wheel hop Help!!

Jon22 · Oct 31, 2005

Hi,

I am having a serious problem with traction and wheel hop in first gear. My car is a 65 stang with a 300hp 289 and t-5 trans. I have looked at the global west and maier leaf springs and cal-tracs traction bars. Something has to be done to correct the problems that I am having. I am planning to install a Moser or Currie 9inch soon and I would appreciate any advice from people who have encountered these problems and solved them. Also to mention, my rear suspension is worn-out stock with an open 3.25 8inch.

Thanks, Jon

ForceFed70 · Oct 31, 2005

Jon22 said:
Hi,

I am having a serious problem with traction and wheel hop in first gear. My car is a 65 stang with a 300hp 289 and t-5 trans. I have looked at the global west and maier leaf springs and cal-tracs traction bars. Something has to be done to correct the problems that I am having. I am planning to install a Moser or Currie 9inch soon and I would appreciate any advice from people who have encountered these problems and solved them. Also to mention, my rear suspension is worn-out stock with an open 3.25 8inch.

Thanks, Jon

I noticed a huge improvement when I installed my new 5 leaf springs and new bushings. The stiffer leafs really helped with the hop. I'd also install a set of performance shocks while your at it.

Start there, then look into traction bars or something similar.

65up2d8 · Oct 31, 2005

Jon22 said:
Hi,

I am having a serious problem with traction and wheel hop in first gear. My car is a 65 stang with a 300hp 289 and t-5 trans. I have looked at the global west and maier leaf springs and cal-tracs traction bars. Something has to be done to correct the problems that I am having. I am planning to install a Moser or Currie 9inch soon and I would appreciate any advice from people who have encountered these problems and solved them. Also to mention, my rear suspension is worn-out stock with an open 3.25 8inch.

Thanks, Jon

I've found that clutch chatter greatly contributed to my wheel hop problems in the past. What kind of clutch are you running? Are you running the original Z-bar linkage or a clutch or hydraulic setup? I'm, unfortunately, still running the Z-bar linkage as I converted to a T-5 before cable clutch and hydraulic systems were readily available. However, when I installed my Centerforce dual friction clutch and pressure plate it significantly reduced clutch chatter and, in turn, wheel hop. I think a cable or hydraulic system would pretty much take away any wheel hop I have remaining.

MustangMatt1966 · Nov 1, 2005

i agree with 65up2d8, check for cluch chatter first, i made a few improvements because i thought i had wheel hop (i.e traction bars ect.) turned out all i needed to do was have my flywheel re-surfaced to get rid of the hot spots....solved the whole problem!!!! so check that first

red65 · Nov 1, 2005

I had the same problem with my '65 - setup is not far from yours. On stock springs the axle hop was scary and the axle wound up enough after a hard shift to bounce the driveshaft off the tunnel (don't try this at home kids!). I replaced the rear springs with Maier racing 250#/in leafs, which completely solved the problem. Maier stacks the leafs towards the front, so they locate the axle without using traction bars (Maier recommends that you don't use them). I can launch, shift, and generally dish out abuse now, with no axle hop or unnerving noises from the back of the car. Downside is that ride quality over rough roads has gone straight in the toilet - everything's a compromise!

chepsk8 · Nov 1, 2005

I have experience with both type of traction bars, "Slappers" & Underrides. Both work. the "Slappers" pick up the entire car when planting the rear, and do allow some wheel spin and are adjustable to se the car up like you want. The underrides plant the rear, and make the car rotate around the rear axle, lifting the nose. They are not adjustable, mounting them where you weld them. Other idea - Ford used a snubber & special bracket on the nose of the pumpkin to control diff wrap-up. Find one of those, and custom shim the bumper.

I also agree with the guys above, if your leaf springs are weak, they'l wrap right up like cardboard.

iskwezm · Nov 1, 2005

make sure your pinion angle is correct too

tylerrocks · Nov 1, 2005

chepsk8 said:
I have experience with both type of traction bars, "Slappers" & Underrides. Both work. the "Slappers" pick up the entire car when planting the rear, and do allow some wheel spin and are adjustable to se the car up like you want. The underrides plant the rear, and make the car rotate around the rear axle, lifting the nose. They are not adjustable, mounting them where you weld them. Other idea - Ford used a snubber & special bracket on the nose of the pumpkin to control diff wrap-up. Find one of those, and custom shim the bumper.

I also agree with the guys above, if your leaf springs are weak, they'l wrap right up like cardboard.

Ditto.

Edit: If you really got mad at wheel hop you could go this route http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Suspension/tcp-torque-arm.htm
Tyler

Jon22 · Nov 2, 2005

thanks

Thanks for all the advice you guys. By the way, my clutch is a centerfoce gold(stage one)with the stock z-bar linkage. I think that chatter may be part of the problem but it is so bad that it can't be just the clutch. I am thinking of trying the maier 165 mid eyes first to see if that helps or solves the problems.

Thanks again, Jon22

HistoricMustang · Nov 2, 2005

70_Nitrous_Eater said:
I noticed a huge improvement when I installed my new 5 leaf springs and new bushings. The stiffer leafs really helped with the hop. I'd also install a set of performance shocks while your at it.

Start there, then look into traction bars or something similar.

Yep, this should solve the problem. Your current situation is mainly due to the old springs.

I also used the five leaf..................

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

iskwezm · Nov 2, 2005

Jon22 said:
Thanks for all the advice you guys. By the way, my clutch is a centerfoce gold(stage one)with the stock z-bar linkage. I think that chatter may be part of the problem but it is so bad that it can't be just the clutch. I am thinking of trying the maier 165 mid eyes first to see if that helps or solves the problems.

Thanks again, Jon22

I also had a centerforce DF clutch and it was the worst thing i ever did to the car,switched to a Mcleod and no more chatter

S-Car-Go · Nov 3, 2005

All the aformentioned solutions are valid improvments, but I don't think it will solve your problem.

A worn out stock 289 will have traction problems if you have a 3.25 open rearend and a 3.35 first gear. All your torque is applied to one tire, one leafspring, one set of bushings and then you throw body twist into the mix...

A Currie 9" is a bit overkill. An 8" traction-loc will hold up better than you think (at less than half the price). The T5 will probably go first. Just get both wheels pushing you first, then look at traction devices if you need them.

ForceFed70 · Nov 4, 2005

S-Car-Go said:
All the aformentioned solutions are valid improvments, but I don't think it will solve your problem.

A worn out stock 289 will have traction problems if you have a 3.25 open rearend and a 3.35 first gear. All your torque is applied to one tire, one leafspring, one set of bushings and then you throw body twist into the mix...

A Currie 9" is a bit overkill. An 8" traction-loc will hold up better than you think (at less than half the price). The T5 will probably go first. Just get both wheels pushing you first, then look at traction devices if you need them.

Hmmm I'm pretty sure he was complaining about wheel-hop and not traction. Better traction will only make the wheel hop worse.

Pbum5 · Nov 4, 2005

Jon22 said:
Thanks for all the advice you guys. By the way, my clutch is a centerfoce gold(stage one)with the stock z-bar linkage. I think that chatter may be part of the problem but it is so bad that it can't be just the clutch. I am thinking of trying the maier 165 mid eyes first to see if that helps or solves the problems.

Thanks again, Jon22

I have the Maier 165's and like them. They come in standard height and 1.25” drop.
Maier springs are made differently from most sold at Mustang suppliers. Call them and they will tell you all about it.
They really tightened up the rear. I also opted for Poly bushing and Heavy-duty shackles and the 1.25” drop.

Should give you the feel that you are looking for.

Here is some info about my install of them and other parts.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=536542&highlight=projects+begin

180 Out · Nov 4, 2005

I have terrible wheelhop probs in my kids' '65. Vital statistics: C code 289 unmodified and unrebuilt other than a 4-bbl intake and 500 cfm Edelbrock and tri-y's; 3.55:1 8" Auburn lsd; 215/70-14 Dunlop GT Qualifiers; Maier 4.5 leaf l.25" drop springs; KYB Gas-A-Justs; new billet steel flywheel; and a plain vanilla Ram diaphragm organic clutch.

In other words, I have applied just about every fix that has been suggested in this thread so far, and the wheel hop was still scary bad. I even broke a spring perch off the axle on my approx. tenth (and last) attempt at a clutch drop.

Right now I'm putting on Competition Engineering Slide-A-Links. I wish I could tell you how they work, but the car's still up on jack stands. I'm also putting in a T-5 off a '95 Mustang (which means a low, low first), and a Fays2 Watts Link, so I'll never know if the Slide-A-Links alone would have fixed the wheel-hop prob. I also have put on some 235/45-17 tires, and I don't know if that's a wheel hop helper or a wheel hop decreaser.

65ShelbyClone · Nov 5, 2005

S-Car-Go said:
A worn out stock 289 will have traction problems if you have a 3.25 open rearend and a 3.35 first gear. All your torque is applied to one tire, one leafspring, one set of bushings and then you throw body twist into the mix...

Really? My '68 has some concerning hop, but its got an open 3.00 rear. I know it isnt the clutch because the passenger rear will let loose with only heavy throttle. The weird thing was my '65 notch before that had a 9" T-Lok, old springs and cheap shocks and you could drop that thing hard with little or no hop.

S-Car-Go · Nov 5, 2005

I guess we all have different experiences then. My last 66 had a tired stock289 w/3.00 open and a toploader. I put in a T5 wheel hop was bad (but there's no way it could have broken a spring perch). Putting in a 3.40 t-lok helped immensly. A new clutch and resufacing the flywheel was also a great help.

65ShelbyClone · Nov 5, 2005

Well, we'll see if another 9" T-lok and 3.50s will help .

wheel hop Help!!

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