Sas

[Nerve_Gas]

Ok I just have to share with everyone that I completely hate the IFS. Its been like what 3+ months sense I got done with all of the work. My CV boots are blown. So its only a matter of time before the CV's blow out. So I am going to be pushing foward with the axle swap. I will probably have to do a leaf front sense that will be the cheapest way to do it. I hate leaf springs but they are strong and I don't wheel often enough to justify coilovers.

The up coming list of things to do:
1: swap in dana 44
2: 5.38:1 gears
3: Aussie locker in the rear
4: ARB in the front

After that:
1: Custom bull bar
2: 9.0rc warn winch
3: Engine mods (power upgrades)
4: Roll cage
5: Racing seats and 5 point harnesses

And of course one day:
1: Vortec 350
2: Dana 60's front and rear
3: Double 4 link with coilovers
4: 39x13.50r17 Iroks
5: Hutchinson 17x10 double bead locks
6: Atlas II Tranfer case

I think I covered all of the bases. Let me know what you think.

[Triathlete]

Linking the front is not going to cost you that much more. Personally I think using leaf springs in the front on a Vx is going to look like *****. To do a link suspension you don't need coilovers. You can use coils and shocks. Some things to think about before you jump into this is to keep your ABS and TOD you will have to remount all of your speed sensors onto the new front axle. If you don't do this you will need to put a non TOD case in.

[Nerve_Gas]

Good to know and you are kind of right about the linked front. We will see

[Tone]

So you don't wheel that much but you don't the comfort of IFS and you want to spend thousands of dollars on SAS? I'll take the bet it doesn't happen - talk is cheap. Do it and THEN post it.....

And you like destroying the woods which will cause even more off roading areas to be closed to vehicles? Come on, Law Enforcement in your future?

[CrnCnn]

So you don't wheel that much but you don't the comfort of IFS and you want to spend thousands of dollars on SAS? I'll take the bet it doesn't happen - talk is cheap. Do it and THEN post it.....

What is with the hostility? Am I sensing it or am I reading too much into it. Let the guy speak his mind, especially since so many people have talked about doing this swap.

[Nerve_Gas]

I do intend to do the axle swap. And I don't wheel much write now because I can't afford to break stuff at the moment. I don't enjoy the destruction of nature. I love nature and being out in it thats why I enjoy off roading. The other reason I don't wheel much is because to go anywhere descent I have to drive 2+ hours and if I break an axle or something on the trail then how do I get home?

I want to do the axle swap because it will be cheaper in the long run. There are stronger parts out there for solid axles. They are easier to work on. They are much stronger. And I can lock my front and still run a 36" tire. Not to mention much better articulation.

And also I could give a sh*t less about comfort. I like the tire noise and the bouncing and all that comes with driving an off road truck. I mean you are talking to a guy that regularly puts on a full ghillie (sniper) suit and crawls around in the woods, fields, and urban terrain no matter the heat or cold. And that is for fun! Does it sound like I care about comfort?

And another thing. Just because you see it on the internet or on this forum does that instantly mean that you believe it? Just because someone posts a picture on here of something crazy doesn't mean it actually happened. There are such things as liars, its not a myth. So get off your high horse and chill the f*ck out. If I do the swap you will see it and if I don't then oh well.

[Chopper]

Look, I'm a complete plebe when it comes to real offroading. I'm a pretty good wrench, and a real good body/paint guy... this is how I make a living. My question is... whats the deal, with a solid front axle? I spec (road) race as a hobby, and a solid axle is the anti-Kriste. Stronger? more articulation? ability to hook up some crazy, torquey rears? all the above? I don't get it.

[ZEUS]

Look, I'm a complete plebe when it comes to real offroading. I'm a pretty good wrench, and a real good body/paint guy... this is how I make a living. My question is... whats the deal, with a solid front axle? I spec (road) race as a hobby, and a solid axle is the anti-Kriste. Stronger? more articulation? ability to hook up some crazy, torquey rears? all the above? I don't get it.

One of the better things about solid axles when compared to IFS is the means of articulation. When one side of an IFS droops, that's it, it is at the end of it's travel, and so if it does get to that point, there is no available traction to that tire because there is no weight on that tire. All the weight at the front of the rig is on the opposing tire. Where as with a solid axle, one tire is stuffed into the wheel well until the axle hits the bump stop. When the axle hits the bump stop at one side the other side is forced downward - the bumpstop acts as a fulcrum or pivot point for the axle, so more weight/traction is sent to the drooping side than an IFS rig in the same situation. This can increase stability. To a lesser degree, even before the axle hits the bump stop the axle is tied to two springs instead of one so the same influence is on the axle even before it reaches max droop or compression.

Other pros to soild axle swaps are the ease of axle shaft replacement, lack of fragile CV's and boots (stronger U-joints), availability of parts (aftermarket and stock), increased suspension travel, general durability of parts, water resistance, etc. They are all 4x4 offroad improvements to get you in and out of the back country much more effectivley and efficiently.

I haven't been able to justify an SAS for my daily driver yet or I would already be under way - as long as my VX has been 2wd anyway I wouldn't have to complete the swap right away.

I would like to take the time to ask again, putting tires that big on an IFS equipped VX... is somebody eating Rice Crispies?

[Chopper]

I like the 2wd thing. Do you get the 10% that went forward, out back, or is it just lost in the hardware? I'm thinkin', Rodeo 4x, or Trooper, manual, bones as the starting point

[Nerve_Gas]

I would like to take the time to ask again, putting tires that big on an IFS equipped VX... is somebody eating Rice Crispies?

Nothing broken yet other than my CV boots. All in all the ifs it pretty strong but not strong enough.

[Triathlete]

Look, I'm a complete plebe when it comes to real offroading. I'm a pretty good wrench, and a real good body/paint guy... this is how I make a living. My question is... whats the deal, with a solid front axle? I spec (road) race as a hobby, and a solid axle is the anti-Kriste. Stronger? more articulation? ability to hook up some crazy, torquey rears? all the above? I don't get it.

Here is the visual answer...

IFS...



SAS...

[ZEUS]

Damn you, Billy! It is soooo hard to resist the visual of a VX flexing out like that! I need another VX - I should sell the Army truck and donor truck to find a blown engine VX and S-10 Blazer instead.

[ZEUS]

Nothing broken yet other than my CV boots. All in all the ifs it pretty strong but not strong enough.

Yeah, CV boots have always pissed me off. It sucks when the ball joints have fatigued enough to break to. In time, one of those tires will do a lot of damage when and if a ball joint does break and your tire ends up under your rocker panel - it almost happened to me when my Sonoma lost a ball joint - I was only doing 15 mph though at the time - got lucky.

[ZEUS]

I like the 2wd thing. Do you get the 10% that went forward, out back, or is it just lost in the hardware? I'm thinkin', Rodeo 4x, or Trooper, manual, bones as the starting point

I truly like driving the VX in 2wd. When the tranny shifts, it sets you back - everything feels more free. You need to realize too though, I knocked out the weight of the front axle assembly and the front driveshaft. But there must be less strain at the tranny right? There are only 2 wheels getting in the way - the front two are just coasters! Anyway, I do feel the TOD robs acceleration and power.

[JHarris1385]

I truly like driving the VX in 2wd. When the tranny shifts, it sets you back - everything feels more free. You need to realize too though, I knocked out the weight of the front axle assembly and the front driveshaft. But there must be less strain at the tranny right? There are only 2 wheels getting in the way - the front two are just coasters! Anyway, I do feel the TOD robs acceleration and power.

I must have missed a thread somewhere. I had no idea you were true 2wd. I thought I had always read it was not possible, even if you did disconnect the TOD wires. Is your 2wd selectable? How is this done?