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Thread: Dunlop star specs and horrible hydroplaning

  1. Member
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    04-17-2012 10:10 PM #1
    My front tires have about 40% left and my rears are at about 70%. I was driving down the local interstate at 60 miles an hour in a heavy down poor, it has been raining all day. I started to feel the steering wheel get light and before I knew it I was completely at the mercy of the wet road. I have never experienced hydroplaning like that before. I had no control at all and couldn't drive over 40 miles per hour with everyone else passing me. Traction control didn't engage either. I though star specs had good wet traction. I don't understand, it felt like I was driving on ice. Anyone have similar experiences, star specs or not?

  2. Member Mc.:R's Avatar
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    04-17-2012 10:26 PM #2
    I got these when they first came out. They only lasted me 6000 miles. The car would slide in the wet more than the RE11. When standing water came into play with the dunlops game over. I might as well had slicks on the car. But they are super fun on a nice warm day when you can get them up to temp.

  3. Member aircooled56's Avatar
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    04-17-2012 10:52 PM #3
    No experience on an R32, but I used them last season as rain tires for autocross on my co-driven Datsun 510 and they worked amazingly, but they were at nearly full tread depth as well.
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  4. Member rajuncajun37's Avatar
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    04-18-2012 12:57 AM #4
    Star specs play 2nd fiddle to RE-11's, I told you this 3 years ago. PSS's from Michelin is that New New. Star specs are yesterday's news. Do a lil research
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    04-18-2012 01:03 AM #5
    I've had them for a while and have been pretty happy with them. I cant believe how they turned to doo doo when they have so much tread left. Looks like it PSS from now on.

  6. Member waabaah's Avatar
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    04 .:R32; 20th a.e.;87 rattled black Toyo;94 AWD caravan;97 Gti Vr6T;82 924 porsche
    04-18-2012 03:22 AM #6
    Might want to recheck your "inside" tread. I bet they are more worn then you think they are

  7. Member luckypenney's Avatar
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    04-18-2012 07:15 AM #7
    I've never had a problem except in more than an inch of standing water.

  8. Member Budgeezer's Avatar
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    04-18-2012 10:51 AM #8
    No standing water, but here is a clip @ BIR in the wet with the Star Specs. This event was towards the end of the tread life as well.

    http://contour.com/stories/bir-short-track-wet

  9. Member
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    04-18-2012 08:27 PM #9
    I pulled my front wheels off and they are extremely worn on the inside. Not a good feeling two days before WITW.

  10. Member waabaah's Avatar
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    04 .:R32; 20th a.e.;87 rattled black Toyo;94 AWD caravan;97 Gti Vr6T;82 924 porsche
    04-19-2012 06:15 PM #10
    As long as the nylon cords or the second layer of rubber are NOT showing, you can try this:

    Take the tires and rims to a shop and have then disnount and swap outside with inside. That should get you by.

    Or even rotate them but keep in mind the inside tread wears faster then the outside. Rear inside tend to get cupped or choppy. Front inside tend to scuff away. So either way you may want to dismount them and swap

  11. Member
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    04-19-2012 07:43 PM #11
    I caved and bought new tires. Im going to WITW so I wanted to be safe. I ended up getting some continental DW's.

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