Wheel h-h-h-h--h-h-h--h-h-h-h--h-hop!

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 2:03 am

I finally made it out to the drag strip today. LACR in Palmdale, 2700 ft elevation, 1/4 mile.
I started out with a 14.907 @ 92.54 mph, thats with a 2.17 60 foot.
On the next run I got a 2.15 60 foot but this time shifted at like 6500-7000 instead of 6000. This improved my ET to 14.75 with a 92.7 mph trap speed.
Here's where the problems started: the next run I decided to work on my 60 foot. Now I was getting tire hop at the beginning of 1st gear, which got me a 2.387 60 foot. Ended up with a 15.16 @ 92.1 mph. On the next run I got wheel hop up to 7,000 RPM in 1st gear, shifted into 2nd and WHEEL HOPPED THROUGH SECOND. WTF. I made a few more runs just for the heck of it but was running 15s.
As the track got stickier things were just getting worsed so i called it a night and watched the drags for awhile.
Anyone else experience wheel hop on an 88? I have poly bushings, KYB struts, 175lb/in springs (just slightly stiffer than stock, not really noticeably so), and the ride height is slightly lowered.
I plan on getting some konis and I have some 350lb springs to put on them. Is that probably all I need to do or should I start looking into suspension mods?
Tires are 255/40/17 Pirelli P7000s on the rear.

Nemesis · Post by **Nemesis** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 2:16 am

I have an 88 with poly, Addco 1" rear bar, lowered about 1.5" or so and didn't get any wheel hop at the strip. But I had very old and dry tires too, they mostly just spun. My best was 14.5 @ 93 with my 2.8 turbo.

Isn't the main cause of wheel hop bad struts or shocks? Did you side-step the clutch?

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 2:17 am

Nemesis wrote: Did you side-step the clutch?

Nope, tried to be as gentle as possible launching. I got wheel hop from a roll in 1st gear if I just slammed on the gas.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 5:22 am

I read on Old Europe that adding a rear swaybar can cure wheel hop. I'm not certain I understand why and I really don't want to put mine back on. Will 350lb/in springs and Konis set to full hard be enough?

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:13 am

Series8217 wrote:Will 350lb/in springs and Konis set to full hard be enough?

yes thats a good combination and should take take of most of your wheel hop

The Dark Side of Will · Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:20 am

Series8217 wrote:KYB struts

That's your problem.

Stiffer springs will make wheel hop *worse*, but the Konis should still be able to handle them.

Nemesis · Post by **Nemesis** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:15 pm

Series8217 wrote:I read on Old Europe that adding a rear swaybar can cure wheel hop.

Like you, I don't see how it would. If both wheels with the sway bar move up and down at the same time, the bar does nothing.

But... I guess if the wheels bounced up and down at different times it could either stop it or make it worse.

Any chance you have ever locked up the brakes and flat-spotted the tires? The only time I had wheel hop was on my old 84 TA, but it had worn shocks on the back. It only did it at the strip too. On the street it would burnout very smooth (I was young and stupid).

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:36 pm

Nemesis wrote: Any chance you have ever locked up the brakes and flat-spotted the tires?

Nope. Certainly not the rears. Way too much front bias with my current tire stagger to do that. No other signs of flat spotted tires anyway.

The Dark Side of Will · Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:32 am

Series8217 wrote:I read on Old Europe that adding a rear swaybar can cure wheel hop. I'm not certain I understand why and I really don't want to put mine back on. Will 350lb/in springs and Konis set to full hard be enough?

A swaybar might help with wheel hop on a *solid axle* car because those have a tendency to lift one wheel before the other... It won't do dick for wheel hop on an IRS car. Just get Konis. Problem solved.

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:26 pm

I've got a similar suspension setup to yours on my 88 coupe only I have the factory rear sway bar. My car just hooks up and goes. If anything it will spin the tires but I never have wheel hop.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 9:57 pm

Fast88Fiero wrote:I've got a similar suspension setup to yours on my 88 coupe only I have the factory rear sway bar. My car just hooks up and goes. If anything it will spin the tires but I never have wheel hop.

Not even at the track once the surface is sticky?

I don't have this problem on the street.

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:32 pm

Series8217 wrote:
Fast88Fiero wrote:I've got a similar suspension setup to yours on my 88 coupe only I have the factory rear sway bar. My car just hooks up and goes. If anything it will spin the tires but I never have wheel hop.
Not even at the track once the surface is sticky?

I don't have this problem on the street.

Nope, never. My best 60' time (with my old 60* V6) was a 1.8, no spin, no wheel hop.

The Dark Side of Will · Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:21 pm

Fast88Fiero wrote:I've got a similar suspension setup to yours on my 88 coupe only I have the factory rear sway bar. My car just hooks up and goes. If anything it will spin the tires but I never have wheel hop.

What struts and tires? That's critical information that you left out.

The stiffer the spriings, the stickier the surface/tires or the heavier the unsprung weight, the more likely wheel hop will be. The stiffer the dampers, the less likely it will be.

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:30 pm

The Dark Side of Will wrote:
Fast88Fiero wrote:I've got a similar suspension setup to yours on my 88 coupe only I have the factory rear sway bar. My car just hooks up and goes. If anything it will spin the tires but I never have wheel hop.
What struts and tires? That's critical information that you left out.

The stiffer the spriings, the stickier the surface/tires or the heavier the unsprung weight, the more likely wheel hop will be. The stiffer the dampers, the less likely it will be.

Tires are Kumho ECSTA 711's, 235/55/16. Struts are KYB's. I said similar because thats what he said he was running.

The Dark Side of Will · Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:37 pm

Steven is running MUCH stickier tires. That's the difference.

Jinxmutt · Post by **Jinxmutt** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:48 pm

what tire is series using?

Fast88Fiero · Post by **Fast88Fiero** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:51 pm

Still seems odd. My tires dont spin at the track, the car hooks and goes with no wheel hop. Well, until the CV joints or transmission breaks, and that time I broke my cradle..... :cussing:

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:04 am

I had a bit of wheelhop on my old 85 gt with no rear sway bar. It didnt' do it all the time. Just every once in a while. it was so long ago I dont' even know if it happened on the same roads or not. After putting the bar on I didn't notice it doing it anymore. Whether thats attributable to the bar or not I have no clue.

At the track, I would bring my tire pressures down so I would hook better. Maybe too little or too high of tire pressure can cause hop if I am not mistaken. Might be a simple cure. Worth a shot I guess.

I think it also has to do with track or road surface as well. Probably several factors that contribute to hop.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:19 am

After I put my coilovers with the 350 lb springs, my wheel hop was much more manageable.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:15 am

Jinxmutt wrote:what tire is series using?

Series8217 wrote:Tires are 255/40/17 Pirelli P7000s on the rear.

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