IFS vs SOLID AXLE

[gonzo]

Has anyone used both IFS and SOLID axles?  What are the pros and cons?  How do they compare in performance?

[Northern Runner]

The IFS is great on the highway and as a daily driver. Thats where it ended for me. I threw on larger tires and a lift and had nothing but problems. Blew CV shafts went through a ton of ball joints, tie rod ends and idler arms. Solid axle swap.. Very nice off-road, alot more durable, but not as nice for a daily driver.

[gonzo]

Thanks Northern Runner.  Right now it's a daily driver, so a solid axle swap will have to wait until she is retired to wheel'in only.

[twin60s]

if you wheel,sas is the only way to go. you can still go down the hiway pretty good if you run a set of skinnys

[79coyotefrg]

Thanks Northern Runner.  Right now it's a daily driver, so a solid axle swap will have to wait until she is retired to wheel'in only.

sas doesnt mean trail only,   but dont spend mucho $$ on lifting a ifs,   my 79 is my daily driver and has been for over 10 years, and will be for another 10,   ifs is a good ride if you just go offroad everynow and then, fishing or hunting ,  and dont need more than 31'' tires

[FATB0Y]

if you wheel,sas is the only way to go. you can still go down the hiway pretty good if you run a set of skinnys

what he said

[UNBREAKABLE]

SWAP IT!!!

[ntsqd]

If it's only crawling you plan to do then a solid axle (SA) is the only way to go.

If running in the dez at speed is also in the game plan then take a good look at the Total Chaos stuff for an IFS. I've never seen an SA that could stay with an IFS truck at speed. Total Chaos just came out with the CURE for the ball joint problem and have had the CURE for the idler arm problem on the market for nearly a year. One of the LocosMocos trucks had the BJ part and he bashed it all the way down the penninsula and back for the Baja 1000 pit this year w/o one concern. The IFS truck I rode in has had the idler arm on it for more than a year of desert race pit duty + play in the deserts and it's still as new.

[gonzo]

Thanks for all the info

[Skinny_Pedal]

theres a night and day difference offroad. solid on the street isnt bad at all....especially with soft springs!

[mudaddict]

I really done like my ifs it gets hung up on stuff and i dont have much clearance, also i cant flex that well because it only can go so far down so in some places where you need some flex it jusdt wont cut it! I havent had anyhitng break on mine and i ahve a 4 in suspension and 33's and i run trails with no problems jsut a bent tie rod is all i have come out with no breakage or anyhting! but really a solid axle isnt to bad on street but if compared to ifs there is a difference. If you are jsut gonan wheel it here and there and not tuff trails or anyhitng stick with ifs but if you are gonan wheel like every weekend or somethign like that and its pretty tuff trails swap it so a solid axle i wish i woudla hev done that before i got my lift for my runner!

[Mike D]

yeah you didn't listen to me 

[To The Floor]

put it this way, if you aren't considering an sas because of street drivability, then you shouldn't do it.  that just means that you don't do enough wheelin to need a solid axle.  if you are serious about wheelin then the sacrifice of driving a solid axle rig on the street isn't a big deal.  besides the sacrifice isn't even that much.  i think driving solid axle trucks on the street is funner then ifs rigs, especially with soft springs.  it's not a huge deal, it's not like your worrying about driving a buggy with D60's on the street.  if you have ever even had a thought about doing an sas, do it.  if i were to buy a ifs toyota even as my daily driver and i had a solid axle rig that i trailered..i'd still probably sas the ifs one and put 33's on it or something.  it is just so much more simple and stronger.

[gonzo]

I have already put a 3" Rancho lift on the ifs.  I wanted 33" tires, so I have a few $$ in it.  When I started modifying things I didn't even think about "crawlin", so the 3" lift kit was about all I wanted.  Then came the Detroit locker and Tru Trac and 4:88's.  These mods really made a big difference on the trucks capabilities.  Now that I have dicovered the "crawling crew" I have been looking at the next level of "4 wheelin".  SAS is in my future, but for now I am doing alot of "research" and educating my self.

[mudaddict]

yaa, dude where in arizona do you live?? ya i didnt listen to mike d i didnt listen to anyone when i decided to do the lift i jsut did it!

[gonzo]

The "edge" of Gilbert. (Giblet)

[mudaddict]

ohhh i will be down in avandale in july for 2 years!

[gonzo]

Avondale has a lot of desert area.  That area has been growing and expanding like crazy.  I haven't been down there wheelin.  Are you in Aviation?

[mudaddict]

No i will be there at uti for mechanics! ya im hoping there is some good wheeling down around there! i need a locker tho! i want to get one right as i move down there!

[BLACKDOG]

IFS aint too bad, but if you wanna do some wheelin, SAS it.  cherck out my pics in the rig gallery, under MY 91 page 4, and you'll see why flex comes in handy, that IFS just doesnt give you.  I havent broken anything on my IFS and I am running a locker and 37"s, but I know it is only a matter of time.  Hopefully I will do the SAS this summer, If I can do it cheaply enough

[gonzo]

Yup, you can always find a place to wheel here.  Mud is kind'a hard to find though!

[MiniSimp]

I'm running 35's on my IFS Dakota, but the front doesn't flex for anything! For fire trails it's cool, but not for any rock crawling.

[mudaddict]

Ya i not to worried about no mud its jsut fun but it is what is causing my engine crap so im done for a while ahha! when i coem down in july we should hook up and go wheel!

[gonzo]

I am hoping that this week end I can post some pics of my truck on this board.  Right now all I have is my Avitar.  My toy is a 86 4 runner.  When you get I will let you know when we have a run Mudaddict.

Nice rig MiniSimp.  

[Skinny_Pedal]

 if you are serious about wheelin then the sacrifice of driving a solid axle rig on the street isn't a big deal.  besides the sacrifice isn't even that much.  i think driving solid axle trucks on the street is funner then ifs rigs, especially with soft springs.  

exactly....but u can't forget that
A. there cool as hell to look at and get attention
B. if u drive like an ass with soft springs(hehe) and take corners u also get attention.
C. its cool as hell
D. ifs sucks donkey balls

now get rid of that crap and go solid
it ain't rocket science

[gonzo]

exactly....but u can't forget that
A. there cool as hell to look at and get attention
B. if u drive like an ass with soft springs(hehe) and take corners u also get attention.
C. its cool as hell
D. ifs sucks donkey balls

now get rid of that crap and go solid
it ain't rocket science

I agree.  

[mudaddict]

Ya get some pics up i got a 92 runner! ya are you in a club down there??

[To The Floor]

Yeah, there's nothin' cooler than seein' a built solid rig on the street, body roll around the corners and all.  i love seein solid axle toys drivin down the road, but hopefully they aren't all just mall crawlers and actually wheel the truck

[mudaddict]

I agree i see a munch of those and i get discusted! i hate all the people who ahve the big dodges and fords and all that jibberish.

[Tom]

I recently converted over 3 weeks ago.  The IFS would definately win out in a high speed desert situation.  But the ride with the solid axle is just the same to me.  Major bumps are a little worse, but not much.  Keep in mind that I had cheap shocks on the IFS (with 4" lift 33s and locker) and now have Bilsteins, so that probably helps. 

As I still dont have a front driveshaft made I havent been able to really test it, but messing around a little on a camping trip and some ramps around here it is clear how much better the solid axle is.  Much more stable on top of everything.  I spent almost 1K on the IFS lift, and spent about double that on the SA.  I would go SA first and not worry about the IFS.

Oh yeah, my 86 runner is my ONLY vehicle and my DD.  Nothing like cruising around with no top and lean like hell in the corners.