Wheel hop - what's next

[E30M30]

I'm having a lot of wheel hop in my 67 Firebird. The car is a street car with 4-5 annual trips to the racetrack. I've thought about going to the local drag strip, but the car is worthless with all that wheel hop.
My setup is. 455 - 4-speed - global West L2 springs - del-a-lum spring bushings - poly leaf pads - red koni shocks - 275/40-17 street tires.

What should I do next?

[72BBSwinger]

Clamp your front section in 2 places and try that.

[Ron Sutton]

I'm having a lot of wheel hop in my 67 Firebird. The car is a street car with 4-5 annual trips to the racetrack. I've thought about going to the local drag strip, but the car is worthless with all that wheel hop.
My setup is. 455 - 4-speed - global West L2 springs - del-a-lum spring bushings - poly leaf pads - red koni shocks - 275/40-17 street tires.

What should I do next?

I'm not clear on "stuff". Is the wheel hop on corner entry under braking, or under hard acceleration?

What kind of rear suspension do you have? Stock leaf? Modified? Please provide details.

[E30M30]

My rear suspension is "Stock" with only the mentioned performance upgrades. Wheel hop is under hard acceleration in first gear - second gear is fine. Used to have wheel hop under heavy braking until I removed the slapper-bars...

[Bryce]

did slapper bars have less wheel hop under acceleration?
I have had good luck with clamped front leaf springs and slapper bars. Make sure they are adjusted correctly.

Shock adjustments could make a huge difference. I had wheel hop on my falcon (3-link rear suspension) under acceleration. This was due to the compression in my shocks being too soft. I would bottom out the shock and bounce off the bump stops. I have less than 100% antisquat. I am sure you are around 150 to 175%. which means you might be extending the shocks all the way under launch. I would try a stiffer setting on the rebound of your rear shocks, then experiment with clamping the front of the springs.

[rustomatic]

Leaf springs are awesome, no? If this thread appears tomorrow, I'll post pictures of my most recent hack-job on my Falcon, which was done to fix embarrassing wheel hop that I experienced autocrossing (in second gear). What I did was basically copy the upper third link design a lot of vintage racers are doing, which consists of welding a tall bracket to the top of your differential housing, then welding another connecting point somewhere near the front of where a back seat would go, and connecting the two with the equivalent of a very stiff shock/coil setup (I used a polyurethane-bushed biscuit/pull-bar). The normal third link has a solid bar, but the compressible third link actually reacts and adapts to a changing traction loss. It even gives you traction on gravel; adjusted properly, this will also help in aiding traction while braking...

Eventually, I will probably just give in and make a complete three-link, with relatively long bars...

[shmoov69]

Might also add a couple degrees of negative pinion angle, that should help quite a bit on launch.

[Johnnybees66]

I had the same problem in 66 chevelle and talk with some friends and global west and they said go with a set of the qa1 double adjustable shocks and even told me the settings to start with and i just adjusted the rebound a couple more clicks and no more wheel hop.

[Ron Sutton]

"Most" of the time, the wheel hop is caused by the spring rate and/or shock rate being too soft for the power being put through the drivetrain ... so it's a simple solution of running stiffer valved shocks and/or stiffer rate springs.

"Some" of the time, the problem is suspension bind ... and other times it is pinion bind. Pinion bind happens if the spring "wraps up" too far as the rear end rotates, ending up the driveshaft & pinion forming an upward "peak" angle under power. (as opposed to "in line" under power). This "bind & release" activity makes the rear end hop & will lead to drivetrain breakage.

You could have any of these four issues, or a combination. I find running a GoPro camera pointed at the rear suspension & pinion ... under the same driving conditions ... will eliminate all the guessing. And maybe preventing you from doing work and/or buying parts you didn't need.

.

[Nicks67GTO]

A while back I had a Nova {same suspension} that had some wheel hop. Caltracs cured it. I'm not 100% sure what all they do, at the time I was pretty young and just trying stuff without much thought. I just know I didn't have wheel hop after I got them on. I'm not sure how well they would work for a pro touring/handling car though.

[E30M30]

Thanks guys. I think I'll try the gopro camera and see if I can upload the video. As for the suspension the rear is very stiff, but maybe the shocks needs some attention.

[Ron Sutton]

Thanks guys. I think I'll try the gopro camera and see if I can upload the video. As for the suspension the rear is very stiff, but maybe the shocks needs some attention.

If the shock valving is weak/soft, it may have a hard time controlling the stiffer spring rate.

[David Pozzi]

67's are at a disadvantage because both shocks are ahead of the axle. I would remove any pads between the leaf & spring perch or shock plate. My 67 Camaro used Guldstrand 3 leaf springs with Koni shocks & never experienced wheel hop. Better shocks may help.

[shmoov69]

Never thought of the camera Ron, awesome idea!! I'll have to try that on my home brewed TQ arm rear!!

[E30M30]

I've just tried the firmest setting on the koni's. The wheel hop is gone (almost) so is any comfort :) Thanks a lot guys!!

[Ron Sutton]

Never thought of the camera Ron, awesome idea!! I'll have to try that on my home brewed TQ arm rear!!

Hi Jimmy,

I am a visual learner, so some one describing how something works or what is happening is difficult for me to understand.

But with GoPro's or any of these light, portable cameras ... OMG ... it's easy for me see & to understand "exactly" what is happening ... and even to what degree. We mount them so we can watch different parts of the front suspension, rear suspension, drivetrain, etc.

They are especially helpful when the driver is inexperienced and can't tell you what's happening exactly. They just know something feels weird. Not only does the crew learn what's happening, but the driver can put a real action with that "feeling."

Take care !

[Ron Sutton]

I've just tried the firmest setting on the koni's. The wheel hop is gone (almost) so is any comfort :) Thanks a lot guys!!

Sounds like you have have too stiff of springs.

[Bryce]

I've just tried the firmest setting on the koni's. The wheel hop is gone (almost) so is any comfort :) Thanks a lot guys!!

awesome!