Yes I know -- the 8 is not a car for drag. There, I said it first, now STFU :P

Went to the drag strip just to screw around with some friends and I can't seem to shake the wheel hop off the start line.

Tires are good (almost new Star Specs), I have tight sways (Progress sways at the tightest setting) and still hope like crazy. I am thinking rear shocks/springs but just wanted to check if anyone else had any suggestions. Would a rear diff brace help here? (and does anyone even make one?)

 

Replace your shocks. They are the problem.

 

Thanks, I am pretty sure my rear shocks are worn anyways

 

try softening the rear bar as well.

 

Also - if the shocks don't work try throwing a bag of cement in the boot - works great

 

try feathering the clutch more....itll work just takes practice.

 

Buy an ignalls torque damper... quick easy and helps alot with the wheel hop and gives you nicer shifts.... O and the inside of your car dosent rele vibrate you just get a pleasant hum in the cabin.. I have this and i have it pretty close to the tightest setting!

 

Just wondering what this will do??

I'm not trying to be an *** or anything but i'm just trying to understand wheel hop (up and down motion) can be cured by adjusting the sway bar (which usually effects side to side motion)

Seems like the sway bar is just pivoting in the bushings during wheel hop but i really dont know because i really dont care about drag racing and wheel hop but you have me curious.

 

you're assuming the wheels are moving up and down in unison; they're not. the sway bar ties them together; the bar works in torsion, which is what reduces body roll. oversimplified, as one wheel moves up or down, it pulls the other, but the movement isn't symmetrical.

the sway bar reduces body roll (which i'm assuming you're referring to as "side to side motion") by tying each side of the suspension together. for a good launch, you generally want as much compliance in the rear suspension as possible. side-to-side body motion is reeally just "up and down" wheel motion (or, like any other suspension movement, motion of the wheels relative to the body).

FWIW, i usually find i have a problem with wheel hop if i'm too tentative with either revs or the clutch. with more revs and an aggressive clutch drop (difficult b/c of the dead pedal). it's something that definitely comes into play in situations other than a drag strip (e.g., a ProSolo launch).