Tires for rain
 

Hey Z nerds, so I have an issue with my current set up. My issue is that every time it rains (fairly often), I have to slow way down because I start to hydroplane way too easy. I'm talking 40MPH in a 55MPH. It's starting to get annoying. Yes, I could only drive on sunny days, but sometimes you get stuck in the rain, and I'm not going to check the weather every time I go somewhere.

My current set up is stock GTR wheels (20x9.5 front / 20x10.5 rear) and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires (255/35ZR-20 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ Front / 285/30ZR-20 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ Rear). I have about 10,000 miles on the front tires and 3,000 miles on the rear tires. They both have about the same amount of tread. I do not think the tread wear is the problem. If it is, I need something that lasts more than 3,000 miles.

I am open to buying new wheels and/or tires. I want to know if anyone has recommendations size wise for both wheels and tires.

I live in the mountains of Virginia, so I get all 4 seasons. I want a year around setup that is good from dry to wet. I do not plan on driving in snow at all, but I do drive in the cold. I really just want a set up where I feel confident driving in the rain without having to worry about hydroplaning!

I have a 2018 Nismo, so the wheels would have to clear the brakes.

Thanks!

Looks like you have some good rain tires. Not sure why you are having issues. If the road is crap with ruts where the rain pools up, not much you can do.

The rain pools in some spots on the road I use to commute to work (which is where I am experiencing the most issues). I was just wondering if I got smaller wheels maybe I could put more tread and traction between my car and the road. Maybe the difference would be negligible, but I don't know that much about wheels and tires. All I know is that I can haul *** in my Titan in the rain, but in my Z I have to crawl.

How fast are you driving? And how deep are the puddles?

My previous tires on the Z were a set of Michelin A/S 3s. That was the first set I put on that were not summer performance category. They were superb in wet weather.

You realize your Titan weighs about 3 times as much as the Z, right?

Any all season tire should work fine in the rain. If you're hydroplaning, then you need to carefully check your rear tire wear -- especially the inside tread. If the tread depth is good, then you need to slow down.

With the stock negative camber and Swift lowering springs, my Z used to eat up rear tires on the inside and I couldn't see the tread very well. Had a lot of 'planing issues, now I've installed a rear camber kit and gotten the camber corrected quite a bit, rears wear much more evenly and wet traction IS significantly improved.

As others have said, you have some of the best possible tires for rain atm. My guess and its only a guess is you possibly have blown rear subframe bushings or other bushings that may need replacing. Edit: You have a 2018 though, so it would be abnormal for such a new car to have some bad bushings already.

I can concur with others, the A/S 3+ tires on my car are great in the rain. Could it be over/under inflated tires?

I have those tires on my daily (not a Z) and they're great in the rain.

I used to run yokohama all seasons on the Z for a while and never had an issue in the rain on those either, but then again we have some proper roads here where it's unlikely for water to pool on the roadway even during heavy rains. If you hit some heavy pools of water yeah you're probably going to hydroplane regardless of what tires you have.

Speed
Car’s weight
Tire’s width
Tire’s tread depth
Tire’s performance

Our car is relatively light, but have wide foot print (wide tires). So “light” weight, less concentrated weight (wide tires). You just gotta slow down more.

Hydroplaning happens when the above factors combined to overwhelm the tire’s ability to evacuate/disburse the water between the tire and road surface. A puddle deep enough, wide tires, light weight, fast enough, it’ll happen, no matter what tires you use.

And a set of new AS3+ is already a top performer in all season category. You just gotta slow down more. Can’t escape physics.

Thank you for slowing down as all should be doing in the rain, no other tires needed!

Sounds like it's as good as it gets. I'll just stick to driving my truck if it looks like rain. Thanks for all the replies! Better to know all this instead of blowing money on new tires or wheels to end up with the same result.

Never had any issues in the rain with mine by staying at the speed limit. Even F1 drivers slow down when it rains.

Are you required to own a truck due to your work? Or are you into snowmobiling or dirt biking?

I spun on the highway after hydroplaning in some old RE-11s at 15 mph under the speed limit earlier this week. Picked up some Conti Extreme Contact Sports that should be pretty decent in the rain while still offering decent dry performance.

I own a truck because it's practical for home improvement projects, taking trash to the landfill, and driving in the snow(and rain). The better question would be, "why do you own a Z?" The answer to that is: because it's fun!

When is the last time you had your Z in for an alignment? As everyone mentioned, the A/S+ are superb wet-weather tires so unless your tread is low (we're unfamiliar with your driving habits/burnouts/drifting/who knows what else/etc.) that would be the next thing I'd look at.

I do all that in a 2001 RAV-4.


Doubt anyone here would ask you why you own a”Z”.

Those are great tires, but they have been replaced by the 4S all season from Michelin :ugh2:
Running them on my DD and they knife through the water easily.
Also a note on the tires width/hydroplane…that’s possible- though on my previous Z I ran 19x10’s/12’s with 285/35,345/30/19’s in Nitto Invo’s & they were awesome in the rain :tup:
Stock ride height & only -1.0* camber all around :tiphat:

That's weird that near-full tread Michelin Pilot AS3+ can only take 40 mph in the rain. That's the kind of max speed that I had to do when on wide slicks (305 & 345) in a downpour in the Z06. My 370Z has over-half-worn (I believe tread depth is only 3-4/32") 325/25/20 Pilot Sport in the rear and the car never had to "tiptoe" in an average rain.

I don't drive too crazy, no burnouts or drifting. I had them aligned in February when I had new tires put on the back. I have only driven about 3,000 miles since then.

To each their own. My wife has an SUV. I would rather have a truck than a second SUV.

I just put those on last week and they have been excellent so far, even got to test out the wet grip driving through a pretty nasty thunderstorm one evening. Mine are the DWS -06+ version. Running 265/35/19 front and 285/35/19 rear. Even with such a wide contact patch I have been impressed with their grip in the wet. I haven't run a Continental tire since my old '95 M3 back in college, usually use Michelin for everything.

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What does that matter at all?

So what. What does any of that have to do with his issue :shakes head:

Sound like chit roads. I've found a few that puddle in the wheel path and make the car dance a bit. Other than that I've not had any serious hydroplaining issues aside from getting caught out with worn tires

Big, wide Michelin Cup tires make things interesting at speed in the wet. :eek: :driving:

To address your hydroplaning issue in wet conditions, consider upgrading your tires. Look for models with strong wet grip ratings, hydroplaning-resistant tread designs, and enhanced water evacuation channels. You might also explore slightly narrower tire options to help cut through water better.
While new tires can improve traction, safe driving practices are equally vital. Maintain proper following distance, brake smoothly, and adjust speed to road conditions. In cold weather, remember that tire grip can decrease, requiring even more caution. If your current tires are nearing their tread wear limit, replacement is advisable.
https://www.corwheels.com/best-tires-for-rain/