Silly question

[riverfever]

Sorry guys, I didn't see a "General Stupidity" section here anywhere.

I belong to a Jeep XJ club and the guys that I have met are all into crawling and against IFS b/c it's "gay". I have had this 4x4 for 3 years now and it was my first one. We do a lot of camping and have gone up what I thought were pretty sketchy trails a handful of times. The guys in my club laugh when I say they were sketchy b/c they wouldn't think twice about it. To try and give you an idea, my buddy got up one of the trails in a stock XJ. When I finish up grad school, we'd like to get a newer 4x4. Here's my question:
How capable is IFS? I think an Xterra or Frontier or Taco would be perfect for us but of course my friends say that I'll be disappointed. I gotta disagree...I've seen some of you take IFS places that I wouldn't really be thrilled about taking my solid axle. Thanks.

 

[Bergger]

I think IFS is very capable and durable. I own two, a Tacoma and an Xterra. Yes if I was going to build a dedicated rock crawler then I would go with a solid axle. The reason the rock crawlers like them is they can easily lift them 6+ inches with no problems. IFS is generally limited to 3". They also may have some advantages as far a simplicity in fixing them (rock crawlers break a lot of stuff it seems). If you are going to do more camping/exploring stuff then you'll be fine with IFS. And like you said in your post, you can take an IFS rig through some very rough stuff in you know what you are doing. IFS will also give you a more comfortable ride during your daily driving and on the milder off road stuff. All the vehicles you mentioned are great platforms for expedition vehicles. I personally use my DC Tacoma and love it. It can go just about any where and can carry a lot of crap. However I just recently got the Xterra, have been very impressed with it and plan on using that as well. You just need to decide if you want to start with a pickup truck or an SUV. The members here pretty much have all the bases covered when it comes to vehicles so you will have lots of help in making a decision. It's also nice to see another person from Colorado. It seems like the membership from CO has been growing alot recently.

 

[mtnbike28]

x2 on IFS is fine

Don't let macho guys talk you into something you don't need. IFS is nice (even great) for DD/expedition/trial 4x4 use. Solid axles are not needed to enjoy the heck out of yourself.

Jay

 

[j_nigrelli]

perhaps they are trying to cover up the homo-erotic relationship they share with inanimate objects as a compensation for their innadequate inter-personal skills...?

 

[datrupr]

I have never had an issue getting my IFS to take me where I want to go, but I am also not a rock crawler, so it is a bit of a trade off. For what you plan on doing, IFS will be more than adequate.

 

[TeleScooby]

There's a huge difference between rock crawling and expedition travel. For rock crawling, solid is the way to go, more lift, easier repairs, more articulation, etc...but for expedition travel, IFS is the way to go (personal opinion here). I had two tacomas and wouldn't have traded the freeway comfort for anything.

 

[Pskhaat]

Yeah, all of what everyone else said

If I could walk into a dealership and choose IFS or a live axle, I'd take a live axle all day long, for many reasons. BUT, if you don't plan on lifting the thing too high and like a little better road ride, IFS is totally and perfectly fine (in some cases preferrable) for the majority of what we all do.

 

[david despain]

aside from a wrangler or 3/4 - 1 ton full size truck what can you even buy new nowadays thats even equipped w/ a solid front axle? you said when you finish school you'd like a newer 4x4, so that we can look at models a few years old anyway and by next year even the newest LR discovery's w a solid front end will be at least 4 yrs old. solid front axle land cruisers went away after 97 and full size blazers and broncos (not really true solid or ifs) and cherrokees are even older than that. i am not sure about the years for the trooper or montereo but i think its been a while. so even if you were dead set on a live axle your choices in a "newish" truck are quite limited.

 

[riverfever]

I know the options for solid front axle are limited and will even be more so in the next year or two. I think a lot of my friends would rather have the XJ even if it meant it would have 100,000 on it and you had to go through the whole thing. I think I've just kinda realized that IFS will not be a limiting factor in my fun...b/c I don't really like the places and trails most of my friends go to. As lame as it sounds, we really enjoy an evening drive after dinner on forest roads where we look for wildlife.

My Jeep is lifted about 4" now and it does feel like I'm fighting the thing more on the highway. I wondered if IFS would be more comfortable on the road and you all confirmed it.

 

[Grim Reaper]

90% driver 10% truck. I have done things with ease in my relativiely stock vehciles by picking better lines that people in monster wheel travel 38inch 300hp rigs failed at. Its knowing your rig and knowing how to pick a line.


I watched a guy sucker a bunch of people into thrashing their trucks recently. Long wheel base Taco climbing ledges Mt Aenta TN. The truck was on 32's. Some coil spacers and a locker. Made it look easy! several others then had to go do it since the Taco did it so easy. No less then 10 tries and almost flopped it twice for one guy with a very built truck that ramped 1000 and locked both ends.

This ledge: not this truck. http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b39/68scout800/January ride/januaryridepics008.jpg

 

[XJINTX]

I bust a CV axle every few months on my IFS. I ride my truck hard and can hang with any Jeep that is not way more modified. Driving has a lot to do with it. My CV's have never broken on a "Hard" trail or when I was not pushing the envelope. My truck is locked in the front and they usually break on and obstacle when locked and at full extension or turn.

I do a lot of Rock Crawling... like Colorado and MOAB It's pretty easy to replace the CV and with Autozone lifetime warranty I am covered . I carry spare CV, tie Rods, ball joints and have aftermarket steering. I have a DANA 44 being rebuilt and I will do a solid axle swap this year for crawling not expeditions.

That said with the IFS I would go most anywhere except hardcore rock crawling. Normal trails and off road the IFS is fine!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnRFNMSvd8