2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission axle hop in snow

[plongson]

MAN!! I am sure glad that I am not alone here. This seems to be a more common problem than I thought. One thing I have noticed over time is that it is getting easier and easier to get this "Wrapping" thing going. Probably over time the springs get weaker.



Here is another observation, When I am loaded up and have the air-bags pumped up the problem is worse. Makes sense because the bags are carrying the weight and the springs are not (less sprung).



If it is a spring issue, I wonder how lowering the carrier bearing will improve the situation??

 

[BarryG]

My bad

Didnt mean to imply that lowering the center bearing would reduce the wheel hop though it may to a very small degree. It will help the bad vibration from axle wrap as in the case of dry pavement since the wheels wont spin(lose traction) to unload the axle wrap due to the spring load. Lowering the bearing decreases the driveline angle. That vibration is ujoint bind from the pinion angle being driven downward by high torque causing the springs to load up and causing axle wrap thereby increasing the driveline angle. Just as in the wheel hop but it just cant unload the spring force with no wheel spin. Hopefully I explained it better this time.



I only had the problem when towing above 50mph or so and then getting on it some. If I accellerated slowly it was not a problem. They only other time I noticed it was from the 1st to second shift if going somewhat slow. I could literally feel the spring unload and felt a light bouncing motion maybe one or two bounce like feelings during the auto shift process. Lowering the bearing solved the at speed axle wrap vibration (it was still wrapping the axle but the angle was now low enough that there was no bind) The bounce continued some even after I lowered the bearing as the bounce was just the spring unloading not an angle issue. It did however go away completely after I installed the bars and wheel hop was greatly reduced. It was not eliminated as I can still get it but nothing like I did before and I have to try for it.



Rob Thomas quit selling the bars at least here on the TDR. Not sure what exactly happened to him. However member lsfarm (Greg Long's) are very similar and top quality and a very easy install.

 

[plongson]

I think I'll send him a PM and see what he has got.

 

[Lsfarm]

Ride control bars

Hi Everyone. The description by Hohn is very accurate, with our spring blocks or even on a 2wd with short spring blocks the axle is mounted below the spring enough to create an 'S' shape in the spring under acceleration.



The more power you have the worse it is. I live on 1. 5 miles of bumpy dirt road and without my bars the trucks dance all over the place, unless you put it in 4x4. With the bars, the rear axle can only move up and down, not fore and aft, eliminating the spring windup-release syndrome. Stiffer shocks will help but also cause a very harsh ride if they are stiff enough to reduce the hop.



I can drive my truck in axle deep snow in 2wd or 4wd and it will not hop. It will bury itself to the axle and just spin, but not hop. Or I can drive it across a freshly plowed field in 2wd and it will just spin the tires till it buries itself with no hop. If you have big, low inflation tires the tire sidewall flex can cause some hop, like on some sled pulling trucks, but that is not the suspension.



The length of the bar is not really an issue. If you draw out the geometry of the rear axle traveling up and down, and the spring going from curved to straight when the truck is loaded. and then factor in the rubber front spring bushing that has about 3/8" give, there are really no geometry issues.



PM me with your email address for more info/photos and a set of install instructions.



Hope this helps Greg L

 

[MDale]

Just wondering if you have any pictures of your ladder bars? Also how long are they?