Wheel hop. 68 383 4 spd

-
Dave NEO

Dave NEO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
1,020
Reaction score
259
Location
midwest
my barracuda convertible 3:23 gears. Stock suspension with a snubber. On takeoff it really hops and bangs. Maybe snubber banging floor? Tires are new and I’m sure grab well vs. spin. I don’t know what to consider first. Any help /suggestions appreciated. Just a street car but if I’m low on RPMs it bogs/stalls and if I run it up there it’s equally embarrassing with hopping etc..
 
I tried clamping leafs together. Maybe that is making her worse. Idk. Someone had suggested that but I don’t what it is intended to create.
 
Wheel hop is caused by the rear axle wrapping the springs and actually trying to lift the wheels off the ground. Worn leaf springs is the #1 cause. If you're out there trying to do any type of performance driving, the occasional burnout, hard launches....and obviously you are, you should step up to some new XHD springs.
 
Caltracs are supposed to cure that.
 
Do you have 1 leaf spring clamp only, per side, on the front half of the springs tying the main & second springs together? It stops the front half of the springs from wrapping up during launches & greatly reducing wheel hop, but worn-out springs, as RRR said, will surely cause that problem too.
 
Sounds like your 50+ year old springs are giving up on life. With new springs except you will have some new challenges like the as$ end sitting up a bit and a bit more harshness out back when driving. Once you start this process of tuning the rear, shocks and angle come into play. It’s all good because if you follow thru and not make band-aid fixes your car will respond and act like a lady but do what you really want her to do.
Syleng1
 
I had the same issue. Old springs. I cut and added a leaf to the front section only and clamps only cause I had the stuff and no money at the time. Worked out great! Temp fix until I restored car. Went 5 years with it.
 
niceolddart said:
Do you have 1 leaf spring clamp only, per side, on the front half of the springs tying the main & second springs together? It stops the front half of the springs from wrapping up during launches & greatly reducing wheel hop, but worn-out springs, as RRR said, will surely cause that problem too.
Click to expand...
Ok. Gotta check it out. I think we gottem on back half only maybe. Will report back. Don’t even know if they are stock or the originals or what. I’ll count leaf’s and get pics
 
could be the sliders in between the leafs crumbled and fell out causing slack in the springs. ESPO sells reproduction leaf springs for stock height, raised, or lower height, stiffer then original etc etc etc. I bought stock height Formula S replacement springs which were duplicates to the originals wheel hop went away.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Those work great, I agree, but they're not really supposed to be a band aid for bad springs.
Click to expand...
My bad I just assumed that most people would probably go with their split monos as part of a complete system..
 
Add stiffer shocks to new, stiffer leaf springs. Rancho adjustable shocks work well in race applications but should do well on the street too. Just gotta go through the specs to see if they have a version that fits your needs. (Bushing sizes. extended/compressed lengths & travel requirements.) I haven't tried any non-adjustable Ranchos.)
 
Heywodja said:
My bad I just assumed that most people would probably go with their split monos as part of a complete system..
Click to expand...
I would too, but I've seen some people stubbornly use them with SS Springs. <rolls eyes>
 
All of the above suggestions that it's time for new springs are spot-on. I just wanted to add a little information regarding the snubber itself. I'm sure you've seen people say "take that off and throw it away" or "you'd be better off losing that 5 pounds"...... Most snubbers are used incorrectly, and are of very little use to a guy with a street car anyway. In order for the snubber to be of any use, it has to be up against or very, very close to the floorboard of the car. That's not good for a street car, no doubt. MaMopar actually called for the Max Wedge cars, which were really designed for competition straight line acceleration, to run the snubber against the floorboard.
 
So they are clamped front and rear. Not sure if these allow any sliding at all so maybe that’s an issue. 5 leafs on right and left sides.

IMG_1741.jpeg


IMG_1739.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Dave NEO said:
I tried clamping leafs together. Maybe that is making her worse. Idk. Someone had suggested that but I don’t what it is intended to create.
Click to expand...
Wheel hop on a leaf spring car is usually the front half of the spring becoming s-shaped. Spring clamps on the front segment are intended to stiffen that part of the spring. Essentially trying to make a stock spring work like a superstock spring.
If it were me (and I bet you don't get this rec from anyone else here) I'd put on a simple traction bar. Installed properly, it WILL stop wheel hop. Mopar guys don't like em, cause mopars usually don't need em, or if they do, superstock springs get installed.
 
Dave NEO said:
Ok. Gotta check it out. I think we gottem on back half only maybe. Will report back. Don’t even know if they are stock or the originals or what. I’ll count leaf’s and get pics
Click to expand...
They won't do ANYTHING to cure wheel hop behind the axle. As a matter of fact, some guys clamp the front half, and take off any clamps on the rear half.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top