It’s not just water
It doesn’t take too many pieces of gravel under that back wheel to make it squirrelly.
too many squirrels under the back wheel make it bumpy as well.
SlingShot not good in the rain
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frehleycomet
Changed the title of the thread from “SlingShot not good in the raun” to “SlingShot not good in the rain”. -
Wonder if the possibility of hydroplaning would be less if one is pulling a cargo trailer. I found on my HD trike a trailer made the ride more comfortable by adding weight to the rear and settling everything down a bit. Most of my distance rides will be towing a cargo or tent trailer. Hope it doesn’t make it worse.
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Wonder if the possibility of hydroplaning would be less if one is pulling a cargo trailer. I found on my HD trike a trailer made the ride more comfortable by adding weight to the rear and settling everything down a bit. Most of my distance rides will be towing a cargo or tent trailer. Hope it doesn’t make it worse.
That would scare the hell out of me! Hydroplane, possibly a jackknife, 🤯
If I had that setup I would pull over and wait it out! Your trike had two wheels in the stern. However In the past I have met some really cool people under an overpass waiting out a squall. 😎
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other that the back coming out a bit on corners I have not had any problems in the rain yet - been caught in a few good downpours and even been drenched by idiots passing me, but so far, knock wood, no hydroplaning
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I've wondered about completely killing the engine and electronics when hydroplaning... Will shutting it down make it easier to handle or no?
I wonder... 🤔
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I've wondered about completely killing the engine and electronics when hydroplaning... Will shutting it down make it easier to handle or no?
I wonder... 🤔
NO
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I've wondered about completely killing the engine and electronics when hydroplaning... Will shutting it down make it easier to handle or no?
I wonder... 🤔
I don't think so, you lose not only power steering, but the ability to control forward thrust.
Foot off the go pedal is best in my experience - better yet, slow way down & get off the road if you can.
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Has anyone tried it? I'm channeling my inner Bigdog 😆...
Anyway, I don't think I'd be calm enough to remember to try that anyway... Reflex keeps a tight grip in the wheel... 😬
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Marco, did you have a temporary catastrophic brain meltdown?
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If you kill the power you lose the steering assist.....
And probably the ABS and other important stuff.
Remember the number one rule for pilots in trouble...
FLY THE PLANE....
SO DRIVE THE SLING......trying to keep it pointed in the right direction.....it’s no time to do brain work...
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Wonder if the possibility of hydroplaning would be less if one is pulling a cargo trailer. I found on my HD trike a trailer made the ride more comfortable by adding weight to the rear and settling everything down a bit. Most of my distance rides will be towing a cargo or tent trailer. Hope it doesn’t make it worse.
IMO, a trailer would generally be a good thing to reduce hydroplaning. It would add (tongue) weight to the rear tire and you'd have 2 more tires grabbing behind you if the rear tire starts to let loose (as long as you don't have sway). The main issue for us is the large rear tire with minimal weight. The weight per square contact inch is very low.
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Glad u were able 2 control her. I haven't had mine out in the rain yet........ or pretty much at all since bring her home from the dealership. We've had crappy weather for the past month.
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IMO, a trailer would generally be a good thing to reduce hydroplaning. It would add (tongue) weight to the rear tire and you'd have 2 more tires grabbing behind you if the rear tire starts to let loose (as long as you don't have sway). The main issue for us is the large rear tire with minimal weight. The weight per square contact inch is very low.
seems to me that that extra weight on the rear would reduce weight on the front and increase the chance of the front hydroplaning
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The wider the tire the more it is susceptible to Hydroplaning...[Floating]
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seems to me that that extra weight on the rear would reduce weight on the front and increase the chance of the front hydroplaning
Good point which I hadn't thought of. My thought has always been that the Slings being prone to hydro was a result of light weight on the wide rear tire. Remember reading where somebody weighed the sling under each wheel and the front carried more than 2/3rds the weight. 50lb tongue weight would realistically add 50lbs to the rear but not necessarily reduce the front by 50 lbs where it also is a smaller percentage.
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Maybe I can help a bit here.
Front wheels hit the water first, if the puddle is deeper than the tread, you're in trouble. Water is non-compressible, this means the normal force (upward force equal & opposite to weight) lifts the tire off the road surface. There is now a laminar layer of water flowing between the tire & road surface - and there is no longer any effective friction between tire and road to provide steering control.
Modern all-weather tires are designed to channel water away from the tire, preserving tire-road contact (and friction). The tread acts in effect like a pump, but the force needed to move water quickly & effectively is gravitational, provided by the weight of the vehicle. Tire designs count on about 800 lbs of load per tire, the sling provides less than half that.
Force of gravity (weight) creates pressure (force per unit area). Larger, wider tires (bigger contact area) generate less pressure than smaller, narrower tires do - and the Slingshot loses again.
Once the front tires hydroplane and lose contact with the road, they still maintain their momentum. They keep going exactly as they did at the second contact was lost - speed and direction are unchanged. The problem is that the front & rear are now uncoupled, the interactive balance between straightline thrust and steering forces no longer exists. If there is ANY angle between the rear tire thrust and front end momentum, the force of the rear tire now works to SPIN the sling around its center of gravity.
You hit the water, spin out, and potentially crash.
There is more to it than this, of course, but that's the gist of it. If you're really interested in the maths, PM me for additional lecture notes & homework problems.
-- Doc
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As discussed so many times already here, when considering how light on it's feet the SlingShot is, I believe that first off, the more potential for standing water, the more one should slow down, (common sense?), Second is to be very cautious of those first rains after a long dry spell, (common sense?), Third is to purchase tires that are recognized for their water channeling ability, (common sense where we currently are operating https://www.bfgoodrichtires.co…odrich/g-force-comp-2-a-s), and fourth, if you are still really spooked, just park the SlingShot when ol Ma Nature gets weepy, (common sense?) ....................
(I believe that there is a common element running through this post?)
With all of that said, I too once found myself holding on while the Grasshopper started sashaying and dancing down the Interstate when I suddenly hit a young river crossing the road, sometimes s%@$ will just happen!
Bill
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Display MoreAs discussed so many times already here, when considering how light on it's feet the SlingShot is, I believe that first off, the more potential for standing water, the more one should slow down, (common sense?), Second is to be very cautious of those first rains after a long dry spell, (common sense?), Third is to purchase tires that are recognized for their water channeling ability, (common sense where we currently are operating https://www.bfgoodrichtires.co…odrich/g-force-comp-2-a-s), and fourth, if you are still really spooked, just park the SlingShot when ol Ma Nature gets weepy, (common sense?) ....................
(I believe that there is a common element running through this post?)
With all of that said, I too once found myself holding on while the Grasshopper started sashaying and dancing down the Interstate when I suddenly hit a young river crossing the road, sometimes s%@$ will just happen!
Bill
You forgot to sy (Common Sense) on that last paragraph hahahaha
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Well my old girl was no longer a virgin when it comes to rain. Started off today with coat gloves and a hat and 60° then 97° in the desert then P sized hail and driving rain at the top of a mountain and then back home to 70° and sunny.Crazy day! This thread was on my mind all the time in the rain coming down a 2 Lane Rd. off of the mountain. I did a few turn outs to let traffic go by because about 40 miles an hour was the best I wanted to do. No slippage and safe home but rain sucks !
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Well my old girl was no longer a virgin when it comes to rain. Started off today with coat gloves and a hat and 60° then 97° in the desert then P sized hail and driving rain at the top of a mountain and then back home to 70° and sunny.Crazy day! This thread was on my mind all the time in the rain coming down a 2 Lane Rd. off of the mountain. I did a few turn outs to let traffic go by because about 40 miles an hour was the best I wanted to do. No slippage and safe home but rain sucks !
Always better safe than sorry!
