Wheel hop
#1
Wheel hop
What causes wheel hop. One pass I am pulling the tires and the next when the power hits my drivers side tire bounces around in the wheel well and then goes. The only thing I changed between the passes was I turned my drivers side rear shock up to 6(QA-1)from 5. Other than the stock springs and torque arm the rest of my suspension is after market.
#3
Originally posted by BiGGinZ
I have heard a torque arm helps. I would just get a torque arm and springs if I were you to complete the suspension. It is useless having those stock things on there with almost a full suspension.
I have heard a torque arm helps. I would just get a torque arm and springs if I were you to complete the suspension. It is useless having those stock things on there with almost a full suspension.
Well I would say that LCA relocation brakets would help.
#6
Originally posted by L.O. Green95Z
I already have adjustable control arms and the brackets. I will have to see how it goes when I get it in the car.
I already have adjustable control arms and the brackets. I will have to see how it goes when I get it in the car.
maybe they arent adjusted right?
#8
With a manual, convertable, LT1 and beefy driver whose used drag radials for quite some time I was CONSTANTLY fighting wheel hop... until I put the bird on a 4-post lift and looked at the LCA's at rest.
The heavier the car, and the softer the springs, the worse this situation will be. If the body drops at all, and the rear point one the LCA attaches to the rear-end (which doesn't change height under any condition)... the LCA will be pointing upwards on the axle.
Now I KNOW that the intent of the LCA is to control fore-aft movement of the rear-end, but under hard acceleration they really are the only thing bracing the body agains the traction-heavy tires.... pushing UP on the axle makes it skip accross the pavement and risk breaking components.
Since the day we welded LCA brackets onto the rear and had the LCA's point DOWNWARDS on the axle I have NEVER had wheel hop again. Situations that used to scare the crap outta me (punching it too hard on a high-traction surface) feel much better and the tire either HOOKS, or SPINS... but it doesn't bounce around like it's over a wash-board.
You might wanta check you LCA's at rest to see if they're level. Most LCA brackets out there have 2 holes to choose from, personally I'm stock ride height and use the lowest LCA hole. If you're lowered, heavy, and have soft springs the LCA brackets might not be low enough under squat to prevent wheel hop.
You'd really want to take a look underneath and see how everything's lined up.
The heavier the car, and the softer the springs, the worse this situation will be. If the body drops at all, and the rear point one the LCA attaches to the rear-end (which doesn't change height under any condition)... the LCA will be pointing upwards on the axle.
Now I KNOW that the intent of the LCA is to control fore-aft movement of the rear-end, but under hard acceleration they really are the only thing bracing the body agains the traction-heavy tires.... pushing UP on the axle makes it skip accross the pavement and risk breaking components.
Since the day we welded LCA brackets onto the rear and had the LCA's point DOWNWARDS on the axle I have NEVER had wheel hop again. Situations that used to scare the crap outta me (punching it too hard on a high-traction surface) feel much better and the tire either HOOKS, or SPINS... but it doesn't bounce around like it's over a wash-board.
You might wanta check you LCA's at rest to see if they're level. Most LCA brackets out there have 2 holes to choose from, personally I'm stock ride height and use the lowest LCA hole. If you're lowered, heavy, and have soft springs the LCA brackets might not be low enough under squat to prevent wheel hop.
You'd really want to take a look underneath and see how everything's lined up.
Last edited by Steve in Seattle; 05-05-2004 at 01:48 AM.
#9
Originally posted by L.O. Green95Z
I am running 28 inch tires had to get the adjustable control arms to center the rear in the wheel wells so the tires wouldnt rub.
I am running 28 inch tires had to get the adjustable control arms to center the rear in the wheel wells so the tires wouldnt rub.
Any chance you havn't set up the LCA's on the lowest-hole in your LCA brackets? If not, that's a good place to start.
If so, you may need some custom brackets to get the LCA's level again.
I got 5 bucks that says the lowest LCA setting with 26" wheels will make your wheel hop go away.
#10
my cam isnt big enough for 26 inch tires and 4.56 gears. I was going through the traps at 6400 or so. I wish I would have gotten 27s
I ran 111 with 26 inch tires and when I put the 28s on I went back up to 112. Besides that the car just looks mean sitting still with those giant tires.
My control arms are on the lowest setting and when it is on level ground they piont slightly down towards the rear. Even when they pionted up at the rear I didnt get wheel hop.
It will be another 2 weeks before I get my torque arm.
I ran 111 with 26 inch tires and when I put the 28s on I went back up to 112. Besides that the car just looks mean sitting still with those giant tires.
My control arms are on the lowest setting and when it is on level ground they piont slightly down towards the rear. Even when they pionted up at the rear I didnt get wheel hop.
It will be another 2 weeks before I get my torque arm.
#11
Originally posted by Steve in Seattle
Well, that's another problem... 28" tires just raised your LCA connection on the rear end back up a full inch. That would explain why the LCA brackets didn't cure the problem.
Any chance you havn't set up the LCA's on the lowest-hole in your LCA brackets? If not, that's a good place to start.
If so, you may need some custom brackets to get the LCA's level again.
I got 5 bucks that says the lowest LCA setting with 26" wheels will make your wheel hop go away.
Well, that's another problem... 28" tires just raised your LCA connection on the rear end back up a full inch. That would explain why the LCA brackets didn't cure the problem.
Any chance you havn't set up the LCA's on the lowest-hole in your LCA brackets? If not, that's a good place to start.
If so, you may need some custom brackets to get the LCA's level again.
I got 5 bucks that says the lowest LCA setting with 26" wheels will make your wheel hop go away.
I run 28" slicks and the LCA relocation brackets were the only thing that resolved the "hop" issue. Now, as Steve points out.... it hooks or both wheels spin, but there is no hop.
It simple physics... put the axle end of the LCA below the body mounting point, and the entire thrust into the LCA from the torque applied to the rear end is resolved into a horizontal force that pushes the car forward and a vertical force that lifts the body. The reaction to lifting the body is an equal but opposite downforce on the tires = traction. Get the axle end higher than the body end, and the vertical resolution of the force in the LCA pushes the body down, and the equal but opposite reaction lifts the axle.... and reduces loading to the tire = no traction. The tire starts to slip, the force in the LCA is lost, the body comes back up, the geometry corrects, the downforce returns to the axle, and the whole cycle repeats itself - hop - hop -hop.
#12
Ok that makes sense. But what doens't make sense is the control arms are on the lowest setting and pionting down from the body to the rear and I get wheel hop.
Before the brackets my control arms actually piont up to the rear(not a lowered car either) and I just had the front QA-1s it would transfer the weight onto the rear, squat real bad then unload and spin the tires.
Before the brackets my control arms actually piont up to the rear(not a lowered car either) and I just had the front QA-1s it would transfer the weight onto the rear, squat real bad then unload and spin the tires.
#13
I decided the front of the car was sitting to low since I had put the 28s on. so I raised the front up about and inch and a half so it would sit closer to level. Went to the track and the wheel hop was gone and so was my traction.
I had the front shocks set on 0 and the backs set at 3 and the hoosier QT Pros 28x11.5x15 set at 12psi and it still spun. My car doenst make that much power so either it is my driving or something in the suspension.
I had the front shocks set on 0 and the backs set at 3 and the hoosier QT Pros 28x11.5x15 set at 12psi and it still spun. My car doenst make that much power so either it is my driving or something in the suspension.
#14
Originally posted by L.O. Green95Z
I decided the front of the car was sitting to low since I had put the 28s on. so I raised the front up about and inch and a half so it would sit closer to level. Went to the track and the wheel hop was gone and so was my traction.
I had the front shocks set on 0 and the backs set at 3 and the hoosier QT Pros 28x11.5x15 set at 12psi and it still spun. My car doenst make that much power so either it is my driving or something in the suspension.
I decided the front of the car was sitting to low since I had put the 28s on. so I raised the front up about and inch and a half so it would sit closer to level. Went to the track and the wheel hop was gone and so was my traction.
I had the front shocks set on 0 and the backs set at 3 and the hoosier QT Pros 28x11.5x15 set at 12psi and it still spun. My car doenst make that much power so either it is my driving or something in the suspension.
#15
My car has a very distinct "rake".... a result of the 28" tires and Eibach Drag Launch springs in the rear, and the height setting of the QA1/HAL's in the front. I've launched on straight motor with 5K clutch dumps when it was an M6, and on a 125-shot of nitrous (635HP total) now that I'm running the TH400, all with the same QTP's and it hasn't lost traction yet, unless they didn't get enough heat on the burnout.
http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP02914a.jpg
A friends car is on 29.5" ET Drags, and with the Spohn components has run 8.67 @ 160mph and a low 1.3x 60-ft time.... in a 3,550# car. Also has a very low front end. Its running QA1's in the rear with my old stock springs, and an Adco coil-over setup in the front.
http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP03809a.jpg
http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP02914a.jpg
A friends car is on 29.5" ET Drags, and with the Spohn components has run 8.67 @ 160mph and a low 1.3x 60-ft time.... in a 3,550# car. Also has a very low front end. Its running QA1's in the rear with my old stock springs, and an Adco coil-over setup in the front.
http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP03809a.jpg