Wheel hop

[malibu80]

In my 79 Ls1 Malibu, I've got excessive wheel hop that I'd like to get rid of. The rear is a Ford 9" with adjustable UMI control arms. Control arms are set to factory length. Any suggestions.

 

[techg8]

check the springs and shocks make sure theyre in good shape

check all the bushings - new rubber or urethane tightens things up

check pinion angle (pinion relative to driveshaft). being out of spec here has caused wheelhop for me several times.

 

[vonclod]

check the springs and shocks make sure theyre in good shape

check all the bushings - new rubber or urethane tightens things up

check pinion angle (pinion relative to driveshaft). being out of spec here has caused wheelhop for me several times.

i just bought a monty rear end with a 3.73 and it has traction bars which as far as i can tell just change the pinion angle

 

[malibu80]

check the springs and shocks make sure theyre in good shape

check all the bushings - new rubber or urethane tightens things up

check pinion angle (pinion relative to driveshaft). being out of spec here has caused wheelhop for me several times.

A little history...I was having wheel hop issues when I had the stock control arms, old shocks and old springs. I proceeded to change out the shocks and springs first and was still having wheel hop. I recently changed my stock control arms with adjustable UMI control arms and still having wheel hop. The only thing I haven't done is check the pinion angle. How do you check pinion angle and how much pinion angle should I have?

Thanks

 

[shanghaismith]

I found this article to be helpful.
http://www.carcraft.com/howto/91758/
And a drawing showing how to measure pinion angle.

The red line is parallel to the floor.

 

[novadave1973]

I was reading some old posts looking for some ideas for my 86 regal and ran onto this post...not sure if this will help or not, but my buddy has a 98 gmc Sonoma..4 cyl 5 speed. he has done some work to the truck lowed, rear disc, gears, underdrive pulleys and cold air intake.. the truck is by no means a power house but it is fun to drive...anyway..we have had many issues with the wheel hop and being true gear heads we never let off until it goes or brakes...and it has broke many times..the cure for this truck was taken from the s10 extreme chassis.. they use a 3rd shock much like a steering dampner you would find on the fron of many 4wd trucks...it is bolted to a bracket on the rear and again to the frame on the passenger side of the truck....it works...we installed this set up on his Sonoma and we can pop the clutch at 5k rpms and all she does is spin... nnot one ounce of wheelhop... good luck

 

[84GP455]

I was reading some old posts looking for some ideas for my 86 regal and ran onto this post...not sure if this will help or not, but my buddy has a 98 gmc Sonoma..4 cyl 5 speed. he has done some work to the truck lowed, rear disc, gears, underdrive pulleys and cold air intake.. the truck is by no means a power house but it is fun to drive...anyway..we have had many issues with the wheel hop and being true gear heads we never let off until it goes or brakes...and it has broke many times..the cure for this truck was taken from the s10 extreme chassis.. they use a 3rd shock much like a steering dampner you would find on the fron of many 4wd trucks...it is bolted to a bracket on the rear and again to the frame on the passenger side of the truck....it works...we installed this set up on his Sonoma and we can pop the clutch at 5k rpms and all she does is spin... nnot one ounce of wheelhop... good luck

I have had bad wheel hop since I swapped in the 87 GN rear end. You may be on to something there NovaDave, maybe adding a shock somewhere on the rear would work. I was going to do process of elimination like MAlibu80 did, but would have been in the same boat as him, with the same problem still.

 

[novadave1973]

CHECK OUT THE REAR SUSPENSION ON AN S10 EXTREME...WE USED EXACT SAME SET UP...