Wheel hop cure
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Ithaca Michigan
Wheel hop cure
Took the car to the track and full throttle in first and most of second is out of the question without tons of wheel hop. I have a 2000 coupe with 71,000 miles on it and an LS3 that has the torque of a Duramax. I want the car to keep riding nice but not wheel hop so bad at the drag strip. Can I just install urethane bushings? Thanks in advance, Tom
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Racing on runflats 
You'll need much better tires for this activity, there is a reason Z06's don't come with runflats. BE CAREFUL with slicks without a trans brace, if you get too much traction you can crack the trans case on a bad launch. There is an aftermarket (DTE) brace for this but if you don't launch too hard till you know how the tires hook up you should be OK.
You'll need much better tires for this activity, there is a reason Z06's don't come with runflats. BE CAREFUL with slicks without a trans brace, if you get too much traction you can crack the trans case on a bad launch. There is an aftermarket (DTE) brace for this but if you don't launch too hard till you know how the tires hook up you should be OK.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Ithaca Michigan
I ran the crap tires so I could have fun with some Mustangs that were have a little get together at the track that day. There were four Roush mustangs there running 13.50s to 14.0s and they thought my C5 was stock. My first pass was a 11.97 at 124 wheel hopping (seemingly) to halftrack with a 2.20 60ft
Better tires will only make the wheel hop worse wont it????
Better tires will only make the wheel hop worse wont it????
Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 681
Likes: 11
From: Carson City MI
If you are on original shocks, C6Z06 shocks will help. I have a 2000 Vert LS1 with 80,000 miles. I launch at 2500 on BFG Super Sports and get no wheel hop. Once in awhile in 2nd I will have to pedal it.
Last edited by GreenDream; May 24, 2010 at 02:59 PM. Reason: Miss spelled
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Do a search on "Wheel hop", there are MANY threads. Tires will make the biggest difference in a stock setup. Bald runflats (especially cold) will have spotty traction which is most likely your biggest issue. Stick, low pressure racing tires will give a better grip.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,088
Likes: 1,829
From: Metro Detroit Michigan
Yes, there have been many threads. Someone will claim something worked, and then someone else will chime in who tried the same thing, and it didn't work.
Out of all of this, two things appear to work:
If the tires dead-hook and don't spin, you don't get hop.
Coilovers with the rear shocks on a super-stiff setting, along with urethane bushings, are said to work.
C6 ZO6 shocks didn't do it for me, although there was a slight improvement. Sticky tires won't fix it, unless they're sticky enough not to spin. My Nitto drags looked promising initially, but then I found out that they just hopped at different temperatures and under different conditions than the street tires. And when they did hop, it was much more violent. They worked fine if heated enough that they wouldn't spin, but when just driving around, it's a nuisance to stop and do a burnout periodically.
Out of all of this, two things appear to work:
If the tires dead-hook and don't spin, you don't get hop.
Coilovers with the rear shocks on a super-stiff setting, along with urethane bushings, are said to work.
C6 ZO6 shocks didn't do it for me, although there was a slight improvement. Sticky tires won't fix it, unless they're sticky enough not to spin. My Nitto drags looked promising initially, but then I found out that they just hopped at different temperatures and under different conditions than the street tires. And when they did hop, it was much more violent. They worked fine if heated enough that they wouldn't spin, but when just driving around, it's a nuisance to stop and do a burnout periodically.
Last edited by Warp Factor; May 24, 2010 at 05:12 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Took the car to the track and full throttle in first and most of second is out of the question without tons of wheel hop. I have a 2000 coupe with 71,000 miles on it and an LS3 that has the torque of a Duramax. I want the car to keep riding nice but not wheel hop so bad at the drag strip. Can I just install urethane bushings? Thanks in advance, Tom
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,088
Likes: 1,829
From: Metro Detroit Michigan
If you race or increase power substantially, budget for repairs. With any luck, you can spend the money on something else. 
Wheel hop beats up the drivetrain, but it only gets worse doing it on sticky tires.
Wheel hop beats up the drivetrain, but it only gets worse doing it on sticky tires.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 547
Likes: 2
From: Clinton Twp. Michigan
I have the DTE brace, PFADT trans mount, and PFADT engine mounts. I get NO wheel hop above 45 degrees, unless I really heat up the tires. Cold outside = cold tires = wheel hop, even with all the extras. Runs great the rest of the year in all conditions.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Yes, there have been many threads. Someone will claim something worked, and then someone else will chime in who tried the same thing, and it didn't work.
Out of all of this, two things appear to work:
If the tires dead-hook and don't spin, you don't get hop.
Coilovers with the rear shocks on a super-stiff setting, along with urethane bushings, are said to work.
C6 ZO6 shocks didn't do it for me, although there was a slight improvement. Sticky tires won't fix it, unless they're sticky enough not to spin. My Nitto drags looked promising initially, but then I found out that they just hopped at different temperatures and under different conditions than the street tires. And when they did hop, it was much more violent. They worked fine if heated enough that they wouldn't spin, but when just driving around, it's a nuisance to stop and do a burnout periodically.
Out of all of this, two things appear to work:
If the tires dead-hook and don't spin, you don't get hop.
Coilovers with the rear shocks on a super-stiff setting, along with urethane bushings, are said to work.
C6 ZO6 shocks didn't do it for me, although there was a slight improvement. Sticky tires won't fix it, unless they're sticky enough not to spin. My Nitto drags looked promising initially, but then I found out that they just hopped at different temperatures and under different conditions than the street tires. And when they did hop, it was much more violent. They worked fine if heated enough that they wouldn't spin, but when just driving around, it's a nuisance to stop and do a burnout periodically.
Tall profile drag radials
NEW sticky tires
Suspension travel. too stiff of a suppression or suspension bottoming out as the car is lowered will also cause wheel hop
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 866
Likes: 5
From: Jensen Beach FL
Over the years I have come to the conclusion that for my car it is water on the road or track that causes it to wheel hop. I made 100+ ¼ mile passes on the original runflats and the only time it ever wheel hopped was when the car before me drove through the burnout box with street tires and drug water up the track. I have found the same thing on the street. When the road is wet I get instant wheel hop. When the road/track is dry, I have never had any wheel hop with runflats, drag radials, or non runflats.
