Slip Sliding Away
Discussion
Its definitely that time of year again chaps!
So this evening I prodded 'Ol Gasbag's' throttle a little too much and,,,,,, oooops
Lots of wheel spin and a proper rear end wiggle!
And I was going up hill too so the weight transfer was in my favor, with three gallons of petrol and 40 litres of gas in my heavy steel LPG tanks plus a boot full of stuff there was plenty of weight over the rear end, so it was slippery alright
Be careful out there everyone
So this evening I prodded 'Ol Gasbag's' throttle a little too much and,,,,,, oooops
Lots of wheel spin and a proper rear end wiggle!
And I was going up hill too so the weight transfer was in my favor, with three gallons of petrol and 40 litres of gas in my heavy steel LPG tanks plus a boot full of stuff there was plenty of weight over the rear end, so it was slippery alright
Be careful out there everyone
Earlier in the week, I came out of Morrisons and the car nearly swapped ends on me. I wasn't accelerating hard, honest!
I reckon there was fuel on the ground too, it has a filling station and a sloping exit ramp to the main road. Fuel on a damp road is lethal, motorbike now tucked away for this reason. And the fact it's colder than a landlord's heart out there.
I reckon there was fuel on the ground too, it has a filling station and a sloping exit ramp to the main road. Fuel on a damp road is lethal, motorbike now tucked away for this reason. And the fact it's colder than a landlord's heart out there.
I bought a new toy (a scimitar Se5a) 2 weeks ago, had to travel 800km under the rain. Tires were "new" according to the previous owner, indeed they had done only 3000 miles... but during the last 14 years. So, every roundabout's exit was a bit artistic 
.
So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
.So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
All good points boys, I certainly take tyres and handling very seriously indeed myself.
I'm running very recently fitted UniRoyal Rainsport 3's on the front with less than 2,000 miles on them, the rears are RS 3's too and only fitted last year so both front and rears are new and excellent performing wet weather tyres that are merely nicely scrubbed in.
Mat Smith has just replaced both top steering joints and the only worn wishbone bush he could find on the whole car, one of my steering UJs was only marginal but still replaced as were all my diff bushes and their brackets. After all that my big bush MK4 Tuscan 2 spec Bilstein equipped Chimaera went through a full geometry setup on Mat Smith's laser Hunter Hawk-Eye machine so I'm confident the car's handling and steering are at least as good but actually probably measurably better than when it left Bristol Avenue in 1996.
To be honest it all counts for nothing on ice or diesel of course, but I'm confident there was neither when I had my moment of wheel spin, the road was merely cold and damp, 'Ol Gasbag' has more traction than the average Chimaera and only makes 250hp and 260 ft/lbs so it just goes to show we all need to watch ourselves out there.
I've owned my TVR for 9 years now but I try not to let that make me complacent, I survived my little moment but it easily could have ended differently so this is an opportunity as the winter is fast approaching to take a moment to think about the truth we must all accept about driving any TVR during the coming months, the truth being none of us are immune to binning our cars.
When ever I see a photo of an accident damaged TVR I first feel deep sympathy for the owner, I then remind myself of this.....
"There But For The Grace of God Go I !"
Be safe chaps, I hope this post helps us all focus our minds the next time we turn that key
I'm running very recently fitted UniRoyal Rainsport 3's on the front with less than 2,000 miles on them, the rears are RS 3's too and only fitted last year so both front and rears are new and excellent performing wet weather tyres that are merely nicely scrubbed in.
Mat Smith has just replaced both top steering joints and the only worn wishbone bush he could find on the whole car, one of my steering UJs was only marginal but still replaced as were all my diff bushes and their brackets. After all that my big bush MK4 Tuscan 2 spec Bilstein equipped Chimaera went through a full geometry setup on Mat Smith's laser Hunter Hawk-Eye machine so I'm confident the car's handling and steering are at least as good but actually probably measurably better than when it left Bristol Avenue in 1996.
To be honest it all counts for nothing on ice or diesel of course, but I'm confident there was neither when I had my moment of wheel spin, the road was merely cold and damp, 'Ol Gasbag' has more traction than the average Chimaera and only makes 250hp and 260 ft/lbs so it just goes to show we all need to watch ourselves out there.
I've owned my TVR for 9 years now but I try not to let that make me complacent, I survived my little moment but it easily could have ended differently so this is an opportunity as the winter is fast approaching to take a moment to think about the truth we must all accept about driving any TVR during the coming months, the truth being none of us are immune to binning our cars.
When ever I see a photo of an accident damaged TVR I first feel deep sympathy for the owner, I then remind myself of this.....
"There But For The Grace of God Go I !"
Be safe chaps, I hope this post helps us all focus our minds the next time we turn that key
The roads have been greasy the last day or so. My daily is a 95 Jaaag XJ6 Sovereign 4.0.
The usual elegance of my commute has had some pretty funny moments.
Pulling out from a back lane to a roundabout on a A road. Gave it a prod like normal and it crept forward with much wheel spin.
Coming off a roundabout onto a nsl section it had a bit of a snake going.
Its so long its a graceful sliding experience.
The usual elegance of my commute has had some pretty funny moments.
Pulling out from a back lane to a roundabout on a A road. Gave it a prod like normal and it crept forward with much wheel spin.
Coming off a roundabout onto a nsl section it had a bit of a snake going.
Its so long its a graceful sliding experience.
Zeb74 said:
I bought a new toy (a scimitar Se5a) 2 weeks ago, had to travel 800km under the rain. Tires were "new" according to the previous owner, indeed they had done only 3000 miles... but during the last 14 years. So, every roundabout's exit was a bit artistic .
So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
I had one of those years ago. Their handling in the wet makes all TVR's seem like they are on rails. In winter months I added weight (a couple of bags of cement IIRC) over the rear axle to help keep it on the road!.So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
Englishman said:
Zeb74 said:
I bought a new toy (a scimitar Se5a) 2 weeks ago, had to travel 800km under the rain. Tires were "new" according to the previous owner, indeed they had done only 3000 miles... but during the last 14 years. So, every roundabout's exit was a bit artistic .
So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
I had one of those years ago. Their handling in the wet makes all TVR's seem like they are on rails. In winter months I added weight (a couple of bags of cement IIRC) over the rear axle to help keep it on the road!.So be careful and check also the production date on the side of your tires.
Turns an average of 23mpg on petrol into the petrol cost equivalent of 45-50mpg too
Englishman said:
I had one of those years ago. Their handling in the wet makes all TVR's seem like they are on rails. In winter months I added weight (a couple of bags of cement IIRC) over the rear axle to help keep it on the road!
The massive Essex on the front doesn't help I guess.Thanks for the advice.
@ChimpOnGas, yes, I have seen your installation and you can be proud of it. But, happy British Citizens, here in France, doing such a modification by yourself is fictional. And when I'm reading stories of people swapping engines, gearboxes, carburators... it's like a dream for us
.
BJWoods said:
below a certain temperature, tyres will be rubbish.. my car felt like it is on ice, when taken out at 1-4C air temp..
^^This is very true^^And its not helped by the fact we're all on summer tyres, my Rainsport 3's are great wet weather boots... but they're still summer tyres!
If we lived in Germany we would all be required by law to switch to a set of winter tyres by now as it's illegal requirement, there is no set date´for the change, but if the temperature drops below 10 deg C then winter tyres need to be fitted or you could face a big fine.
They don't do this for fun, it saves lives, for those who've tried them winter tyres make a big difference and not just in snow, as temps fall close to zero the rubber compound of winter tyres provides way more grip than summer tyres!
Let’s not forget we might have more power to weight on low grip slippery roads than we think, if it’s set up well it sure as eggs will have no matter what tyres, WHAT JOG my Rainsport 3 are summer tyres, I thought they were winter tyres !! still, they seem the best tyre for this time of year I’ve had, not that I’m usung it, funny it seems a bit barmy to drive a Tvr with these dark and wet nights, yet I did it all year round all the time....
Uniroyal are a bit misleading with the name Rain Sport and Rain Expert because of the rain bit they just happen to do both dry and wet extremely well, I dont have them on the Tiv but Rain Sports's on the daily and the grip is very good hot cold whatever , wear rates not so sure at the moment but then neither were the Michelin Pilots 3's that came off fantastic and less grip 
Sardonicus said:
Uniroyal are a bit misleading with the name Rain Sport and Rain Expert because of the rain bit they just happen to do both dry and wet extremely well, I dont have them on the Tiv but Rain Sports's on the daily and the grip is very good hot cold whatever , wear rates not so sure at the moment but then neither were the Michelin Pilots 3's that came off fantastic and less grip
On my front wheel drive Saab 9-5 estate aero, so reasonably heavy and powerful (260bhp), my front rainsports lasted 22,000 miles and the rears 29,000. Just over a year on my daily therefore.So 10 years for the average TVR owner.
My second set are coming up for 30,000 miles now.....obviously I am not trying hard enough, and it is fair to say that most of my driving is in a straight line, up and down the A1.
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