I went to the track this week for the first time since last year when I had to tow the car home after breaking the stock torque arm, only to AGAIN break the edelbrock torque arm that replaced it Once again wheel hop is what killed the TA. I set the line lock to do my burnout, dumped it at 3500 and it just hopped and broke. Now I know most will be quick to blame the edelbrock TA, but it didin't break the same way as the others that have had the TA break on them (bad welds causing immediate failure) it had the threaded parts that go into the adjustable nut on each side shear off.

Is there anything I can do to eliminate this wheel hop?? Am I doing something wrong to be breaking torque arms time after time?? Has anyone else had this problem?
My rear suspension setup was as follows: moser 12-bolt w 3.73s, Edelbrock adj. Tq arm (stock pinion angle setting) Lakewood LCA's, Edelbrock adj. Panhard rod, 275 MT ET street radials on 15x10 Draglites. All else stock.
Going to be putting in a BMR adj. TA next but I would like for it to be the last.

Thanks for any help.

 

First, I've never had wheel hop with my 1997 Z28. What rear tires, or slicks are you running? Too low tire pressure, worn-out shocks, or possibly lowering springs may be the problem.

I'm currently running Eibach rear drag springs, stock rear shocks, Spohn adjustable T/A, Metco LCAs and relocation brackets. However, even with the stock components wheel hop was never a problem. Also, I don't recall any 4th Gen F-Bodys in my area having a wheel hop problem. Therefore, it is a problem that can be fixed.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634

 

I lowered the psi down to 24 in the MT ET street radials before pulling up to the line. Stock shocks and springs. Maybe like you said, the weight of the 12-bolt combined with the old worn out shocks are part of the problem?

Another problem was that there was no water box at the track last night, so I couldn't burn out properly. I held the line lock and as I dropped the clutch I could feel the tires hooking and then the rear hopped and the TA broke. Regardless though, even if I could properly burn out, when I would have dropped it from 5000 on the ensuing launch it would have broken then most likely.

 

I'm not an expert on the drag radials, possibly someone can advise you on the correct pressure. Although, too low slick pressure can cause tire shake and shake then causes wheel hop. Also, get some good 50/50 gas charged shocks on the rear (they are cheap), all components need to be 100 percent for everything to work correctly. Again, wheel hop isn’t all that common with 4-Gen F-Bodys. Also, do you have a slick, or wheel out-of-round?

I’m running ET Streets, but here is my routine during the burn-out. First, I spin-up the slicks in the water pit (quick and short throttle hit), just to clean and wet them all the way around. Then I pull forward to the “dry” pavement, set the line-lock and start the burn-out, release the line-lock and allow the car to move forward prior to letting off.

 

I've never been to the track, hence me never using a LL... I might be out of my league here.

Wonder if you settign the LL first, then doing the burnout put too much stress on the suspension. Would it be safer to start the burnout, then lock the front end?.... just to get things rolling? Are you 'dumping' the clutch, or rolling into it?

I noticed you have springs. Is it lowered? LCA relo brackets?

 

That's what I would have done but like I said there was no water box last night it was a 'street drag' night. BTW Do you burn out in first or second??

I saw that summit racing has some adjustable front and rear drag shocks which are really inexpensive (29$ each I think) would you recommend these?
And to answer your question I don't think my wheels/tires could be out of round they are pretty much new.

Bayer, I have stock springs and stock ride height. No relocation brackets.

 

I too have never had "wheel hop". Its almost non exsistant with a tq arm type suspension and rear coil springs. Wheel hop was caused on older cars by the leaf spring type of suspension set up.

couple of thing for you, I think you are just sticking the tires and loading the suspension, only to have the tires break loose and quickly unload everything on you... I would start with changing shocks its cheap and easy to do. Second would be to check you control arm position... they should be just about parralel to the ground or have the side connected to the rear end slightly lower than the car mounted side. third I would check all your bushings(LCA, trans, tq arm) and your swaybar connections. Its possible one or more are just shot or broken. Also you could try a tq arm that mounts to the car not the trans but I dont thnink thats a problem.

When you do your burnout, be sure to get the tires wet all the way around. Watch the track official and rol up till he stops you. When he says stop... you stop. They will put your back wheels just at or past the water. You dont want to drive 15 feet ahead of there because you will push all the water off the tread and make it that much more difficult to get them moving. The water is just there to help you break the tires loose. set you line lock and when the official tells you to start your burn out go ahead. I'm an auto guy but for a stick you really want to jump on it hard. Get those tires spinning anddont let off. If you ease into it you will actually put more stress on the rear and suspension and make it harder to break the tires loose.

Hold the burnout for a few sec. with 1 rpm. I hold mine at 5500 in 2nd gear. when the tires heat up you will feel it. the rpms want to come down. Roll out of the burnout and up to the line.

I think you are having a problem with that burnout and a problem with the car.

BTW, where did the tq arm break? Any pics?

 

The week before I went to the track I installed my adjustable panhard rod, and while I was down there I checked LCA's and the torque arm mounts (tranny and diff. side) and everything seemed solid. I'll check the other things you mentioned when I get it back.

Are shocks hard to install? Is it something I can do in my garage or do I need special tools?

BTW I'm going to drop off the BMR Tq arm tomorrow so I will snap some pics of the broken Edelbrock.

 

The rear shocks are a 15 minute install. The fronts are a bit more involved, and require removal of the complete spring/shock assembly, then separating the spring from the shock with a spring compressor.

I've seen 4th Gens hop, and its generally a problem with the LCA angle. The relo brackets work wonders in that respect. They helped my setup quite a bit, where I had a problem with the BFG Drag Radials on the street.

 

rear shocks are easy to do. The hardest part is getting to the top nuts behind the carpet. Fold the seat down and pull the carpet back to get to them.

If its truly wheel hop the only thing I could remotely see causing it is the LCA's and Fred already stated.

 

Ok here are the pics:






What do you guys think about the BMR trak pak?? I want to get a torque arm that will last, that is not mounted on the tranny, and that will be the last TA that I will buy. Is it sturdy enough for a 6-speed? I am making about 350 whp now and will be adding a nitrous kit soon... should I go with the 'xtreme' version? I will get a set of shocks for the rear and some weld-in relo brackets from BMR as well.

 

Well first I dont think you need another new tq arm. You can probably get the broken piece out of the tube and just buy a new adjuster. And to get it off the transmission BMR is making a new rear mount that relocates the mount to the body for your type of tq arm.

http://www.bmrfabrication.com/misc/TCC006.jpg

Whats your pinion angle set at? Or was set at? Have you checked it correctly? From the way that broke I would say you have an issue with the pinion angle and preload.

 

Yeah but I figured by the time I repair & re-weld, staighten out, and replace the front bushing (which was toast) on the edelbrock, I may as well get a better crossmember-mounted one? Also by the time I get the BMR mounting kit (250$ or so) I could have almost bought a trak pak.

Also I never checked the pinion angle, but the shop that installed it told me it was adjusted to stock specs. From what I've read -2 degrees seems to be what people are adjusting theirs at.

 

From the pic it doesnt look like the arm itself was damaged at all. I didnt realize the front mount was also damaged. In that case a Spohn will work very nicely.

I really think you have a pinion angle issue. If its not set right it will break stuff including the tq arm.


I would verify that with my own eyes on the next one...

 

More bad news today... I walked by my car yesterday night and smelled gear oil, look underneath and there is a huge puddle coming from the front of the differential. There was oil on the yoke. I'm guessing the pinion seal is damaged?? I'm going to fill my diff with oil and go get it checked out. Could it be anything else?