I have a 1989 chevy pickup with a 350 that runs around 400 hp. the only problem i have is trying to keep the rear wheels from hopping when i step on it. how do i fix this.  

My LT1 powered S15 is lowered 2 inches uses preloaded slapper bars, stiff springs, high pressure shocks, and an anti-sway bar with a posi. This allows it to trade wheel hop for uncontrollable wheel spin. We'll it's controllable by taking my foot out of the throttle, but what fun is that.

Seriously the truck is right on the edge of controllability with dry pavement, on wet it's very touchy and often frightening, on snow it don't go unless you put 5-600 pounds in the bed. On dry pavement it handles pretty well in corners as you can dial up a pretty controllable wheel spin which allows you to throw the tail out and force an over steer drift. On wet pavement any application of power above idle while in a turn will spin it out.

So the answer is 3-4-5 hundred horsepower in a pick up is difficult to control and you’ve got to respect it.

Bogie

put a 1/2inch plat of steel in the bed. that would be the least exspensive  

Funny thing happened on the way home last night, after all that talk about my S15's traction problems it handed out a reminder.

It's dark, cold, and pouring rain, I'm stopped for traffic on the University bridge which has a metal grate roadway. When traffic moved, I couldn't apply so little power as to move the truck and not spin the wheels. It would just sit there with the engine turning a hair above idle with the rear tires just slip, sliding away.

bogie

Bogie, i didn't realize you were a V8 S-truck guy too.  You just keep getting cooler all the time.  

I like your picture, the old traction problem.

My truck is more minimal 2 door, gray, short bed, bottom of the line trim or lack there-of. We have snow, anything more than idle and it spins the tires without smoking them. Took me 5 hours to go 30 miles between work and home Monday night. I finally got Mr. Slip and Slide off the superslab after 3 hours of mostly sitting. Found a nice bush along someone's driveway and colored the snow with a lot of yellow. Then spent a couple more hours on surface streets to get home. At least the traffic on the artierials was moving, even though it took 3-5 turns of every light to get thru an intersection it was way better than the freeway. Makes me wish I still lived in Houston.

Bogie 

about 12 years ago I was into the small block S truck thing.  We built several of them and never got one of them to hook.  The last one ran slow 1/8 mile times smoking the Racemasters the whole way down the track.  We were contemplating a four link when we just kind of lost interest.

The only fast pickup with leaf springs I have ever seen hook hard was an early 70's ford that was fitted with ladder bars.

The back of that truck is just to light.  Weight or money are your only two options.

what were the 1/8th mile times you mentioned?  Just curious.  Mine runs high 8's.  Best time was 8.79 in the eighth mile.  My truck is a long-bed and seems to hook a little better than the short beds and has no wheel-hop.  

We were in the low 9s (1/8th) with those S trucks.  They were all short beds.  Like I said though none of them hooked.  We spun all the way down the track.  We weren't monetarily endowed enough to make a lot of suspension mods.  I think a 4-link or ladder bar setup would have made a world of difference.  Fact is though the weight factor is a difficult one to overcome.

Sometime simply clamping the leaves together at front of the spring pack helps.Mopar used it with good results on their elephant motored cars.Get some flat stock steel,1/4" should be fine,drill a hole on either end.One above the leaves,one below.Sandwich the leaves together,it will help prevent them from seperating and letting the axle wrap.Look at any 3/4 or 1 ton pickup and they got them,helps axle wrap taking off pulling heavy loads.Po' boy slapper bars