Off the Line...
 

ok, everyone knows that wheel hop and traction loss are a big problem with the 8's, but what aftermarket parts can be added to solve the hopping issue?>? my old car i just threw some traction bars on and solved it, but i dont want to do anything that will negativly effect the handling of my 8.

also what size tires do you recomend running? ive always thought wider looks better, but how wide can you fit under the 8? 9"?

Re: Off the Line...
 

answers:

Add half a brain to the person in the driver's seat - unless you are at the track, you shouldn't need to be starting in a way to produce any significant wheel hop - chill a little (or a lot). If you are at the track - I've not seen anything anyone has mentioned that does stop the hop.

Dont' know, but why would you want to screw around with what is already exemplary suspension geometry except w/sway bars/springs/wheels tires. Again only on a drag car - which the 8 isn't in it's present form - short of an extreme makeover inc. a different engine, suspension, etc.

Lots, and lots, and lots of threads on tire/wheel sizes (search). Seen I believe up to 10" rear / 9" front with only minor fit problems.

well thanks for the help, u could of gotten your point across without being a smartass though.

Your're welcome. My comments were in respect to your i.e., "ok, everyone knows that wheel hop and traction loss are a big problem with the 8's" which is not universally agreed to, nor a problem to anyone driving the car for the purpose for which it was designed. IMO it was never designed for drop clutch hi-rpm starts, for which it is not suited. Most end up damaging their cars that try very many times from what I've read here.

Otherwise you got straight answers from me, I hope they helped. :)

hmmmmmmmmmm there already are better limited slip diffs out there. but nooner out there has come back to say what it's done for them. i agree with spin, don't do it unless you are at the track and even so don't risk blowing your clutch,flywheel,tranny by tryin gto look like big daddy don garlits.

Hey man, I've been at the track with my 8 twice now... and I'll agree that hop/spin has been a huge problem.
I have heard an easy correction to this problem is lowering your tire pressure...

I have not messed around with it because i hate that anoying tire pressure light. J-Ito did try though, if i recall.

If you try this pleez leme know how it went!

Wheel hop is usually derived from poor traction. I personally think the rear tires are too narrow on the 8. If you look at most other sports cars with 50/50 weight dist you'll see wider tires on the rear to help control the rear end and it's "extra" weight. I'd say just moving up to 245s out back while maintaining the stock diameter would help a lot. thicker strut bars, sway bars, and sub frames should also help dramatically.

#1 - Turn of DSC
#2 - Launch at or above 4K RPM
#3 - Enjoy the short burnout and subsequent "hook up"

I did this repeatedly last weekend during a Solo II event and never once experienced any wheel hop (or anything even closely related) My launches were smooth with just a bit too much wheel spin (but overall better than a low RPM launch)

This was only the first tuning event and I may find a better combination of tire pressures, launch tactics, etc. I have yet to experience the "hop".

Finer points:
- Stock suspension/no mechanical mods
- Front tire pressure (cold) 38PSI
- Rear tire pressure (cold) 40PSI

Thanks for the tip 6mm, might use your advice in a future solo2. At my 1st/last event, noticed *most* starters didn't spin out (chirp only) at the start. Maybe (?) cause the 1st turning started so quick, didn't want to not have absolute control? Or smthg.

Think I saw your car in another thread. :) You had a really tight course if I remember.

I've been running 38PSI all around. I'll try 40 in back next week. On a related note, to make sure it cold psi I've been filling up at a gas station close to home and then driving to the locations. Is the cold/hot difference linear? Can I just measure my 32 cold psi tires when their hot and then add that difference to the 38 and 40 desired psi's when I arrive at the event? In other words, if my 32 cold psi equals 38 when hot (a 6 psi difference), can I fill my hot tires to 44 and 46 psi to acheive a cold psi of 38 and 40?

I always start with cold PSI when measuring and then adjust slightly (usually taking 1-2 lbs. out) once the tires warm up. Note this was my first Solo in the RX-8 and I will likely experiment with tire pressures over the next several events. This weekend I bascially started with cold PSI and left it that way.

I think the FD's had the same problem with wheel hop. I had it a couple of times when I just dropped the clutch, but now I can feather it out pretty quick and get a killer launch.

Finer points:
- Stock suspension/no mechanical mods
- Front tire pressure (cold) 38PSI
- Rear tire pressure (cold) 40PSI

If you run lower pressure in you rear tires, you WILL spin less. Try running 36-38 front, and 34 rear. Helped me. Your front tires are doing all of the work in autoX so you want them aired up more so your fronts wont roll so much and eat the tread off the sides.

Stiffer motor mounts wouldn't hurt either...

tires,hop
 

yes the answer in a Stock setup is to raise the tire psi .....
I tried 50 psi, for me it worked real well..........
out at about 4000 or 4500 ......
I slipped the clutch feathering it in rather quickly while raising the rpm's as a nice,green light pass. I have done this thousands of times on many cars( I raced 1/8 mile near my home and out of the box really matters in a short track and or pass. and I DID NOT want to fry the clutch in my new car but had to know what it would do if I did launch it. so I put it to the tires to take the brunt of the launch.
this car is not set up to deadstart but with the way it runs and builds rpm's a push is much more appropreate.20 mph roll and its heaven!!!!

I am gonna put a good small electric compressor somewhere in the trunk just so I can be ready if need be............
oh yeah turn off all the traction control.......
lucky eights guys :D

Re: tires,hop
 

Don't all 8s come with a compressor in the trunk?

I found that going from the stock 30 psi up to 40 psi "solved" my wheel hop problem too. Didn't have ANY problem getting those OE tires to hook up at that pressure either (after a moderate burnout.)

still have my stock psi in my tires n no hops on mine. been launching 4000-5000rpm. beatin an integra gsr with jackson supercharger 5 times

Re: tires,hop
 

The 8 comes with a compressor!
I've used it.. works pretty well..

I tried lowering tire pressure at the track, all it did was cause my rear end to slide a little after the wheel hop!

Maybe I'll try more.. if other people has good results with this.

The day before my last solo2 event I did some playing to relearn some things, there was quite a gap in time before the previous event. I did that at stock pressures (34) and the car was tight. Very hard to lose it unless trying to lose it, so I left the pressures alone at the event and it was OK. But I do like the post above about raising the front pressures only or at least more so. All my launches were good but I was not going for a good burn out, I was really trying to give the clutch the least amount of abuse possible, acheived some spin and no hop. Next time I will try 40 in the front and 34 in the rear.