thumperZ Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 just curious on the pros and cons on the independent and solid axle rear suspention for a v8 swap.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Considering the independant suspension: Pro's: - better grip on uneven surfaces - car is allready setup for it Con's: - easier to get limited slips and lower gears for solid axles I'd choose an independant over solid 99 times out of 100 for a car that will see street duty due to the first thing listed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dan0myte Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Street cars are much better off with IRS. The ability for each wheel to move independantly allows better handling and a smoother ride. Solid axles are ok on the street, but the quick wheel reaction times just make the IRS so much better. Race cars are much better off with solid rears. The ability to tune in the suspension for the best launch, the ability to install a spool, the ability to run oversized racing slicks and the almost indestructiveness of the setup makes it the undisputed champ of the race track. IRS's are notoriously bad for getting quick and consistent 60 foots. There is no weight difference between the two (unless you go with a massive rear end) and there are no greater or less drivetrain losses between the two, so the choice purely comes down to where the car will spend the most time / enjoy the most benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Race cars are much better off with solid rears. If by 'racecars' you mean dragcars then ok, but I sure don't see many road racers running out to install a solid axle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Meister Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 It depends on how much power your engine generates and for what purposes you will use that power. My Z is "backhalved" with a Ford 9" because my TT383 Chevy develops a lot of torque. It never will handle like an IR rearend, but it's o.k. on the street if I soften up the adjustable rear shocks. Installing a solid axle rear end is quite a job on a Z because so much has to be changed. Unless you can do the modifications yourself it will be expensive. Consider your usage of your Z before you decide what plan to follow. Hanns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 IRS's are notoriously bad for getting quick and consistent[/i'] 60 foots. I'll just throw this into the thread: http://www.aranessinc.com/TurboVette978-2.wmv http://www.aranessinc.com/ci-ivturbovette.wmv Yup, the 'Vette picked the front wheels off the ground. Still has the IRS. Car has went 9.73 @ 142 mph on a 6 cylinder . Really cool sight to see this street car run down the track. The Rogue 'Vette can be seen here http://members.rogers.com/roguevette/ Comparing the Datsun IRS to the Corvette IRS is a bad one I know, but a IRS setup isn't all that bad. P.S. This should really be in the Drivetrain forum. !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 No one has mentioned unsprung weight yet... Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 ...but the quick wheel reaction times just make the IRS so much better. He did in a way. !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 A live axle works well in drag racing. It works less well everywhere else when compared with IRS. Cost is the main reason live axles are still installed on some new production cars and load carrying capacity, strength, and cost are the reasons they are still installed on trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 IRS's are notoriously bad for getting quick and consistent 60 foots. Why didn't someone tell me this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dan0myte Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Why didn't someone tell me this? Ever wonder why 800 horsepower dyno queen Supra's can only manage 10's? Or is that why 2nd Gen Corvette owners keep their stock Independant rears when they're running 9's... oh wait, they don't. Like anything in the world, things that are bad at something can be made better. But just because you can make an IRS work well at the strip doesn't mean you should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 But just because you can make an IRS work well at the strip doesn't mean you should[/i']. I'll still take Scottie's IRS 10's anyday!! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-Dreamer Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Here we go again FACT: The IRS is superior in handling on uneven surfaces. Choose this if handling is your most important consideration on any surface. FACT: On a smooth road/track a properly setup "Live axle" car will handle as well as a properly setup IRS and BETTER than a poorly setup IRS. Ultra High HP cars (that hook) will 99.99% of the time require a strong live axle. Didn't Scotty break his vette IRS? How about Stony? Ok no more ranting. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 But just because you can make an IRS work well at the strip doesn't mean you should. What the heck is that supposed to mean? Because you have an IRS you SHOULD NOT run it on the strip? Here we go again with the Supra and C2 examples of why IRS does not work on the strip. You do not see C2s in the 9s simply because NHRA's rulebook specifically bans them. This is the same NHRA that promotes Pro Stock as "The Factory Hot Rods" but restricts them to running carbs. What was the last factory car with carbs? You wanna get an earful about the "wisdom" of NHRA, sit down and have a chat with Warren Johnson about Pro Stocks having to run carbs. Ah, the 800hp Supras that can only run 10s. What the heck does that have to do with the fact that they have IRS? 800hp Supras run 10s because they are IDIOT SHEEP who follow the engine setups that make the most HP on the dyno and end up not getting full boost until the 330' marker! Would not matter if they had a trick solid axle. I find all this Supra talk so hilarious. One of our own members, BLKMGK, has focused what it takes to make a Supra launch hard off the line and if you have not seen the video of his Supra launching, you ought to. BTW, on the extreme side of the Supras, there are 1000+hp Supras running in the 8s with the IRS. To make generic statements like live axles are lousy for handling or IRS is no good for the strip or Zs are sports cars and should not be run on the strip......SILLY! Did I break my C4 IRS? Yes, I broke the spider gear shaft. My IRS is from an '84 and it turns out the 84 carriers had a factory defect that was recalled and redesigned and had no problem since. That part? The spider gear shaft My carrier was swapped out for an 87. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 I'll caution anyone making blanket statements without REAL WORLD experiences to back them up (And not just bench racing either) to rephrase their comments. There are a number of guys on this board who can run deep into the 10s with less than 800HP and IRS... BLKMGK is running 600HP in his Supra and is running 10s with a lot more suspension tuning to go... And he hasn't started dialing up boost yet... LONG way to go and 9s ARE capable in this car... with an IRS. Take a trip over to http://www.corvetteforum.com and you will see C4 and C5 Vettes running IRS and running 8s and 9s. As for using a sanctioning body in your arguements, PULEAZE... NASCAR wont run in the rain, though they have rain tires. SCCA Won't allow ITS Zs to update their configurations to be more competitive with current technology cars in their class. And NHRA? It's a freaking JOKE. Facts... That is what I want... Facts... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 A good friend of mine has 2 Supra's, one runs mid 9's and the other high 8's. I once thaught Supra's were dyno queens only but set up properly they can flat out kill you at any level. That said I still love my 11 second Z! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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