Disaster On Three Wheels. Oh, My....

[Trusting]

I had to drop by my local auto repair shop for something this morning and got talking with the owner. He knows I have an Elio on order so he thought I would find this interesting. First he told me about a recent repair job he did. Seems someone tore the hell out of the rear end of his Slingshot by hitting a "chuck hole". (Must have been some chuck hole!). Next he explained how the Slingshot owner and some CanAm owners had told him how it was hard to avoid a chuck hole because if you miss it with the front wheels you get it with the back one. Then he starting telling me how three wheel cars have a problem with rear wheel slide because the rear wheel is rolling on the greasy strip down the center of the lane. Seems it causes the rear wheel to want to slip from side to side. Other than that he thought the Elio was cool....

 

[Frim]

I have a misaligned car that gets squeamish when passing and crossing the greasy strip. I have no doubt that a rear drive trike would be a pending disaster on a wet greasy strip. I do not think an Elio will have the same problem unless towing and braking.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Which is why I say start practicing Third Wheel Awareness now.
It will still be possible to avoid potholes if your TWA and SA (Situational Awareness) are up-to-snuff.

As for the greasy middle problem: Ride a little to the left or right of the center line, as-appropriate, to avoid that by straddling the greasy line. I think it will only be a problem when rain starts falling after a dry spell.

Don't forget that the Elio's rear wheel is not the driven wheel, unlike the Slingshot. The Elio will have stability control too, which may negate any "slip".

 

[W. WIllie]

The Elio is narrow enough so you can drive slight off center of the lane when braking..
The majority of braking will be on the front wheels.

 

[booboo]

The oil slick in the middle will give me some zeal, for having fun in corners, with a drifting rear wheel.

 

[Ty]

Which is why I say start practicing Third Wheel Awareness now.
It will still be possible to avoid potholes if your TWA and SA (Situational Awareness) are up-to-snuff.

As for the greasy middle problem: Ride a little to the left or right of the center line, as-appropriate, to avoid that by straddling the greasy line. I think it will only be a problem when rain starts falling after a dry spell.

Don't forget that the Elio's rear wheel is not the driven wheel, unlike the Slingshot. The Elio will have stability control too, which may negate any "slip".

At least you didn't go with Third Wheel And Tire Sense...

 

[Coss]

I had to drop by my local auto repair shop for something this morning and got talking with the owner. He knows I have an Elio on order so he thought I would find this interesting. First he told me about a recent repair job he did. Seems someone tore the hell out of the rear end of his Slingshot by hitting a "chuck hole". (Must have been some chuck hole!). Next he explained how the Slingshot owner and some CanAm owners had told him how it was hard to avoid a chuck hole because if you miss it with the front wheels you get it with the back one. Then he starting telling me how three wheel cars have a problem with rear wheel slide because the rear wheel is rolling on the greasy strip down the center of the lane. Seems it causes the rear wheel to want to slip from side to side. Other than that he thought the Elio was cool....

Like GPA pointed out "......Don't forget that the Elio's rear wheel is not the driven wheel, unlike the Slingshot. ....." that would be the rear wheel slip and slide your mechanic was talking about. The rear wheel on the Elio actually does very little other than hold up the back of it.
Under braking conditions, your front wheels do 70% to 80% of your braking; and that's on all cars and bikes (MC).

If that one guy tore up his Slingshot; odds are he was under power, and not coasting through that pothole.

 

[outsydthebox]

I had to drop by my local auto repair shop for something this morning and got talking with the owner. He knows I have an Elio on order so he thought I would find this interesting. First he told me about a recent repair job he did. Seems someone tore the hell out of the rear end of his Slingshot by hitting a "chuck hole". (Must have been some chuck hole!). Next he explained how the Slingshot owner and some CanAm owners had told him how it was hard to avoid a chuck hole because if you miss it with the front wheels you get it with the back one. Then he starting telling me how three wheel cars have a problem with rear wheel slide because the rear wheel is rolling on the greasy strip down the center of the lane. Seems it causes the rear wheel to want to slip from side to side. Other than that he thought the Elio was cool....

Personally, I don't think the "greasy strip" is nearly as bad as it was in the '70's & 80's. Cars don't leak as much as they used to.

 

[wizard of ahs]

Personally, I don't think the "greasy strip" is nearly as bad as it was in the '70's & 80's. Cars don't leak as much as they used to.

I'm with you on that....but I can tell you from experience.........on 2 wheels it DOES make a difference once the rain hits
I'm still going to try to avoid it with my E

 

[electroken]

Personally, I don't think the "greasy strip" is nearly as bad as it was in the '70's & 80's. Cars don't leak as much as they used to.

Same here.
That stuff largely ended a couple decades ago when the car manufacturers learned to design proper seals and gaskets. Nobody uses thin sheet metal valve covers with cork gaskets held down by 4 spindly screws anymore (yeah, I'm talking about you, GM).

The only place I see the goo strip is in toll booths, and it's a much bigger deal on 2 wheels than on 3.