Rear wheel hop when spining tires

[HighwaySentinel]

Thank you for the information and suggestions. You would think a vehicle at this price point would be good to go off the lot.

It might have been good off the lot, but your original post does not indicate you have had it that long. Your issue could have very well been the reason the previous owner decided to get rid of it. Might be best to take it somewhere reputable and have it looked over.

 

[smurfslayer]

There's a 2" block between the spring and the axle. Because of the extra leverage, the axle transmits more twisting force(torque) to the spring. Because the OEM spring has so few leaves, it's thin and it's ability to resist the torque is less than a spring pack with the same spring rate but more leaves. Ford cheaped out big time.

Ok, that can have an impact on some of the wrap, but not all. The axle hop and oscillation resulting from though?

My point here is that replacing the leaf pack or number of leafs isn’t a prevention method or fix.

Leaf sprung suspension is old school, and compromises some aspects of good suspension but it is flexible and usable in a wide variety of applications.

 

[Nex]

OP, a lot of knowledgeable people here trying to explain things for you. The standard F150 has a stiffer shock/spring set up than a Raptor, which is also why F150 has a higher tow rating. 2 different uses.

Raptor is ment for high speed and soak up bumps at said speed. Need a softer suspension to accommodate that. Ford built a awesome truck out of the gate but also need to appease the masses. So they are trying to thread the needle of intended use, customer complaints, serviceability and cost. Think of what Ford built as a starting point. Then you tailor it as you like.

As others have mentioned, shocks need a rebuild. Every 40k-50k miles of normal street use. More often with off road use. Springs help but will also need more to truly plant the power. Fresh shocks, Deavers and either track bars or similar.

 

[FordTechOne]

Thank you for the information and suggestions. You would think a vehicle at this price point would be good to go off the lot. My last three F150's had no problems laying smooth power down to the dirt. What a dissapointment. How can they call this a Baja truck if it can't lay down some basic power in the dirt. From what I am learning, it looks like traction bars are the best solution for my wants, but that is going to set me back about $2,000-$3,000 installed, I am guessing. Does the Gen3 Raptor D link rear suspension resolve this wheel hop issue?

You bought a 6 year old used truck with 50k miles on it…not a new truck “off the lot”. Depending on how the previous owner used it the springs can sag, especially if it was overloaded. Same goes for the shocks. You can’t draw any conclusions until both are inspected and serviced/replaced if necessary.

The factory leaf springs are designed to be compliant enough that the back (lightest end) of the truck remains under control over terrain at speed. Hence the low payload rating of these trucks. Personally, I have not experienced any of the wheel hop issues off-road that you’re describing. Which most likely indicates your rear springs are worn and/or the shocks need a rebuild. I see @Nex basically just said the same.

 

[Gumby]

Ok what is abuse you? Dead stop launch every time. I spoke the the previous owner of my Roush. He said "I never abused the truck." "I would get my FOOt in all the time that is what it is built for." Maintenance records were impeccable. He took excellent care of the truck. He did not view this as abuse. He traded the truck in on a new TRX because his mechanic could not figure out what was wrong with the Raptor. When I told him how I fixed it he said "I wished someone would have figured that out for me I would've never traded it in".
This is how I fixed it.
IN this pic.
The new custom built driveshaft he had put in the truck is rubbing on the pinion coupler. You can see where the aluminum driveshaft has rubbed the pinion coupler.

In This Pic
This axel perch or spring perch should be FLAT!!!!! As you can see it isn't!!!! This is what 150k of "Putting your foot in it" can do. The wheel hop was BAD along with a bad vibrations.

In This Pic
You can clearly see what @smurfslayer is talking about. The holes are egged from All the movement. Like the video he posted shows

In This Pic
This is how I fixed it. I cut and welded on top of the old prech 3/16 steel with new guide holes for the springs.fill welds on the ends so now their FLAT!!!!

I still have the stock springs. I will upgrade them at some point because I tow a boat. If I would have just went and got springs without the repair of the perch It would Not have helped.
Yes this fixed the wheel hop. It will PLANT and GO now. Although I don't abuse the truck. LOL

 

[GordoJay]

Does the Gen3 Raptor D link rear suspension resolve this wheel hop issue?

I believe so. In fact, Ford had to reduce torque at lower RPMs out of the TTV6 in gen 2 to reduce wrap and hop. They knew they were fúcking up. In the gen 3, they let her rip. That's why gen 3 is peppier with the exact same specs. More torque down low.

 

[GordoJay]

Ok, that can have an impact on some of the wrap, but not all. The axle hop and oscillation resulting from though?

My point here is that replacing the leaf pack or number of leafs isn’t a prevention method or fix.

Leaf sprung suspension is old school, and compromises some aspects of good suspension but it is flexible and usable in a wide variety of applications.

True, it won't fix it completely, but it will help. It all depends on how you use your truck. I almost never get on it at low speeds, so I'm still limping along with the stock springs. I keep going back and forth between HD Deavers and upgrading to a gen 3. At the rate I'm going, it will likely be the gen 3, although if I sag any more, I won't be able to stand it. The race is on.

 

[smurfslayer]

True, it won't fix it completely, but it will help. It all depends on how you use your truck. I almost never get on it at low speeds, so I'm still limping along with the stock springs.

Interesting data point; how you use your truck. I bought January of 2017, Raptor Assault in late April that year, where we really got to experience it first hand. I’ve noticed it at slow speed on the beach in soft sand before, and more than once. After the torque arm- my only suspension mod, that’s no longer a concern.

Jen Tres doesn’t just throw coil springs at the equation though:

"The 5-link rear suspension features extra-long trailing arms to better maintain axle position on rough terrain, a panhard rod and 24-inch coil springs – the longest in the class"

 

[Old-Raptor-guy]

You would think a vehicle at this price point would be good to go off the lot. My last three F150's had no problems laying smooth power down to the dirt. What a dissapointment. How can they call this a Baja truck if it can't lay down some basic power in the dirt.

So in regards to this part of the post I am going to comment, in doing so i will probably ruffle some feathers, which honestly is my super power (nick name at work is "the soul pierce-er")

It is hard to explan/quantify (at least for me) but the Raptor is Halo vehicle, sitting along side many of the most iconic vehicles ever. In such the price means very little. For example I have seen many many stock vehicles from Ford to Subaru go well past 150,000 miles on a factory clutch (when driven correctly). But do you know the expected life of a clutch on a $350,000 Lamborghini is? Yep you guessed it 8,000 miles. If you try to sell a Lambo with 10,000 miles and no record of a clutch replacement expect to drop your price by $50,000.

I am at 27,260 miles and I am pretty sure my shocks need rebuilt, I mean other than a Ford F150 Raptor what vehicle needs shocks at under 30K? Performance on the edge costs $$$$$, that is just the nature of the beast.

It is the law of deminished returns X amount of performance costs X amount of money, but X2 performance costs x4 or x8 money.

Honestly and I have said this 100 times, 90% of the Raptor owners would be better served with Platnium or a Limited. Both have twice the cargo and twice the towing capacity. As far as a truck goes, Raptors are horrible. ( in my world towing amd payload are what make a truck a truck, hence why I still have my Superduty) honestly an El camino or Ranchero have about the same payload and towing as a Raptor.

I am skipping the whole spring issue per-se, yes the springs are to soft, unless you are solo with next to no cargo.

 

[nikhsub1]

It's not that the springs are too soft, they are oversprung and twitchy. There are literally FOUR leafs making up the entire spring. With a 2" block under them.