[ToothNinja]

Newb here! Wife took possession of her '16 JKUHR last night. She is super excited, as am I, since I am the one who will get to play with it! So my question is this... This morning it is raining and she is fishtailing all over the place. Now she is second guessing her decision a little... Our son's jeep doesn't fishtail at all, so I am assuming that it is her new tires, KMs I believe, which need to be broken in a bit. Any ideas or am I just going to have to live with an unhappy wife? Thanks!!

 

[samtuck11]

not sure why you'd be fishtailing, the jeep should have traction and stability control preventing this, define "fishtailing" when i first drove a jeep it kind of felt like the back end was sliding around a bit but it actually wasn't, it was just me thinking it was, i just needed to get used to it.

in the rain, with 35s and 5.13 gears if i mash the throttle it will spin the rear tires, but i have to go 100% throttle from dead stop with TC off. granted i have the minivan 3.8L not the more powerful 3.6L.

 

[samtuck11]

also did someone maybe put tire shine on the tread? not just the sidewall?

 

[WaltA]

Heavy foot together with "high performance" axles like 3.73 or 4.10, will easily get you into fishtailing. I know that mine will loose grip pretty easy in the rain, and its been 2+ years now.

If this continues to be a problem, I would look at trading her in.

 

[RubiconSS]

Check your air pressure. IF it just came from a dealer - it's TOO High.

 

[adamo99]

It's no secret that the stock KMs suck in the rain, especially when they're over-inflated.

As RubiconSS mentioned, check your tire pressures. They're probably set to 40+psi. I had mine at 31-32, and they were much better. Still not nearly as good as a siped A/T tire, mind you.

 

[Kadonny]

Heavy foot together with "high performance" axles like 3.73 or 4.10, will easily get you into fishtailing. I know that mine will loose grip pretty easy in the rain, and its been 2+ years now.

Most importantly, this. Jeeps naturally want to kick out because of the rear drive wheels. Our society has gotten so used to driving automaic 4wd and AWD vehicles that we have forgotten how to drive a rear wheel car. Apply some caution with heavy acceleration while turning and it's raining. Eventually you get back to remembering how to drive a RWD vehicle.

 

[BlueBabySound]

check your air pressure. If it just came from a dealer - it's too high.

it's no secret that the stock kms suck in the rain, especially when they're over-inflated.

As rubiconss mentioned, check your tire pressures. They're probably set to 40+psi. I had mine at 31-32, and they were much better. Still not nearly as good as a siped a/t tire, mind you.

+2

 

[kik]

Check your air pressure. IF it just came from a dealer - it's TOO High.

X2. 99% of the time tires are way overinflated from the dealer. Set it to what's indicated on the door jamb and go from there.

 

[FingerTight]

Mud tires with no siping = poor wet pavement traction. What tires are on the other Jeep?
I'd suggest some Duratracs and she'll be a ok

 

[autopc25]

Traction control should prevent this. All tires are more slippery brand new. The release agent for the molds needs time to wear off the treads. I bet the wet traction gets better after a few hundred miles once the mold release agent wears off the tires. Or did you go to a hand car wash by any chance? Those places are known to use a lot of tire dressing. They take a brush or foam applicator and slop the stuff on. As a result half the tire dressing ends up on the floor which your tires roll over. The dressing makes traction super slick on wet roads until it wears off. OR your KM tires have a compound that is not as good when cold or wet?

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/willys-wheeler-tires-bad-699298.html

 

[deepbluerubi]

It's no secret that the stock KMs suck in the rain, especially when they're over-inflated.

As RubiconSS mentioned, check your tire pressures. They're probably set to 40+psi. I had mine at 31-32, and they were much better. Still not nearly as good as a siped A/T tire, mind you.

This ^ mud terrains are for mud or deep snow, on a two door even worse. Get some a/t's, but you still will have to slow it down, waaayy down.

 

[ToothNinja]

Thanks everyone! They are literally brand new. I can see how the tire shine that they cake all over the tires could cause this slip and slide. I will also check the psi, as they looked overinflated to an extent. The other jeep had KO2s on them, so that's why I was so confused...both are mud tires... IDK... What I do know is that she will just slow down more before she'd trade in her jeep! LOL!!

 

[FingerTight]

Thanks everyone! They are literally brand new. I can see how the tire shine that they cake all over the tires could cause this slip and slide. I will also check the psi, as they looked overinflated to an extent. The other jeep had KO2s on them, so that's why I was so confused...both are mud tires... IDK... What I do know is that she will just slow down more before she'd trade in her jeep! LOL!!

KO2 or KM2? The KO is an all terrain with tons of sipping and will do much better on wet pavement. Anyone ever get their KMs sipped at a tire shop?

 

[Rockdoc]

Just a question. When you shift into 4WD, do you guys punch the button and turn off the traction control?

 

[samtuck11]

Just a question. When you shift into 4WD, do you guys punch the button and turn off the traction control?

yes, if i shift all the way into 4Low it automatically turns off.

 

[ToothNinja]

Son's jeep are KO2s and wife's came with KMs.

A few more questions unrelated to my original question...sorry...

1. What is siping?
2. What is the difference between 4Hi and 4Low and when do you use them??
3. What is mall krawling???

I have ideas for each, but I am still pretty new to all of the lingo...
Thanks again

 

[FingerTight]

The attached shows some siping, notice your KM doesn't have these? It's just solid blocks. Those cuts translate into traction on wet pavement

 

[RubiconSS]

Son's jeep are KO2s and wife's came with KMs.

A few more questions unrelated to my original question...sorry...

1. What is siping? They appear as small cuts in the tread blocks. Make a Huge difference in traction (wet and snow)
2. What is the difference between 4Hi and 4Low and when do you use them?? 4Hi is a shift on the Fly option when on snow,sand,mud etc. Never to be used on Dry pavement. 4Low is used when Rock Crawling, when you are stuck, pulling a stump etc. NOT a shift on the fly option. For most, used very rarely.
3. What is mall krawling??? Don't pay any mind, silly forum blabber for someone that doesn't use their Jeep the way "some" think it should be.

I have ideas for each, but I am still pretty new to all of the lingo...
Thanks again

.....

 

[Monsoon Chopper]

Siping is the process of cutting thin slits across the surface of a tire to improve traction for driving in snowy, wet or icy conditions. Siping can also help manage tire heat when the road is overly hot.

You would use 4H (if you want) while cruising in areas of loose traction at higher speeds. 4LO is used to crawl over something or climb a hill where you need traction and the torque of the engine to get you over something.

Mall krawling is used to when Jeeps are modified and only used to cruise the malls, and not used for rock crawling. It's a joke, but some truth to it.....