So before you tell me to go google the difference between the two, i already have. I understand the difference between solid axle and IFS, but i dont understand why you cant get as much flex out of an independent suspension set up. What exactly limits the articulation? Are there ways to get more flex out of an IFS? Can you rock crawl with IFS? Thanks

 

It's easier to just show you.

Solid axle:



Independent suspension:



The solid axle has much more freedom of movement because it's longer and can pivot from its entire length. Those short suspension arms just can't move as much.

 

The ifs is limited on travel since the parts are attached to the frame where the suspension mounts (a arms?)

Solid axles ftw!

 

Not to mention that with an ifs when a tire compresses or stuffs, you lose cclearance. With a straight axle you gain clearance.

Not that you couldn't make its work well, but usually it works best in racing.

 

Thanks yall. Extrashaky those pics helped a lot

 

Doesn't the solid axle also act as more of a pivot meaning as the left wheel goes up, the right wheel gets pushed down? Where on an independent system they act...well... Independently of each other.

 

Ifs is great on road,Off road only time it shines is high speed desert racing.You can rock crawl anything to a point.The best ifs off road will be the ford ttb 80-96 its more like a solid axle that bends in the middle.The rest of the ifs is more car like with upper and lower a arms which will limit the flex.The other thing ifs has more parts so more things that could break.

 

Would it be possible to do a long arm type set up with the upper and lower control arms?

 

That's basically what a twin traction beam suspension is (Ford TTB mentioned above).



You still don't have the freedom of movement of a solid axle.

 

Done some research on the ford ttb axle. I noticed that some were leaf sprung and some were coil sprung. Were both those options offered? Did that axle ever come factory as a rear axle?

 

The 1/2 ton trucks got coil springs, the 3/4 ton trucks got the leaf spring TTB. Was never a rear option.

 

There were two different options for the the full size trucks.
The F150's had a D44 and the F-250's could be had with either. D44 or D50. The F-350's had the D50 through 80-85.5 and then they brought back the D60. The compact trucks (ranger, bII, explorer) came with a D28 and later the D35. Ford has used the twin I-beam setup since the 60's on their 2wd trucks.

 

I used to wheel a 04' TRD Tacoma, great little truck.



3" lift, 33's, rear E locker, sliders and undercarriage armor. It's was an all around fantastic truck off road, except for the rocks.

You really can't lock most IFS because the shafts break like they are made from fragile glass, the flex is very limited even with long arms, and the sub frame the front suspension bolts to seem to get hung up on everything.

My XJ with 31's and open diffs will walk right over obstacles that my Tacoma with 33's and a rear locker had a difficult time with.

That being said, that same Tacoma was a blast at the dunes. I took great joy in pulling out stuck Superduty's and HD chevy's, mashing around in 2wd, and climbing hills in reverse that brought my buddies big douchey wheel hopping diesels to a stop.

They both have advantages and disadvantages, I currently want to explore the High Sierras and the XJ is better for that.

 

Only thing a irs is good for is a smoother ride.Racing they use to be better but now with a solid axle and a 3 link it will out handle a irs.Off road a irs would be useless they have no ground clearance and lack flex and more moving parts to fail.

 

IFS can be made to have lots of travel, it's just not cheap.







The only time IFS has any advantage over solid axles are in high-speed applications. Most desert trucks are not 4wd, as CV shafts are very weak, and really limit travel.

Not to mention 4wd IFS has more components to fail, trouble keeping alignment, crappy steering, and just generally can't hold up to the abuse of oversized tires.