Air Bags and the hop

[PistolWhip]

I just put mine in and at about 28 PSI the hop is GONE!:rockon:
I still get a very little bit on concrete, but on black top it's completely GONE!!!!!epper: epper: epper:
My car had an EXTREME case of the hops, so if it worked here, it's gotta work anywhere. My car is a vert with only a few minor mods to the IRS other than the bags. I don't even have my subframe connectors on yet! All I have is Steeda springs and Nitto DR's. I just ordered a set of Coupe shocks, so I'm hoping that with them, the full length subs and the eventual install of the MM IRS bushings that I have sitting in my garage, I'll have ZERO hop on any surface!

 

[04svtspray]

I just ordered these today, what psi are you guy putting in the bags??

 

[PistolWhip]

Mine are at 28 right now, I didn't have time to really mess around with it too much though. 28 eliminated my hop issues, but I'd like to see if I can lower the PSI and get the same effect.

 

[willyum]

Pistolwhip, I have all the mods you have, plus the subframes and coupe spings and my hop is pretty nasty. My point is I wouldn't expect much from those things you plan to purchase. Of coarse I believe all verts need subframes and the coupe springs give you a tighter ride than the vert ones, so you will see an improvement. It seems the bags are doing more than any other mod.

I can't believe the Nitto Drags didn't make a difference before the bag mod.

 

[PistolWhip]

I don't know what other mods you have, but my car has to be dam near 500 RWHP. DR's or not, there gonna spin when you mash the peddel. The Nitto's did make a difference, but as soon as they break loose, it hops again. DR's only help because they spin less. Less spin means less deflection.
I already have Steeda Sport Springs, so I'm not going with Coupe springs. They are not as stiff as the Steeda's, I already looked into that. I am however, putting coupe shocks in the rear. They are valved different and should work better with the Steeda springs than the Vert valved shocks. I don't need anything drastic to happen in order for there to be an improvement. All I need is a little less deflection on concrete. On black top, there is ZERO wheel hop right now.
Oh and by the way, my car is not even two tenths of an inch higher with 28 PSI in the bags, as it was without the bags at all. I did not use the red rubber spacers either.

 

[redfiredroptop]

How is the ride and handling with the bags? Have you noticed much difference?

 

[PistolWhip]

The more I drive it, the more I can tell of the suttle changes. It's definitely a little bit stiffer and when you hit bumps you can tell that the suspensions travel is a bit shorter. It's nothing extreme and well worth the up sides. I lowered the pressure to 23 PSI in each bag and that seems to be the sweet spot for the best of both worlds.
Swapping out the Vert shocks for Coupe shocks did make for a firmer ride also. I like the way it feels now.

 

[04svtspray]

I just received my bags yesterday, so I'm planning on putting them on either tonight or tom. 23psi it is then hopefully...

 

[willyum]

The more I drive it, the more I can tell of the suttle changes. It's definitely a little bit stiffer and when you hit bumps you can tell that the suspensions travel is a bit shorter. It's nothing extreme and well worth the up sides. I lowered the pressure to 23 PSI in each bag and that seems to be the sweet spot for the best of both worlds.
Swapping out the Vert shocks for Coupe shocks did make for a firmer ride also. I like the way it feels now.

I didn't know there was a difference in shocks. I thought the springs were the only think different between the two suspensions.

 

[PistolWhip]

Nope, coupe and vert shocks are valved differently. The Coupe shocks are a little bit stiffer than the vert shocks and then the 00 "R" shocks are stiffer yet and have a different travel length to accommodate a lower stance. The 00 Cobra R shocks are probably your best Billstien choice for cars that are significantly lowered in the rear.

You can tell them apart because the Coupe shocks have a small purple sticker on them that says "CPE" while the Verts have a small white sticker that says "VRT".

 

[silvercoffin]

....

If air bags work, then why does stiffening up your shocks cause worse wheel hop?

 

[PistolWhip]

I never heard that stiffer shocks did that. You have to understand the function of shocks vs. springs. Shocks are intended to "dampen" the travel of the suspension, not dictate it's rate or distance of travel.
The springs are what dictate the suspensions rate and distance of travel in a properly working set up. You can't rely on shocks to do the job of the springs.

 

[BIGV]

Stiffer shock will reduce wheel hop as with the QA1's they are adjustable and can be made very stiff.

 

[silvercoffin]

...

Well I guess maybe I need more experimentation to be certain, but I started by going softer. from 7 down to 3 and noticed very little hop then to 2 and noticed even less hop but it still hopped and I still had lousy 60fts.. Then I went to 13 and the car hopped like crazy.

JDM Enginnering recommends going softer with the QA1s not stiffer. but they said not to start so soft and just to go a few clicks softer than I used to have them. Next time to the track I was going to start at 4 and stiffen them up from there.

Stiffer...at least at 13 on the QA1s definetely resulted in more hop.

I tried more and less air preasure and mroe air also definetely led to more hop.

I ordered the Steeda Diff bushing sinc e they are cheap and not a big job to install I figured I would just try them before spending a lot of money on anything else.

 

[PistolWhip]

I have Dif bushings laying in my garage and haven't done them because it seems like too much of a PIA install for something that may or may not work. The bags were $60 and can be installed in about an hour with minimal work.

 

[silvercoffin]

...

You must have the MM bushings. Sound like the steeda ones simply replace what we already have and allow for less flex. But they dont change the pinion angle or anything. Steeda says for diff bushings only it should only take an hour to install them

 

[New Dude]

I hate to revive this thread guys but I have a few questions about these. I also ran mine with the line going down, is that bad at all, does it serve the same purpose? Also I am having a hard time finding the sweet spot. I have my Nittos at 17 and the bags at 28ish and if im rolling out in 1st and mat it I hop like crazy, should I lower pressure in the bags?

 

[image]

How do you dictate how much pressure goes in to the bags? does it come with some device?

 

[New Dude]

I just checked it with a tire pressure gauge

 

[Posi]

I've got 30lbs. in mine and still hop! The highest recommended is 35 but I'm going to try 40lbs. soon! I might blow one up but oh well. It looks like I'm going to be ordering some Level 5's within the next 5 or 5 weeks. So then my hop will be fixed because I'll be running a fatass tire afterwards. I'll be ordering ac427cobra's kit with it.