bad wheel hop problems
10-08-2008, 04:58 PM
#1
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bad wheel hop problems well i have a 6 speed camaro with a 9 inch rear, ajustable qa1, adj. torque arm, bmr lca's and relocations bracket it has stock springs with water hose mod and im on 275/50/15 mt drag radials and my car wheel hops very bad i have my pinion angle at about -2.5 degrees and i had my lca in bottom hole and shocks on around 4 clicks and it wheel hopped really bad every time i tried to launch so the next weekend i tried middle hole on lca and it still hopped bad and i was only launching at about 3500 so i tightened shock to about 7 clicks just to see if shock were to loose and it started hookin but boggin so i tried launchin harder and as soon as i launched hard enough to break traction it wheel hopped again everytime i break traction it hops very bad and i dont know what else i could try or possible problems that could cause it any information will be appreciated...
10-09-2008, 12:32 PM
#2
Wheel/axle hop is one of those things that can be caused for a combination of factors. In the end, it comes from borderline grip and axle control.
Compression damping in the shocks controls unsprung weight.... and your axle and everything attached to it is unsprung weight. If the shocks can't do the job, the car will always hop.
Of course if you are getting any wind up in the system with the LCA's you have a problem too. I don't know what style arms you have, but urethane bushings can and do deflect. No generally as much as rubber, but they do. And they are still prone to wear.
When did this hop start or get worse? I'm betting you QA1 shocks are the biggest issue, but there was a guy yesterday telling how his driver side LCA was moving for and aft about 1/2", which is a problem no matter what. You need to check for obvious problems first, rule things like trashed LCA bushings and such out. Only then can you proceed.
Compression damping in the shocks controls unsprung weight.... and your axle and everything attached to it is unsprung weight. If the shocks can't do the job, the car will always hop.
Of course if you are getting any wind up in the system with the LCA's you have a problem too. I don't know what style arms you have, but urethane bushings can and do deflect. No generally as much as rubber, but they do. And they are still prone to wear.
When did this hop start or get worse? I'm betting you QA1 shocks are the biggest issue, but there was a guy yesterday telling how his driver side LCA was moving for and aft about 1/2", which is a problem no matter what. You need to check for obvious problems first, rule things like trashed LCA bushings and such out. Only then can you proceed.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
10-10-2008, 10:59 AM
#4
Compression damping in the shocks is what damps unsprung weight. Your axle is unsprung weight, and a 9" has more of it than a 10-bolt does. QA1's are pretty poor dampers and are just being overwhelmed when that mass wants to start bouncing.
This is a one of few cases in which I'd recommend Koni DA's or double adjustables. They have independent compression and rebound damping controls. Not only can you add more compression damping when you need it, you can do it separately form the amount of rebound damping. Remember that compression and rebound do NOT control the same things. Further QA1's are not gas-charged shocks, and are much more prone to shock fade. Shocks make heat when working, and if you drive a while, that heat can cause the oil to foam and cavitate. That's bad, bad, bad. Air bubbles don't work well to give damping as they pass through the piston and valving of the shock. Gas charged dampers are pretty much the industry standard now, and the gas in them acts just like a radiator cap. The pressure keeps the oil from foaming and cavitation away.
I'll tell you know they are not cheap. But they are a lot cheaper than a bunch of broken parts are. And you could try just regular Koni SA's, but they have no compression adjustment which is really what we need to deal with the mass of the 9".
This is a one of few cases in which I'd recommend Koni DA's or double adjustables. They have independent compression and rebound damping controls. Not only can you add more compression damping when you need it, you can do it separately form the amount of rebound damping. Remember that compression and rebound do NOT control the same things. Further QA1's are not gas-charged shocks, and are much more prone to shock fade. Shocks make heat when working, and if you drive a while, that heat can cause the oil to foam and cavitate. That's bad, bad, bad. Air bubbles don't work well to give damping as they pass through the piston and valving of the shock. Gas charged dampers are pretty much the industry standard now, and the gas in them acts just like a radiator cap. The pressure keeps the oil from foaming and cavitation away.
I'll tell you know they are not cheap. But they are a lot cheaper than a bunch of broken parts are. And you could try just regular Koni SA's, but they have no compression adjustment which is really what we need to deal with the mass of the 9".
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
10-10-2008, 11:56 AM
#5
well i have a 6 speed camaro with a 9 inch rear, ajustable qa1, adj. torque arm, bmr lca's and relocations bracket it has stock springs with water hose mod and im on 275/50/15 mt drag radials and my car wheel hops very bad i have my pinion angle at about -2.5 degrees and i had my lca in bottom hole and shocks on around 4 clicks and it wheel hopped really bad every time i tried to launch so the next weekend i tried middle hole on lca and it still hopped bad and i was only launching at about 3500 so i tightened shock to about 7 clicks just to see if shock were to loose and it started hookin but boggin so i tried launchin harder and as soon as i launched hard enough to break traction it wheel hopped again everytime i break traction it hops very bad and i dont know what else i could try or possible problems that could cause it any information will be appreciated...
10-10-2008, 12:06 PM
#6
The hitch is every car is different. Some never wheelhop. Some do stock, some don't. Some never start and on it goes.
I'm simply seeing the fact you have played with your instant center already by adjusting your LCA's in the brackets. You have a TA, and have found adjusting the damping up helped, but hadn't cured it. That fact combined with the other attempts and the fact you already have a TA and LCA's and brackets points me toward the shock valving.
YMMV, and opinions certainly will.
I'm simply seeing the fact you have played with your instant center already by adjusting your LCA's in the brackets. You have a TA, and have found adjusting the damping up helped, but hadn't cured it. That fact combined with the other attempts and the fact you already have a TA and LCA's and brackets points me toward the shock valving.
YMMV, and opinions certainly will.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
