rear tires on wet roads.

[3W-lonerider]

Rick, if I am not mistaken there is a dial adjustment that is accessible from under the passenger seat to change the spring preload.

no dial adjustment on mine that i can find. i think they done away with that adjustment after the first couple of years building that kit. i would have to loosen the spring rate on mine.

 

[3W-lonerider]

Wouldn't going from 24# to 28# cause even more of an issue with them breaking loose. I'm curious because I may find myself with this issue if and or when I get my bike converted to a CSC. I plan on a preload for two up riding even though I'll be solo. I do prefer a stiffer ride. So I was thinking 24# would be a good start when I get there. Wrong on all counts?

i do run 24# in mine. and i agree 28# would make a big difference in traction and ride quality.had a friend with a goldwing csc that only ran 18# in his.

 

[3W-lonerider]

Must just be crappy tires. On a 4 wheeled vehicle, you can induce/reduce understeer/oversteer via suspension settings, but on a 3 wheeler like a trike, soft versus hard suspension has no effect as you are always riding a tripod with rollers (wheels) and the only effect suspension setting do is change the ride quality. You can change feel, but each leg is going to carry it's load.

If not hydroplaning, If you know it wasn't a case of accumulated oil, etc, then it's just a rubber compound that just doesn't like the wet.

You mention low profile, what size are they anyway? Some high performance tires cater to dry roads and are snot slick in the wet even if just good & damp.

these tires are. 205/55r/16 mud and snow tires.

 

[rhino 2]

these tires are. 205/55r/16 mud and snow tires.

I don't know about those tires .But other are using them without any problems it just might be that one or both of the ones you have are bad....And you'll never feel comfortable riding in the wet with them....Me' I would 86Th them...:Shrug:..

 

[CrystalPistol]

these tires are. 205/55r/16 mud and snow tires.

Could be in part; compound ... and in part; deep wide grooves letting narrow tread blocks roll over onto edges. I can see running all season tires or just regular good tires, but I never did like the idea of mud & snow on a trike. I remember using them on cars in winter, not good handlers even on dry road.

I learned soon in my career to hate them on my State Police cars, decided early on to rely on chains instead when needed (one Sgt. twice asked me in the same week "when" I was going to order my snow tires, he thought I forgot I guess, he even said "what if another unit borrows your car and gets into snow?" ... I told him that my issued chains would be under the spare. One clear night when I had snow tires on in winter, it was clear, dry, and I got after one down near Quantico and the car spun out taking some trees off a bank, that was the end of snow tires for me. Didn't hurt my '78 Plymouth much, just a few scratches in the lower right rear quarter behind the fender well and a tree wedged in the bumpers end, some muddy roots too, just cleaned it up, jacked the lower quarter back out, left alone.).

Mud & snow tires often have slits called "sipes" aimed at ice & snow traction too, but they also serve to destabilize the tread blocks too. Not selling tires, but just as an example ... no sipes and nice wide lateral almost tread blocks that don't fold over in turns, yet they have ample water paths for water to escape.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...6RZRASXL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

 

[rhino 2]

Could be in part; compound ... and in part; deep wide grooves letting narrow tread blocks roll over onto edges. I can see running all season tires or just regular good tires, but I never did like the idea of mud & snow on a trike. I remember using them on cars in winter, not good handlers even on dry road. I learned soon in my career to hate them on my State Police cars, decided early on to rely on chains instead when needed (one Sgt. twice asked me in the same week "when" I was going to order my snow tires, he thought I forgot I guess, he even said "what if another unit borrows your car and gets into snow?" ... I told him that my issued chains would be under the spare. One clear night when I had snow tires on in winter, it was clear, dry, and I got after one down near Quantico and the car spun out taking some trees off a bank, that was the end of snow tires for me. Didn't hurt my '78 Plymouth much, just a few scratches in the lower right rear quarter behind the fender well and a tree wedged in the bumpers end, some muddy roots too, just cleaned it up, jacked the lower quarter back out, left alone.). Mud & snow tires often have slits called "sipes" aimed at ice & snow traction too, but they also serve to destabilize the tread blocks too. Not selling tires, but just as an example ... no sipes and nice wide lateral almost tread blocks that don't fold over in turns, yet they have ample water paths for water to escape.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...6RZRASXL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

My 11...17.....And now my 19 Tri-Glide, All came stock with Mud And Snow rated rear tires and i never had any wet weather problems ....And with the 11 and 17 I've driven in snow up to 3 inches ...:Shrug:...

 

[ol' school]

Could be in part; compound ... and in part; deep wide grooves letting narrow tread blocks roll over onto edges. I can see running all season tires or just regular good tires, but I never did like the idea of mud & snow on a trike. I remember using them on cars in winter, not good handlers even on dry road. I learned soon in my career to hate them on my State Police cars, decided early on to rely on chains instead when needed (one Sgt. twice asked me in the same week "when" I was going to order my snow tires, he thought I forgot I guess, he even said "what if another unit borrows your car and gets into snow?" ... I told him that my issued chains would be under the spare. One clear night when I had snow tires on in winter, it was clear, dry, and I got after one down near Quantico and the car spun out taking some trees off a bank, that was the end of snow tires for me. Didn't hurt my '78 Plymouth much, just a few scratches in the lower right rear quarter behind the fender well and a tree wedged in the bumpers end, some muddy roots too, just cleaned it up, jacked the lower quarter back out, left alone.). Mud & snow tires often have slits called "sipes" aimed at ice & snow traction too, but they also serve to destabilize the tread blocks too. Not selling tires, but just as an example ... no sipes and nice wide lateral almost tread blocks that don't fold over in turns, yet they have ample water paths for water to escape.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...6RZRASXL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Les, that tire does say M&S on the sidewall just after the size. A lot of tires have that rating today.

I still think Rick's issue is too high of a preload setting. We have the same trike and his sits way higher in the rear than mine. And I have no handling issues with our trike running the same tires.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Les, that tire does say M&S on the sidewall just after the size. A lot of tires have that rating today.

I still think Rick's issue is too high of a preload setting. We have the same trike and his sits way higher in the rear than mine. And I have no handling issues with our trike running the same tires.

No sipes though.

How can you adjust suspension pressure on any wheel of a three wheeled vehicle? I just don't see it happening.

 

[3W-lonerider]

No sipes though.

How can you adjust suspension pressure on any wheel of a three wheeled vehicle? I just don't see it happening.

csc kits use 1 shock with a big coil spring. you can adjust that coil spring so the suspension isn't as stiff. kinda like the coil over shocks on a motorcycle.

but i do agree with ol'school about the rear suspension on mine being set way to stiff but in my mind i can see no correlation between that and the tires breaking loose. your going to have the same amount of rubber on the road regardless of spongy or stiff suspension. not saying that there might not be a correlation, but i can't see the difference.

 

[ol' school]

No sipes though.

How can you adjust suspension pressure on any wheel of a three wheeled vehicle? I just don't see it happening.

I am gleaning my opinion looking at the CSC's build manual dealing with setting preload on the rear suspension based on load, etc... which affects ride height, suspension travel and stiffness. If the suspension is too stiff, the lack of suspension travel could affect tire grip as the trike leans in a turn.

Here is a Road and Track article that deals with too stiff suspension setting...

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a10385629/why-stiff-suspensions-have-less-grip/

 

[Marc H]

I can see the preload being a factor.The small pop bumps would upset it more and a quick dip could cause some lose of contact.This may have been brought up and I know the kit isn't that old but what about tire age.I know some tires get hard as bricks with age and are slick as can be in the wet.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Adjusting preload on a trike will adjust ride quality, but in no way can it adjust anti roll qualities of rear suspension against that of the front as one end only has one tire contact point.

With a 4 wheeler, you can adjust oversteer or understeer as you can adjust anti roll qualities by varying roll stiffness front or rear. Like you can add a fatter rear anti roll bar to add oversteer to a car or truck, but what you add at the rear takes from the front's role then and you have a car or truck that has greater tendency to "swap ends" in a tight corner. Adding a stiffer front bar will increase understeer, or the tendency to go straight when you steer left. You cannot balance the ends against each other when one end has only the one wheel, like a trike.

Here is a Road and Track article that deals with too stiff suspension setting...

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a10385629/why-stiff-suspensions-have-less-grip/

I suspect that applies to cars.

 

[ol' school]

Les, I am not going to argue the point anymore. I have ridden Rick's trike and know how it handles compared to mine (they are the same CSC trike). And I know what the CSC dealer suggested for him to do.

 

[3W-lonerider]

just got off the phone with Scott from csc factory.

the pre-load on this trike is set properly. so he is leaning towards the tires.

they are gonna replace the tires on this trike. and go from there.

they have never heard of this issue. but are willing to work with me on it.

 

[rhino 2]

just got off the phone with Scott from csc factory.

the pre-load on this trike is set properly. so he is leaning towards the tires.

they are gonna replace the tires on this trike. and go from there.

they have never heard of this issue. but are will to work with me on it.

Thats great news........:clapping:....Keep us informed ....

 

[ol' school]

Thats great news........:clapping:....Keep us informed ....

+1 on that!

 

[3W-lonerider]

+1 on that!

when i talked to Scott, he looked up the build sheet. apparently. my trike is set up for 600#. i still think i'm going to adjust it back to 500# theres a place near me that my motortrike suspension would cave and bottom out everytime. this trike barely moves. as far as the suspension. so i think decreasing it lower would be a big benefit. if it proves to not work out i can always take it back up.

 

[hogcowboy]

just got off the phone with Scott from csc factory.

the pre-load on this trike is set properly. so he is leaning towards the tires.

they are gonna replace the tires on this trike. and go from there.

they have never heard of this issue. but are willing to work with me on it.

Are they old tires then? What's the date on them or have you looked?

 

[3W-lonerider]

Are they old tires then? What's the date on them or have you looked?

from what i'm seeing on the tire. it was manufactured on 5/18.

 

[hogcowboy]

from what i'm seeing on the tire. it was manufactured on 5/18.

From an age standpoint then that should not be the problem. And the air pressure seems okay too, so it has to be the suspension. But let us know how the new tire compare once you got them. Although I understand being leery to push them to breaking point again. Or I would be at least.