I have had it also in sand pulling a horse trailer and I have an auto.

Note to self: Go faster in sand!!!!

 

I thought I was alone and going crazy with this problem. We don't get much snow here and when we do you really don't want to be on the roads.

I have had such bad wheel hop in sand, loose gravel, and even wet pavement that I thought something was gonna break or the bed fall off. And yes it is dangerous! I had to go around an accident in the left lane of the interstate on a rainy night, and when I saw my break I went for it. Of coarse there is a tractor trailer coming and I gotta get out of there quick so I nail it and it breaks the tires loose and they hopped so bad I thought the truck was gonna come apart. I snatched third gear to try to hook up but it just got worse. I had to grab 4th and feather the pedal to get going and stop the hop. Oh yeah, it is there all right.

 

I think every HD truck that I have every driven has wheel hop. I plow a lot of snow in the winter and notice that when plowing that sometimes I will get some wheel hop but I can just pedal out of it. Our 04 Ford did it and our 05 chev will do it as well, the chev will hop so bad that the tool box lid will pop open. Heck , even our IH 4800 will have some wheel hop in sand if your not careful and this truck is licensed for 33K, 4wd and has a dt 466. This is common and is a trait of leaf spring suspended vehicles. When the trucks follow the SUV's and start coming with IFS in the rear we should see the end of wheel hop, until then just use your foot and try to pedal through it.

 

Buy some ladder bars and move on Not worth all the hassle you are going through considering the chance that Chrysler is ever actually going to do anything about it.

Thats what you get for driving something with so much torque

 

Hello,

This concept of wheel hop in sand and snow seems all wrong? To attain actual wheel hop the tires must grip extremely well causing the axle to rotate and the springs to bend in an "S" shape just as previously stated. How is this possible in sand and snow? The front spring segment must be weak and very long to accomplish this or it cannot occur. The tire must also have excellent bite. In snow? Hugh?

Not saying that their is not a problem but actual wheel hop does not fit the puzzle. I have been in 8" of snow in my 06. Not sure if this qualifies for heavy snow that some have cited but i have never experienced this issue.

Have those that have experienced this issue overloaded the bed at any time causing the spring to have a flat front segment or even take somewhat of an "S" shape? This would do it right there.

Is there a CalTrac device similar to drag cars for our trucks. If so that would seem to be the best cure for axle wrap. The old DC catalogue used to have kicker shocks to eliminate hop and axle wrap. Are they still available. This would likely the the cheapest fix. Custom ones are also cheep.

Damon

 

The best cure for axle wrap is a set of traction bars.

 

I've had it in the mud.

 

I was pulling stumps last weekend (bad, I know but it's a farm truck) and got no hop in 4wd....Hmmmm. Wonder why? I had enough power going down to dig through asphalt on one failed attempt.

edit: for those of you who like to 'roll the coal', go pull a stump. What a mess!

 

today i was just taking off from a stop light and after i crossed the railroad tracks while accelerating on wet pavement it started hopping, thats rediculous

 

Add mine to the club........I can get mine to do it on dry pavement......its absolutely VIOLENT when it does it.

 

I get bad wheel hop in the snow anything about 6" just waiting to break something one of these days.

 

Yea, the first time I drove my truck in the snow I quickly learned that these “big-bad” ¾ ton Diesel trucks turn into shivering puppies real fast. I was in two-wheel drive in 6 inches of snow when the truck shook itself to a stop. I said “no-problem lets lock her in 4 x 4 and we’ll be out of here!” Yea right, high range was worthless so I had to go in low range and be real easy on the go pedal; even then I had to keep stopping and backing up.

On a cleared snowy trail you can look out the window and watch the front wheels pulse as the real axle snaps.

The Tuff County bars and a set of leaf spring helpers solved about 80-90% of the hop, but stock these trucks are worthless in sand/snow. I guess you can air the tires down, but who has time for that?!

 

Mitternocht,
It seems that you have confirmed that the front hops also. No?
I hopped backwards into a parking spot in the sand and noted the hop marks, little 3" wave crest about 6" apart leading right up to the front wheel and dissapearing under it. My wife managed to look out the window after we chained the front and she stated that the front was hopping so bad she thought the chain was coming off. We 4 wheel hopped for about 2 miles all the while I was looking for the right combination of gearing and throttle with no good results.

Thanks to all for your replies. I have made copies and hope to use this in the recall campaign. If successful It should show up on www.safercar.gov. At this time there are no complaints against the 3rd Gen Ram 2500 on that site.

 

My 06 Ram is by far the worst vehicle I have had with the hopping. Obviously the torque and the big tires and lift didn't help, but it already did it at stock height, stock tires. Pulling a trailer, I can barely get it going up hill without some sort of violent shaking (not from the U joints, checked those). Now, just the truck from a dead stop and starting up the hill has it, just not violent, but still there. i have no ideas how guys do burnouts with these trucks because any time my tires spin it gets so violent I think the back of the truck is going to fall off. Both my powerstrokes don't do this, and before we joke about torque, they are modded up to the same power as the Cummins... Something weird about the Dodges.... So, about those traction bars, I want to make sure before I throw down the cash for purchase and shipping that they will eliminate the shaking (which I don't know yet if they will or there is other things wrong with the truck), fit a mega cab specifically, can be installed without pulling the fuel tank, aren't too stiff, will mount without interfering with my airbags which I need when I tow, and of course, look good.

 

I had wheel hop in deep sand. Put on 285 KOs and no more wheel hop.
Rear axle was trying to push the very heavy front end through the sand. Now it rides on the sand.

Pete