Maybe it's just me. I thought it was the fault of my Goodyear Eagle GT-II's, so I bought some Eagle LS's. I have to admit my Eagle LS's seem to disperse water better than the GT-II's, but still.......

Here in Big D, we've had plenty-o-rain in the last 6 days, and my Expy, with new tires and all, seems very willing to go "Off-Road" whenever a tire, especially the right front tire, encounters a puddle of water.

My wife was a claims adjuster for a major insurance company- she told me those Expy's were flipping like pancakes in Colorado as soon as it gets icy or snowy. I thought it was because Ford equipped such a wide vehicle with such small & skinny tires. Nothing that wide should easily flip- right? Hummers don't flip, unless you practice....

Through 3 different sets of tires, this thing is still a bit squirrelly for me in the rain- I don't think I should have to slow to 25 in the rain, when traffic is still going 35 - 40. This problem is not noticeable in our SuperCrew, nor was it in my old SuperCab.

Anyone else having this problem? If so, what did you do about it? They don't make Aquatreads in 285/55/20's do they?

 

never have a problem in the world with mine, and i am still running on the stock generals.

 

Mine hydroplaned pretty easily with the General nonGrabbers. I did however keep them up close to max PSI.

With Michelins now since I tow, they are also usually almost MAX psi but I don't hydroplane anymore!

 

ANY tire will begin to hydroplane at a little less than double its recommended inflation pressure. Also that speed deceases as the tire wears and there's less tread (and channeling) to disperse the water. Best I found were Mich X-One's but unfortunately not available for Expy's. I concur with Family-Ride on the Cross-Terrains. So far so good on the better half's Explorer. Gonna "shoe" the Expy with them when the time comes.

Keith

 

For a performance tire, I have had good luck with the Toyo Proxes ST tire. Up here in the Northwest, we get plenty of rain, and I haven't had a problem with them

 

The wider the tire, the more likely hydroplaning will occur. It takes longer for a wider tire tread to squeeze water away from the road surface. My 265/70R 17 Michelins are effective in wet weather.

 

I have the stock goodyears on my X and it is 4whldr i spin mine when ever there is water on the road. and I'm not a lead foot. I have a 5.4 in my EB as far as hydroplaning i do very little of it. I would preffer to go to the firestone wilderness that came on my Exploder but i doubt they make those anymore. it was a 4x4 as-well. the firestone gave great traction in the rain, snow and great great traction in the sand when pulling people out that other trucks couldn't

 

My 99 hyrdoplaned quite a bit with both the original Firestone Wilderness AT and Goodyear Wrangler RT/S - I swapped over to the Yokohama Geolander A/T's and they are fantastic! I had them moved over to my new 03 (less then 600 miles on them when I decided to trade) and same fantastic results. The original Continental's were TERRIBLE - hydroplaned at almost anything over 30mph and could spin the tires at will from a light in anything but perfectly dry pavement. Yokohama's are highly recommended - the price doesn't hurt either at roughly 2/3 the Michelin price.

 

I have had no problems with my Toyo Proxes 295\40\18

 

I slapped on my 20's, but they are no wider than the stock tires. 275/55/20 vs. General Grabber 275/70/17's.

For a minute, I bragged on those Goodyear Eagle LS's, but after gettign the first REAL rains since I had them put on in April, I can see that their perceived dominance over the Eagle GT-II's is only by a wind-aided field-goal.

Next Stop: Nitto 404's.... In about 34,000 miles!
How do they like rain soaked & puddled roads?

 

Bighersh, it's a fact, wider large dia. tires (20's + wheels) are more prone to hydroplaning , ask any one running 20+ rims. i drive slow in the rain here with 22's, scary.