[Jose Gonzalez]

In certain situations, I am getting some very ugly wheel hop with the Z06. It seems worse with the Road Race tires as compared to stock tires. I did not have this problem with my C4. Is this a problem with all C5 or Z06? The changes I have made consist of droping the car as far as it would go by the factory adjustments and an Auto X alignment just like I had on the C4. Any ideas.

JOSE

 

[trumperZ06]

Jose, it may be caused by lowering your car. My buddy has run 2 days of auto-cross and he and I both ran 1 day of high speed track time without any wheel hop problems. Both cars are Z06's, he runs Hoosier tires, I'm on Goodyear stock....super car tires.

We run our cars on the street,in fact, mine is my daily driver, so neither car has been lowered.

Good luck in solving the "hop" and keep us posted.

 

[Vader06]

The axle tramp is a chronic problem with the C5. I don't know for sure (I'm going to build some solid bushings eventually to test my theory), but beleive it has to be because of the rubber bushings in the double wishbone suspension which take the full force of propelling the car forward. This causes them to twist, then give when the pressure gets to great, then twist again, and so forth. If you think about it, with the Z06 gearing, you're putting between 3500 and 4000 lb ft of torque against those tires and ultimately those bushing in los gear. Too much for rubber bushings. I've personnaly got some really bad wheel hop when shifting to second with cold race tires. C4s have links from the frame to the rear spindle area which take that force, but the C5 doesn't have those links. Only answer is to go easier on the launches and second grear shifts. The price we pay for all that cornering force, I guess.

 

[Jose Gonzalez]

Thanks for the reply. The theory on the bushings on the wishbone suspension does make some sence. I have not had any real problems Autocrossing, which is what I compete in most. My biggest problem came at a new surfaced drag strip. I just wanted to know if I was the only one with the problem.

Thanks

 

[Vader06]

I'll keep you informed about what I find out. Later.

 

[Gordy M]

WHEN LOWERING THE Z-06 IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR WEIGHTS BIAS CORRECT. WHETHER AUTOCROSSING OR HIGH SPEED CORNING, THE CROSSWEIGHTS WILL DRAMATICALLY EFFECT TIMES. THE SAME IS TRUE WITH LAUNCHING. WHEN THE CAR COMES FROM THE FACTORY IT IS SET TO A SPECIFIC RIDE HEIGHT. 6.02" FRONT JACK POINT AND 6.22" REAR JACK POINT.

WHEN YOU LOWER THE CAR THIS WILL CHANGE THE WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP. IDEALLY, YOU FIND A ROUNDY-ROUNDER DRIVER, TRANS-AM, ETC. WHO HAS WEIGHT SCALES. HAVE THEM SET THE CAR UP WITH YOU SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT.

YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS. oUR CLUB HAD A GM ENGINEER, WHO RACES Z06'S AND HE GAVE ME THIS INFO.

 

[greg]

At the drag strip my Z06 has had many problems with axle tramp. The worst example being from start through 90 mph. Auto crossing does not seem to bother it as much because most wheel spinning is done in a smoother transition rather than a the banging of a power or very quick speed shift.I think slicks may complicate the problem. Does anyone have this experience with stickier tires?

 

[Vader06]

Gordy,

My axle tramp was exactly the same before and after lowering the car. I really do beleive it is the A-arm bushings. I'll be testing this hypothesis in the future.

 

[Jose Gonzalez]

The wheel hop got worse on my car with the Autocross tires. I have not tried with full road or drag race slicks. My feeling is that the great the stick, if you get them to spin, the great the hop will be.

 

[Social_Engineer]

Funny, I read and read more about this - the car (mine, and many other people's) still has wheel hop!

 

[rfgoss1]

The consensus seems to be that to overcome the wheel hop you can either launch softer, not acceptable but necessary, or add an adjustable shock. The most commonly noted on Corvetteforum.com is the Hal adjustable. Most of the guys there say that putting the setting on 12 in back and 5 up front will get the rear to stick. I am going to do them on mine because I can't stand the wheel hop. I always think something is breaking.
:cheers:
Rg

 

[pdx_Z]

I'm not a mechanic, so can someone please explain what "wheel hop" and "axle tramp" are? These sound pretty bad and I'd be very interested in getting rid of them on my Z when it arrives next week.

I recall reading in some car mag. that their 0-60 time for the Z06 was adversely affected by axle tramp, but I wasn't able to find any info about it then. Thanks.

--pdx_Z

 

[Zeanster]

Axle Tramp

A phenomen while under acceleration where the drive wheels gain and lose traction rapidly causing the rear axle to oscillate slightly to excessivley depending on the severity.

Old leaf spring musclecars usually had this problem and solved it by adding some sort of 'traction bar that supported the leaf spring.

 

[ZO6LS6]

'02's

Address this problem, have a new unit installed to limit the hop.........
Others, are as stated above..........

 

[pmontelo]

02's still hop like mad

FYI - This has *not* been addressed on the '02s. The right rear wheel of the car will hop like mad when the available traction is great enough. My car is stock and has not been lowered.

At Route 66 Raceway I have had horrible hopping problems; it is one of the stickiest drag strips in the country. On the street where the available traction is not as good, it is not nearly as bad. The tire breaks free more cleanly and spins instead of hopping.

 

[Baron]

I have found over the years that severe wheel hop will tear your car apart. Axles, ring and pinion, rear differential mounting points...all torn up with wheel hop.I've even lost transmissions. Not good for the driveline,by any means.

 

[Ernie King]

Hey Guys,

I would like to put my .02 worth of info in here. First, it would be a good idea if someone came up with a device that would stop the wheel hop, without going to a full race tire. Idea's anybody, other than $1100 shocks.

Second, I run M/T E/T Streets on 16" wheels, I can tell you even with spin, no hop at all. Im still learning how to launch with them so my 60's are not as good as they should be, but I went from 2.2-2.1 to my best 1.75 and average 1.78 to 1.80.

I think it's the compound of the tire, and the lack of gripping which causes it to break loose and then bounces.

Then again I could be wrong, which won't be the first time.

Good luck, but try some good drag tires......

Ernie

 

[ZO6LS6]

pmont

Go to www.idavette.net

Ruthless Pursuit of Power..............gives some advice, and detail's on my post..........

Read the article by Hib & Juriga........there is some info all you '02 guy's (AND) '01 may find of interest......

I thought so

 

[02ZO6]

Not to be a precher, but these cars are not ment for the drag strip. They are set up for road course. I have to believe that shocks will help alot, you need that ass end to squat down and transfer weight. That comdined with softer drag type tires should do the trick. You can't pull one G in the corner on drag slicks and you can't pull a nasty holeshot (for the most part) with road race tires. If I am wrong go ahead and bitch at me and set me straight.

 

[Zeanster]

For maximum traction it is a combination of weight transfer and pushing the tires against the ground. If the car just squats real quick in a sense there is a lack of force being applied to the rear tires to the ground.

If you have seen a old Chrysler launch at the track they would actually rise in the rear end. This almost makes sense if you think that the result of the rear rising is that it must be pushing down on the tires to do so?

That being said Vettes tend to get good traction while squating, I just think that it is a balance.