Wheel Hop

[Cobra D]

Greetings to the snake pit. I am new to this forum so will probably screw up a lot of protocols, but I love my GT 500 and need to find others like me.

My first issue is wheel hop. I have not heard much talk about wheel hop being an issue, but my car has a serious problem with it. Unless I'm cranking up the smoke factory sideways, all I get on low-to-no friction launches is bone-shattering wheel hop. It could be wet road, dry road, you name it; if it is a straight-line launch, I'm chipping tooth enamel.

I've had the car in to my local dealership, Evergreen Ford in Issaquah, WA (with phenomenal customer service if you own a Cobra or Roush car), for this issue and they inspected everything and gave the whole rearend a clean bill of health.

Anyone else have this problem?

Just FYI: I also have an odd rubbing noise coming from the rearend on low speed cornering (parking lot speeds). A service bulletin recently came out about Cobra differentials needing more diff lube additive for the limited slip gearing. Cleared the issue right up.

I know there are some Roush goodies, such as a "wheel-hop eliminator" and beefier aluminum rear lower control arms, but I would rather fix the issue through engineering than through bolt-ons, if at all possible.

Anyone have any advice on this issue?


Cobra D
2007 Shelby GT500

[cobrabitn]

I have never heard of a straight axle car having "wheel hop" issues. That is mostly for cars with IRS. I've had good luck with lowering the car or changing spring rates to help assist in wheel hop issues. :)

Welcome to the forums!

[tazzracing1]

Welocme to the forums great to have you here.

[Angel]

Welocme to the forums great to have you here.
Welcome and congrats on the GT500. :thumbsup:

Wheel Hop? Mine has it bad as well. :rolleyes: Upon installation of exhaust, CAI and a Tune, thereby creating more of a number difference between the HP and the TQ (especially in the low end) it helped reduce it. I been told only way to eliminate it is LCAs and the Roush kit. The stamped out ones from the Factory just don't cut it against the TQ of these cars.

At first instance, I thought the problem was due to something else. Since, how can a live rear axle, limited slip car, do this? TQ is the reason and a lot of it in the low end of the power band.

Stickier tires help a bit, but unless the structure is corrected to channel that extra Tq through the car and to the ground, hooking up too good might just break what is the weakest link. :eek:

[1268]

It's a widely know condition talked about on other sites....you need to replace the upper and lower control arms...may need relocation brackets.

[snakbitn]

upper & lower control arms fixed mine and made it hookup alot better with over600 rwhp.

[Cobra D]

Sorry for the delay. Wanted to thank everyone for their input. I had explored the idea that the control arms were an aspect of resolving wheel hop issues, but wanted to run it by the REAL pros: the men and women that drive them everyday. Still new to this whole thing and appreciate your advice.

Also, wanted to let you know about 3 or 4 weeks ago a blue-on-white '08 left the lot for $75,000. Gotta love Seattle.

[5.4 Shelby]

Sorry for the delay. Wanted to thank everyone for their input. I had explored the idea that the control arms were an aspect of resolving wheel hop issues, but wanted to run it by the REAL pros: the men and women that drive them everyday. Still new to this whole thing and appreciate your advice.

Also, wanted to let you know about 3 or 4 weeks ago a blue-on-white '08 left the lot for $75,000. Gotta love Seattle.Apparently that was to someone without an internet connection.

[asperformance]

Just replace the stock springs, My First 500 had this issue, but my new one doesn't at all, I think it is because of the Shaker 1000 Box, I dropped it in the rear as well, It has no wheel hop issue at all with stock control arms.

[Rosco P]

My wheel hop got worse with every power adder I put on it. Lower Control Arms with relocation brackets from Steeda, and the adjustable UCA will wipe it completely out. While you're at it, replace your springs and panhard rod with the steeda stuff so it will handle like something other than pontoon boat. Best money I have spent on mine and you will not be disappointed.

With respect, I doubt the addition of a 60 pound set of speakers in the trunk has affected your wheel hop. I have the shaker 1000 (waste of cash) and as I said, my wheel hop was unbearable. It took all the fun out of the car for me.

Also, the Roush kit will work but it is by no means the only way to fix it.

If you are in doubt, let evolution performance send you this kit and have it professionally installed at your Ford dealer or an established race shop. The best thing about it is that you will not have to question if its the right thing for your car as their GT500 products are as good as they get.

http://www.evoperform.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_15&products_id=50

All of the necessary parts for the correct and safe modification of your suspension are included. The price is reasonable as well, especially when considering the cost of Ford Racing's suspension pack which doesn't even have all the components. You will wonder why it wasn't built like this in the first place.

There are a couple other more expensive options, Watts links ect., but if you aren't serious about your road course track days you'll be best served by the evo kit.

[Angel]

My wheel hop got worse with every power adder I put on it. Lower Control Arms with relocation brackets from Steeda, and the adjustable UCA will wipe it completely out. While you're at it, replace your springs and panhard rod with the steeda stuff so it will handle like something other than pontoon boat. Best money I have spent on mine and you will not be disappointed.

With respect, I doubt the addition of a 60 pound set of speakers in the trunk has affected your wheel hop. I have the shaker 1000 (waste of cash) and as I said, my wheel hop was unbearable. It took all the fun out of the car for me.

Also, the Roush kit will work but it is by no means the only way to fix it.

If you are in doubt, let evolution performance send you this kit and have it professionally installed at your Ford dealer or an established race shop. The best thing about it is that you will not have to question if its the right thing for your car as their GT500 products are as good as they get.

http://www.evoperform.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_15&products_id=50

All of the necessary parts for the correct and safe modification of your suspension are included. The price is reasonable as well, especially when considering the cost of Ford Racing's suspension pack which doesn't even have all the components. You will wonder why it wasn't built like this in the first place.

There are a couple other more expensive options, Watts links ect., but if you aren't serious about your road course track days you'll be best served by the evo kit.
I've been considering the EVO Kit v.s. the Ford Racing one, and it is evident to me, the FRs is not as complete. In driving the 427R v.s. the Shelby, I can clearly see how better Wt Distribution and Suspension makes 445 hp much more useful / effective than 600. My confidence level is much higher in the R than in the GT500.

[Rosco P]

I've been considering the EVO Kit v.s. the Ford Racing one, and it is evident to me, the FRs is not as complete. In driving the 427R v.s. the Shelby, I can clearly see how better Wt Distribution and Suspension makes 445 hp much more useful / effective than 600. My confidence level is much higher in the R than in the GT500.
The evo kit is the way to go. You can use your horses and take care of Roush cars all day then

[JROC]

Sticky tires/Drag Radials are the simpliest way to get ride of wheel hop. Another side affect of them is their about 50x funner than pure street tires.

I recommend Nitto 555R's. They are not bad in rain if you pay attention, they last a good 7,000-10,000 miles and they handle decently. IMO their the best rear tire to hook up a high HP RWD street car. Their not as sticky as a M/T or BFG DR's, but those are much more of a pure track tire whereas the Nitto is designed more to be a sticky street tire.


Nitto's run a little undersized. a 305/35/18 Nitto 555R will fit a GT500's 18x9.5 wheel great.
http://www.lethalperformance.com/pages-productinfo/product-14941/nt-305-35zr-18101yb-nitto-305-35-18-nt-555r-drag-radial.html

[asperformance]

Like I said in my above post, My first 500 would beat you to death with wheel hop, However my 2nd has none at all, Only difference is the Mach 100o box, I agree not worth the money as it doesn't sound any better than the Wife's shelby gt, Maybe ford re-designed the Bushings in the later 07's my car I have now is #6969,. Yes 6969, How cool is that, So maybe 60lbs of weight does help, the only suspension mod I have is spings and DR's at the track, but no wheel hop on the street with street tires.

[Rosco P]

To the last 2 folks that posted...

No

and

No ( you have springs and you still think the speakers are helping?):doubt:

You have to spin the tires for there to be wheel hop. Sticky tires are a band-aid at best, but if they spin, you get wheel hop with a stock suspension. That's not fixing anything.

Suspension mods are the only way to FIX the problem.

Speakers lol.... Mine has the speakers and it would shake your teeth loose before I fixed it.

[JROC]

To the last 2 folks that posted...

No

and

No ( you have springs and you still think the speakers are helping?):doubt:

You have to spin the tires for there to be wheel hop. Sticky tires are a band-aid at best, but if they spin, you get wheel hop with a stock suspension. That's not fixing anything.

Suspension mods are the only way to FIX the problem.

Speakers lol.... Mine has the speakers and it would shake your teeth loose before I fixed it.
I agree and disagree with what you are saying. Wheelhop occurs when you get traction, then lose it, then get it again, then lose it again, etc, etc. So ofcouse adding sticky tires that don't want to break will be you from wheelhoping. I would thing that you should be able to induce WH if you were to break with DR's but I never did, they would just spin or churp slittly before quickly grabbing, never violent and jolty like my car was with the stock suspension and street tires. IMO BAP is a bandaid fix/way of making your fuel pumps more efficient, but it works well and many use it.

I do agree that if you have the money and don't mind voiding the warrenty on your new GT500's then fixing it at the source(the suspension) is a good idea. If you look at my sig you can tell that I have done just that. I have a Terminator and its quite abit different than a GT500 but it took me FLSFC, full solid rear bushing to get ride of the WH with street tire. I added C/O's at the same time but I don't believe they benefited curing the WH. If all your looking to do is get ride of WH DR's are a good option IMO, plus you get traction which is always a good thing. :thumbsup:

[Rosco P]

Traction is a great thing. I haven't had it in a while.

Your car is sharp btw.

I like sliding mine too much to get DR's and I am cheap.

[asperformance]

Rosco P. I am not sure why we are arguing about this, My car does not have wheel hop, I run it on 20" tires on the street and can fry them any time I wish, it does not hop, if you would like to come drive my car feel free, the only mod I have done is rear steeda springs, no sway bar, no control arms, no panard bar. It did not have wheel hope with the stock springs or stock wheels either, Like I said, my first 500 hopped like a *****, and the only difference in the 2 cars is the speaker box, and it was a later built car. Maybe Ford changed control arm bushings at the end of the run I do not know, all I know is, I cut 1.60 60 foot's on DR's with no hop, and I can do cool burn out's on the street with no hop with stock tires. so far with a pulley and a tune, it has ran 11.40's at 126 at the Rock to win the open catagory during the First anual SVT Cobra club event.

[cobrabitn]

Rosco,

I have to back up ASPerformance's statement. I watched him all day and I didn't see the car wheel hop one time. He ran very consistent numbers all day in the 11's with the best 60 foot time and an outstanding reaction time. Now I cannot verify what type tires he used but if you use drag radials with 15 lbs of pressure then you will not have wheel hop. Maybe Aaron can tell you what his set up was at the Rock.

I can say my 99 did wheel hop at the track and on the street and by changing out the springs and lowering my Cobra ( I used Kenny Brown at the time), it virtually disappeared. I am not sure about the Shelby since it is a different critter than my 99 snake.

[Rosco P]

I never said that the car is still wheel-hopping. I am sure it runs great. Just that if it is not, then it is the springs, and not the speakers that are helping to resolve the issue.

Now, by virtue of the fact that the man has Steeda springs, we can only assume that this is why his car doesn't do it. I have merely been saying that it is unlikely that the speakers are keeping the wheel hop in check. I have the speakers. They did not help.