HudsonValleyRam

Anyone else have a 4WD truck that sucks in the snow? New tires last week (General AT2- aggressive tread)- Can't make it out of my driveway (uphill/unpaved) with only 4-6" snow on the ground. And wheelhop starts as soon as tires start spinning (which causes me to lift on accelorator to avoid truck from rattling apart). I did order truck with "anti-spin rear diff" if that makes a difference. Wifes explorer makes it up same hill w/ 4 tires are almost bald. What gives?

Foxborough

Are you sure the four wheel drive is engaging? Last month I replaced the stock Michelins with the A/T 2 Michelins and really like them. I rairely switched to 4 wheel drive in 3-4" snow. I have only had wheel hop when trying to back the truck up a hill in deep snow.It's something to to with the torque and the rear springs. There is an aftermarket device that you attach the the springs to stop it. Sorry I do not have much more information on it . Try doing a search on it.

Oliverpuller

Welcome to the experience of wheel hop/axle wrap. My truck does the same thing, when the tires bite the leafspring flexs and cause the axle to pivot slightly to a point then snap back breaking the tire free over and over. Long springs=nice ride but promote wheel hop, traction bars are the only cure for that issue.

Search on this subject and be prepared for a long reading experience.

NickBeek

Yup, my truck is terrible about wheel hop. A touch of sand, gravel, or anything else that will let the rear wheels slip will result in violent wheel hop. What's weird to me is that some trucks do it a lot like mine, and other trucks not so much. I have noticed a difference on the dyno. My truck the pinion will move a lot (axle wrap) when they make the run. Other similar trucks it's not so pronounced. I wonder if faulty springs, or poor assembly makes the difference between trucks? How would someone check this out?

STate

Ive recently noticed the same issue on my 04.5, my 98 does way better in the soft stuff than the newer one.

schv

Mine did that until I installed the rear leaf packs from my KORE lift.

michigan mark

ever try putting spring clamps on front section , 2 per side .

klx650a2

You have a choice between ladder bars or stiffer springs. My 2000 has super stiff springs and no hop. My dad has an 05 and driving that thing in snow is retarded because of the wheel hop.

deathracer

Lowering the tire pressure in those e-rated tires will certainly help in the snow, running at 25psi will be fine for snow driving. Lower psi really helps keep the tires from spinning so soon. Using 2nd gear or 4-low to start out in helps also.

They make steel wedges also to help stop some axle wrap. They install fairly easy in the leaf springs and easy on they pocket. Quick, inexpensive fix for moderate use.

.boB

This doesn't make sense to me. I'm pretty good with a performance car suspension, but not so much with a diesel truck.

Wheel hop occurs when you have more traction than the suspension can handle. As the tires grab, the axle tries to rotate, pushing the pinion up. That causes the springs to form an S shape - comonly called spring wrap or axle wrap.

Now the tires are trying to push the diff up, but the springs are trying to push the diff down. When the spring pressere exceeds the traction, the tires break loose and spin. When the spring pressure is released, the tires grab again, and the cycle repeats.

This is common on a dyno, because traction is excellent, and the load is near max.

On dry pavement with good tires and good traction, wheel hop/axle wrap can be a real problem. If traction is poor - like snow and ice - how do you gain enough traction to overwhelm the spring pressure? If it doesn't happen when traction is good, how can it happen when traction is bad?

That's how it works with a performance car. Why is it just the opposite with a truck?

I'm not doubting what you're saying. I just don't understand it.

Bigiron

I kind of feel like boB. Wheel hop/axel wrap is usually experienced under hard acceleration/load with high traction. My truck seems to be one of the lucky ones that doesn't experience the problem. I don't live in snow country, but have had the truck in the snow quite a bit and have always been very pleased with the handling and performance. The one situation where I have been displeased is driving on washboarded dirt roads where the truck wants to hop off the road. I think a set of Bilsteins should help with that, before next Summer.

soorad

I fixed this issue when I added a skyjacker add-a-leaf and the roadmaster active suspension. My truck rides smooth (unloaded and loaded) and has no wheel hop. The truck rides smoother when pulling my 5th wheel RV then with the Firestone air bags (just removed them (cause of the harsh ride) and installed the above).

dozer12216

I read somewhere that "Willybars" will help that situation and make it ride smoother also.

trik396

The original poster's statements make no sense unless he thinks he is in 4WD but isn't.
Uphill on 4-6" of snow and 4wd is no problem. There is just so much weight over the front axle I have never had an issue nor have I gotten stuck.
Something just isn't right with his statements.

bradler

I drive in snow all winter and i know exactly what he is saying. breaking trail in a fresh 4-6in powder with the tires aired down a little she does all right. But if the snow has been packed down from other cars, or there is 6in of new on top of an old underlying snowpack, let the wheel spinning and axle hopping begin. all that weight stops you from going uphill pretty quick with no traction. And in low traction situations sometimes i have trouble getting the rear lsd to lock up, so even in 4wd i still only have power to two wheels. If its real slick, tires just spin and no axle wrap, its when you have variable conditions that provide some traction and suddenly your spinning tires get some bite and gain traction, axle will wrap and then loose traction, then reconnect and the cycle repeats. I have blasted through 18in of snow uphill out of the driveway some days and had to winch up the same hill other days with only 2in of new and hardpack underneath. I agree these trucks are not great in the snow, as soon as someone makes a locker for AAM 11.5 i will be adding one to front and rear diffs, and traction bars, and so on....