dumb question but...leaves me wondering why?

Zerocide · Nov 3, 2007

So i noticed almost all trucks built now days got IFS compared to the old solid axle, why the change in the front axle? I all ways saw the solid axle as more benificial with more flex to it.

Thumper113 · Nov 4, 2007

Because the majority of new 4wd purchasers don't wheel off road. they want them for better traction on slippery road conditions. That being said, the IFS makes it ride more plush compared to a solid axle setup. Those purchasers want ride comfort along with 4WD/AWD, they don't want a rough riding, truck feel to it. The manufacturers cater to what the majority of new vehicle purchasers want, not a small (by comparison) group of off road enthusiasts want. Look at Jeep for example, The Wranglers are the only Jeeps to have a solid axle up front anymore. The other models went to IFS.

The 3/4 & 1 ton Ford & Dodge pickups have solid axles because they're supposed to be what's considered a "work truck" so a plush ride is not first & formost for a truck built for heavy hauling.

Zerocide · Nov 4, 2007

well with that said i also noticed alot of IFS could have a solid axle put back in if done correctly. im a little surpised i havent seen anyone try that yet.

hitech_hick · Nov 4, 2007

Zerocide said:
well with that said i also noticed alot of IFS could have a solid axle put back in if done correctly. im a little surpised i havent seen anyone try that yet.

A lot of offroaders do a solid axle swap. Using junkyard parts it can be done cheaply, all after market parts and a custom link suspension can be pricey. A lot of it has to do with how mechanically inclined the person doing the swap is and how comfortable they are with doing their own fabrication. Search and ye shall find...

hick

AllanD · Nov 4, 2007

The simple matter is that most truck buyers are buying a truck in general as a fashion statment rather than actually "needing" a truck.

And the newer IFS setups (rather than the rugged but relatively crude
TTB system which by definition is also an IFS setup) ride better on the
way to and from the mall.

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Zerocide · Nov 4, 2007

meh thats what im told, but i think the TTB ride better then the IFS. the IFS just feels like its transfering all the down travel directly to the frame, while a TTB feels like it transfers the down travel to the leafs and coils.

Well thats my personal feels of the two.

4x4junkie · Nov 4, 2007

I see in your sig "cracked torsion bars" (which I assume to mean cranked torsion bars). That could have something to do with it transferring the downtravel into the frame.

I will say this though, I've driven the SLA IFS trucks, and I think the TTB rides better too. Now if you pull that fawkin gigantic-ass swaybar off the front of the SLA truck (what is it... 1¼" dia??), the ride DRAMATICALLY changes for the better, but the SLA IFS also tends to have a lot more bodyroll in turns without it than a TTB truck, too.

Zerocide · Nov 4, 2007

lol thanks for pointing that out. would of never noticed otherwise. but the vehicle did come with the torsions uncracked, just saying even back then from what i remember i thought the ride was rough but i felt the ranger had a lot of potential for swaps and upgrades.

while im disscussing my torsion bars i noticed my passenger side torsion bar was lower then the driver side, had to tighten the driver side an inch more then passenger side to correct this. Anyone else notice this? i figured it was for the road slant but i drive mostly on dirt roads so who needs it.

Will · Nov 5, 2007

i've told this story many times but here it goes again.

I was in Sierra leone for 18 months and we had 2 Suburbans--a '91 and a brand new '92. The roads were horrible--there has NO infrastructure in the country at all and none had been repaired since the late 50's--and we often did 70 on them. Nobody wanted to have to ride in the '91 because it rode horribly--throwing you back and forth. The '92 was a magic carpet in comparison.

Another good comparison is between a Hummer and a CUCV. You do NOT want to have to ride in the back of a CUCV going 60mph trying to keep up with a group of HMMWVs on a tank trail. That's agony.

rickcdewitt · Nov 5, 2007

zero- the popular solid axle swap for your truck is a leaf spring dana44 out of a wagoneer.the new frame is supposed to be hard to get a link suspension under.you need to swap steering boxes also.

dumb question but...leaves me wondering why?

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