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Lets talk Solids....

Wiked03

CSVT OG
Mar 1, 2004
29,341
10
Louisville, KY
So I have been debating for a while, and I am really leaning towards a solid axle.

But I am clueless about how to go about it. :dunno: This is obviously not something I would want to tackle doing in my garage. :eek3:

Can anyone provide any info? What kinda cost am I looking at? Where would I go to have it done? Are there kits, or do you piece together what you want? Can you reuse the current brakes? What do I do with the IRS? Sell it? Make it into a coffee table?

Basically I know nothing, so any info provided is greatly appreciated!
 

gnxs

Electron Powered
Apr 26, 2004
8,930
256
Wiked03 said:
So I have been debating for a while, and I am really leaning towards a solid axle.

But I am clueless about how to go about it. :dunno: This is obviously not something I would want to tackle doing in my garage. :eek3:

Can anyone provide any info? What kinda cost am I looking at? Where would I go to have it done? Are there kits, or do you piece together what you want? Can you reuse the current brakes? What do I do with the IRS? Sell it? Make it into a coffee table?

Basically I know nothing, so any info provided is greatly appreciated!

Sounds like Dana would be the best source of info on this.

Just curious Carl, why solid axle?
 

Wiked03

CSVT OG
Mar 1, 2004
29,341
10
Louisville, KY
gnxs said:
Sounds like Dana would be the best source of info on this.

Just curious Carl, why solid axle?

Well I am not 100% sure yet, just trying to figure everthing out.

Mostly, I hate wheel hop. I miss hitting the gas and spinning the tires, and not fearing that my rear end is going to fall apart.

So far there doesn't seem to be a clear cut answer to fixing the hop, And beefing the IRS suffienctly is gonna be pricey, but is my other option.

Still in the info gathering stage.
 

Wharf Rat

The other Hank
Mar 1, 2004
680
0
I've been thinking about this, too. Possibly a spring project???

Currie has built 8.8s that look pretty stout.

http://www.currieenterprises.com/html/custom/rearendPackages/rearendPackMustang.htm

With the new rear, control arms, catback, springs, and other various odds and ends it should easily stay under $3000. Sounds like our IRS is worth around a grand or so and maybe a few hundred for our catback.

The install shouldn't be that difficult but the torque boxes will have to be welded at some point.

You do yours first, then you can help with mine. :biggthump
 

fearbluer1

My 4cyl just beat your 8!
Mar 2, 2004
273
0
Honestly Wicked.

Buy the IRS brace, and get yourself a set of nitto's or bfg's. I have yet to have any wheel hop that even came close to scaring me. I have the Maximum Mspts IRS bushings still in a box.

The drag radials help out ALLOT!

Nittos last longer on the street.

I think you saw the burnout when I left John's place the last meeting. There was not a hint of any hop, and if there was you would see it in the marks left by the tire.
 

Wiked03

CSVT OG
Mar 1, 2004
29,341
10
Louisville, KY
I already have the Nittos, but I don't run them all the time because I frequently drive in the rain.

On the F1s I get hop ALL the time. It feels like the whole back end of the car is breaking, I hate it....

Maybe I will try some cheaper alternatives before making a decision. Maybe some anti-hop shocks, bushings, and irs brace. And jusy hope nothing breaks. I just don't wanna spend 1k+ for just new halfshafts and still have the hop.

Thanks for the opinions guys.

Signed,
Confused in Cobraville
 

gnxs

Electron Powered
Apr 26, 2004
8,930
256
Wiked03 said:
I already have the Nittos, but I don't run them all the time because I frequently drive in the rain.

On the F1s I get hop ALL the time. It feels like the whole back end of the car is breaking, I hate it....

Maybe I will try some cheaper alternatives before making a decision. Maybe some anti-hop shocks, bushings, and irs brace. And jusy hope nothing breaks. I just don't wanna spend 1k+ for just new halfshafts and still have the hop.

Thanks for the opinions guys.

Signed,
Confused in Cobraville

I've seen this topic several times before. Here's a link to another thread:

http://www.chicagosvt.com/forums/showthread.php3?t=941

I particularly liked ShelbyGuy's response to Hank suggesting a solid rear, 4th post in the thread. There is some truth to what he says.

I personally am going to try and get my IRS to live with the extra power, especially since I want to do some road racing next year.

MJs Brace - Done
DSS halfshafts - Soon
Bushings, springs, struts, etc - Over the winter

Also, the Nittos are fine in the rain as long as they have some decent tread on them. Mine are almost shot, so I've been real careful when the road gets wet. I have a new set waiting at Discount Tire that will go on when I "kill" the current ones at MSC 2.0.
 

wtw5974

What in the Hell?
Mar 2, 2004
942
0
Do the Steeda IRS bushings as well since you already have the springs installed. With those and rear springs, I have never experienced hop even on the factory F1s. There is really no one part that will fix everything. It usually takes a few items. Mostly bushings and springs help to cut down on suspension bind (the cause of wheel hop) on IRS setups.


My .02 :biggthump
 

fearbluer1

My 4cyl just beat your 8!
Mar 2, 2004
273
0
Then maybe the IRS bushings are the answer for you. They help out allot with the hop when running the goodyears.

I wouldn't even think of going to a solid unless you plan on some serious straightline abuse. ie drag racing, serious street racing. Just not worth the money IMO.

I would stay away from the anti-hop shocks. I've heard from someone very trustworthy, that they are strange adjustable shocks that are painted.

The only problem with that is that Strange specifically says NOT to use them with the IRS. Which is why there were some reports of them leaking after a number of miles.

Unless you are building a dedicated street racer or a dedicated strip machine. I would not suggest the swap.

1.) It will detract from the final value of the vehicle if you sell it.
2.) Not as nice of a ride when not racing or just cruising.
3.) If you do a even over swap with a GT you will have to stick some SERIOUS money in the GT rearend to get it to just perform where the IRS did.


But to each there own.
 

gnxs

Electron Powered
Apr 26, 2004
8,930
256
Wiked03 said:
Ok, well I think you have talked me out of it, LOL. Which is good.

I think I am gonna stockpile some parts over the winter. Various bushings, IRS brace, subframe brackets, and subframe connectors. And I am gonna move my DRs onto my stock rims.

Thanks again for all the info. This site rocks.

Of course you're getting opinions from guys that all have the IRS. I think getting Dana's opinion would add some objectivity to the whole issue.

However, he might be a little anti-IRS after his latest MJ Brace install debacle :argue: :joke:
 

Wiked03

CSVT OG
Mar 1, 2004
29,341
10
Louisville, KY
LOL, this is true. I have only heard one side of the story, but the more i think about it, I am not THAT serious of a racer (no matter how hard to try and convince myself otherwsie :D.)

Nor do I want to spend the 3k to convert it. I am too cheap. LOL

What about rear shocks? Is that a worthwile upgrade?

Konis? QA1s? Bilsteins? Any opinions there?
 

fearbluer1

My 4cyl just beat your 8!
Mar 2, 2004
273
0
gnxs said:
Of course you're getting opinions from guys that all have the IRS. I think getting Dana's opinion would add some objectivity to the whole issue.

However, he might be a little anti-IRS after his latest MJ Brace install debacle :argue: :joke:

Actually I'm not biased. I will be going with a Live axle in the future myself. But my car will be mostly a strip car or straight line only car about 95% of the time.

For anything else but the above I wouldn't do it, its just my opinion. There are plenty of things to do to get rid of the hop if that is the only concern.

If the car is going to be a straight line car then it would be worth the investment for a live axle.

The point is you have to pick what direction you are going to go with the car.
 

wtw5974

What in the Hell?
Mar 2, 2004
942
0
Wiked03 said:
LOL, this is true. I have only heard one side of the story, but the more i think about it, I am not THAT serious of a racer (no matter how hard to try and convince myself otherwsie :D.)

Nor do I want to spend the 3k to convert it. I am too cheap. LOL

What about rear shocks? Is that a worthwile upgrade?

Konis? QA1s? Bilsteins? Any opinions there?

I would recommend Koni Sport Adjustable once you have done springs and bushings. The Koni's are the only ones you can adjust without taking them off the car.

:biggthump
 

Robertson Racin

Regular
Mar 2, 2004
430
0
As for your questions,

1) Cost, be about the same as the Stage 5 DSS half-shafts.
2) Where to get it done, don't know, I don't live in Chicago, maybe Speed Inc.
3) Kits?? I believe Horsepower by Herman, may have a kit, you can piece it together, its not hard... Dana, I believe has a list of all the parts you would need...
4) Brakes?? You can reuse your brakes, but remember you can't run a 15 inch rim..
5) Your IRS?? Do whatever your heart desires with it...

Hope this helps...
 

ILLINI-SVT

Member at Large
Mar 4, 2004
1,993
0
My dad has the Koni adjustables on his 350Z and he loves them. Most L people run the QA1s too. Both can be adjusted with a few turns of the key while on the car.


Maybe if you come out for a spin on the twisty course you'll fall back in love with the IRS.

I wouldn't swap it out either. Even though it's more fragile, the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks.
 

Dana

Bluesmobile
Mar 2, 2004
2,619
0
The one biggest reason I installed the solid was peace of mind. I know I am not going to blow the rearend out of the car at the strip. Or a half shaft.

There are obviously trade off's when making the switch.
The IRS handles better than the solid.
It's not that the solid handles poorly, it is just that it is not Independant rear suspension and can't be expected to perform as such.
I have never had any intentions of road racing the car, so giving up the IRS was not a loss for me.
For my intentions, the solid is ideal, going fast in a straight line.
As far as comfort and ride, the car now rides like a GT (after I got the kinks worked out), although the solid metal bushings contribute a little to the higher interior noise level.
Cost was approximately $2500 using all new parts and mostly my own labor(I had someone dial in the R&P for me). The swap is not hard and can be done in an afternoon, if you have all the pieces.

If you have any specific questions, I'll try to answer them.

BTW, I think the IRS can be built to a level where wheel hop is ALMOST nonexistent and is pretty strong, but it ain't cheap.

As was mentioned above, tires play an important part in ridding the car of wheel hop. The F-1's are horrible. Any drag radial has to be an improvement.
Dan
 
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