Xhale707

When its raining or cold outside my car drives so differently. It drives so much better. Its so smooth it grips so much better. I don't understand i can't believe how much the handling has changed when its Cold/Wet outside. Its raining here right now and i wish it was raining 24.7 because i love how the car handles. Does anyone notice this too or is it just me?? It feels like the car is tank rolling down the streets.

hcalvarez

what tires you running? that makes a difference too on rainy days

Xhale707

Im running ( 225/40/18 falken fk 452 Front ) ( Rear 255/35/18 continental sport 3 ) Its feels so different but in such an awesome way. I wish it felt like this all the time.

K452 truly defines the ultra high performance tire. Falken’s optimal performance FK452 is available in a wide array of diameters, 16” – 24” and staggered widths, making it versatile and resourceful. Five linear ribs and three-dimensional rounded tread blocks offer precise handling response. With a new silica compound and multi-angled grooves, grip is significantly improved in the wet, while tire wear resistance is kept to a minimum. FK452 features the latest developments in noise absorption technology due to phase-shifted random pitch variation, while handling response and high-speed stability are improved. FK452 also boasts a reinforced steel bead filler and a dual tread compound, enabling excellent handling and quick response, particularly for larger diameter applications.

FIVE LINEAR RESPONSIVE RIBS & THREE-DIMENSIONAL ROUNDED BLOCKS enhances precise handling response
4 HIGH-VOLUME CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVES deliver increased hydroplane resistance for improved wet weather performance
PHASE-SHIFTED RANDOM PITCH VARIATION nearly eliminates tread noise
NEW SILICA COMPOUND AND MULTI-ANGLED GROOVES improves grip in wet weather without compromising wear resistance

So it is my front tires. Holy cow it drives amazing in the rain


The ContiSportContact 3 is Continental Tire's Max Performance Summer tire developed for the drivers of powerful sports cars, sports coupes and luxury sedans. The ContiSportContact 3 is designed to combine outstanding braking capability and agile steering precision. Like all summer tires, the Continental ContiSportContact 3 is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

ContiSportContact 3 tires feature an asymmetric design with solid tread blocks and a continuous rib on the outboard shoulder to improve responsiveness and cornering stability, while continuous intermediate ribs provide constant rubber-to-road contact to reduce noise and control the longitudinal forces experienced when braking. The continuous circumferential tread grooves help disperse water to resist hydroplaning and their asymmetrically angled walls further stabilize the tread ribs, increasing steering precision and reducing deformation while cornering. The notched shoulder blocks on the inboard portion enhance wet weather traction.

The tire's structure includes twin steel belts reinforced by nylon to stabilize the tread area and enhance handling as well as high-speed capability.

splinter

Mine drives remarkably well in wet conditions, although its ultimate grip is markedly reduced.
Suggest you catch up with other members at the next Orange County Race Craft event to validate its mettle. :y

http://www.ocracecraft.com/

giannidy

Speaking of handling, just got the car lowered. Handles so much better, thanks for the heads up on the Teins. And it looks awesome. Haha way off topic but whatevs

Boom vang

Unusual given that you have mis-matched tires, never a good setup as each tire has different tread and structure affecting grip, handling and balance. Try playing tennis wearing two different shoes and let me know how it goes.

Any wet surface will give you a compromise on grip and what you think is superior to what it is like on the dry is just an illusion. Put a stop watch and a g-meter and you will notice that the specs for all aspects are seriously reduced. Driving in the wet does smooth out the ride and sometimes quieten the treads on slightly wet roads and make it seem faster and better

My car on bare roads running 4 snows is brutal but add fresh snow it is a different experience

Xhale707

Oh i know man.. I felt a huge change when i lowered it. Car was so unstable before over bumps it would wobble the whole body. Love the look =)))

giannidy

Thanks man, I can't wait to get some new shoes for it ha. I'm thinking about gettin some staggered like yours.

slammer111

Not just lowering. Thicker sway bars in addition also help quite a bit. It's night and day compared to the stock setup.

To the OP, there is no way a car will handle better in the wet than dry. Grab a physics book and show me any 2 materials ("sticky" ones don't count) that have a higher coefficient of friction when wet, compared to dry.

Mercedes has the "soft spring, stiff dampers" philosophy that makes the car float quite a bit but also makes the car very comfy when cruising down the highway.

In any case, they somewhat wised up when designing the W204.

mskembo

Quick FYI, when it's cold the air is denser (more air=more power). It's the micro NOS effect. I didn't understand that until I was working on my private pilot's license, and flying a Cessna 152 with an instructor that was as big as I am. On cold days the plane climbed much easier, and the engine didn't work nearly as hard to gain altitude. Cold, dense air just makes everything better.

Xhale707

To me the car handles way different in the rain and im 100% sure its my tires. Traction isn't all that grand but the way it handles is smooth as butter.

FrankW

both the falken 452 and contisport3 do worst in rain than in dry.

Xhale707

Then why does it feel like my car drives better? Do you think there could be an issue with something on my car? It feels like the power steering is more responsive. Car feels totally different

Get some more pictures posted of your car frank =) <3 your ride

FrankW

that's because they don't grip when there's a layer of water in between your tire and the road. less grip = lighter steering. some what of the same effect when you inflat the tires up to make long trips.

Xhale707

Thanks I haven't checked my air pressure in a while maybe i should. I have these caps on my car right now that let me know its above 32 psi