rear wheel hop

6 replies [Last post]
Joined: 02/11/2009
Posts: 119

ok.... so i got my rear wheels balanced twice and the are still hopping. it only occurs between 55 and 60 mph. really bad when i decelerate and go into a hard left turn. found that out when i almost lost it. i cant figure out what would cause this to happen. any help is greatly appreciated.

83 280zx bone stock auto
5 speed comming soon

Joined: 03/16/2009
Posts: 142
Re: rear wheel hop

hows your suspension?

Andrew Tigard, OR
1994 Toyota 4x4 extra cab DD
1980 280zx tenth anniversary edition
1983 280zxt project(sold 12-04-09)
1982 280zxt parts car Rust bucket  

Joined: 02/11/2009
Posts: 119
Re: rear wheel hop

original.

Joined: 03/23/1999
Posts: 35585
Fix it...

"Wheel Hop" is a nebulous term. If your tires are ON-CAR balanced, then I'd believe there was an issue with your dampers being worn out and any little bump sending the spring into hysterisis.

But likely your tires were balanced OFF CAR so that leaves the little lead weights in the brake drum as a possible imbalance, as well as U-Joint Binding, and any number of things.

Normally a wheel hopping is caused by static imbalance...but ONLY if the damper on that wheel is weak enough to allow it. IF the shock (damper) is up to snuff, it's evidenced by a strong vibration, and not hopping wheels.

If the wheels hop, the shock is shot. I'd suggest you check the entire suspension, as likely the bushings are shot as well, allowing U-Joint angularity issues to crop up on the driveshafts making more more NVH...

Original anything, unless you're talking 21K miles after this much time, is asking for problems. How many miles on the car again? Likely one or two times rolled over, time for some money to be put into the underneath instead of the paint and shiny bits...

People here simply want feel good answers. Don't confuse them with FACTS, Dammit!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
You simply can't call someone a F**ktard here, no matter how truthful it is.
Stupidity is contagious, and looks like it's

Joined: 08/03/2003
Posts: 3583
Re: rear wheel hop

only when you decelerate and turn hard? Could be a bad differential, couldn't it?

73 240Z very orange
Dual Weber DGV's, header and 2.5 exhaust
Electronic dizzy with G.M. HEI module
Tokico Struts/Springs, Full Poly U bushings
Daily driver, all work done by me

Joined: 10/16/2005
Posts: 1657
Re: rear wheel hop

rear suspension first culprit. probably needs a redo anyway. my 83 does 240k on the clock

83 n/a, 85T, 86T, 96TT.

Joined: 05/14/2009
Posts: 54
Re: rear wheel hop

Mine did that for a bit...Its the rear shocks, push down on the rear of the car with some force... You should notice the boat like motion of your car...