wheel hop
#1
wheel hop
I have a 70 442 built to drag race and it is all new. Have just finished. No passes. Went to test and had a violent wheel hop problem. As I said this is new I have 3.91 gears 4 speed tranny adjustable upper trailing arm and lower are after market also. I have air bags in both sides and will experiment with pressures. Read 15# on the right and 5# on left. I have 10" street cheater slicks. I heard someone makes a part to stop wheel hop or help. Anyone have any advice or help
#3
I'd check the pinion angle at rest. I think coil spring cars need a down angle of 2-3 degrees at rest.
Are the lower arms adjustable for length?
What type shocks are on it?
What type bushings in the control arms?
Your air bags are in the correct range but try this once you get the wheel hop fixed. Do a burnout and if the car wants to drift left add more air in the right bag. I usually start at a lower pressure like 8-10 psi in the right and work my way up until it stops drifting left. It won't take much as I never had to go over 15 psi in that right bag.
Are the lower arms adjustable for length?
What type shocks are on it?
What type bushings in the control arms?
Your air bags are in the correct range but try this once you get the wheel hop fixed. Do a burnout and if the car wants to drift left add more air in the right bag. I usually start at a lower pressure like 8-10 psi in the right and work my way up until it stops drifting left. It won't take much as I never had to go over 15 psi in that right bag.
#5
I'd check the pinion angle at rest. I think coil spring cars need a down angle of 2-3 degrees at rest.
Are the lower arms adjustable for length?
What type shocks are on it?
What type bushings in the control arms?
Your air bags are in the correct range but try this once you get the wheel hop fixed. Do a burnout and if the car wants to drift left add more air in the right bag. I usually start at a lower pressure like 8-10 psi in the right and work my way up until it stops drifting left. It won't take much as I never had to go over 15 psi in that right bag.
Are the lower arms adjustable for length?
What type shocks are on it?
What type bushings in the control arms?
Your air bags are in the correct range but try this once you get the wheel hop fixed. Do a burnout and if the car wants to drift left add more air in the right bag. I usually start at a lower pressure like 8-10 psi in the right and work my way up until it stops drifting left. It won't take much as I never had to go over 15 psi in that right bag.
#7
#8
Here is what I'm running. No wheel hop at all. Home boxed lowers which consist of 1/4 in plate across the whole bottom of the lower control arms. New rubber bushings, 442 rear Springs and one air bag in the right rear. I can spin them up with no issues no wheel hop. I have ran the no hop bars but I found I ended up with a bent axle tube. From the way it loads on the rear end. Relocation brackets for the lowers are the way to go. Essentially the same as the no hop bars but more practical imo. I don't think air bags will help with the wheel hop much imo specially if the rest of the suspension is worn out. You need something to plant the tires if your suspension is up to par. meaning Boxed lowers , new bushings , etc etc.
Last edited by coppercutlass; February 29th, 2016 at 06:22 PM.
#9
Yes these:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-5213
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-5213
#10
Yes these:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-5213
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-5213
now thats a long back order time
#13
I'd lower it before I used no hops. You want your upper control arms at least level at ride hieght. If you can get them to point down at the frame, have the upper bar higher at the axle then the frame, that's even better.
#14
Are both rear wheels hopping or just drivers side? Get someone to watch or video tells the whole story frame by frame.Much better than eyeballs.JMHO
Last edited by wr1970; March 1st, 2016 at 09:30 AM. Reason: Moe info
#15
x2- I chased wheel hop around and it ended up being the transmission. Not saying that is the same case here but some visual evidence will help with diagnostics.
#16
BTW, something I do on every A-body I get, is loosen of the bolts and nuts a hair, at all 8 control arm location points, most of the time ill pull the bolts and coat them w never seize, and the faces of the bushings, a lot of people over look this, and especially on a new build if you gorilla tightened all your mounting point bolts, the potential for suspension bind is high, and bind creates incurable wheel hop, also like was said previously, rear ride height low if possible.
#17
x2 on rtanner above. if you installed your control arms and tightened them "gootentite" - then you have a problem with the housing not being able to move freely. If they are tightened -- loosen the bolts until each control arm will move freely by its self, you sould never be able to push an upper control arm up and have it stick there!! it should fall back down. Im guessing thats your problem --
JUST SAY NO TO "NO HOP BARS" on a street car -- they will shake your back teeth loose. You will lose all ride qualities. MOO
JUST SAY NO TO "NO HOP BARS" on a street car -- they will shake your back teeth loose. You will lose all ride qualities. MOO
#18
If the bushings are good in the control arms, 9 times out of 10 it's shocks and/or springs. Those Monroe shocks are junk. That would be the first thing I change out, and bet that will solve your problem.
Wheel hop is from wrap up and unloading, = shocks and springs.
The bags probably make it worse.
Put a set of Bilsteins on the rear, make sure your trans and engine mounts are good, and recheck your control arm bushings. If you still have a problem, go to new or higher rate rear coils.
I've used no hop bars on the street without any ride quality change. All they do is change the instant center point, which loads the wheel harder downward. Corner exit speed suffers, so if you're a road/circuit or autocross guy, probably not for you.
EDIT: Bounce the rear of the car, if it goes up and down more than once, shocks are toast.
.
Wheel hop is from wrap up and unloading, = shocks and springs.
The bags probably make it worse.
Put a set of Bilsteins on the rear, make sure your trans and engine mounts are good, and recheck your control arm bushings. If you still have a problem, go to new or higher rate rear coils.
I've used no hop bars on the street without any ride quality change. All they do is change the instant center point, which loads the wheel harder downward. Corner exit speed suffers, so if you're a road/circuit or autocross guy, probably not for you.
EDIT: Bounce the rear of the car, if it goes up and down more than once, shocks are toast.
.
Last edited by HWYSTR455; May 10th, 2016 at 09:41 AM.
#19
Ride height as mentioned and levelness of control arms parallel to pavement makes a big difference. My experience in drag racing old stuff like saggy springs actually made my A body cars work fantastic as is. But they were lower than a new stiff set of springs would be. I do run OEM boxed lower arms and sway bar too. if loosening the bolts and letting it settle doesn't help and it is new springs with a taller stance that is going to stay just get the pinion angle correct first after that if still a problem then the "no hop" relocating upper brackets/bars should take care of it if all else fails. Keep in mind spinning on the street and hopping from that doesn't mean it will hop at track if the is sticking it may be fine if it just hooks.
Last edited by GEARMAN69; May 12th, 2016 at 06:04 AM.
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