New wet pavement handling issues?...

[npgeorgeuw]

I've noticed three times in the last few weeks that the rear-end on my truck has gotten a lot less trust-worthy around turns when the pavement is wet (but not covered in water).--Way easier to put the rear end into a fish-tail and I did so at relatively low speed (35-40 mph) on curves I wouldn't normally have expected it to do so on. My truck has the 2+ inch lift (MOPAR), 35x12.5 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws (with about 6,000 miles on them). Tires are somewhere under 35 psi, it's cooler now than when I last checked them and I'm admittedly overdue to adjust them but they haven't gone up in PSI. These are the same turns I've always had to take on my commute and I'm taking them in the same weather conditions so as far as I can tell nothing is new there, I'm also not suddenly driving like a race-car driver. It truly feels like I suddenly got 30,000 more miles put on the tires.

It's my first ever truck with a LSD but not my first rear-wheel-drive vehicle in the snow or rain but I'm just surprised at how incredibly easy it has been LATELY to fishtail my rear end. I've checked rear linkages for slop or damage and nothing is obvious. I did get a re-gear done a month or so ago. Any chance they messed up royally with the clutch pack reinstalls when they did that? Easy to mess up? I'm assuming get it on a lift or jacks and check the breaking (term?) torque on the rear to see if the LSD is still in spec? I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but each slide/fish-tail only happens with maintaining speed through the curve so some gas is still being applied.--I'm not accelerating through the curves though. Letting off the gas through the curve plants the truck. (not sure if that's just a RWD drive thing, but I can't exactly be "letting off the gas" for a road with 5 miles of curves without going 20 mph the whole time. )

I obviously don't expect it to handle like an Outback in the rain but it shouldn't obviously be handling like my heavy EV with bald front tires (my Bolt has bald front tires and this is about as bad as that on wet pavement) It's the change in handling and "feel" that has me most concerned. Aside from feeling way less planted in the rear when going around turns or road bends I haven't noticed any other stability issues on the freeway, etc. Thoughts?

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[JAVIERGONZO]

When a road is wet especially the first time and not soaked it's generally considered the worst as hydrocarbons sit on top of the water l, stagnant. Where as when it is completely washed and being rained on, they ride water into a storm drain or pond, etc.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

When a road is wet especially the first time and not soaked it's generally considered the worst as hydrocarbons sit on top of the water l, stagnant. Where as when it is completely washed and being rained on, they ride water into a storm drain or pond, etc.

It's the pacific northwest, our roads have been wet for basically weeks if not at least a month or more so I'm guessing that's probably not the problem right now, but it's a good point especially for those places that get rains seasonally.

 

[Deleted member 43264]

I've noticed three times in the last few weeks that the rear-end on my truck has gotten a lot less trust-worthy around turns when the pavement is wet (but not covered in water).--Way easier to put the rear end into a fish-tail and I did so at relatively low speed (35-40 mph) on curves I wouldn't normally have expected it to do so on. My truck has the 2+ inch lift (MOPAR), 35x12.5 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws (with about 6,000 miles on them). Tires are somewhere under 35 psi, it's cooler now than when I last checked them and I'm admittedly overdue to adjust them but they haven't gone up in PSI. These are the same turns I've always had to take on my commute and I'm taking them in the same weather conditions so as far as I can tell nothing is new there, I'm also not suddenly driving like a race-car driver. It truly feels like I suddenly got 30,000 more miles put on the tires.

It's my first ever truck with a LSD but not my first rear-wheel-drive vehicle in the snow or rain but I'm just surprised at how incredibly easy it has been LATELY to fishtail my rear end. I've checked rear linkages for slop or damage and nothing is obvious. I did get a re-gear done a month or so ago. Any chance they messed up royally with the clutch pack reinstalls when they did that? Easy to mess up? I'm assuming get it on a lift or jacks and check the breaking (term?) torque on the rear to see if the LSD is still in spec? I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but each slide/fish-tail only happens with maintaining speed through the curve so some gas is still being applied.--I'm not accelerating through the curves though. Letting off the gas through the curve plants the truck. (not sure if that's just a RWD drive thing, but I can't exactly be "letting off the gas" for a road with 5 miles of curves without going 20 mph the whole time. )

I obviously don't expect it to handle like an Outback in the rain but it shouldn't obviously be handling like my heavy EV with bald front tires (my Bolt has bald front tires and this is about as bad as that on wet pavement) It's the change in handling and "feel" that has me most concerned. Aside from feeling way less planted in the rear when going around turns or road bends I haven't noticed any other stability issues on the freeway, etc. Thoughts?

I haven't really noticed that with my Jeep, but my rig is still stock. I'll definitely be more aware and see if I notice it since we're expecting more rain here in the next several days. This is my first truck and what I do notice is I can tell the difference in the feel of the drive because the rear-end is much lighter. Because of this I can see how that could happen. Try adding weight in the back and see if that makes a difference. If it's a noticeable issue now, what more when things start freezing up here in the late winter, early spring or with compact snow. Now I'm getting a little anxious. Especially since I still have the MT's. Then again, it might be a Jeep thing because I know my YJ with AT's in windy and wet weather is squirrely as hell at speed, especially compared to my heavier Gladiator.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

I haven't really noticed that with my Jeep, but my rig is still stock. I'll definitely be more aware and see if I notice it since we're expecting more rain here in the next several days. This is my first truck and what I do notice is I can tell the difference in the feel of the drive because the rear-end is much lighter. Because of this I can see how that could happen. Try adding weight in the back and see if that makes a difference. If it's a noticeable issue now, what more when things start freezing up here in the late winter, early spring or with compact snow. Now I'm getting a little anxious. Especially since I still have the MT's. Then again, it might be a Jeep thing because I know my YJ with AT's in windy and wet weather is squirrely as hell at speed, especially compared to my heavier Gladiator.

Yeah, my concerns lie if it's this much of a problem (It wasn't a problem last spring so i still think this isn't endemic to the truck in general but that something has changed especially with the shop monkeying with the rear diff, etc.) Although wind is wind and I have to fight that minor battle on the freeways, thus far my well-modified Jeep handled last winter's snow like a champ and rain has never been an issue prior to now. I sold off the original MTs pretty quickly so wouldn't really know how well they did. They did do well in deeper snow (8-9 inches) brand new, though.

 

[Deleted member 43264]

Yeah, my concerns lie if it's this much of a problem (It wasn't a problem last spring so i still think this isn't endemic to the truck in general but that something has changed especially with the shop monkeying with the rear diff, etc.) Although wind is wind and I have to fight that minor battle on the freeways, thus far my well-modified Jeep handled last winter's snow like a champ and rain has never been an issue prior to now. I sold off the original MTs pretty quickly so wouldn't really know how well they did. They did do well in deeper snow (8-9 inches) brand new, though.

Well I hope you figure it out soon before our PNW weather comes full on. Suppose to be an extra cold and wet one this year, La Niña and all. Keep us posted on what you find if it was the shop and if you are able to get it corrected
Stay safe out there.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

Well I hope you figure it out soon before our PNW weather comes full on. Suppose to be an extra cold and wet one this year, La Niña and all. Keep us posted on what you find if it was the shop and if you are able to get it corrected
Stay safe out there.

Yep, will do. Whereabouts are you at out here?

 

[Deleted member 43264]

Yep, will do. Whereabouts are you at out here?

I live in Everett, work in Seattle downtown.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

They don't mess with the inside of your limited slip with a regear. So the clutches should be fine.

Do you feel any binding or grabbing when you make slow, tight turns? This would be an indication your limited slip is too tight.

 

[Mac]

Maybe check what oil they used when they did the gear change. I changed mine recently and notice it is slightly different now in tight turns.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

They don't mess with the inside of your limited slip with a regear. So the clutches should be fine.

Do you feel any binding or grabbing when you make slow, tight turns? This would be an indication your limited slip is too tight.

That's good to know, I wasn't sure of the specifics with how the re-gear happens. But the timing does work out perfectly to when I first started to notice things. Could be something else jostled loose or something during that time as well.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

Maybe check what oil they used when they did the gear change. I changed mine recently and notice it is slightly different now in tight turns.

I can check when I bring it in for the alignment/Caster-set next week. When you say slightly different, how so? I saw that limited slips have an additive but wasn't sure how wildly different that might make things and how fast or if it's more of a cumulative damage-prevention kind of thing.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

I live in Everett, work in Seattle downtown.

Awesome, used to spend a ton of time in Granite Falls and fishing that direction when we lived in Kenmore. Now we spend most of our time towards Cle Elum since we are East of Seattle.

 

[npgeorgeuw]

They don't mess with the inside of your limited slip with a regear. So the clutches should be fine.

Do you feel any binding or grabbing when you make slow, tight turns? This would be an indication your limited slip is too tight.

No binding or grabbing that I have noticed, would that be obvious in the rear-end at slow speeds?--I'd 1,000% notice it up-front but I'm guessing the fact I haven't noticed it in the rear probably means it's not happening.

 

[Mac]

I can check when I bring it in for the alignment/Caster-set next week. When you say slightly different, how so? I saw that limited slips have an additive but wasn't sure how wildly different that might make things and how fast or if it's more of a cumulative damage-prevention kind of thing.

I think mine is locking sooner and binding a little in tight turns under light throttle.
I used Amalie full synthetic 75w-90 that has the limited slip additive. I am going to go buy a bottle of Mopar 4318060AC which is the limited slip additive and see if it makes a difference, local dealer has the 4 ounce bottle for $8.20, will drain out 4 ounces and then add the bottle in.

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