, it is slowed down 
greatly, while the rear tires continue to chur-n on before meeting this same 
(puddle) to be also slowed down greatly.

Also, when you hit this puddle, if its not head on by BOTH front tires, the 
car with want to "pivot" around the slower (front in this example) tire.

I suspect these factors where more the reason than a slight axle alignment 
issue.
However, any alignment issue deminishes your highest speed before, or 
resistance to some event like this mentioned here.
HTH - Scott by BOSTON

> > Hydroplane speed is 9 times the square root of the
> > tire pressure.
> 
> True aquaplaning story: My old Volvo had been rear
> ended. The damage looked to be very slight but
> apparently the rear axel was out of alignment. I ran
> through a big puddle on the highway and my back end
> stepped out on me and I did a 360 before I could stop
> the car. On the way home at much lower speeds, I could
> feel the back end pull every time I hit water. The
> rear wheels were acting like rudders pointing slightly
> in one direction. I will never again take a small rear
> end collision lightly.
> 
> My Quattro has excellent rain manners. There is
> nothing like it in the rain.
> 
>