Wheel hop

[a25rjr]

How do I stop it on my street truck? Once it starts spinning, it starts violently wheel hopping!

[CCHIEF]

Learn throttle control. Add weight behind rear axle.

[Punisher88]

Product of a leaf spring.

[billetbirdcage]

Wheel hop is from the suspension loading and unloading. With a leaf spring the front of the spring bows upward and makes the leaf look like a S from the side instead of a U, then the front of the leaf pops back and unloads the tires and repeats causing the wheel hop. Reason a traction bar of some sort, eliminates the issue because it stops the front half of the leaf from excessively bowing and snapping back. Adding lowering or lift blocks between the axle and leaf adds leverage to the axle to bow the spring and magnifies it making it worse.

On link type suspensions, many times the hop is caused from bushing or trailing arm deflection and like a pole vault bows and snaps back causing the wheel hop. Changing to more rigid bushings or trailing arms will help as well as moving the arms locations to a location for anti-squat and ETC.

[billetbirdcage]

If you have leafs, look at Cal-trac bars or rearranging your multi leafs with the smaller leafs going towards the front more then in the middle, this will create a stiff front half to the leaf and stop the bowing of the front half of the leaf assembly.

Stock and super stock drag racers have done this for years to eliminate it, also look at a typical leaf design over the mopar leaf design from years ago and you will see the mopar has a shorter front half then others making them mush less likely to wheel hop.

[a25rjr]

If you have leafs, look at Cal-trac bars or rearranging your multi leafs with the smaller leafs going towards the front more then in the middle, this will create a stiff front half to the leaf and stop the bowing of the front half of the leaf assembly.

Stock and super stock drag racers have done this for years to eliminate it, also look at a typical leaf design over the mopar leaf design from years ago and you will see the mopar has a shorter front half then others making them mush less likely to wheel hop.

Thanks for the info. I knew it was the leaf spring wrapping and un-wrapping. Just lookin for the best way to stop it. One 4x4 shop wanted $600 for a set of their bars. You or I could build them for about $150! lol

I don't know what length to make them. Info on the net is all over the place!

[billetbirdcage]

Thanks for the info. I knew it was the leaf spring wrapping and un-wrapping. Just lookin for the best way to stop it. One 4x4 shop wanted $600 for a set of their bars. You or I could build them for about $150! lol

I don't know what length to make them. Info on the net is all over the place!


The cal tracs work very well and are quickly adjustable to smooth out ride when not needed. They work by a rod under the spring that when the axle raps up it pushes forward on a pivoting bracket attached the the front eye bolt of the leaf. Then rotates the bracket against the top of the leaf and basically bypasses the front half of the leaf so it can't bow.

https://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.html

https://www.calvertracing.com/images/pages/41.jpg

There are other ways of doing it too, like rearranging the leafs or like this:
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/vindex1963/media/tractionbars.jpg.html

[RCJ]

On mid 70s Camaros the rear shocks were staggered ,one in front one behind the axle.It was to help stop wheel hop,you could also space them farther out to help.

[a25rjr]

On mid 70s Camaros the rear shocks were staggered ,one in front one behind the axle.It was to help stop wheel hop,you could also space them farther out to help.

I was thinking the same thing. I just don't want to weld a brkt on my rearend, and it not fix it!

[a25rjr]

The cal tracs work very well and are quickly adjustable to smooth out ride when not needed. They work by a rod under the spring that when the axle raps up it pushes forward on a pivoting bracket attached the the front eye bolt of the leaf. Then rotates the bracket against the top of the leaf and basically bypasses the front half of the leaf so it can't bow.

https://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.html

https://www.calvertracing.com/images/pages/41.jpg

There are other ways of doing it too, like rearranging the leafs or like this:
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/vindex1963/media/tractionbars.jpg.html

I like the ones on top as this is my truck used for dog hunting. Here is a set from Tuff Country. What do you think?
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/10997-gmc-sierra.html?gclid=COGPydLxy84CFZEBaQodoWcGqA

[billetbirdcage]

I like the ones on top as this is my truck used for dog hunting. Here is a set from Tuff Country. What do you think?
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/10997-gmc-sierra.html?gclid=COGPydLxy84CFZEBaQodoWcGqA

unless it has a rotating bracket like the cal trac then it is not adjustable and can make the rear suspension very stiff if you get a fair amount of travel. If it was adjustable when you didn't need the NON hop effect you can increase the gap and have a regular smooth ride. Some of them can get really stiff if you compress the rear suspension much more then an inch and are very harsh the more they travel.

No ideal on that type for sure on ride quality, looks like it may rely on the deflection of the bushings to keep the suspension from binding and getting harsh, or least it looks that way to me but don't show the front mount very well to see for sure.

[bb14]

Wait a minute guys. These are not Lucas approved modifications.

[billetbirdcage]

Wait a minute guys. These are not Lucas approved modifications.

legal it still has less then 2 bars per side.

[turtle1hp]

Rumley device. That will fix it! LOL

[a25rjr]

unless it has a rotating bracket like the cal trac then it is not adjustable and can make the rear suspension very stiff if you get a fair amount of travel. If it was adjustable when you didn't need the NON hop effect you can increase the gap and have a regular smooth ride. Some of them can get really stiff if you compress the rear suspension much more then an inch and are very harsh the more they travel.

No ideal on that type for sure on ride quality, looks like it may rely on the deflection of the bushings to keep the suspension from binding and getting harsh, or least it looks that way to me but don't show the front mount very well to see for sure.

Thanks for the help. I didn't realize the caltrac rotated. Im assuming that front bracket replaces the stock bracket. I hope I wont have any ground clearance issues.

Should I send a drawing to the ga DNR to get it approved. I don't wont to have an unfair advantage over the other competitors(deer), seeing as we already use gps tracking collars on our dogs! lol

[Bubstr]

If your running a multi leaf spring, these bars will eliminate rear steer that comes from the bow in the spring front. This can be either good or bad thing. I believe Afco still makes a cheap spring clamp, that you can pt on the spring with a wrench and dial it to your liking. Clamps at end of each leaf, front and back for solid. Just fronts or every other leaf and they don't have to be the same side to side. If I remember right solid on the right and just front clamps on the left was close. Then re arching the springs and using lowering blocks, fine tuned it. It's all about anti squat and asymmetrical loading. Putting that left rear mount on a slider can help get you some rear steer also. If you twist that spring up, you need shock to control it.