GMCforum: GMCnet » Tire Traction Issue

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Tire Traction Issue (Tires)

Show: Today's Messages :: Polls :: Message Navigator

Tire Traction Issue [message #146941]

Tue, 18 October 2011 16:05

Wil Claus

Messages: 5
Registered: September 2004
Location: Mercer Island, WA

Karma: 0

Junior Member

Hello All,

My Michelin XPS tires were in need of replacement just before going on a long vacation and I discovered that Michelin no longer makes this tire. Due to time pressure I picked Firestone Transforce HT because they were available.They had a better ride and handled well. So far so good.

Upon returning home I discovered I could not get up my driveway because these tires slipped on wet pavement! Our drive is about 150' long up a hill and I have to back the coach up in order to be able to head in the spur that leads to the house. Never had a problem before even with pine needles on the drive.

Now I am wondering if I have the wrong tires. I have read a lot of posts on tires here and find the Michelin LTX M/S tires to my liking but that means I'll also have to go to 16" wheels. Before I deplete my bank account doing that, I wonder if anyone has a suggestion on how to improve traction on these tires.

I have learned that additional siping only helps traction on dry pavement and that the rubber compound itself is what controls traction on wet pavement, so I don't expect miracles but maybe there is something clever that would work.

Short of a clever solution, does anone want to buy 6 new tires (700 miles) with steel wheels and chrome wheel covers? Smile

Wil
1977 GMC EII
Mercer Island, WA

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146942 is a reply to message #146941]

Tue, 18 October 2011 16:16

Keith V

Messages: 2337
Registered: March 2008
Location: Mounds View,MN

Karma: 0

Senior Member

rake up the pine needles?

Keith Vasilakes
Mounds View. MN
75 ex Royale GMC
ask me about MicroLevel
Cell, 763-732-3419
My427v8@hotmail.com

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146949 is a reply to message #146941]

Tue, 18 October 2011 16:42

bryant374

Messages: 563
Registered: May 2004
Location: Pleasant Valley, NY 12569

Karma: 1

Senior Member

Wil,
Check the tire pressure, the tire dealer may have too much air in them. Depending on loading the 62 - 65 psi should be about right.
Bill

Bill Bryant
PO 1976~PB (owned 34 years)
1914 Ford (owned 70 years)
1965 Corvette (owned 39 years)
GMC Motorhome History

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146968 is a reply to message #146949]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:17

Ken Burton

Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana

Karma: 10

Senior Member

I have heard of people at the drag strip pouring bleach on the tread for more traction. I have never done it so I do not know if it works. A gallon of bleach is cheap if you want to try it.

Lowering the tire pressure might also work. 60 to 65 PSI.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146972 is a reply to message #146968]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:32

Wil Claus

Messages: 5
Registered: September 2004
Location: Mercer Island, WA

Karma: 0

Junior Member

Thanks, Ken

I don't think I'll try the bleach, that sounds just a bit too clever Smile

My tire pressure is 65 psi all around, but I might try lowering it to 62 or 60.

73,

Wil Claus W7DL

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146975 is a reply to message #146942]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:35

Wil Claus

Messages: 5
Registered: September 2004
Location: Mercer Island, WA

Karma: 0

Junior Member

Very good, Keith Smile

I DID think of that. In fact, that is how I finally got up the drive but even then the wheels spun and I barely made it.

I used to get up the drive with pine needles all around with the Michelins without even a hint of wheel spin, so I guess I'm spoiled!

Regards,

Wil

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146976 is a reply to message #146949]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:37

Wil Claus

Messages: 5
Registered: September 2004
Location: Mercer Island, WA

Karma: 0

Junior Member

Thanks, Bill.

My tire pressure was 65 psi all around, and I'm going to lower it to 62 or 60 to see if that helps.

Regards,

Wil

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #146977 is a reply to message #146972]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:38

WD0AFQ

Messages: 7111
Registered: November 2004
Location: Dexter, Mo.

Karma: 207

Senior Member

Id drop the air in the front tires to 50 pounds til I got it up to where you will park it. Air them back up then.
Dan

3 In Stainless Exhaust Headers One Ton All Discs/Reaction Arm 355 FD/Quad Bag/Alum Radiator Manny Tran/New eng. Holley EFI/10 Tire Air Monitoring System Solarized Coach/Upgraded Windows Satelite TV/On Demand Hot Water/3Way Refer

Report message to a moderator

Re: [GMCnet] Tire Traction Issue [message #146979 is a reply to message #146941]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:40

dan molnes

Messages: 166
Registered: October 2011

Karma: 1

Senior Member

wil. If your thinking of getting rid of those tires I might be interested in
buying them. I have a "75" E 11 that I have for sale in Seattle and it could
use some new tires let me know. thanks Dan Molnes 206 5795361

On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 2:05 PM, Wil Claus <wclaus@msn.com> wrote:

>
>
> Hello All,
>
> My Michelin XPS tires were in need of replacement just before going on a
> long vacation and I discovered that Michelin no longer makes this tire. Due
> to time pressure I picked Firestone Transforce HT because they were
> available.They had a better ride and handled well. So far so good.
>
> Upon returning home I discovered I could not get up my driveway because
> these tires slipped on wet pavement! Our drive is about 150' long up a hill
> and I have to back the coach up in order to be able to head in the spur that
> leads to the house. Never had a problem before even with pine needles on the
> drive.
>
> Now I am wondering if I have the wrong tires. I have read a lot of posts on
> tires here and find the Michelin LTX M/S tires to my liking but that means
> I'll also have to go to 16" wheels. Before I deplete my bank account doing
> that, I wonder if anyone has a suggestion on how to improve traction on
> these tires.
>
> I have learned that additional siping only helps traction on dry pavement
> and that the rubber compound itself is what controls traction on wet
> pavement, so I don't expect miracles but maybe there is something clever
> that would work.
>
> Short of a clever solution, does anone want to buy 6 new tires (700 miles)
> with steel wheels and chrome wheel covers? :)
>
> Wil
> 1977 GMC EII
> Mercer Island, WA
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

Report message to a moderator

Re: [GMCnet] Tire Traction Issue [message #146985 is a reply to message #146968]

Tue, 18 October 2011 20:55

Messages: 16
Registered: September 2011

Karma: 0

Junior Member

I've driven commercial trucks in the winter, that's one of the things we
kept along with other winter supplies. If you get your truck (or in this
case Motorhome) stuck on ice, you can paint bleach on the tread of the drive
tires to make it chemically stick and get you off the ice. It gets used up
and/or evaporates quickly and you have to paint again if you didn't get it
on the first try. I've never heard of it being used at a drag strip, or on
dry pavement, but it makes sense that it would have a similar effect.

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Ken Burton
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 8:18 PM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Tire Traction Issue

I have heard of people at the drag strip pouring bleach on the tread for
more traction. I have never done it so I do not know if it works. A gallon
of bleach is cheap if you want to try it.

Lowering the tire pressure might also work. 60 to 65 PSI.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

Report message to a moderator

Re: Tire Traction Issue [message #147245 is a reply to message #146941]

Thu, 20 October 2011 23:02

Wil Claus

Messages: 5
Registered: September 2004
Location: Mercer Island, WA

Karma: 0

Junior Member

Hello All,

Thanks to all who responded to my question. I decided to have the tires siped after all as the tire place corrected me on my wrong understanding that this was only effective on dry pavement. The manager of the place said that he worked 17 yrs for Les Schwab and that they sold siping specifically for wet conditions. They even had a small demo model which allowed customers to feel the difference in traction between siped and non-siped tires.

Long story short, I backed up my long, steep drive with ease and it was wet at the time. I am relieved that I don't have to go to 16" wheels and new tires to solve this issue.

If anyone else is having traction issues this may be an inexpensive remedy.

Wil Claus
1977 Eleganza EII
Mercer Island, WA

Report message to a moderator

Re: [GMCnet] Tire Traction Issue [message #147247 is a reply to message #147245]

Fri, 21 October 2011 00:18

jimk

Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA

Karma: 9

Senior Member

Neil Martin was having problems till he purchased our Limited Slip Differential.
He claims that he no longer has the traction problem

Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist

Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502

Report message to a moderator

Previous Topic:	Re: [GMCnet] heat shield Generator manifold
Next Topic:	Music and internet in coach

Goto Forum:

-=] Back to Top [=-

Current Time: Fri Oct 04 00:32:38 CDT 2024

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.05731 seconds