[jarnot7]

i have a 1972 chevell malibu with air shocks and i have really bad wheel hop i've been looking and traction bars and was told that maybe replace the stock control arms. what's the best thing to start with?

 

[dyno jonn]

The best/first thing to start with is "Lose the air shocks".

 

[lg1969]

Loose the air shocks and get Comp. Engineering Traction Bars just bolt it on to lower control arm. Get rid of the wheel hop.

 

[oltmanjr]

Loose the air shocks they are the problem if you want to adjust ride height try air bags in the coil spring

 

[Malibu Mac]

I had to deal with this a couple of weeks ago after rebuilding my rear suspension. Here's a link to what I did: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=350138
If you do a search on this topic you will find that the height of the rear is critical. As the height increases in the rear, the upper control arms will move as the suspension begins to separate and what happens is they geometry or angle of the arms will not be correct. What you will probably see is that the upper control arm is lower in the rear mounting point in relation to the forward mounting point. I lowered my rear about 1 1/4 inches and the problem disappeared.

 

[lg1969]

Dropping the car 11/4" will help reducing wheel hop, if you do not have headers because if you bottom out it's no fun if you have headers and/or deep sump tranny pan. it helps me when I added the traction bars.

 

[Keith Tedford]

I always ran Hedman headers that tucked up in pretty well. With the rear of our Chevelle sitting low, there was zero wheel hop and the header clearance wasn't a problem either. Can't say the same for Hooker headers.

 

[lg1969]

I always ran Hedman headers that tucked up in pretty well. With the rear of our Chevelle sitting low, there was zero wheel hop and the header clearance wasn't a problem either. Can't say the same for Hooker headers.

I use to cringe every time I scrape the headers when I hit a bump or bottom out. I got rid of air shocks replace it with gas shocks and heavy duty springs both front and back. It raised the chevelle up, but the chevelle had a bad wheel hop. By adding Comp. Engineering Traction Bars it got rid of the wheel hop.

 

[mrfuzzy]

i had the same problem. like stated above, adjustable upper control arms. solved the problem real good!!!

 

[jarnot7]

thanks, im more of an engine man and not real familiar with the chassis components so this helps a lot. might be a stupid question but anyways so if i lose the air shocks what should i be replacing them with? and i'm trying to keep that rear end up a little higher just cuz i like that look

 

[Sparke60]

I've had good luck with "no hop bars". These help correct the instant center that is way out of whack with a raised car. Also make sure the bushings are in good shape.

 

[dyno jonn]

.....and i'm trying to keep that rear end up a little higher just cuz i like that look

Having the rear of the car up high is what is causing the upper and lower control arms to be so far out of their natural alignment that you are getting wheel hop. No hop bars or ladder bars may help eliminate the wheel hop, but they don't cure the problem. They are just a band aid that covers it up. No matter what you might think, GM engineers weren't idiots. You may improve some things on their cars, but often you will not.

 

[CHELKAMINO]

Your gonna have to sacrifice your 1970's Hi Jacker look if you want the wheel hop to go away. I had somewhat of an issue with wheel hop 20 years ago and my rear was not very high. I changed out the old stock rubber control arm bushings for urethane and it helped considerably. My car sets even lower now then it did back then and I still have no issues with wheel hop.

 

[jarnot7]

i lowered the car and replaced the lower control arms with the jegster lift bars and its seems to be workin, now just need more horsepower haha, thanks everyone.