Wheel Hop!!!

cobra2112 · 11-09-2004, 01:35 PM

I have recently installed some bolt on peformance stuff on my 04 cobra and very dissapointed in the wheel hop issue. Almost to the point where I don't enjoy the car anymore. I just installed the Kenny Brown stiffner bracket with poly bushings with almost no difference in wheel hop. I have read some articles describing some fixes but I see there is nobody has a true fix to this problem so far. I would like to hear form some people who have some exprience fixing this problem with cars running in the upper 400hp range. Thanks again for all your help guys.

ORANGE CRUSH · 11-09-2004, 04:53 PM

The combination I have is KB subs and KB alum Diff bushings. This has lowered my wheel hop considerably. Now, I am in the lower 400hp range with stock tires so I don't know how this would compare to yours. I have heard some get less wheel hop with stickyer tires like Nitto's.

I have also had a lack of input on this subject.

**Firme** · 11-09-2004, 05:31 PM

from what I have seen, there are 4 variables that contribute to wheel hop.
-springs (too low of a rate and they are too soft and allow hop)
-dampners(too low of a rate and they allow up-down travel too easily
-bushings (rubber are not sturdy)
-play in the differential.

to remedy this... do the following

-intall lowering spring with a higher rate than stock... at least 650lb-700lb rate
-put on some decent shocks to help dampen the oscillation
-install Steeda Differential Bushing to keep the differential from having too much play in the IRS craddle (you might wanna check the 04's since they are rumored to have some urethane in the IRS)
-install Maximum Motorsport IRS bushings(Urethane, or find some delrin/aluminums if you are hard core) to keep IRS sturdy on the body(very time consuming, and I will leave this as the last step)
-install upper and lower control arm urethane bushings (Delrin for the hard core) (you might wanna check the 04's since they are rumored to have some urethane in the IRS)
-You can also replace the differential itself, as the stock one seems to pulse power from left to right, instead of providing even power to both sides constantly. If you Road race, you can get the T-2R or get a good spool if you are hardcore drag racer

People have had luck eliminating wheel hop by doing only part of the things I mentioned. Do them in the order listed and stop when wheel hop is gone

and as Orange Crush stated, subframe connectors are a must on any current mustang

smashedheadcat · 11-09-2004, 06:11 PM

In my opinon, it's a complete waste of money on the IRS. The car was designed to have a solid axle in it, not the IRS. The IRS rides nice, but so do solid axle cars. To make the IRS work for you (reliably) you'll need some beefier half shafts (DSS Level 5's are about $1800), bushing kits are in the $350 range, stiffer springs are about $200-300, "wheel hop shocks" are about $400, and a dif brace is about $100. Add that up and you've got a helluva lot of money in that dang thing. Also, a stickier tire will help as well.

Now, you can get everything and I mean everything (a complete down to the bolt solid axle swap with your choice of gears, axles, diff unit, shocks, springs and control arms for around $4500 installed........ PROBLEM SOLVED!

(or at my powerlevel 400rwhp 370rwtq, a set of nitto 315/35 17's fixed mine)

kilroy · 11-09-2004, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobra2112

I would like to hear form some people who have some exprience fixing this problem with cars running in the upper 400hp range. Thanks again for all your help guys.

My car wears new OEM F1s and should I stab it on the street it's spin city but on the track they'd wheel hop. Buying a set of BFG DRs solved the hop issue & I picked up a few tenths as a bonus. My IRS remains as delivered by FoMoCo.

InfamousSVT · 11-09-2004, 09:08 PM

I've got the MM Full-Length Subs and H&R springs, so hopefully that'll help with some of my wheel hop! I'm getting it installed by the end of the week. If not considering purchasing a hard-launch kit?

**cobrabitn** · 11-09-2004, 09:28 PM

Thanks Kilroy! You hit the nail on the head!

How I eliminated my wheelhop on my 1999 Cobra by Cobrabitn....

One day I went to the dragstrip with my new 1999 Rio Red Cobra. I was all excited and never ran on a real dragstrip before. My gut (big one) was wrenching with butterflies as I approached the lights. I waited with anticipation as I watched the yellow lights illuminate in a downward order with the final destination being the green one. As it hit the last yellow light, I let out on the clutch and on the green light I hit the gas, and I hit it hard. All of a sudden my docile Snake became like a professional basketball player dribbling a ball. The car shook with anger and shuddered like a dog that is sheding water after he just jumped in the ocean and came out to dry off. I had the dreaded wheel hop!

I was astounded and embarassed at the same time. Shocked and bewildered that my true champion could not and would not cut it on the track. After I let off the gas, the angry reptile settled down to a 14 plus second pass. Frustrated and hopeless, I drove it home with the thought I have to get this fixed. After some Internet research and advice from fellow snake owners, I did one thing at a time till I eliminated the hop. So here goes....

A) get some stiffer bushings. ( I recommend Steeda polyurethane bushings $45.00)

B) I lowered my car 1.5 inches with a set of KB lowering springs (Which I have for sale for any 99 owner)

Before I get to C, I will state that by doing these two things, my street wheel hop became a street spinout and burn rubber session. No basketball dribbling.

C) If you plan to take your IRS equipped Cobra to the dragstrip, invest in a set of drag radials or slicks on a spare set of rims. I did, and it was the best thing I ever did. The times on my 1999 went down .4 of a second just by changing to drag radials and after the car was lowered. Set your pressure to 16 - 18 lbs of air and you will be on your way without the dreaded hop.

At last weeks drag day, I didn't experience any wheel hop in my 04 Mystichrome. I will add that I launched in between 3500 and 4000 rpms and slipped the clutch a little. It was all go and no hop.

Try these two things and see if that will help you to love your Cobra again.

In my personal experience I did not need the following:

IRS brace
HD half shafts
Subframe connectors
bushing kits

While all of these can aid in the rigidity of your vehicle, they were not necessary for me. Also, try to remember that for every action there is a reaction. You stiffen this, you put stress on something else.

JMHO!

coleman · 11-09-2004, 09:38 PM

I've heard that Nitto DRs help quite a bit.

**cobrabitn** · 11-09-2004, 09:42 PM

By shear coincidence... my radials are Nittos!

Coleman

: Cobrabitn

InfamousSVT · 11-10-2004, 04:29 AM

Quote:

A) get some stiffer bushings. ( I recommend Steeda polyurethane bushings $45.00)

B) I lowered my car 1.5 inches with a set of KB lowering springs (Which I have for sale for any 99 owner)

Ok so I should get the polyurethane subframe bushings? I've already got the H&R springs, MM C/C plates, and the MM full-length subs! That should take care of the wheel hop for the street and a set of DragRadials for the track, right?

Hopefully!

Haven't got anything installed yet, but do when you said that if you stiffen something here, you put stress on something else, so will the subs be a problem?

jack · 11-10-2004, 10:48 AM

All i have is a pulley, air filter and programmer. The BFG's did the trick for me. Before i had wheel hop

on hard pulls(on the street). I would invest in a drag radial first and tune from there.

**cobrabitn** · 11-10-2004, 10:06 PM

Subs are a good addition especially if you like to rotate tires a lot like I do.

cobra330 · 11-10-2004, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfamousSVT

Ok so I should get the polyurethane subframe bushings? I've already got the H&R springs, MM C/C plates, and the MM full-length subs! That should take care of the wheel hop for the street and a set of DragRadials for the track, right?

Hopefully!

Haven't got anything installed yet, but do when you said that if you stiffen something here, you put stress on something else, so will the subs be a problem?

That the set up I was thinking of going with on my 04...Let me know how you like that set up when you get it installed...This is one of the next areas I will be addressing...

InfamousSVT · 11-13-2004, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobra330

That the set up I was thinking of going with on my 04...Let me know how you like that set up when you get it installed...This is one of the next areas I will be addressing...

I'll let you know, I should be getting everything installed sometime next week! Probably Mon. - Tues.

speederdoc · 11-14-2004, 02:20 AM

My wheelhop is the worst when accelarating hard from a stop and turning, such as any turn from a stoplight. Before I bought the car, I envisioned a sort of power oversteer Viper-like spinout might be my biggest worry with that scenario.

Instead, it is a horrible bouncing and occasional scary loud THUMP. so I don't do that anymore, just kind of baby it around the turn. I'm gonna have to look into the options above.

11-09-2004, 01:35 PM	#1
cobra2112 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northeast Philly Posts: 53	Wheel Hop!!! I have recently installed some bolt on peformance stuff on my 04 cobra and very dissapointed in the wheel hop issue. Almost to the point where I don't enjoy the car anymore. I just installed the Kenny Brown stiffner bracket with poly bushings with almost no difference in wheel hop. I have read some articles describing some fixes but I see there is nobody has a true fix to this problem so far. I would like to hear form some people who have some exprience fixing this problem with cars running in the upper 400hp range. Thanks again for all your help guys.

11-09-2004, 04:53 PM	#2
ORANGE CRUSH Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northwest Houston Posts: 1,140	The combination I have is KB subs and KB alum Diff bushings. This has lowered my wheel hop considerably. Now, I am in the lower 400hp range with stock tires so I don't know how this would compare to yours. I have heard some get less wheel hop with stickyer tires like Nitto's. I have also had a lack of input on this subject. __________________ 2012 Comp Orange BOSS #199 Mods Track Key, Airaid CAI, Magnaflow AB, FR-P springs, MM CC plates, FR-relo Brackets, J&M LCA, J&M adj-Panhard bar, MGW shifter

11-09-2004, 06:11 PM	#4
smashedheadcat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Geneva, Switzerland Posts: 1,727	In my opinon, it's a complete waste of money on the IRS. The car was designed to have a solid axle in it, not the IRS. The IRS rides nice, but so do solid axle cars. To make the IRS work for you (reliably) you'll need some beefier half shafts (DSS Level 5's are about $1800), bushing kits are in the $350 range, stiffer springs are about $200-300, "wheel hop shocks" are about $400, and a dif brace is about $100. Add that up and you've got a helluva lot of money in that dang thing. Also, a stickier tire will help as well. Now, you can get everything and I mean everything (a complete down to the bolt solid axle swap with your choice of gears, axles, diff unit, shocks, springs and control arms for around $4500 installed........ PROBLEM SOLVED! (or at my powerlevel 400rwhp 370rwtq, a set of nitto 315/35 17's fixed mine) __________________ Josh 2003 Oxford White Cobra Coupe Twin Turbo Solid Axle Automatic Return Fuel System 1997 Triple Black Cobra Convertible Forged and Blown. 511rwhp 398 rwtq Sold

11-09-2004, 09:08 PM	#6
InfamousSVT Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gastonia, NC Posts: 1,960	I've got the MM Full-Length Subs and H&R springs, so hopefully that'll help with some of my wheel hop! I'm getting it installed by the end of the week. If not considering purchasing a hard-launch kit? __________________ 1994 Black on Black SVT Coupe 2004 SVT Cobra Competition Orange - SOLD 1979 Ghia Coupe - SOLD 1994 Chevy S-10 - DailyDriver

11-09-2004, 09:28 PM	#7
cobrabitn Dr Jekyll on the street, Mr Hyde on the track Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Rock Hill SC Posts: 14,649	How I eliminated my wheel hop on my 1999 Cobra Thanks Kilroy! You hit the nail on the head! How I eliminated my wheelhop on my 1999 Cobra by Cobrabitn.... One day I went to the dragstrip with my new 1999 Rio Red Cobra. I was all excited and never ran on a real dragstrip before. My gut (big one) was wrenching with butterflies as I approached the lights. I waited with anticipation as I watched the yellow lights illuminate in a downward order with the final destination being the green one. As it hit the last yellow light, I let out on the clutch and on the green light I hit the gas, and I hit it hard. All of a sudden my docile Snake became like a professional basketball player dribbling a ball. The car shook with anger and shuddered like a dog that is sheding water after he just jumped in the ocean and came out to dry off. I had the dreaded wheel hop! I was astounded and embarassed at the same time. Shocked and bewildered that my true champion could not and would not cut it on the track. After I let off the gas, the angry reptile settled down to a 14 plus second pass. Frustrated and hopeless, I drove it home with the thought I have to get this fixed. After some Internet research and advice from fellow snake owners, I did one thing at a time till I eliminated the hop. So here goes.... A) get some stiffer bushings. ( I recommend Steeda polyurethane bushings $45.00) B) I lowered my car 1.5 inches with a set of KB lowering springs (Which I have for sale for any 99 owner) Before I get to C, I will state that by doing these two things, my street wheel hop became a street spinout and burn rubber session. No basketball dribbling. C) If you plan to take your IRS equipped Cobra to the dragstrip, invest in a set of drag radials or slicks on a spare set of rims. I did, and it was the best thing I ever did. The times on my 1999 went down .4 of a second just by changing to drag radials and after the car was lowered. Set your pressure to 16 - 18 lbs of air and you will be on your way without the dreaded hop. At last weeks drag day, I didn't experience any wheel hop in my 04 Mystichrome. I will add that I launched in between 3500 and 4000 rpms and slipped the clutch a little. It was all go and no hop. Try these two things and see if that will help you to love your Cobra again. In my personal experience I did not need the following: IRS brace HD half shafts Subframe connectors bushing kits While all of these can aid in the rigidity of your vehicle, they were not necessary for me. Also, try to remember that for every action there is a reaction. You stiffen this, you put stress on something else. JMHO! Attached Images

11-09-2004, 09:38 PM	#8
coleman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: DFW Posts: 249	I've heard that Nitto DRs help quite a bit. __________________ coleman - DFW-SVTOA Assistant Director 2003 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra # 561 of 8394 built on 6/13/02 609 RWHP / 560 RWTQ @ 16# w/ pump gas Engine: 310cu stroker, L&M Engines cams Induction: KB S/C, CAI, & SbTB Fuel System: KB BAP,Focus Pumps,SD 55# Exhaust: Hooker LTs w/ Jet-Hot 2000,QMP 3",Random Tech Cats, Flowmaster Handling: MM FLSFC/CC/coilover, D&D K-Member/A-Arms,Brembo rotors, KB U/L Control Arms, hardened halfshafts Cooling: Gordsford H/E w/ fans Other: Canton+Accusump, RaptorPerformance Shift light, Battery relocated, Pro 5.0, wbO2, 3.73

11-09-2004, 09:42 PM	#9
cobrabitn Dr Jekyll on the street, Mr Hyde on the track Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Rock Hill SC Posts: 14,649	By shear coincidence... my radials are Nittos! Coleman : Cobrabitn

11-10-2004, 10:48 AM	#11
jack Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rutledge, TN Posts: 141	All i have is a pulley, air filter and programmer. The BFG's did the trick for me. Before i had wheel hop on hard pulls(on the street). I would invest in a drag radial first and tune from there.

11-10-2004, 10:06 PM	#12
cobrabitn Dr Jekyll on the street, Mr Hyde on the track Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Rock Hill SC Posts: 14,649	Subs are a good addition especially if you like to rotate tires a lot like I do. __________________ Cobrabitn 2016 Ruby Red Metallic with Caribou accent F-350 Crew Cab Stump Puller! 6.7 Diesel Automatic with Chrome Package, Off Road Package, 3.55 Locking axles, and Ultimate Lariat Interior Trim Package! 2017 Shelby GT350 Coupe - track car! Mods: JLT True Cold Air oil catch can 2009 Vista Blue Shelby GT 500 Coupe - Garage Queen Tinted Windows JLT True Cold Air Kit Pro-Dyno Tune 526 rwhp - 511 rwtq 1994 Rio Red Indy Pace Car #22 "Runabout" Snake in the grill MGW shift knob 1996 SVT Cobra Wheels 1969 New Lime Mustang Mach 1 Sportsroof - Second owner - bone stock with shaker. One SVT Cobra, one Shelby GT500, one 69 mach 1, and a Shelby GT350 is better than nothing! Custom Data Plates for your Mustang or Ford! Buy "Cool Merchandise" at Data Plates Plus www.dataplatesplus.com See my MSR Video here!

11-14-2004, 02:20 AM	#15
speederdoc Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 27	My wheelhop is the worst when accelarating hard from a stop and turning, such as any turn from a stoplight. Before I bought the car, I envisioned a sort of power oversteer Viper-like spinout might be my biggest worry with that scenario. Instead, it is a horrible bouncing and occasional scary loud THUMP. so I don't do that anymore, just kind of baby it around the turn. I'm gonna have to look into the options above.

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