I was curious if anyone else ever had this problem before.It started happening a couple months ago,Im getting a pretty good clunk in the front end over bumps but also at the same time if i smack second gear and pop the clutch at a higher rpm the car seems to do like one big wheel hop and bangs when it comes down where as before it would get the power to the ground and spin the tires.It also does it if i let the clutch out to fast in first gear.Now i realize most maxima's have moderate wheel hop and i realize the fact im sitting on a stock suspension except for ES swaybar bushings.Struts seem mint (tociko's) and theres no play at all in the control arms,and i just did links,nothing at all seems loose.I had a tech at my dealer check engine movement under load while i had the e-brake on he said it seems mint so i guess motor mounts are ok.What im afraid of is one day blowing a tranny or axle or something do to a nasty hop.I don't constantly beat the crap out of the car but i can tell something isn't right and that bothers me. Anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be ?

 

I had wheel hop like a mother.. but then slammed on teins, and no more

but nwp makes a sick torque link...
---------------------------------------------
Engine Torque Link Bracing Kit

Prevent engine movement during racing to reduce wheel hop,
increase traction, and improve shift feel!

Our adjustable Engine Torque Link connects the front engine mount to the chassis.
It features opposing threads to make adjustments easy!
All you have to do is turn the hex bar to increase or decrease engine stiffness.



Includes:

- Heavy Duty Zinc Plated Steel Torque Link Assembly
- High Quality CNC Machined Zinc Plated Lower Bracket
- High Quality CNC Machined Zinc Plated Upper Bracket
- 2 Zinc Plated Clevis Pins with clips for Torque Assembly
- 4 Zinc Plated Hex Head Bolts w/ Washers
- 1 Zinc Plated Flanged Engine Mount Bolt
- Printed Detailed Installation Instructions with Photos (PDF Instructions)
- Two Die Cut Silver Vinyl NWP Engineering Decals

Applications:

2002 - 2003 Nissan Maxima (5th generation 3.5L DOHC V6 VQ35DE)

2000 - 2001 Nissan Maxima (5th generation 3L DOHC V6 VQ30DEK)

1995 - 1999 Nissan Maxima (4th generation 3L DOHC V6 VQ30DE)

 

Strut mount, replace it.

 

this intrigues me. How can the strut mount be the cause of anything unless it's just rusted to hell? All it is is a metal cup.

 

Dunno exactly but when mine was busted, it created wheel hop and knocking noises.

 

Suspect your engine torque mount bushings. If they're originals (old), then they're probably sloppy and loose, allowing for the engine to rock more than normal. As the engine lifts up and down, you loose traction with the shifted weight. This situation can cause wheel hop.

That was my experience with wheel hop. A pair of ES mount bushings made all the difference. No more hop. (ES only makes bushings for MT Maxima's, btw. But OEM replacements would do just fine.)

 

Crusher it doesn't sound like a strut mount and its sounds more like a mid to low noise but i notice under hard acceleration the front end seems to come up way higher than normal too.Rochester do you know how much those are and how much of a pita they are to put in bud ?

 

$88 for the pair at EnergenSuspensionParts.com. They're for the 6MT only, not automatics.

Easy enough to press in, if you have a press and experience. (I have neither, but I watched from the sidelines.) TOTAL pain-in-the-butt to cut out the originals from the mount hardware.

 

Just change these two mount, and perhaps change the smaller sub bushings as well and that's it No More Wheel Hop

Old OEM Mounts


New ES Mounts and Sub Bushings

 

Mine still wheel hops some (when spinning hard in the rain or similar) with both ES mounts and NWP torque link, but I highly suspect my problem is worn out suspension components that will get replaced sometime soonish.

 

Thanks for the pics ghost, and Rochester for that link to ES,Ill give it a shot,can't hurt im sure if there not bad now they will soon anyways ~

 

Fill the transmount and passenger mount with 3M window weld and problem will be resolved!!!!!!

 

Cmax do i take them out to do that or no ?

 

energysuspensionparts.com

 

check out my post awhile back. I had the same wheel hop problem but not sure if this fixed it or not because i have not tried popping the clutch yet. maybe it probably fixed my wheel hop. another reason why i looked into this popping noise is b/c I would hear/feel it when i went over bumps in the road, got on my nerves. check yours and see if yours is moving like mine was. just have someone push on your car while you are checking this bolt out to see if it moves. hope this helps.

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ise-video.html

 

Or course unless you know how to pull pistons without removing the oil pan or heads.....It would be best b4 you remove it to check the passenger mount with a large pry bar.....If it's worn you will hear your clunking noise! Remove them both too visually inspect then fill with 3M window weld polyurethane......When and if you go with ES inserts for the front and rear mounts (you'll need Manual mounts by the way) cut the inserts in half to make the install easy as hell!!!!!!

 

Im having the same problem, only i have ES Motor mounts, new conrtol arms with all new bushings, new end links, and new sway bar bushings. The only thing i didnt change on mine when i did the suspension overhaul was the strut mounts. I have Progress springs and brand new Michillen Pilot Sport A/S pluses. I get wicked wheel hop, een on brand new asphalt roads with warm temperatures. I am in the process of of making my own torque link, hoping that will fix the problem, but do yall think bad strut mounts would really cause wheel hop?

 

if not already you should get a set of subframe collars

 

I know you said that the strut mounts were the only thing you didn't change, but then you went on to enumerate the things you did and I didn't see any specific mention of struts. Bad struts will do this also. BIG time.

 

Sounds like alot of parts being changed for nothing! Were they showing wear, play, looseness? I see you changed quite alot...you may wanna get a pry bar and check that passenger + trans motor mount for play as well.....and as for wheel hop your struts play an important role if you can adjust them to a full hard setting or well!!!!!

 

Good call on the struts. I did replace the rear with tokiko illuminas, but the front had jsut had new struts put on when i bought the car in june(kyb gr2's) I have suspected for a bit that they were blown, due to the increased oscillation when i go over speed bumps, but i really never would have put the wheel hop and blown struts together. How can you tell if the struts are blown? I have a shock dyno at my disposal(i made it for my LSU Formula SAE team) , but i would have to make mounting hardware to fit struts, so whats the method that shops/stealerships use to tell if they are blown?

 

i used to get the same until i changed from cheap dealership tires

 

Usually sticky tires (expensive ones) cause more grip, which equates to more hop. I have this problem, and it is most likely caused by the suspension/linkage issues listed above.

 

Oem mounts only be cut/burned out? Cant just press em out?

 

I just did mine, and had the right size cylinder to go through the mount in a really big mechanical press(not sure on the specs. It was after hours as the mechanical engineering shop) and I still had to cut/air chisel out the metal rings that are just inside of the outer mount housing.

 

No, there's a cylinder (or "ring") inside the mount that needs to get cut out.

 

I use to get this all the time. Actually went away when i switched rims and tires

 

I used to get terrible teeth chattering wheel hop.... Then I replaced all of my LCA compenets (bushings, end links, ball joints)... Straight tire eatin action now.

Even with my motor mount like this...


Still no wheel hop with the new bushings.

BTW, I did NOT have play in most of those components, except one blown LCA bushing, but the car would still feel like a cali earthquake.

I personally think the good ol jackstand test is only accurate for severely blown components.

 

I noticed the wheel hop also has a lot to do with the tires...

When I bought my max about a year and a half ago, I was getting wheel hop everytime I lost traction. Back then, the tires were still about 50% good. (Toyo Versado LX)

I took this video a week before replacing my tires, the Toyos were worn out: No wheel hop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Q9J_xXQ8o

I bought new tires (Hankook Ventus V4) and still no wheel hop...

I haven't replaced anything else (springs/shocks/motor mounts etc...)

 

Maybe you should stop popping clutch in second gear??? That's useless. I would get terrible wheel hop in 1st at WOT so I decided to lower my tire preassure to 30psi and it worked. I would still spin but no more wheel ho

 

Popping the clutch or not there is a problem because it never did it before and lowering the tire pressure might fix the regulate wheelhop but its still a band aid to cover up another problem.i run my tires at 34 psi and now actually the wheelhop us turning into one loud bang at wot 2nd gear shifts.