Wheel hop?

Dogboy · Jan 30, 2014

I did a solid axle in my Ranger 2 months ago, and I was up in the snow, and I could tell the front tires were hopping a bit when I'd push snow, but I was told that there was so much, that they were waiting for my wheel studs to break off.

I've never dealt with wheel hop before, but I'd like to fix it, if possible. Could it be shocks, or the way I did my links?

Jacob · Jan 30, 2014

My Jeep does this sometimes. In my experience it is mostly due to the snow types. Mine was doing it this last weekend as well, but it usually doesn't.

I usually just adjust my front tire pressure up or down a little to minimize it or find the right speed for the snow I'm in.

CHOP SHOP · Jan 30, 2014

If you have links AND wheelhop then shits not right.

WHITE TRASH1 · Jan 30, 2014

Radius arm suspensions need far stiffer shock valving to keep the hop away than most other setups.

ChopTop84 · Jan 30, 2014

my experience with snow and wheel hop is the same as sand and wheel hop, and thats to adjust tire pressure, usually down. Hop usually means my contact patch is right on the cusp of what the sand/snow can handle before giving out.

Dogboy · Jan 30, 2014

CHOP SHOP said:
If you have links AND wheelhop then shits not right.

I would think that's true for axle wrap, but I I don't see how links would keep hop away.

The shocks I have are some kind of Bilsteins. They're older, but I can tell they are still good.

DHR Darren · Jan 30, 2014

"Good" and correct valving are totally different. Our uses dictate a properly valved shock for correct performance. Off the shelf is great for a factory FX4 but no where near perfect for a custom application.

Dogboy · Jan 30, 2014

True. I'd have the FOA's that came off with the TTB revalved, but they're 10's and I need at least 12's.
Maybe I'll keep an eye out for new shocks, I want some anyway.

timothy · Jan 30, 2014

Could it be as simple as a loose trak bar? (CHEERS):beer:

DHR Darren · Jan 30, 2014

Another thing to consider is if it is hop (both tires going up & down at same time) or porpoising (tires going up & down opposite of each other.

nowires · Jan 30, 2014

If you slow down does it hop or climb and then drop.

Dogboy · Jan 30, 2014

I'm not sure if it's all together, or side to side. The people who said it was hopping really bad were down a hill on the passenger's side.

As for the track bar, I noticed a little while after this, that the bracket is cracking on the frame side, and the tires were about 13psi in Toyos that day, on somewhat went fresh snow, so that could contribute too maybe. Maybe I'll get another set of FOA's or something.

I've gotten too used to Ford TTB for the past 7 years, being it's all I've ever wheeled. I was hoping it wasn't the way I built the front links.

Jacob · Jan 31, 2014

Cracked track bar bracket is a problem that needs to be addressed. 13 psi is too high for any snow conditions.

Dogboy · Jan 31, 2014

Jacob said:
Cracked track bar bracket is a problem that needs to be addressed. 13 psi is too high for any snow conditions.

As soon as I get my other truck done, it's getting fixed. It's a little sketchy to have that cracked...
I forgot an air pump that day, and there were a few stockish rigs with us, so I wasn't worried about it. I was just screwing around where I could.

Dogboy · Jan 31, 2014

nowires said:
If you slow down does it hop or climb and then drop.

If I'd slow down enough to maybe the whel stop spinning, it wouldn't do it at all.

boardbysled · Jan 31, 2014

Radius arm suspensions are known to have bad wheel hop.

Avanteone · Jan 31, 2014

13psi? Snow? Toyos? Cut that number in HALF.

greenie · Feb 1, 2014

wheel studs breaking off? is this what the guys who couldnt make it said? lol, take them tires down to 5 and let the haters hate:beer:

Sniper · Feb 2, 2014

Avanteone said:
13psi? Snow? Toyos? Cut that number in HALF.

^x2...

Dogboy · Feb 2, 2014

Avanteone said:
13psi? Snow? Toyos? Cut that number in HALF.

I'll be ditching the Toyos, then still running half. Normally I'll run 6-7psi in the snow, but like I say, I didn't have a pump that day. I only have the Toyos, because I bought a parts truck, with the tires, for less than the tires alone are worth. I'm not impressed, but I figured it's hard to say a tire is junk until you see how it works.
With 8psi, these Toyos hardly look flat
I want to go back to Trxus's, or something similar. I loved my 33's, but with the solid axle, I have room for 35's.