Driving on wet paved roads?

[Vigor]

I discovered this issue first drive in some mixed precip last winter. I was cooking along at highway speeds with cruise control pushing the throttle. When I hit the expansion gaps on overpasses, the truck went sideways. Scared the shit out of me.

I too had not driven a RWD rig in twenty years. Even my shitbox defenders were full time 4wd.

After the second time, I flipped the GOAT mode switch to slippery and problem solved. I noticed it activated the 4A light, so that became my more go-to quick solution. I wonder if Slippery mode for you will do the same thing as 4A. I'm guessing the GOAT mode probably tempers the throttle response too.

I have a 2.3 7MT badlands, for reference.

Same experience here. When I first picked up the Bronco last november, my tail end slid out more times than I'd like to admit in the rain. Slippery mode and 4A cured the issue altogether. Now I look forward to drives in the rain!

Honestly 4A mode makes the entire 2.7 engine feel more confident, if that makes sense. It transformed how I use the vehicle

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[Vigor]

This is the joy of an open rear end and compromised tires. The first time I took my new-to-me F150 to the carwash, I went to pull back out onto the main road and absolutely lit up the inside rear tire. I've had FWD, AWD, and RWD cars before, but my RWD cars have always had a real LSD and good street tires. I wasn't prepared for the absolute shitshow of an open rear end and all-terrains on damp pavement.

I converted the truck to a 4A transfer case and if I anticipate wanting any kind of acceleration in the wet, I put it in 4A. I may or may not have stomped on a 392 Charger three stoplights in a row when he couldn't help but spin uncontrollably on wet pavement and 4A helped me grip and rip away.

So to answer your question, totally normal. All-terrains are compromised tires on the street and an open rear end is just begging to spin a wheel.

This is it folks

 

[Evans67bro]

I have driven my wife's 4door Black Diamond in some very heavy rain and never felt lack of control it is a 2.3 auto. Just last night I was doing 70mph on route 50 in the pouring rain in normal 2 high never lost control. But My 2.7 auto badlands will break the rear tires loose if you mash on it on dry pavement. Throttle control and tires make a huge difference. So far I am very pleased with how the bronco handles on the road.

 

[AZMikeL]

For me, the hydroplaning is the biggest concern. Coming from a 2015 F350 PowerStroke with all that weight on the front end, I NEVER had to worry about hydroplaning. I did manage to do it on purpose once in the 7 years I owned it by hitting a good sized mini lake in the road at around 60mph.

Fast forward to the Bronco, and I, without thinking, hit a flowing wash near my house in a rain storm a bit too fast and got an unpleasant surprise. Wide tires plus relatively light front end = hydroplane! Fortunately, I'm used to not having full control of my vehicles at all times, so I managed to recover before hitting anything. So now I am back to being more careful going into deep puddles on the road.

As for rear wheel spin, that's all about the right foot. Burn as little or as much rubber as you want! I find the Bronco can easily break loose the factory Badlands GYs around a corner even on dry pavement.

 

[Roger123]

This is our 4th Bronco, no way I was getting another one without AWD (4A). Use it all the time in the rain. Short wheel base RWD's will get away from you quickly if you're not used to it.

 

[John Auer]

I'm an experienced driver (cue scene from rainman), but its been about 20 years since I drove anything that wasn't front- or all-wheel drive. I have a 2.3, 4-door, soft-top OBX with stock non-squatch tires. I am finding that on wet paved roads, its fairly easy to lose traction during acceleration. I am wondering if this is normal. Is it the combination of being in rear-wheel drive with a light weight back-end (no roof)? Is it the mall-crawler tires? My heavy foot? It just seems odd to be able to lose traction quite so easily in a fully modern vehicle... but it may just be my inexperience in driving this class of car.

Anyone else having a similar experience? Concerning or just learn to adjust my driving style?

I can't comment on the Bronco, because I don't have one yet. But we also have an Expedition, which acts very similarly to your Bronco, if we have it in 2 wheel drive. We put it in all wheel drive when driving on wet roads. Problem solved.

 

[mikec426]

Noticed similar in my 2 door with the 2.3, not as bad as my F150 was, but you definitely have to take it easier on the throttle when it’s wet out.

Wait... wait. So you're telling me you can't drive in the exact same manner when the roads are wet as compared to when the roads are dry?! STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!

This is shocking news. SHOCKING!

 

[Laminar]

This is what I recommended, but now suddenly wondering what transfer case is doing in slippery mode for those that don't have a 4A...? It can't be going to 4H I wouldn't think, so is it just throttle and traction control?

Owner's manual says it goes into 4H.

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...&userMarket=usa&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False

 

[zombie]

I had a discussion with a tire engineer recently. He insists there’s no such thing as a quality all-season tire. The rubber can be optimized for 110f or -10f, not both. There’s no rubber recipe for good performance across a 100+ degree temp range. He runs different summer & winter tires on his cars & his families.

I’ve driven a Focus ST as my daily driver in recent years and run sum/win tires myself. In my anecdotal experience this engineer’s opinion is correct.

I will agree that a winter tire is best in winter, but any quality all season tire should be expected to handle as well in the wet as it does in the dry.

 

[Paughco]

I believe that tires can make a lot of difference in traction on wet pavement. The standard tires that came on my 2001 F-150 had bad wet traction. We have this one stop sign on a hill in our town, and even though my truck has posi, there was always some tire spinning when leaving that intersection in rainy or even misty weather. This led to what I call "right seat noise" from the wife. Did a lot of online research and ended up replacing those tires with Pirelli Scorpion all-weather tires and no more tire spinning at that intersection when the roads are wet.

I plan to take it easy on the tires that come with my Outer Banks (if it ever gets here) to see if they're as crappy in the wet as that first set on my F-150. Then, research and purchase whatever is out there for our Northwest weather. Traction in wet and dry is the primary factor, with coolosity a close second.

Seeya
ATB

 

[Stampede.Offroad]

Wait... wait. So you're telling me you can't drive in the exact same manner when the roads are wet as compared to when the roads are dry?! STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!

This is shocking news. SHOCKING!

I'm sitting here trying to figure out why the **** people are engaging any 4wd system because of some rain on a paved road?

Slow the hell down if you're losing traction. If you can't steer, you can't stop.

 

[Mikey D]

Heavier on the foot, counter steer to adjust the drift. Go to Hollywood and apply for a stunt driver job!

 

[wally]

I have the same issue--but it's that 2.7 trying to get that turbo spooled-up!!! I took off my lead socks and that seemed to help!!

 

[telenerd]

Hey guys what about snow? My 2 door SAS BL will be here by the time the snow is flying around November and then a long winter after that.

 

[JoeSpeed]

I'm an experienced driver (cue scene from rainman), but its been about 20 years since I drove anything that wasn't front- or all-wheel drive. I have a 2.3, 4-door, soft-top OBX with stock non-squatch tires. I am finding that on wet paved roads, its fairly easy to lose traction during acceleration. I am wondering if this is normal. Is it the combination of being in rear-wheel drive with a light weight back-end (no roof)? Is it the mall-crawler tires? My heavy foot? It just seems odd to be able to lose traction quite so easily in a fully modern vehicle... but it may just be my inexperience in driving this class of car.

Anyone else having a similar experience? Concerning or just learn to adjust my driving style?

You learn how to handle it

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