Wheel hop issue

[nicks diner]

Well finally got the 406 dialed in after AED carb install which really woke this motor up but now with alot more power (at least 525 hp w/o spraying ) wheel hop during a good burnout is very obvious. Got a 5 inch drop coil,new relocated shocks, 15' steel wheels, any help would be appreciated.

[cableguy0]

The drop coils are probably your main issue. You likely aren't getting any weight transfer to speak of. If your serious about traction you will likely have to give up the drop unless you convert to coilovers in the rear and set your ride height that way.

[nicks diner]

I was hoping to hear maybe different shocks or ladder bars. I will look into coil overs thanks.

[Super73]

You don't need to go coil over if you put a well thought out suspension together.

Trailing arm rear suspension?
Stock replacement lowering spring?
What shock is in it now?

Unlike the lowering spring used on the front (short and stiff) the rears I have used are actually pretty good, not overly stiff. A poor shock will not control a soft spring and the axle well want to bounce.

I would start with am adjustable shock. Look for a Rancho 9000 that will fit under your truck. Measure eye to eye of your current shock. Find one that puts your existing length in the middle of max extended and compressed length.

[nicks diner]

Originally Posted by Super73

You don't need to go coil over if you put a well thought out suspension together.

Trailing arm rear suspension?
Stock replacement lowering spring?
What shock is in it now?

Unlike the lowering spring used on the front (short and stiff) the rears I have used are actually pretty good, not overly stiff. A poor shock will not control a soft spring and the axle well want to bounce.

I would start with am adjustable shock. Look for a Rancho 9000 that will fit under your truck. Measure eye to eye of your current shock. Find one that puts your existing length in the middle of max extended and compressed length.

Yes trailing arm
ccp 5' springs
Bel Tech shocks

[BR3W CITY]

I make about 100 less ponies, but I've learned a couple things about my setup (also trailing arm, on jeep coils w/ crappy nitro drop shocks).

When I switched to Qa1's up front, I was able to have a better control on the rear, but not by much. It made the initial transfer more predictable. Qa1 makes some awesome -yet small- adjustable shocks that fit the front even with a good drop. I think they are 9-11".

My stock trailing arms are showing age, and I'm actually expecting that some flex is occuring under hard launch. Welding the seam helps with this, as does getting new (or building new) trailing arms).

I have HEAVY steel 15x12 3piece rear wheels. All that weight directly over the tire actually helps hook up (at the cost of having all that rotating mass and drag on the rear end, and the braking work needed to support it). I'd switch to alum's in the future, but these actually work well and are very cheap.

Last, going coilovers really isn't that hard on these trucks, especially if you have a modified bed (or are willing to). Since at ~5" drop, having a notch is a good idea, it also allows you more total travel while keeping a lower stance. This allows you to run a ~14" coilover from a bridge. There is some fab work, but compared to running a longer coilover up front, its really not bad.

My .02 in facing these issues my self.

oh, and drop your rear tire psi by a couple pounds and see how it feels.

[vin63]

Originally Posted by nicks diner

...Bel Tech shocks

I would start right there and try an adjustable shock that is more geared for racing.

[RatPwrd72]

I like the $13 Gabriel shock from O'Reilly's on the rear of mine combined with a factory replacement rear spring, height adjusted courtesy of oxygen/acetylene. Don't overthink the factory stuff, it works really well. Coil overs, ladder bars and fancy suspension parts aren't needed to go fast. Concentrate on making the front end loose to gain more weight transfer.

[scatesracing]

I fought the same problem for a couple of years. I kept changing things springs shocks tire pressure. I went to a coil over set up and it still did it. The dam thing would shake so hard it would blurr your vision. Then one day an old timer walked up and asked me if i put my truck in high gear to do the burn out. I said no it hops to much. He told me to just get them spinning and shift through the gears ounce in high get up on them and burn em. I tried it on the next pass. it was like magic. It felt like it was going to bog down but i kept crowding the gas and then it went into the best burn out i had ever done.... Every ride is different this is just my 2 cents and it was an easy fix

[BR3W CITY]

^^ I don't understand how that would help you launch or control weight transfer...at all.
Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but with what you described, the car would still bounce on launch.

To the OP, do you have a front swaybar, and have you tried running with it disconnected?

[71Dragtruck]

Originally Posted by scatesracing

I fought the same problem for a couple of years. I kept changing things springs shocks tire pressure. I went to a coil over set up and it still did it. The dam thing would shake so hard it would blurr your vision. Then one day an old timer walked up and asked me if i put my truck in high gear to do the burn out. I said no it hops to much. He told me to just get them spinning and shift through the gears ounce in high get up on them and burn em. I tried it on the next pass. it was like magic. It felt like it was going to bog down but i kept crowding the gas and then it went into the best burn out i had ever done.... Every ride is different this is just my 2 cents and it was an easy fix

Try just starting in drive, flash the converter, and be on it and at speed right away then just let off as you pull out of the box let it start to hook up as you are letting off and roll to the line.

I always start my burnouts in high gear, and get my wheel speed up right away.

[Marv D]

Couldn't agree more with Vince. Drop springs and shocks are not intended for drag race use. I think your gonna have to make the decision if you want a belly dragging street truck or a truck capable of cutting decent 60' times.

Not saying you cant have both,, just it's not going to happen with a set of super stiff springs intended to keep the chassis from bottoming too hard on the street ,,,
a set of shocks with valving to try and make a decent ride out of the harsh springs,,, and tires that are hard as rocks (with the pressure dropped down to where they try to climb over the top of themselves).

Just a dumb question here but what tires do you have on those 15" steel wheels?

[PGSigns]

Do you know what your burn out rpm is? Also for best results work on getting the shocks re-located and as straight up and down as you can. Factory position is not the best and when dropped even worse. Wheel hop or tire shake is best tuned with good shocks. Burn outs on the street can be at time almost imposable to control due to the condition of the road.
Jimmy

[70shortwide]

I used the cpp drop springs with competition engineering shocks and no wheel hop at all. Also my buddy used the suburban drop springs (stiffer) with competition engineering shocks and went 9.70's. I agree with everybody else about the shocks.

[scatesracing]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

^^ I don't understand how that would help you launch or control weight transfer...at all.
Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but with what you described, the car would still bounce on launch.

Well considering he is fighting wheel hop "during a good burn out"!
When he ask for help launching his truck you will be ahead of the game! Maybe read the question asked and offer up help for that instead of rambling about something off topic.... Just an Idea

[scatesracing]

Originally Posted by 71Dragtruck

Try just starting in drive, flash the converter, and be on it and at speed right away then just let off as you pull out of the box let it start to hook up as you are letting off and roll to the line.

I always start my burnouts in high gear, and get my wheel speed up right away.

Im not sure why i never tried this before. Sounds a lot easier than going through the gears like i have been. Probably not as hard on the tranmision either. Thanks for the tip I will give it a try next time i take it out.

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by scatesracing

Well considering he is fighting wheel hop "during a good burn out"!
When he ask for help launching his truck you will be ahead of the game! Maybe read the question asked and offer up help for that instead of rambling about something off topic.... Just an Idea

Take some Midol, you're quite moody. OP's post says he has wheel hop issues, and says its noticeable during the burnout. The way I read that,
A. He has wheel hop issues
B. Those issues are pronounced during a burnout.

Doing the burnout in high gear doesn't solve the underlying issue of why its hopping, its just a workaround.

[hotrod 80]

I just get them rolling in low and get it into high gear as soon as possible . I was also told with a th400 to always start the burnout in 2nd and get to 3rd quick . Something about the snap ring for the clutch basket if you don't have the blocks installed in the case .

Also agree with swapping to the ranchos 9 ways . Also why not have the best of both worlds with the ranchos . Rancho makes a controller for their shock to control it from the cab . This was you can independently soften the front and adjust the rear to work . When running around town as Marv mentioned you can adjust them to work on the street . Just throwing that out there .

[nicks diner]

I appreciate all the advice and will start with shocks. I already have the shocks relocated. I tried a couple of pounds less in my back tires with no results.