Winter driving problems

[gouldsborough7]

Hi Guys
This is not my usual plea for help on some intricate Hunter problem. I just thought I would canvass your opinions as to your driving experiences in this current cold weather.

Today was unusually sunny, and despite the near zero temperatures, donning my super-thick sheep-skin coat and other warm gear, with heater on max, for a while I was happy to do a tour around some of my local country lanes.

As I got deeper into the rural bits, in many places the road became white with frost despite the illusion of a sunny day. The back wheels in particular were having great difficulty in gripping the surface, even on some dry-looking stretches. The way the car was behaving, I even thought at one point that I had a rear-wheel puncture! All of the surfacing was the old-style surface-dressing, which as an ex-highway engineer I can vouch for the low quality of the chippings used in surfacing the road. OK when brand-new, but after some years become like marbles. Added to this are the ruts & potholes, so what chance!

Needless to say, I was glad to get back on the more major roads, when the car's behaviour returned to normal. I would add that my tyres have stacks of tread, and are pumped up to 20psi all round. Also, my speed never went above 20-30mph, as these local lanes are barely wider than my car with blind bends.

Cheers
Mike

[b_caswell]

Re: Winter driving problems

If you checked your tyre pressures in a cosy garage the chances are that when the car is out in the cold you have lost 3-5psi. I would have thought you need slightly higher pressure than 20 in the rear anyway.
Its probable that the tyres are too wide to get a good foot print which his highlighted by poor conditions
If the tyres are getting old they may have gone hard.
Its possible that the rear tracking problem that some cabrios suffer from would show up on slippery surfaces.
Last but not least, too much right foot in too lower gear.

Good fun though Ben

[gouldsborough7]

Re: Winter driving problems

Hi Ben
Good point about the age of the tyres. Although the tread depths are good, with only 11,000+ miles on the clock, the car is 11 years old and it is feasible that the tyre-rubber has hardened. Three are Toyos (heard of them, but don't know if they are a good or bad make), and the 4th is a Trayal (never heard of them, but tread pattern is almost identical to the Toyos). The sizes are 195/65x15, so they have a big footprint on a car much lighter than the original Granada.

Although I was careful to control my right foot, there was a weird sensation at the rear as if one tyre was occasionally running flat. This was especially the case going uphill, where despite my precautions, the rear wheels were indiviually scrambling for grip, with the rear of the car moving from left to right to left. As you say 'Good Fun', but a little un-nerving not knowing what was likely to come the other way on a blind corner.

I did recheck the pressures afterwards, and they were all 20psi. I did run at 25 psi when I first bought the car, but the ride was harsh. Other members suggested using 20psi, with the bonus of improved ride & grip on bends. So I have kept to that.

I suppose that one should bear in mind that my bumpy old country lanes were not designed for anything other than getting from A to B, originally by horse & cart or shank's pony!

I might be tempted to get new tyres at a significantly high cost, but journeys in warmer wet & dry conditions have not produced any dramas, so I will leave well alone for the moment.

Cheers
Mike

[djj_engineer]

Re: Winter driving problems

HI Mike
You don't say if the back tyres are the different makes.
I have Toyos on FMB and they have been OK so far. The original ones were very sticky and gave teriffic grip but were very short lived. The lastest are a bit 'harder' compound and are lasting much longer. Although they don't grip quite as well.
I did have a problem that FMB did not like the waggon ruts on a motorway- most unpleasant to drive with the back end following the channels in the road. Part of this was a loose wheel bearing. The rest, as Ben says, was the rear tracking.This seems to create a certain amount of 'nervousness' in the rear suspension. FNB is much better behaved since I reduced the rear toe-in.
However if you have 2 different rear tyre makes I think the first thing is to make them both the same.
Cheers
Derek

[greyV8pete]

Re: Winter driving problems

Hi Mike. Have you checked your rear shock absorbers? My Hunter had some old Spax adjustables when I bought it S/Hand and it used to hop about quite a bit on a bad surface. One of the adjusters had lost is click adjust facility and was very soft, the other had nearly siezed. I fitted a pair of GAZ adjustables which transformed the handling. With the car parked try standing on both the rear bumpers (where they attach to the body!) and bounce the car up and down. This should show up any out of balance present. Also check your rear suspension bushes for wear AND check their mounting bolts for looseness! Peter.