the road was kinda wet

[emorphien]

Wet corning is by far the RE92's weakest point.

This is largely true, and in bad conditions one should drive appropriately. It's really hard for me to say "yeah it's the tires" when the driver could have been going slower.

 

My tires are fairly new though but I haven't had much trouble cornering in the rain. I still plan to replace them.

[TSiWRX]

johnny_m:

 

I like to give pressures "the old try." I'll vary them until I have a good set of data from my own driving, taking things in gradual increments, 'till I "over-inflate," and then back-down to the last-remembered point.

 

Usually, I base my tire-pressures from what others experience with the same or similar tires run in various VEHICLE SPECIFIC discussion-Forums, of course I bias my own starting points to where others with much more experience than me would suggest as good pressures for the type of driving I expect to do.

[GraysonSubaru]

AWD is great for traction going forward...then the vehicle starts to skid sideways, AWD doesnt do anything different. For skid control, you would need the VDC system found in the VDC models or the Tribeca...or some other form of that which is found in other makes.

 

In an STI, LGT, or in say a 4wd Chevy truck -- you can still do a power slide on the right surface - gravel, wet road, grass, etc. it is the skid control systems that keep a vehicle from doing a 180 or 360 in the road....not the AWD system.

 

haha I wish my old Fiero GT would have had VDC when I spun it around in the rain 14 yrs ago. thankfully, all I hit was a small hillside.

[Mblock66]

Guys the posteed limit is 65 and I was going 40-45 ok.

 

It was raining for like 8 days straight and misting all day prior to that noontime incident.

 

Bank of the turn is not bad and I have taken it at 65-70 on dry days with no problem in various cars, even a 1995 Yukon with 177k miles on it.

 

Tires just put the whole car into a tailspin with no warning. No driver error. I was going to a rehersal dinner for a wedding I was in the next day. I was in no rush, just picked up my tux. I am alwasy careful and I know that turn since I have been on it a million times. Just not in the rain in this car yet. But I think that if a Yukon can take it at 50-60 in the rain umm this car should have been able to at 40-45

[johnny_m]

johnny_m:

 

I like to give pressures "the old try." I'll vary them until I have a good set of data from my own driving, taking things in gradual increments, 'till I "over-inflate," and then back-down to the last-remembered point.

 

Usually, I base my tire-pressures from what others experience with the same or similar tires run in various VEHICLE SPECIFIC discussion-Forums, of course I bias my own starting points to where others with much more experience than me would suggest as good pressures for the type of driving I expect to do.

 

Thanks for the response! I was just curious as to what people did because we all know of the horror stories of what could happen if tires weren't 'properly inflated' (ie Firestones on Ford Explorers).

[TSiWRX]

johnny_m :

 

NP. Just glad to help out - I'm definitely not one of the "more experienced" on this Forum, so I try to help out others where I can, in what small ways I can.

 

The "checking tire pressures w/changing weather" thing was hammered-home to me from guys like Keefe ("Xenonk," our resident tires/suspensions/wheels/brakes guru).

 

Keefe and other such race-experienced individuals also recommend "seasonal" tire-pressure monitoring methods, such as using "hot" pressures during the summer, and "cold" in the winter.

 

Overall, for most of the tires that you'll read about/are recommended by others here in the Forums - for 215/45/17 or 225/45/17 fitments - typical inflation pressures are between 36 to 41 psi front, and 34 to 39 psi rear, either hot or cold (based on end-user preference for everything from sidewall resistance to roll-over to NVH issues - and is also somewhat tire-make/model related), for most road-going/everyday-commute conditions. Usually, people leave the recommended gap of 2 psi between front and rears.

 

Best thing for you to do, though, would be to run a couple of specific searches based on the tires that you have shod on your vehicle, and see what others have to say.

[Drakuun]

If it makes anyone think twice..

 

I just got some BF Goodrich Traction TA's a few weeks back.

With my RE92's a certain exit ramp I take I could usually take without incident at max highway speed 70mph with some squeeling (ramp is rated 45mph) This was on dry pavement.

 

This morning, road was completely wet (no standing water) and I took it at 80mph without even touching the breaks.

 

I too wondered why everyone hated on the RE92's still I got my BFg's on.

Now my cornering speeds have gone up at least 5-10 mph when in wet conditions with grip to spare.

[BadAndy]

Tires just put the whole car into a tailspin with no warning. No driver error. I was going to a rehersal dinner for a wedding I was in the next day. I was in no rush, just picked up my tux. I am alwasy careful and I know that turn since I have been on it a million times. Just not in the rain in this car yet. But I think that if a Yukon can take it at 50-60 in the rain umm this car should have been able to at 40-45

Did one of the tires just blow out? Under/over inflated? Did you check the road to see if there was oil or some other debris on it? Did the tires look different afterwards? Anybody witness the accident?

[BadAndy]

If it makes anyone think twice..

 

I just got some BF Goodrich Traction TA's a few weeks back.

With my RE92's a certain exit ramp I take I could usually take without incident at max highway speed 70mph with some squeeling (ramp is rated 45mph) This was on dry pavement.

 

This morning, road was completely wet (no standing water) and I took it at 80mph without even touching the breaks.

 

I too wondered why everyone hated on the RE92's still I got my BFg's on.

Now my cornering speeds have gone up at least 5-10 mph when in wet conditions with grip to spare.

I knew the RE92s sucked the first day I drove the car home. They're ok for regular driving but I'd feel more comfortable with a better tire. Since I'm just leasing the car I think a good set of tires is a waste....unless of course I get this stuttering crap figured then I may just buy the car at the end.

[Drakuun]

DUnno Badandy..If it were a matter of feeling safe I'd probably 'waste' that cash.

 

personally though, I thought rather highly of the RE92's, and I was very confdent in them given my driving experience.

Mine worked without fail for me, and I had them over 60k miles, in every sort of road conditions you can imagine. I could find no real reason to fault the tires themselves, as they had performed on my car. That was untill I had a relevant comaprison. The BFG's have shown me exactly what the RE92's weren't. I was already vastly impressed with my vehicles handling characteristics, and they've only gotten better since the switch.

[johnny_m]

johnny_m :

 

NP. Just glad to help out - I'm definitely not one of the "more experienced" on this Forum, so I try to help out others where I can, in what small ways I can.

 

Thanks again for your help. Even if it is regurgitated from someone else! I simply don't have enough time to read all the threads on all of the forums!

 

I take it that checking hot tires in the summer (and cold ones in the winter) gives you the most accurate reading of the worst conditions your tires should face during that weather. I mean if you adjust your cold pressures high during the summer and you get even more expansion (due to heat of driving, you could put yourself in the over inflated condition (and possibly BOOM!). Right?

[bobo69]

i gotta back block here on my way home from work today it was dry and warm i made a left at a light that had been red so i was completely stopped. as i shifted from first to second the tail just started sliding out, no tire noise it was completely silent. i have taken that turn in my other cars at more than double the speed that the re92's started to let loose.

[GardenWeasel]

I survived Winter '04-'05 on RE92s.

[voyetra8]

I survived Winter '04-'05 on RE92s.

 

I did too, but not without a serious desire to get some new tires.

 

The RE92s were AWFUL in the snow.

[binary storm]

im gonna be the asshole in this thread and sorta support the re92s....while they do suck, i had conti-sports on my last car stock and those were just another level of bullshit tirewise.....i DO drive like a loon, in the rain too...and have even been offroad a lil with the re-92s and im yet to see them 'give out unexpectadly'

i believe you know how to drive, and that you do infact have a 'rally bred' awd car, but i also believe in understeer and general slide caused by driver error....sure the road is wet, but ive driven on wet roads with insanely bald stock tires in a fwd car notorious for torque steer and ive never had an issue, even when living in florida land of the hurricane/rainstorm

[melayout]

Accidents and sh!t happens.

 

Could the slide have been avoided if he was driving @ 20MPH? Maybe

 

Could the slide have been avoided if he had higher/lower tire pressures? Maybe

 

Could the slide have been avoided if he had different tires? Maybe

 

Could there have been foreign/slippery crap on the road that led to the slide? Maybe

 

Did he learn a lesson? Probably and you move on

[Mblock66]

Well there is no lesson to learn really other then these tires are unsafe. Why take the chance after hearing what happened to me. I mean I know that it isn't economical to just go right out and purchase new rubber. Hell that is why I left mine on. Why incure a $600 expense on a new car when the tires seem fine.

 

Well it really is a must. It wasn't like I hadn't driven in the rain yet with those tires but they have always been a bit unstable. It was just this trip had no warning and went into a complete tailspin. For all of you that think it was a "driver error" I would like to see how you could have avoided it hahaha.

 

100% of you would have had the accident too. When I say no warning I mean no warning. What was I supposed to do....ignore the pre set curve of the offramp and make my own curve hahahaha. It is one lane 1.5 car wide and not that severe of a turn. 18 Wheeler trucks take that turn at 50 MPH.

 

Oh well think what you will. I don't care. Just don't say I didn't tell you so when you go all high and mightly about it and then have your wet traction RE92 accident....

 

Please be careful

[Drakuun]

In Mblocks defences, One day I had to turn right on Telegraph to make a left on M-59 (You michigaians know what I mean) I had about half a block to get to the center lane. Anyways, some chic brought Telegraph to a dead stop to allow me to cross 3 lanes of morning rush hour traffic, not being one to doddle, I mashed the gas..away I went.. The Left light was Green, so I swooped into the Left lane and rounded the corner through the intersection.. my speed.. about 30mph on dry roads.

It was a cool morning sub 50 degrees, so the road surface was cold. I had just had air let out of my tires by the oil change place (said they were over inflated) I think my pressure at that point was around 32 to 34psi. Anyways I've taken such turns at 30mph on more than one occasion, but on this morning, SQUEEELLLLLLLL and around came the rear end..(thank god no one was turning right on M-59 at the time..)

I let off the gas it quit sliding, I picked up the trottle and kept moving along..

 

Sure made a ton of noise, I'm sure everyone at the intersection which was a wall of cars thought I was the biggest arse they'd seen all day.. (it was hilarious to see the looks on peoples faces as I basically drifted the corner (and made it look like I mean to.. rofl) Still, the event was the only time I had issues with my RE92's 'not performing' They were slightly worn, not quite to the wear bars yet.

 

I attributed this 'failure' to Cold air temp / road temp and lower than normal pressure for a cold morning. I'd guess that my pressure while 32/34psi while the tires were warm equates to 30/31psi when cold.

 

Who knows... I have BF Goodrich's now and no more worries.

[RuskiTrombone]

I'll support the tire as well and be the first to say that most likely it was the driver/car error. As you can read bobo69s post you can learn that even though the LGT is an awd car when the gas pedal is not pushed in the rear wheels will have a tendency to slide out. In other words when shifting down or up the rear tires could slide out if you are not used to the car.

 

I had my fiancee tell me to slow down in a turn when it was raining. I told her if I let go of the gas the tailend would probably send us flying into the guard rail. When racing or driving normal remember to slow down before the turn, take the turn with a little applied gas and gun it as soon as you are out of the turn.

[Mblock66]

Well again think what you want but also remember that I have a 5EAT so there is no shifting or driving error to be made.

 

Please just cut the crap with trying to "blame" me as the cause of the accident. I think I know how to take an offramp. There isn't much to it. If you can tell me how this car is so delicate that it needs special care and thought around every single normal turn or curve then it is a terrible vehicle. There should be no thought to a 45mph slight right turn.

 

That is like saying "Oh Matt I see cars go into tailspins all the time during slight right hand turns. It is really common, happens here all the time. They just don't know how to drive"

 

 

LOL please....

 

Ya know I really give up. Some of the guys on this board know me personally and I am not a hot shot and certainly not one to fabricate this to blame it on the RE92's just because I had an accident and need a scapegoat. If I was to blame I would take responsibility.

 

It it really easy for all of you to say "it was driver error for sure" b/c you didn't just live through what I did and dont' have a $5200 repair bill for something you didn't "do"

 

I am not looking for sympathy or agreement. Just don't tell me that it was my driving error b/c you want to be tough about it because you haven't had an accident with them yet.

 

Do some internet searches, there is a LOT of evidence that this is a sub standard, dangerous, unpredictable tire. PERIOD. Hence why my insurance is digging into it!

 

If I had known that this is how this tire performed when I bought the car, and the Bridgestone cancelled that run of the tire, I would have demanded they either replace them or done it myself. Fact of the matter is I didn't and now I had to learn first hand.

[BadAndy]

Well there is no lesson to learn really other then these tires are unsafe. Why take the chance after hearing what happened to me.

BS. The tires aren't unsafe. They may not be the best quality compound but they certainly aren't unsafe. Every tire has limits...road conditions change those limits. So far you're the only one here (that I've seen so far) that's had an accident that has blamed it on the tires alone as being the sole factor. I've pushed the RE92s on my car probably much harder than you in the rain without any problems at all.

[RuskiTrombone]

I thought you said you give up a long time ago. Seems like you really do care what others think. If you reread my post I said it may be driver/car error. Either way the fact is you plan to sue the manufacturer or the tire company? Good luck in your endeavors and let us know what happens. I do still however think that it is more of a car error than tire. When taking a turn in our car you almost have to keep applied pressure on the gas. If you let go of the gas and apply brakes in a wet turn it causes the rear to slide out.

 

One way or another if you say you are done defending yourself and don't care what people think then let it go. Don't post every time someone says they think it was more driver error. They are allowed to have their opinions and so are you. This is a public forum on the internet after all.

[melayout]

BadAndy, hit up http://forums.nasioc.com and the NHTSA Office of Defects, http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintsearch.cfm , for tire complaints on the RE92.

 

Now from my own personal experience, I can say:

- It lasted 30K miles with a few LIMITER runs, triple digits on a daily basis and solberg U-turns

- Dry traction is mediocre and it squeals on slip

- Wet traction is just bad and it doesn't not squeal on slip

[Mblock66]

It isn't that I care what you think hahaha. It is that people like you try to be tough guys about it when all I am doing is trying to tell the public forum A REAL WORLD INCIDENT involving these things.

 

You do a search and tell me how many "Are the RE92's that bad" threads there are or "Are the RE92's bad in the rain/snow" I am just providing facts to back up that they aren't good.

 

Am I suing them. No. My insurance might. They said they have had claims against this tire before and if there is enough evidence then they can get my deductible back.

 

Yes it is a public forum and I am trying to help others through warning about possiblities of sub standard tire design. What are you doing? Just arguing against a guy that actually had the accident hahaha sweet!

[mmm def]

First of all, I don't think Matt needs to hear "driver error" after all this mess people, He's dealing with a lot right now, cut him some slack. What's done is done, why make him feel any worse!?

 

That said, I know Matt very well, have done many drives with him, he does not drive hard at all, does not push the car, he rarely even gets on it in a straight line. I used to live in the town where the accident occured, there is nothing complicated about the turn, it is not off camber, not decreasing radius, nothing. I spoke with him right after the incident, he was not messing around or speeding. I remember the day too, had been raining for the last week and there was a light rain at the time.

 

I'm one of the haters of RE92, took mine off at 10k miles after way too many close calls. I have had my rear come out with no notice at all, cruising on the highway being passed by every single car in the rain because it felt like I was on ice, I had to get the tires off.

 

These tires will give out when you are driving normally, not even pushing the car. Be careful!