4/19/2021 0 Comments Ifs Vs Solid Axle Towing
Suspension movement and articulation ability is limited by the suspension design and geometry and generally not as good as a solid axle setup.There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to each of these 2 types of suspension.Before we get to that, Mic van Zyl, Director of Ironman 44 briefly look at the 2 designs and explains to us how they differ.
Originally 4wd vehicles with solid axles were sprung by means of leaf springs. There are few moving parts in this type of setup and maintenance is relatively low. Leaf springs are great for carrying load but are not known for their comfort. With this in mind, later solid axle suspension designs used coil springs instead of leaf springs. While these tend to be more comfortable, they are perhaps not as suitable for heavy and constant loads. The coil spring can also no longer locate the axle as is the case with a leaf spring. It is therefore necessary to have several arms attaching the axle to the vehicle chassis that locate and control the movement of the axle under the vehicle. These control arms must stop forward, backward and sideways movement of the axles as well as the forward and backward rocking of the axle under acceleration and braking. These control arms therefore control the movement of the short axles independently on either side of the vehicle as opposed to a single long heavy axle running from side to side. Springs used on independent suspension vary between coil springs, air springs and torsion bars. While there are exceptions to the rule, here are some main points of comparison: Solid Axle Suspension Considered tougher than independent suspension but not as comfortable. Road irregularities experienced by one wheel are transferred across the entire axle increasing the amount of NVH experienced by the occupants. Suspension lift is generally only limited by the length of the shock absorber. Suspension lift does not increase ground clearance under axle and diff. Suspension lift does not affect wheel alignment camber angles. Solid axle suspensions generally allow for more up and down suspension movement which equates to better articulation. Better articulation keeps the wheels on the ground more which ensures constant traction less getting stuck and better all round 4wd ability. Independent Suspension More comfortable than solid axle suspension but not as tough. Road irregularities experienced by one wheel are seldom transferred to the other wheel decreasing the amount of NVH experienced by the occupants. Suspension lift decreases amount of suspension droop and can limit traction during suspension articulation. Suspension lift affects all wheel alignment angles generally all adjustable.
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