what is so good about solid axles??

all i ever hear about on this site is how solid axles are so good and independent sucks. what is the reason for this common opinion here. i mean, independent axles have better handling on and off road, and alot of the guys that i see with toyotas are killing me offroad and they have independent suspension. it seems like solid axles is old technology and that all auto manufacurers are getting away from it for a reason. so what are some benefits of solid axles?

also, i'm not attacking anyone's opinions i just want more knowledge on the subject.

The best reason I can think of is with a solid axle there's less crap to possibly break.

Solid axles are just that... solid.

Independent leaves your axle shafts exposed to the elements, more small exposed parts that can easily break or bend. Plus it is much more expensive to modify an IFS front and still have it all work as its supposed to.

A solid axle on the other hand puts a solid hunk of metal around most of the components, is far easier to wrench on (especially on the trail) and typically cheaper to modify/repair.

on ATV's independent suspension is 10x better than solid axles for offroading. seems that it would be the same for other vehicles too.

i can understand that it is stronger, easier to work on and cheaper but if you had a really stong IFS i would assume it would outperform a solid in most situations right?

Solid axles have better articulation

Axle droop is difficult to achieve with IRS/IFS, ATVs have limited torque and travel allowing small drive train components. Could you imagine the size of cv that would be required for some one running 40's! The expense would be enormous.

I believe walker evans racing built an independent suspension rock buggy a few years ago. They worked very hard, threw a lot of money at it, and came up with a custom, 1 off design, that performed about as well as most of the other buggies. So for all the extra effort and cash, why not just go solid. I see a lot of the yota, chebbie and ford guys going to solid setups for mud and offroad, the fact that they are willing to cut out their factory designed, superior IFS setup, and fab in a solid setup has to count somewhere.

The articulation in truck applications is not as good, the shafts will get in a bind and break. Also, your solid axles will act as a lever, if one is raised up, the other is pushed down. In an independent setup, if one side is raised, the other side stays where it was.

mitsumotors said:

i can understand that it is stronger, easier to work on and cheaper but if you had a really stong IFS i would assume it would outperform a solid in most situations right?

Click to expand...

nope, see above

hmmm... makes sense. thanks for the info guys.

No no no, see in this world of convoluted bs and companies that are just out to make a buck we are all brain washed to beleive that solid axles are better than IFS/IRS because we're poor and want to do rediculous things to our already cost prohibitive ORVs just to reduce their resale value..

Well DAMN the man, and solid axles as soon as I win the lottery I am goin IFS/IRS who's with me!?!?

I am a visual learner and this is how i learned that IFS<SOLID :roll:

overall easier trail fix, strength, clearance, workability i.e transplant or swap, leaf compatable, huge HUGE aftermarket support - shafts, seals, gears, truss, builder parts, etc...

91XJMA said:

No no no, see in this world of convoluted bs and companies that are just out to make a buck we are all brain washed to beleive that solid axles are better than IFS/IRS because we're poor and want to do rediculous things to our already cost prohibitive ORVs just to reduce their resale value..

Well DAMN the man, and solid axles as soon as I win the lottery I am goin IFS/IRS who's with me!?!?

Click to expand...

eh, IFS has it's moments and applications - no doubt thats what most car companies install from the factory! But in terms of what we do here which is mostly off road you get the most bang for your buck with a solid axle swap and or vehicle... just take the stock XJ for example... super capable when left alone and even with a small budget boost... from there comparing it to a TJ gets in to wheel base, suspension, etc even though both are solid :compwork:

another reason is that, when an IFS/IRS compresses, the diff gets closer to the ground, where as on SS setups the diff moves with the tires.

i can only see IFS being superior in on road applications.

aparke4 said:

Click to expand...

MORE?

swbooking said:

MORE?

Click to expand...

Nothing like 2 hot chicks handleing a big shaft. :loveu:

no joke! more? meh - i will have to search my HD - everytime I come across pics like this it is just worth of saving!

1) Articulation. Yes, IxS can articulate each wheel independently (to a point,) and that typically makes for better manners and handling on-road. However, the off-road advantage goes to SLA setups. Why? Because when one wheel is raised on SLA, the other is driven downwards - which helps to keep both wheels on the end of the axle planted. While this isn't such a problem with ATVs (most of them weigh around what I do,) when you're horsing two tons around, you need all the help you can get.

2) Simplicity. Less engineering is required, less support elements are required, and that means that suspension designs can be simpler, easier to repair, and easier to modify.

3) Durability. IxS halfshafts tend to be smaller than SLA shafts (Strike one!) and are usually hollow (Strike two! - depending on wall thickness...) They're also exposed to the environment (as mentioned previously,) which means that the coating on them can be stripped by the environment, which allows environmental corrosion to start, which means weak spot! Or, something could hit the shaft, resulting in a crease in the metal, resulting in a weak spot! A spot of corrosion or a crease in a metal member (or a scribe line, or where a saw wandered, or...) may as well be a dashed line saying "Tear Here." Yes, you can bend an SLA shaft, but it's far more work (and you usually have larger problems by then.) The SLA shafts are protected by the axle housing - typically 1/4" wall tubing or better, in truck applications - and there's usually the best part of an inch of air in between. You can bend a tube without wrecking the axle beyond utility - but replace the assembly when you get home. IxS? Replace the halfshaft soonest - meaning on the trail (constant reversed stresses are Hell on members with defects...)

IxS works well on ATVs because they're small and light - and being small, the axle assemblies can be short, which means they don't need as much articulation. Also, I greatly suspect most ATVs aren't used in rockclimbing - so they don't deal with as much off-camber terrain, nor do they really need as much articulation to begin with (someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) There's the pivotal difference - the working length of an ATV axle runs - I think - around 30-36", while a truck axle works with 60" and up. Cutting that lever arm in half (or an offset centre, as with IFS) makes things silly.

Does this make sense, or are you as at sea as you were before? I hope it does help...