Wheel hop?

[mach4444]

In the early summer I had my clutch slave replaced when it failed. I also had them put in a new clutch, being at almost 70,000 miles, bearings etc. the clutch itself was not failing when the slave cylinder failed.
I went very easy on it at first but after 1000 miles or so I got more aggressive with it and noticed that I was getting some wicked wheel hop. I figured maybe it was due to the hot weather, better grip on the pavement etc. but last night it was fairly cool (for s. FL) and I am still getting severe wheel hop. I know wheel hop is bad and causes serious breakage so I need to address this quickly.

my car seems to accelerate as quick as always with no loss of power. why would a clutch change induce wheel hop? anything I can due to eliminate/ reduce the wheel hop? search fucntion was pretty much useless on this one.
Thanks for the help.

 

[TowDawg]

My only guess is that your old clutch was slipping some upon launch and therefore not getting all the power to the wheels, so there was no wheel-hop. When I replaced mine, it felt like I picked up a lot of power just because I was actually getting it all to the ground after the new clutch.
My old one was never having a noticable slip, but obviously it was slipping some and costing me power.

 

[AZTVR]

Are shocks original? Perhaps they can no longer keep up with what you are doing.

 

[Slithr]

I've only noticed wheel hop when my tires haven't warmed up .... are your tires warm and it still hops? I have since learned to make sure my tires are warm and haven't had any hop since.

 

[dave6666]

It's tough to say this gently, but anyone that can get 70K miles out of a clutch in a Viper drives like a girl.

You need new motor mounts and tranny mounts to fix your wheel hop.

 

[mach4444]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and Dave thats why I love your posts, you say it like you see it!
Trust me this thing was not babied, I didn't drive it like it was stolen but it hasn't had an easy life. I did things in this car that would have grenaded clutches in my old cars including my old terminator cobra.
The Viper is just one solid built brute of a vehicle and thats why I love it.
now time to inspect some mounts....

 

[bluesrt]

or clutch chatter, misalighned pilotshaft bushing--- ill sling that out there

 

[99 R/T 10]

Old tires can also contribute to the wheel hop problem. What is the age of your tires?

 

[jwolf]

I never had any clutch problem but I have recently developed some wheel hop. New tires. I ordered a set of Woodhouse mounts both engine and trans I hope that helps.
This video shows my wheel hop.
it right at the very beginning.

http://youtu.be/Wn2gmCST3sE

 

[slysnake]

I would guess old tires too

 

[Jack B]

There are several things that can lead to wheel hop. As suggested shocks can be an issue. The chassis lifts and the rear end tries to squat. If the shock compression setting is too soft it can induce wheel hop, by reducing the wheel loading. A stiffer compression setting will keep the wheel/tire on the track longer.

If the rear suspension has lateral play this creates inconsistent rear toe, again this can lead to wheel hop. When you get your next alignment, the additional of a bit more positive toe might eliminate or lessen wheel hop.

 

[DrumrBoy]

As suggested shocks can be an issue. The chassis lifts and the rear end tries to squat. If the shock compression setting is too soft it can induce wheel hop, by reducing the wheel loading. A stiffer compression setting will keep the wheel/tire on the track longer.

This happens all the time on tracks where you make a transition from the flat to a high bank.....stiffening up the compression can eliminate wheel hop. Not sayin' that's your issue, but if you can adjust, try it.....it may solve your problem!

 

[evomind]

ive owned 4 vipers, 2 gen 3s, a gen 4 and now a gen 2.
ive had runflats, non runflats, messed with air pressure, had woodhouse trans and motor mounts, u name it, they wheel hopped like crazy.
i think the only way to get rid of the wheel hop is to put a solid rear axle in it.

 

[Jack B]

ive owned 4 vipers, 2 gen 3s, a gen 4 and now a gen 2.
ive had runflats, non runflats, messed with air pressure, had woodhouse trans and motor mounts, u name it, they wheel hopped like crazy.
i think the only way to get rid of the wheel hop is to put a solid rear axle in it.

There are a lot of us that do not have wheel hop.

 

[Camfab]

No wheel hop here......

 

[Ratical2]

I only had wheel hop with my old tires. They were 6 years old when I bought my car. Once I changed them, all was well.

 

[FastMatt]

There are a lot of us that do not have wheel hop.

My car had lots of wheel hop till I stiffened up the shocks settings now it's totally gone.

 

[MoparBoyy]

ive owned 4 vipers, 2 gen 3s, a gen 4 and now a gen 2.
ive had runflats, non runflats, messed with air pressure, had woodhouse trans and motor mounts, u name it, they wheel hopped like crazy.
i think the only way to get rid of the wheel hop is to put a solid rear axle in it.

agreed. the Viper was not built to drag race. Wheel hop on a launch, whatever, wheel hop when rolling on the power? thats bad.

OP never said when this wheel hop occurs.

 

[Paul Hawker]

On some older Vipers wheel hop can be reduced by checking to see if all the rear suspension bolts are tight. If they move, even a little bit, you can get some windup.

 

[mach4444]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. wheels are new michelins with only about 5,000 miles on them. hop is only happening at launch. hop seems worse with more traction.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Sorry, but wheel hop can have many causes. You just need to track them down one by one till the hop goes away.

Problem is that when testing for hop, you are really stressing your drive train. You even may break things.

Might be worth it to take to an experienced ViperTech.

With 70,000 plus miles on it there might be a number of things causing the hop.

Worn shocks, tired springs, loose bolts, worn motor mounts, worn transmission mounts, or maybe just a combination of things.

Would refrain from full throttle launches or dumping the clutch till you get it figured out.

 

[dave6666]

My fretted pinion bearing. Easily attributed to the pounding that wheel hop gives your parts.

You must be registered for see images

 

[dave6666]

My motor mount that looked perfectly good until removed from the car.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Grisoman]

Challengers are very prone to hop. The 'Hop Not' kit mod is a popular route to eliiminate the issue. Adds a horizontally mounted shock to each side of the rear suspension. Maybe a solution for the Viper that could be a development opportunity for a vendor here?

http://www.hopnot.net/Home/tabid/201/Default.aspx

 

[Jack B]

On some older Vipers wheel hop can be reduced by checking to see if all the rear suspension bolts are tight. If they move, even a little bit, you can get some windup.

A little heads up, when the rear recall was done the factory kit uses an undersize bolt in the two upper outside bushings. It was probably done to expedite the process. I caught it and milled a poly bushing for a corvette so that it fit our cars and then used the correct bolt for the bushing. You will be shocked at the bolt-bushing play if you check a rear assembly when it is out and the recall was done. The bushing fits the diameter perfectly, you only have to correct the front to back dimension.

 

[plumcrazy]

no hop here at 60K miles

 

[AZTVR]

The bushing fits the diameter perfectly, you only have to correct the front to back dimension.

I wasn't understanding that part. Are you talking about the replacement bushing that you chose ? If so, what was the replacement bushing from, exactly? C5 Corvette, C6? rear upper control arm? Just asking in case you know, it might provide a shortcut for a future reader of this thread. It sounds like a good solution.

I had never read of this recall. Does anyone know what years or Gen it applied to?

 

[Jack B]

I wasn't understanding that part. Are you talking about the replacement bushing that you chose ? If so, what was the replacement bushing from, exactly? C5 Corvette, C6? rear upper control arm? Just asking in case you know, it might provide a shortcut for a future reader of this thread. It sounds like a good solution.

I had never read of this recall. Does anyone know what years or Gen it applied to?

1. The recall was the 998, it affected the 95-99 models. The bolts were part of replacement package. The original bolt is loose in the oem metal/rubber bushing, the replacement bolt just makes it worst.

2. As far as the bushing, I used the Prothane catalog and found a bushing that had the same outside diameter. I believe it was from a C5 model. It is a two piece bushing and I had to mill one side for the front/aft placement. I am going to pull the rear over the winter, I will get the part number off of the bushing when I do. You will also have to find the correct bolt. I used a metric diameter.

I do not know if it is in the archives, but, I wrote it up when I did it.