Is wheel hop bad for your car? Options

[nate95]

for some reason my tires dont spin when i take off the on the line,, they just hop and it makes my car jump around like crazy and it doesn't feel like its good on the car,, is this a bad thing? how can i keep it from hopping so much?

[nate95]

anybody know anything?

[Kwanza26]

you make too much power running 16 seconds and all... =P

[nate95]

come on guys, im being serious!

This post has been edited by nate95: Mar 27, 2006 - 6:48 PM

[Kwanza26]

It's normal. You don't have LSD... so power transfer isn't as smooth to both wheels, so some hopping and skipping is normal.

[Bitter]

its bad for the motor mounts and the transmission. wheel hop causes the axles to want to spin in an oval and not in a circle. it puts strain on various parts of the drive train. the easiest way to help eliminate it is to use stiffer motor mounts.

[Rayme]

your motor mounts should be changed

[Kwanza26]

are you guys reading the same thing I'm reading?

[Supersprynt]

lower your tire pressure.

You guys are all over motor mounts, boy oh boy its an ST.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Mar 27, 2006 - 8:59 PM

[Kwanza26]

its bad for the motor mounts and the transmission. wheel hop causes the axles to want to spin in an oval and not in a circle. it puts strain on various parts of the drive train. the easiest way to help eliminate it is to use stiffer motor mounts.

It's not bad... nor terrible... it's normal especially when a car is losing traction. It's no worse than going over a bump... only in this case, it's not the road that causes the bump, but the lack of traction. The axles ALWAYS want to go in an oval if that's the way you want to put it... cause they aren't solid nor straight. However... they are bolted in and aren't an issue. He's talking SPECIFICALLY about taking off the line, meaning some sort of launch. For the most part, the strain placed on the mounts is NOT bad because the suspension travel absorbs it all.

This post has been edited by Kwanza26: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:07 PM

[x_itchy_b_x]

when you hit a bump while driving the tires keeps contact with the road.
when you get wheel hop the tire is actually doing just that.
hopping and each time it lifts, the engine is still accelerating and next time it meets pavement it slams down and now all the power is transfered at once. now causing more hoping. HOW can that be good?


launch at a lower rpm.

This post has been edited by x_itchy_b_x: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:14 PM

[Kwanza26]

when you hit a bump while driving the tires keeps contact with the road.
when you get wheel hop the tire is actually doing just that.
hopping and each time it lifts the engine is still accelerating and next time it meets pavement it slams down and now all tha power is transfered at once. now causing more hoping. HOW can that be good?

doesn't work like that... cause the car doesn't lift off, not even mentioning it's an ST. The wheels might lift off, but is absorbed in the suspension (compression and rebound). Road contact would be a valid argument if the tires worked as sufficient absorbtion, but the suspenion is where the brunt of the force is taken. The force on the mounts is pretty much the same... unless of course you have a 400hp monster or something that can potentially twist and break stuff. Think about it... dumping the clutch at a deadstop with enough force to do maybe 20mph or hitting a big bump going 40mph? If anything... maybe the tranny might take a shot or two, and the clutch, but not the suspension nor mounts. They are DESIGNED for those situations.

[Defgeph]

Stiffen up your suspension, you'll experience less wheel hop.

[x_itchy_b_x]

im not worried about the mounts or suspension. the axels is what im worried about.
ive seen some aftermarket beefy honda ones snap on my friends track civic mostly cause of the vilolent vibrations from wheel hop.

[97lestyousay]

I personally think the CV joints would take the hardest hit.
Rev higher and break loose for real like this,

http://s7.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=208DEIGLAAA380F2QDWEH32E68

or like John said launch at lower rpm.

This post has been edited by 97lestyousay: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:27 PM

[Defgeph]

im not worried about the mounts or suspension. the axels is what im worried about.
ive seen some aftermarket beefy honda ones snap on my friends track civic mostly cause of the vilolent vibrations from wheel hop.

Most likely you friend has alot of HP and solid mounts. Once you go with solid mounts the weak point becomes the axles. I have seen plenty of honda axles explode.

[Kwanza26]

How much power are we talking about now? This is a 100hp ST... 8-O

[Defgeph]

How much power are we talking about now? This is a 100hp ST... 8-O

I was thinking 95hp ? Thats stock for an ST

[x_itchy_b_x]

How much power are we talking about now? This is a 100hp ST... 8-O

this is true. im just saying idealy you dont want wheel hop either way.
its not benefictial in launching and eventually somthing is bound to break if he thinks its normal.
even if its cracked or worn bushings from those vibrations.

[southwest2118]

i just started to get wheel hop last Saturday(first night out with turbo) happens mostly on turns left ones i think. i know one or both struts are blown. If that doesn't fix it I'm stiffen the mounts.

[nate95]

i'v got more than 100 hp guys!

[nate95]

its even doing it in the rain on wet pavement,, you'd think the tires would just spin but they dont

[Defgeph]

Stiffen up your suspension, you'll experience less wheel hop.

[nate95]

so i need to stiffin my suspension,, what about lowering the PSI in the front tires? would that help any?

[Defgeph]

In your case probably not. From your profile it looks like you are on stock suspension. The shocks and springs are 12 years old. No matter what you try to do, you'll still get wheel hop. Unless you upgrade you suspension.

Springs, struts, and some sway bars. Then lower the tire pressure.

[Batman722]

poly filled mounts also help releave the problem...

[nate95]

so do you think my springs are shot since their so old? could be i'll have it looked at

[Defgeph]

so do you think my springs are shot since their so old? could be i'll have it looked at

They might still have some life to them, not enough for any race use though. If you are looking to race your car, the first thing you need to upgrade is your suspension and brakes. Then if you want, find some HP to throw in that thing. You can build a nice track car out of an ST, if done right.

[94celicadude]

i would like to put my $.02 in. I own two 6gcs, one is a 94 ST, all engine mounts have been replaced with factory ones and it does not wheel hop when launching, even at high rpm, never has, and now it has better suspension (eibach sport line springs, Sus.Tech. sway bars,hawk brake pads, and triangulated front strut bar, used GT one from firewall to towers and a brace between towers) PS. The car has 200,000mi on it and it still dont wheel hop. Then the other 6gc is a 94 GT Hatchback, 195,000 and the engine mounts have not been replaced, the suspension mods are exactly the same as the ST, this one WHEEL HOPS LIKE A MOTHER****ER!!!! Sometimes even in the rain. Now i dont know why exactly, but i have lowered psi in my tires and all that stuff, new shocks even (KYB) and it still does. So my best guess is the engine mounts. Just putting in my experiences.

[nate95]

thanks man!

[celica3sgte]

Your mounts and suspension play a big role in wheel hop and your tire pressure has a small roll too. When the psi in your tires is less, and you dump the clutch, some stress will be absorbed by the side walls in your tires when they flex. When your tires have more pressure they have less room to flex. Stock motor mounts will flex alot more than aftermarket mounts. These 2 things will both help eliminate wheel hop. Regardless of how much horsepower you have, wheel hop is HORRIBLE, and at some point, something WILL break. It's either gonna be something with an axle or the tranny, whatever is your weakest link. Even 100hp is a substantial amount when talking about drivetrain components breaking. I've seen about 5 axles break at the track from someone wheel hopping.

This post has been edited by celica3sgte: Mar 28, 2006 - 9:02 PM

[lilsteeg]

How much power are we talking about now? This is a 100hp ST... 8-O

I was thinking 95hp ? Thats stock for an ST

i take offense to that, the 7afe makes 110