solid haters.

[99riocobra]

i don't know, but let's keep it going!

 

[Nazman]

Originally Posted by SanDiego01Snake
spend a couple of hundred bucks modding an IRS and it's strong and handles far better than when stock

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

 

[TrueBlueGT]

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

+1 on the $$. $3300 is about $2800 more than I have invested in my built solid axle. So for $500 net investment in addition to some of my free time, I have ZERO wheel hop. You IRS guys should just send me the $3300 you'd throw at your irs, I'll help you install a solid axle, and we'll both be better off when its done.epper:

 

[NXSVTCOBRA]

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

lmao $3k???

traded my IRS for a solid axle from an 02, purchased a moser 33 spline spool and axle kit for $550 used, some gears for $130, used adjustable control arms i had from my 93, and put it all together, welded my axle tubes, launched the car @ 6800 rpms, on slicks, and no broken halfshafts, daily driven 10 second car with a solid rear end all for under a grand and completely bullet-proof..... will i ever own another IRS car? Hell no, solid all the way :thumbsup:

 

[ex-PJs snake]

Well, I suppose it would be a matter of time before we got into the bones of this opinionated conversation on IRS vs. Solid Axle, huh....that being money?

As can be found and linked within this thread, a thread by postban, without counting a 500 hp setup, one can rebuild their IRS for far less than is being pushed by some.

Furthermore, consider the word from Maximium Motorsports:

NASA Pro Racing – Interview with Chuck Schwynoch, CEO
Maximum Motorsports, Inc.
June 28, 2006
By Andy Bowman

Q. The #91 MM Mustang is using an IRS rear suspension, what drove you to this decision, how has the effort been going so far?

A. We had a growing number of customers who called us and said that they were not happy with their IRS, and asked us if they should swap in the proven MM Torque-arm/Panhard Bar rear suspension. We couldn't give them a truthful answer until we had done our own testing to directly compare the Ford IRS to a well-sorted Torque-arm/Panhard bar system. Our AI race car had won races, and set track records, so it was the perfect candidate for comparison. We swapped the rear end over to the IRS, with all of the parts we had developed over the previous year on a street-driven 2003 Cobra. We left the front of the car exactly as it was with the Torque arm suspension. We maintained the exact same rear track width, and even swapped over the same brakes, rotors, calipers, and pads, from the solid axle. We then hit the track for testing. By the end of the first day of testing we were 3 seconds under the AI track record at Buttonwillow. With the IRS we had to learn what alignment and bumpsteer settings worked best. That's what testing told us. Without track testing, we really could not have given our customers an honest answer to their questions about the IRS. Even if our testing had shown the IRS to be grossly inferior to a solid axle, we at least would then be able to help our customers make an informed decision about modifying their car. As it turned out, the IRS is superior to a solid axle fitted with a Torque-arm and Panhard bar, in most aspects.

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213384


But hey, its still all opinion and preference, correct?

 

[BreBar21]

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

FWIW, my IRS is "built" and I spent WAY WAY WAY less than $3k. I guess if you go to MM, DSS, etc and just buy straight from them you would.

This thread needs to die. I know everyone wants to reinforce that their choice, be it IRS or solid, was the right one, but come on people. You can break an IRS. You can break a solid. There is no definitive answer. The people that want a solid will swap it in and the people that don't will not.

ps, I still want to drive a TA/PHB or Watts link solid axle car to see what it feels like. I've driven stick axle Cobras that were set up for drag racing and it was god awful, IMO. Someone in Florida hook me up.

 

[UCBeau]

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

yea that guide is the way to do it if you have the cash, when i said a couple of hundred bucks i meant this:
billetflow IRS brace
MM irs subframe/diff/a-arm bushings

there you go, stronger, stiffer IRS that will pull 1.8's. the one thing that solid axle lovers (who bash the IRS) need to realize is that if you can stay out of wheelhop, you will VASTLY improve your chances of keeping your IRS together.

 

[ex-PJs snake]

This thread needs to die. I know everyone wants to reinforce that their choice, be it IRS or solid, was the right one, but come on people. You can break an IRS. You can break a solid. There is no definitive answer. The people that want a solid will swap it in and the people that don't will not.

+1 Agreed!

 

[slo-ryd]

not that you straight line driving knuckdraggers care about handling.

I resemble that remark. :lol:

Also, us knuckdraggers belong to the NMRA & NHRA and happen to enjoy straight line performance. :bash:

anyway..what Dingleweed said.

 

[viperbluelx]

I broke 2 half-shafts and cracked one aluminum pumpkim as well. All with BFG DRs and mild 3.73 gears.

which halfshafts and did you have a billetflow brace?

 

[CobraRed01]

ex-PJs snake...that Maximum Motorsports quote is a real nice find. I always wanted to see an objective comparo of Stick vs. IRS in the same car on a road course. I really would like to see an even more comprehensive comparison on short/long and smooth/rough tracks...then throw in a Griggs SLA-equipped Cobra for fun. But I digress. Not really the argument (er...discussion) in here (more about harder launches and breaking at the strip), but I think it's great find for the IRS/handling guys.

 

[Nazman]

which halfshafts and did you have a billetflow brace?

I broke one of the stock 1/2 shafts (passenger side), and then broke one of the old GKNs 1/2 shaft (broke the passenger side as well) and craked the dif housing.

Supporting mods on my IRS were:

PHP IRS Brace
Kenny Brown Solid Ajustable IRS Bushings
MM Main Frame Poly Bushings
Eibach Pro-Springs w/Air Bag

Those breakages occured with lame 3.73 gears and BFGs DRs and mild RPMs.

After that, swaped the 1/2s back to stock with an used dif and swapped the thing for a solid.

Please keep in mind that Im not bashing the IRS, as you guys can see I have said that it has merits and downfalls the same as the solid. In my case I happend to favorite the solid due to the reasons stated above.

Naz

 

[poopy01]

I broke my solid axle when my 89 was almost stock.

 

[sn8k]

Wheelhop is gay - that was the tie breaker for me. Run what you brung, and if you loose... you have nothing to blame but yourself. Happy I made the switch to a solid axel - no regrets.

 

[viperbluelx]

I just checked out that link and quick numbers add up to more than $3300 bones when you are all finished up and the source said to "500HP" and that will not completely cure the hop.

Thats quite of bit of cash if you ask me.

Naz

I have an 03 IRS with 3.55 gear, M/M differential bushings, Billetflow cover brace and airbags in both springs. I launch at 6,000 rpms on 26x10 ET Drags and don't get ANY wheelhop whatsoever and 60ft in the 1.50's.

I sold my stock 99 IRS stuff for more than enough to cover the cost of the 03 IRS components AND the Billetflow brace. The airbags cost me $60 and the bushings were around $50 I think.

I know the IRS isn't as good for drag racing, heck my 96 went a 1.400 60ft with a solid axle, but I think with the right mods the IRS is fine for at least high 10's in the 1/4. Few on this New Edge forum are quicker than that.

 

[01trublue cobra]

IRS = :smmon:
SOLID =

 

[Nazman]

I have an 03 IRS with 3.55 gear, M/M differential bushings, Billetflow cover brace and airbags in both springs. I launch at 6,000 rpms on 26x10 ET Drags and don't get ANY wheelhop whatsoever and 60ft in the 1.50's.

I sold my stock 99 IRS stuff for more than enough to cover the cost of the 03 IRS components AND the Billetflow brace. The airbags cost me $60 and the bushings were around $50 I think.

I know the IRS isn't as good for drag racing, heck my 96 went a 1.400 60ft with a solid axle, but I think with the right mods the IRS is fine for at least high 10's in the 1/4. Few on this New Edge forum are quicker than that.

That billet flow piece is fairly new in the market and I had my Solid for about 3 years now...may be longer and the most advance stuff at the time was the GKN stuff, PHP Brace (still the strongest out there) and the initial MM/KB stuff. I attempted the airbags, springs, bushings, braces, sticky tires, and did not hopped/barely hopped at mild launches (3000-4000RPMs) but the 1-2 & 2-3 shifts sucked severly.

I did play with the IRS and tryied to make it work, so did others like Joe Lynch who eventually swapped it out for a solid since it got tired and could not get it to work completely.

The IRS is fine for those who like it. Again, I gave it a chance and did not work it for me. I drop it along with about 75 pounds and I have NOT have a single problem so far (knock on wood!!!).

I think that I'm about done with this thread and its time to move on. I got to go and play around with my pinion angle on my solid!! :rockon:

73 88 BT AR

Naz

 

[viperbluelx]

I got to go and play around with my pinion angle on my solid!! :rockon:

73 88 BT AR

Naz

Awesome, I'll play with my pinion angle if I get a vibration.