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The IFS will do you fine if you dont get too throttle happy. I have had many IFS trucks that work great for mild off-roading. I have owned all brands and I keep going back to Chevy. I love the ride and handling. I had nothig but prolblems with my Ford diesel and the transmission in the Dodge diesel kept going out. My 2 Chevy diesels have problem free.
You will have to test drive them and see what you like. If you go with a half ton I believe the Dodge is the only one that you can get with a solid. It all comes to personal pref. and what you like when you test drive.
Rear??? What truck do you have? I was unaware of this, I would like a link to this information if you wouldn't mind, thanks.
I have a Sport Trac 4x4. Class 4 tow hitch 750 tonque weight 7500 pound tow. Basically a F150 frame narrowed.
I'll have to look around for it. Flyer from Ford that this was the last year of solid axles from Ford.
Control arm bushings are another (the weakest?) part in the GM IFS. Other than that I've had no real problems with my older ('94) K3500 crew/dually. Tow medium and heavy on occasion, and occasional truck camper in the bed.
Seem to notice worn bushings on almost every front 4X4 GM IFS I look at over four or five years old.
Control arm bushings are another (the weakest?) part in the GM IFS. Other than that I've had no real problems with my older ('94) K3500 crew/dually. Tow medium and heavy on occasion, and occasional truck camper in the bed.
Seem to notice worn bushings on almost every front 4X4 GM IFS I look at over four or five years old.
That problem was taken care of with the new body style in 2001. They redisigned the control arms with better angles.
I don't know if it's me or what but looking at CV shafts makes me cringe. it seems they wouldn't be very sturdy. Like they'd break if I decided to do a little mudding.
Also something I'm curious about....would I be better off with locking hubs or non locking hubs? Why do some models have this and others not?
Location: Just East of the Southern Portion of the Western Part of PA
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Straight axle:
Pros: A straight axle setup is much stronger, allows for more articulation, provides potentially higher ground clearance, and any height of the vehicle can be attained. Ideal for extreme off roading conditions like rock crawling that demand slow speeds, strength, and articulation / suspension travel. They are also simpler than IFS systems, and are thus easier and cheaper to lift.
Cons:
Until you lift it, you get very little ground clearance or travel benefits out of SFA. With stock springs, your wheel travel still sucks, and you can't put large enough tires on it to improve your breakover/approach/departure angles or ground clearance in general. Also, ride quality is not as plush as the IFS.
IFS:
Pros: provides a soft ride quality and fast suspension response times to varying terrain. This allows the suspension to perform well under higher speed, more traction oriented off roading because the tires better follow the contour of the terrain. This type of suspension is quickly becoming standard because it meets the demands of the average 4X4 truck owners needs while providing good ride quality.
Cons: Components often not as strong as the Straight axle setups (although this is slowly improving), don't provide as much travel or articulation, and the configuration is more complex. The more complex configuration can make alignment more difficult, and makes the truck much more expensive to modify / lift.
Overall, it really comes down to what you want to do with the truck and what kind of off roading you are interested in.
Most trucks today see relatively light work duty and rarely see hardcore rock crawling.This is why the better riding IFS is becoming standard. The IFS setups are more than capable enough to get the average joe to hunting camp or home from work in a snow storm.
Location: Just East of the Southern Portion of the Western Part of PA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deez Nuttz
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Also something I'm curious about....would I be better off with locking hubs or non locking hubs? Why do some models have this and others not?
Do you mean manual hubs or automatic hubs? Again, it depends on your application. Manual hubs are generally stronger and more reliable than automatic hubs, but they require you to physically get out of the vehicle to turn them in or out. Automatic hubs are convienient, but some are problematic because the vaccum or other types of switches associated with them can break over time.
Most modern 4X4's use a live axle setup that doesn't use an operational wheel hub. The switch on the dash controls the transfer case which then provides power to the front shaft / wheels.
Thanks Johnny. I meant manuals, the kind you have to get out and engage.
Another thing I've pondered...is if I didn't manually lock the hubs but had it in 4 hi what would happen?
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