Wheel Hop
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 467
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From: On the farm near Loveland
Wheel Hop
OK, I admit it. From time to time I enjoy the fun of pulling the occasional hole shot from a stop (Especially with a Chev in the next lane).
Problem is, my truck has a nasty case of wheel hop, the rear tires spin and bounce a few times. I can't believe the rear leafs might be wrapping up on a HD truck.
Anyone pass along an easy cure for the hoppin'?
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'96 F-250 4x2 460, E4OD, 4.10 axle, Home brew K&N FIPK, modified ignition advance, modified MAF sensor, L&L headers, 3" Flowmaster exhaust, Red Line lubes.
Problem is, my truck has a nasty case of wheel hop, the rear tires spin and bounce a few times. I can't believe the rear leafs might be wrapping up on a HD truck.
Anyone pass along an easy cure for the hoppin'?
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'96 F-250 4x2 460, E4OD, 4.10 axle, Home brew K&N FIPK, modified ignition advance, modified MAF sensor, L&L headers, 3" Flowmaster exhaust, Red Line lubes.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Wheel Hop
Shocks in good shape? If you have any lift blocks, it will amplify the leverage on the springs too, so will big tires. If your shocks are in good shape, try some traction bars. Do a search for my name in this forum, a while ago i posted about 10 different companies and their web address to look for some. The title was something about axle wrap. I lost my info.
Primary rig is:
95' F-150 EB 300/6 5 spd with 4" Superlift, MSD, Ram Air, Gibson Exhaust, 32" BFG Muds
NEW PICS IN MY GALLERY!! :-)
Then theres:
88' F-250 Superduty 351 + c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 and a
3 spd column shifter. Top speed, 65mph, Go Baby Go!
The newest addition to the Ford family is a 99' Mustang GT 4.6L
Primary rig is:
95' F-150 EB 300/6 5 spd with 4" Superlift, MSD, Ram Air, Gibson Exhaust, 32" BFG Muds
NEW PICS IN MY GALLERY!! :-)
Then theres:
88' F-250 Superduty 351 + c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 and a
3 spd column shifter. Top speed, 65mph, Go Baby Go!
The newest addition to the Ford family is a 99' Mustang GT 4.6L
New User
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I have a problem with wheel hop or maybe bump steer, depending on how you look at it, but it doesn't have to do jackrabbit "hole shot" starts. Nevertheless, I'm posting here because the title of this thread seems appropriate. In a nutshell, my truck hops sideways (especially the rear) when it hits a bump or pothole. It's to the point where it feels dangerous to drive.
Here's the situation. I have a 2019 F-250 Lariat, a 2WD V8 gasser. It rode and handled OK on the Continental Conti-Trac tires that came with it. But after getting stuck in sand a couple of times (yeah, I know, 4WD would have helped, but I had reasons for not wanting it--extra truck height, reduced payload, and added cost), I decided to replace those with tires that had a little more authority. Based on others' recommendations, I bought Yokohama Geolandar G015s.
Immediately afterward I noticed the ride was harsher, and the hopping behavior started. At first I thought it was because the tire dealer had inflated the tires to 65 psi, which is higher than recommended for my truck when unloaded. I dropped the pressure several times, ending up at about 50 psi--as low as I can go before the truck's TPMS starts to complain--but the hopping and harsh ride persisted.
As I said, the truck feels unstable on anything but a smooth road. The problem seems to have begun right after I switched to the Geolandar tires, but could they have caused such a radical change in handling? The truck is only about six months old, so I doubt it has worn shocks or other suspension parts. Suggestions?
Here's the situation. I have a 2019 F-250 Lariat, a 2WD V8 gasser. It rode and handled OK on the Continental Conti-Trac tires that came with it. But after getting stuck in sand a couple of times (yeah, I know, 4WD would have helped, but I had reasons for not wanting it--extra truck height, reduced payload, and added cost), I decided to replace those with tires that had a little more authority. Based on others' recommendations, I bought Yokohama Geolandar G015s.
Immediately afterward I noticed the ride was harsher, and the hopping behavior started. At first I thought it was because the tire dealer had inflated the tires to 65 psi, which is higher than recommended for my truck when unloaded. I dropped the pressure several times, ending up at about 50 psi--as low as I can go before the truck's TPMS starts to complain--but the hopping and harsh ride persisted.
As I said, the truck feels unstable on anything but a smooth road. The problem seems to have begun right after I switched to the Geolandar tires, but could they have caused such a radical change in handling? The truck is only about six months old, so I doubt it has worn shocks or other suspension parts. Suggestions?
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,475
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Welcome to FTE!
What you have is standard behavior for a live axle RWD. Cars, trucks, anything will do that. My F150 will start to come around while going straight on a washboarded road.
Clearly the tires have made it worse. Can you try them on the front and see what happens?
The usual fix without tire issues is shocks. Yes, new stock shocks can suck.
Ford fiddled around for years with the live axle in the Mustang and finally got it to behave pretty well. Trucks with leaf springs--a bit harder to control.
What you have is standard behavior for a live axle RWD. Cars, trucks, anything will do that. My F150 will start to come around while going straight on a washboarded road.
Clearly the tires have made it worse. Can you try them on the front and see what happens?
The usual fix without tire issues is shocks. Yes, new stock shocks can suck.
Ford fiddled around for years with the live axle in the Mustang and finally got it to behave pretty well. Trucks with leaf springs--a bit harder to control.
New User
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Thanks for the quick response!
For what it's worth, my 2017 F-150 didn't hop around this way on the same roads I'm having trouble with now. (E.g., I-40 between Arizona exits 9 and 66.) The F-250 did have a noticeably harder ride than the F-150 right from the beginning--to be expected in a truck with nearly twice the payload capacity--but it didn't start hopping sideways until I got the new tires. So I'm thinking either the tires made it much worse, or the technicians at the tire shop somehow damaged the suspension... but the latter seems unlikely.
"Can you try them on the front and see what happens?"
They are on the front as well as the rear. Sorry, I didn't make it clear that I replaced all four tires. And although I especially notice the rear hopping, the front often jumps around as well.
By the way, if it matters, this truck has independent front suspension, unlike most F-250s. Most buyers want 4WD and/or diesel, and with that you get a solid front axle. But not with the 2WD gasser. The rear axle is solid, though.
For what it's worth, my 2017 F-150 didn't hop around this way on the same roads I'm having trouble with now. (E.g., I-40 between Arizona exits 9 and 66.) The F-250 did have a noticeably harder ride than the F-150 right from the beginning--to be expected in a truck with nearly twice the payload capacity--but it didn't start hopping sideways until I got the new tires. So I'm thinking either the tires made it much worse, or the technicians at the tire shop somehow damaged the suspension... but the latter seems unlikely.
"Can you try them on the front and see what happens?"
They are on the front as well as the rear. Sorry, I didn't make it clear that I replaced all four tires. And although I especially notice the rear hopping, the front often jumps around as well.
By the way, if it matters, this truck has independent front suspension, unlike most F-250s. Most buyers want 4WD and/or diesel, and with that you get a solid front axle. But not with the 2WD gasser. The rear axle is solid, though.
