Wheel hop damaged my GTI

[bbroecker37]

Hey guys, I was driving my car and tried to launch it at a stoplight. I didn't use launch control or anything. Traction control was also on at the time. I just gunned it and it started to wheel hop violently. I wasn't at full throttle either. I let off the gas but it was too late. My car is now making a grinding noise and also vibrating. It does go away if I let off the gas or accelerate slowly. I jacked it up, removed the front wheels, and noticed nothing abnormal. The axles look as good as new. I'm guessing something else is damaged but I don't know what. So I took the car to a VW mechanic and I'm waiting to hear back from them. I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

I'm stage 2 from IE. I also have BFI stage 1 engine mounts and a dogbone insert. So I'm surprised it wheelhopped to begin with. Usually, I don't have any at all.

 

[BudgetPhoenix]

Snapping or cracking the dogbone mount isn't unheard of, especially with an insert.

 

[MonkeyMD]

Transmission mount also might be loose. Happened to me & would get vibration on acceleration. Went down a rabbit hole until we figured it out

 

[bbroecker37]

Snapping or cracking the dogbone mount isn't unheard of, especially with an insert.

Good idea, I'll have to check mine. I didn't think it could be an issue but that makes sense.

I did try to rock the engine to check the mounts with a pry bar and it didn't really budge.

Transmission mount also might be loose. Happened to me & would get vibration on acceleration. Went down a rabbit hole until we figured it out

 

[Jmitchell4873]

If your dog-bone and engine/trans mounts are in good shape, the next spot I'd look would be the LCA's. It's possible that you tore one or more rubber bushings and now you might have an alignment problem on top of your wheel hop issue.

 

[Giuseppe Busso]

Hey guys, I was driving my car and tried to launch it at a stoplight. I didn't use launch control or anything. Traction control was also on at the time. I just gunned it and it started to wheel hop violently. I wasn't at full throttle either. I let off the gas but it was too late. My car is now making a grinding noise and also vibrating. It does go away if I let off the gas or accelerate slowly. I jacked it up, removed the front wheels, and noticed nothing abnormal. The axles look as good as new. I'm guessing something else is damaged but I don't know what. So I took the car to a VW mechanic and I'm waiting to hear back from them. I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

I'm stage 2 from IE. I also have BFI stage 1 engine mounts and a dogbone insert. So I'm surprised it wheelhopped to begin with. Usually, I don't have any at all.

Could you please upload us a sound clip?
To me it sounds like something from the gearbox. Maybe the shaft's bearing.

 

[bbroecker37]

So I found out today that my dogbone bushing was cracked and that was causing the vibration issue. They sent me a video of the engine rocking back and forth. Getting a new bushing installed.

 

[BudgetPhoenix]

Hey thats not so bad. Seen multiple people on the forums completely snap their oem dogbone in half with an insert and wreck their radiator fans

 

[bbroecker37]

Yeah I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious. Everything else checks out. It just sounded terrible. I wish I had a video of it.

 

[MonkeyMD]

Good that you figured it out. Shop took apart transmission & replaced the lsd before we figured out it was a loose mount. Really sounds terrible. Know exactly what you mean.

 

[GoatAutomotive]

I was worried it was gonna be your LCA bushings.

Those are famously terrible, and are responsible for most wheel hop on cars that have already upgraded the dogbone mount and/or remaining 2 mounts.

Glad you got it sorted quickly, and that it wasn’t your transmission or CV axles!

 

[bbroecker37]

I was worried it was gonna be your LCA bushings.

Those are famously terrible, and are responsible for most wheel hop on cars that have already upgraded the dogbone mount and/or remaining 2 mounts.

Glad you got it sorted quickly, and that it wasn’t your transmission or CV axles!

Yes, I'm glad it wasn't anything serious. The LCA bushings do suck on this car. I already swapped them out for some SuperPro poly bushings. I got tired of the stock bushing making noise over bumps.