Raptor and ZR2 do what Power Wagon can't

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI-ymLQmm9s

I was really surprised; I honestly thought that the Dodge was going to be the most capable crawler due to the locking diffs at both ends, the sway bar disconnect, and the solid axles... and if they had been crawling (stationary) boulders, that may have been the case

Also, I'm really hoping that we see the Ranger Raptor here in the US; I think it could go toe-to-toe with the Colorado ZR2... and we all recognize that competition improves the breed

On that terrain I think the IFS has an advantage. The IFS keeps both tires in contact with the ground for better traction. The solid axle is unloading one side as weight and terrain move the truck side to side.

That's probably a pretty good point. Additionally, I couldn't really be sure, but it looks like both the Raptor and ZR2 drivers may have hung two wheels off the side of the trail in the grass...

SilverBolt said:

On that terrain I think the IFS has an advantage. The IFS keeps both tires in contact with the ground for better traction. The solid axle is unloading one side as weight and terrain move the truck side to side.

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to add on this a little more, one of the main reasons crawlers use solid axles is axle strength. IFS is always better on the trail, just historically much weaker.

just this last year a couple bouncers have been trying a couple new IFS setups and they seem to be performing way better than previous versions. so much so that they are starting to kick the dog **** out of the solid axle bouncers.

AndysLog said:

to add on this a little more, one of the main reasons crawlers use solid axles is axle strength. IFS is always better on the trail, just historically much weaker.

just this last year a couple bouncers have been trying a couple new IFS setups and they seem to be performing way better than previous versions. so much so that they are starting to kick the dog **** out of the solid axle bouncers.

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Interesting... not that it applies to bouncers, really, but I always understood one of the advantages of solid axles to be the articulation capability due to the geometry of solid axle coil spring suspensions... the arms are longer (vs. typical IFS control arms), and so have a larger travel distance at the tip for a given control arm angle than would the shorter arms that are typical of IFS.

BurnOut said:

Interesting... not that it applies to bouncers, really, but I always understood one of the advantages of solid axles to be the articulation capability due to the geometry of solid axle coil spring suspensions... the arms are longer (vs. typical IFS control arms), and so have a larger travel distance at the tip for a given control arm angle than would the shorter arms that are typical of IFS.

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dude for sure every setup will have its pros and cons, and IFS and SFS setups both have many advantages and some disadvantages. ive seen many ifs guys keep up with solids on trails with no issues. then drive home on a nice comfy ride, able to take turns much sharper and calculated.

and you may get more articulation as a whole, but whatever one is doing the other must do the complete opposite on a solid. so that can for sure be a bit of a learning curve. IFS is a lot easier to drive offroad, at least for me it has been.

AndysLog said:

dude for sure every setup will have its pros and cons, and IFS and SFS setups both have many advantages and some disadvantages.

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TTB = King of IFS designs. [/BroncoOwner]

For trail applications Solid Axle is stronger and far more capable due to articulation. However for light trail duty or basting along at high speed IFS rules hands down. I did a swap for a solid axle on my trail rig.
You notice they gave it momentum in the Zr2 and Raptor but tried to crawl it in the Power Wagon....

AndysLog said:

but whatever one is doing the other must do the complete opposite on a solid. so that can for sure be a bit of a learning curve. IFS is a lot easier to drive offroad, at least for me it has been.

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Huh? Since when? You can absolutely compress both ends of the axle at the same time on a solid. What do you think happens when you tow something and the entire rear end squats? It's not just one side compressing while the other decompresses.

Conversely, what do you think happens when you get all 4 wheels off the ground? Both ends of the axle decompress.

jabroni619 said:

Huh? Since when? You can absolutely compress both ends of the axle at the same time on a solid. What do you think happens when you tow something and the entire rear end squats? It's not just one side compressing while the other decompresses.

Conversely, what do you think happens when you get all 4 wheels off the ground? Both ends of the axle decompress.

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well then it would just be sitting lol. you took what I said that applied to rock crawling specifically and just applied it to life.

sorry, the way i typed sounded like i mean its a seesaw which isn't the case.

i was talking about being offroad on the trail, what one does effects the other. as with an independent front suspension works differently, aka much better.