XJ's in the rain?

[metalry101]

Am I the only one who's XJ is all sorts of sketchy in the rain? It feels planted and secure on dry pavement, and even in the snow, but in the rain I have no feel of what the thing is trying to do at all. This is really scary, as I have to react to things instead of being able to anticipate them. It's much easier to stop a vehicle from sliding before it ever starts than it is to stop it after it goes.

I've had 3 completely different sets of tires on my XJ since I bought it, and it's been this way with all 3 of them. The '85 XJ that I started out driving back in the day was the same way.

I actually prefer driving in the snow and ice to driving in the rain because of this problem.

Is it just me, or are XJ's really twitchy and numb in the rain?

 

[40_Below]

My old XJ didn't seem to have this problem.. Maybe it has to do with your tires?

 

[Brett]

Mine is fine in the rain....the only thing that I can think of would be to check your alignment..

 

[metalry101]

Mine is fine in the rain....the only thing that I can think of would be to check your alignment..

I think my alignment is a bit off, but I'm curious as to how that would cause this. I'm not trying to question whether you're right or not...I'm just wondering how a slight alignment problem would make my Jeep numb in the rain but not on every other road surface.

 

[Badger]

did you miss him saying he has been through three sets of tires.


my guess would be you have problems with the proportioning of your brakes in some way.if it feels like the rear wants to push pass the front maybe the rear brakes aren't engaging fully or not at all.if the back is locking up maybe the fronts are the issue.i would change out the proportioning,take a look at the brakes for any heavy wear.

mine has never felt squirrelly in rain.maybe your choice of tire like mud tires .they don't get good grip on pavement add some rain and the larger lugs will help hydroplaining.

 

[Brett]

I think my alignment is a bit off, but I'm curious as to how that would cause this. I'm not trying to question whether you're right or not...I'm just wondering how a slight alignment problem would make my Jeep numb in the rain but not on every other road surface.

Rain = slick

Tires are able to slide easier with your alignment off, making it feel weird.

That's my only guess though. :-\

 

[Badger]

if your problem isn't so much braking but having the back end feel loose.then you might want to fill the tank on rainy days add some extra weight in the back to what you normally carry like if it was snow.the back end could just be to lite like a pickup

 

[metalry101]

I haven't had any mud tires on there yet. I have some Pro Comp MT's waiting to go on, but I have to find enough time and money to get it in the air first. Right now I have some decent A/T's, and the sets before were highway tires.

I understand what you're saying about the braking, and that makes sense, except that it's numb all the time, even if I'm off-throttle and coasting in gear. All of the brakes are new within the last 8,000 miles or so. New drums, shoes, discs, and pads. The master cylinder isn't exactly in tip top shape due to the mileage, but since I have the problem even when not on the brakes, I don't think it's them.

As for the alignment thing...that makes some sense. I'm rather poor at the moment, and I don't think it's that far off...but maybe I'll take it in somewhere and get it aligned to see if that solves the problem.

One thing I don't get though...I don't have a problem with sliding really...I can keep my XJ on the road. The problem is that there isn't any feel at all. There's no more traction on snow or ice than there is on water, yet on the frozen surfaces I can feel everything that my Jeep is doing. I can tell there is less traction, but it still feels planted and driveable. I could push my Jeep in the snow if I had to because I can tell when I'm approaching the limit.(I don't, I drive like a little old lady in the snow because I like staying on the road and unlike most soccer moms I realize that 4WD doesn't do anything for my stopping and turning abilities, but if I had to push it...I could.) However, in the rain, it feels like I'm floating, at all times, not just when I'm actually hydroplaning. I actually have more feel when I'm hydroplaning than when I actually do have traction, which is kinda scary to be honest. That's what I don't understand. It sounds like it's something that's unique to my XJ...so maybe it's just unique to me, although I've driven many other vehicles in the rain and never had this problem with any of them.

 

[ace]

You need to back off the skinny pedal.

 

[metalry101]

You need to back off the skinny pedal.

If you read my posts above you would see that I have this problem both on, and off throttle. I don't speed in the rain, as I realize that I have little traction and not a particularly large amount of control since I can't feel anything the vehicle is doing.

Perhaps next time you post, you'll take some time to actually give a worthwhile reply to the question asked instead of making a bilnd accusation?

 

[ace]

If you read my posts above you would see that I have this problem both on, and off throttle. I don't speed in the rain, as I realize that I have little traction and not a particularly large amount of control since I can't feel anything the vehicle is doing.

Perhaps next time you post, you'll take some time to actually give a worthwhile reply to the question asked instead of making a bilnd accusation?

You're right, I reread the posts and decided that I don't have a clue what you are talking about, except that you feel largely out of control when driving in wet weather. Slowing down is generally a good idea when you feel out of control.

 

[metalry101]

I don't feel out of control. I'd love it if I could feel that much. Feeling out of control would mean that I could feel something in the first place. I have no feeling of what the vehicle is doing at all. I understand what you're saying, and agree that when you feel out of control, you should slow down, a lot, but I already slow down a lot in the rain. It's just as numb at 25 mph as it is at 65 mph.

 

[ewander]

My professional opinion is that your jeeps are haunted....something to do with you in your past, specifically in the rain. I don't want to know about it.....but something to consider.

 

[Bart]

Maybe I skimmed through too fast, but I couldn't find anything about your lift and what mods you've done. How are the ball joints, tie rod ends, the track bar???? XJs are prone to bad handling if there are mods and any of the previously mentioned items are bad. They get wicked bump steer if things are just right. Allignment is critical and it doesn't take much to knock them out.

 

[ace]

Bad shocks?

 

[MOODY]

My guess would be the haunting. Yep, that's it, it is haunted. For 100% sure. I can feel it.

 

[Ken]

My rear end would slide out from under me on turns all the time in the rain.
I think the problem were my tsl radials.

 

[MOODY]

In all seriousness, I just called a friend who knows a thing or two about cars/tires/etc. and he said to try siping the tires. He runs/owns a Les Schwab and said that all other Schwabs do it as well as his( he is out of state). He said especially if you are running anything at all aggressive, as even the AT's are fairly aggressive now in my opinion. Also to be sure all the balls joints, etc. etc. are up to par, as usual...