Bad Wheel Hop During Launch

[35th-ANV-SS]

Hey guys/girls.

I've been able to get out to the track a few times now and every time I launch I am getting really bad wheel hop. The whole ass end of the car feels like it is going to come apart.

Tires are Nitto DRs 555. I have tried launching from 2500-4000, with not much difference in how the car feels coming off the line.

Do you think it's the tires? Only other thing that I could think of that would help me are shocks/springs in the front to try to transfer more weight to the back during launch.

Also, maybe was thinking that a higher launch might help? 4500-5000?

I don't know if the tires are slipping so bad at lower RPMs and that is the hop I am feeling.

60' times have ranged from 1.906 to 1.995 for all 7 runs. I only have one launch in at 4K and that was the 1.906 60’ time.

I do have relocation brackets for the LCAs.

[Hi-Po]

Hey guys/girls.

I've been able to get out to the track a few times now and every time I launch I am getting really bad wheel hop. The whole ass end of the car feels like it is going to come apart.

Tires are Nitto DRs 555. I have tried launching from 2500-4000, with not much difference in how the car feels coming off the line.

Do you think it's the tires? Only other thing that I could think of that would help me are shocks/springs in the front to try to transfer more weight to the back during launch.

Also, maybe was thinking that a higher launch might help? 4500-5000?

I don't know if the tires are slipping so bad at lower RPMs and that is the hop I am feeling.

60' times have ranged from 1.906 to 1.995 for all 7 runs. I only have one launch in at 4K and that was the 1.906 60’ time.

I do have relocation brackets for the LCAs.

What holes do you have the LCA's in? Need to check the pinion angle. I had some seriously nasty wheelhop at the beginning of this year. It needs to be fixed, that's one thing that will break something.

Check pinion angle
Lower the LCA's to the bottom hole
Try different launches. Those Nittos have a stiff sidewall, and there isn't much there. What tire pressure are you running in those Nitto's? Are you slipping the clutch getting off the line or dumping it? You need to slip the clutch with those tires.

What rear sway bar are you running? Everything that I did this year completely eliminated my wheel hop.

Removed front sway bar
Added bigger BMR sway bar in the rear
Played with tire pressure and launch
Slipped the clutch
Lowered the LCA's
Adjusted my Pinion Angle


Finally I went back to the good ole MT ET DR, and wont be returning ever with Nitto's

[35th-ANV-SS]

What holes do you have the LCA's in? Need to check the pinion angle. I had some seriously nasty wheelhop at the beginning of this year. It needs to be fixed, that's one thing that will break something.

Check pinion angle
Lower the LCA's to the bottom hole
Try different launches. Those Nittos have a stiff sidewall, and there isn't much there. What tire pressure are you running in those Nitto's? Are you slipping the clutch getting off the line or dumping it? You need to slip the clutch with those tires.

What rear sway bar are you running? Everything that I did this year completely eliminated my wheel hop.

Removed front sway bar
Added bigger BMR sway bar in the rear
Played with tire pressure and launch
Slipped the clutch
Lowered the LCA's
Adjusted my Pinion Angle


Finally I went back to the good ole MT ET DR, and wont be returning ever with Nitto's

Tire pressure was 22 psi the first time out and 18 psi the second time out. Not a difference between the two that I noticed.

I was dumping the clutch. Bills98 on here also mentioned that I should try to slip out the clutch instead of dumping it.

Rear sway bar is stock right now. Guess I will need to order one up.

I plan on probably getting an extra set of rims with M/Ts for track use for next year.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Did you get the Extreme BMR rear sway bar? That thing looks ridiculous.

Just wondering because my current sway bar is a tight fit with the 9".

Looks like the Extreme offers more clearance.

[Hi-Po]

I forget what sway bar it was, its definitely beefer then the stock one for sure.

Those tire want to be slipped, I would do another pass and launch from maybe 4500 and slip the clutch. Its a difficult thing to get used to, act like your taking off from a stop light, quickly.

They are going to be a tight fit. Personally, I would shoo you away from the BMR sway bar being you have a Moser 9". The bracket it going to be in the way. I notched the bottom post, just a little bit on the bottom. Its still very tight. Check around for different sway bars, I know there is a brand that doesn't hit. I cant remember what I read though.

[Sam Strano]

Hang on a second.... You have LCA brackets, but what about LCA's? If they are stock, that's where you'd want to start.

Other things that can help with wheelhop are shocks, and stiffer torque arm. What won't is a swaybar. A bar is used to make a car leave straighter and will not stop the hopping.

I'd start with LCA's and the TA. Both aren't very stiff. Stock LCA's also have air gap bushings which allow wind-up. The stock TA is stamped sheetmetal that isn't rigid enough for hard launching, and it too can wind-up. When they spring back the hop can be severe--just like on a leaf-spring car without traction bars.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Hang on a second.... You have LCA brackets, but what about LCA's? If they are stock, that's where you'd want to start.

Other things that can help with wheelhop are shocks, and stiffer torque arm. What won't is a swaybar. A bar is used to make a car leave straighter and will not stop the hopping.

I'd start with LCA's and the TA. Both aren't very stiff. Stock LCA's also have air gap bushings which allow wind-up. The stock TA is stamped sheetmetal that isn't rigid enough for hard launching, and it too can wind-up. When they spring back the hop can be severe--just like on a leaf-spring car without traction bars.

Thanks for the info Sam. I do have BMR LCAs and a BMR Trak Pak though.

I crawled under the car after work today. The LCAs are mounted to the second hole down, not the very bottom hole so I will change that and see if that makes a difference.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Check pinion angle

Finally I went back to the good ole MT ET DR, and wont be returning ever with Nitto's

Mine is at -2 degrees.

[Sam Strano]

Thanks for the info Sam. I do have BMR LCAs and a BMR Trak Pak though.

I crawled under the car after work today. The LCAs are mounted to the second hole down, not the very bottom hole so I will change that and see if that makes a difference.

Might help due to more traction, but might not. All you can do is try. But all that's really left would be to make sure nothing is wrong--and to put some shocks on there that better deal with the unsprung weight. Yes, shocks matter with regards to wheelhop, more and more the more miles they have on them, and/or the more weight (read big rear axles) you have.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Might help due to more traction, but might not. All you can do is try. But all that's really left would be to make sure nothing is wrong--and to put some shocks on there that better deal with the unsprung weight. Yes, shocks matter with regards to wheelhop, more and more the more miles they have on them, and/or the more weight (read big rear axles) you have.

Car has 16k miles on it. Any suggestions on set-up? I see most people on here use QA1. Do I need to also change out springs?

This is a street car (99%) and sees low mileage. I don't take it to the track that often. However, when I do, I want to be able to hook well considering what all I have spent/done to it. Is there a good compromise between track and street for shocks?

I also have been hearing more and more people tell me it's probably just the tires I am using, which I am starting to believe. I will definitely be using M/Ts the next time I hit the track.

[0verkill]

Car has 16k miles on it. Any suggestions on set-up? I see most people on here use QA1. Do I need to also change out springs?

This is a street car (99%) and sees low mileage. I don't take it to the track that often. However, when I do, I want to be able to hook well considering what all I have spent/done to it. Is there a good compromise between track and street for shocks?

I also have been hearing more and more people tell me it's probably just the tires I am using, which I am starting to believe. I will definitely be using M/Ts the next time I hit the track.

and sam what spring to you think would work best to? could a sring change help?

[Sam Strano]

Car has 16k miles on it. Any suggestions on set-up? I see most people on here use QA1. Do I need to also change out springs?

This is a street car (99%) and sees low mileage. I don't take it to the track that often. However, when I do, I want to be able to hook well considering what all I have spent/done to it. Is there a good compromise between track and street for shocks?

I also have been hearing more and more people tell me it's probably just the tires I am using, which I am starting to believe. I will definitely be using M/Ts the next time I hit the track.

QA1's are not a good idea. Most know I'm a Koni fan, and in a case like this where the car has no a lot of miles (meaning the stock shocks likely aren't completely thrashed), and a lot of wheelhop with other parts on, it's one of the rare times I'd recommend DA, or Double Adjustable rear Koni's.

Compression damping is what deals with unsprung weight. Wheelhop is unchecked, or underdamped unsprung weight.... QA1's are just poor dampers for control, and being it's 99% a street car that's important. Not only that they aren't built or valved nearly as well. Hell, they aren't even gas charged to help with cavitation.

[Sam Strano]

and sam what spring to you think would work best to? could a sring change help?

A spring change won't help, it's not a spring problem. It's IMHO a damping problem since he seems to have the other parts covered.

[0verkill]

A spring change won't help, it's not a spring problem. It's IMHO a damping problem since he seems to have the other parts covered.

i just wanted to see i have a low mile car as well 14k and some of the same parts. and i have the 4/4 koni's and was wanting to see what springs you think would work best at the drag race. i have your springs for the rest of the time.

[Sam Strano]

Drag springs are the best launching springs, followed by stock, then lowering springs like mine. Mine were designed to get power down, albeit out of corners. But that's why I don't use a real short or super stiff rear spring.... Lots of guys cutting really good 60's with my springs and Koni's. Whole lot of folks in the 1.6's in street cars with non drag setups, some even better with more slant toward launching.

[0verkill]

Drag springs are the best launching springs, followed by stock, then lowering springs like mine. Mine were designed to get power down, albeit out of corners. But that's why I don't use a real short or super stiff rear spring.... Lots of guys cutting really good 60's with my springs and Koni's. Whole lot of folks in the 1.6's in street cars with non drag setups, some even better with more slant toward launching.

cool thanks for the info sam.

[35th-ANV-SS]

QA1's are not a good idea. Most know I'm a Koni fan, and in a case like this where the car has no a lot of miles (meaning the stock shocks likely aren't completely thrashed), and a lot of wheelhop with other parts on, it's one of the rare times I'd recommend DA, or Double Adjustable rear Koni's.

Compression damping is what deals with unsprung weight. Wheelhop is unchecked, or underdamped unsprung weight.... QA1's are just poor dampers for control, and being it's 99% a street car that's important. Not only that they aren't built or valved nearly as well. Hell, they aren't even gas charged to help with cavitation.

Thanks for the information. I'll look into that come this winter.

[00LS12LS6Z28]

What about an adjustable Panhard rod?

[Sam Strano]

What about it? Great for adjusting the body, doesn't do anything for wheelhop.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Sam, are these the ones you were referring to for the rears?

Part #: 8242-1006SP1