Jake, this is what I was responding to. There is no way Im getting even close to double the flex out of the rear as I am out of the front. Tripple? That front cant be moving right. I would like longer struts than my current OMEs for the front but Im sure someday someone will come out with some. :-/ It's no secret that I think flex is highly overrated for most offroading. Stability and durability are way too often overlooked. I will gladly carry a tire 3 feet off the ground as long as the rig feels stable. Thats what lockers are for. Another thing to keep in mind is some of us like "Baja" type driving. IFS is undeniably the best for this. My goal in a rig is to be able to be in the front of the pack in whatever terrain Im in. Rocks, snow, mud, baja, sand, jumping, trails, all while keeping it reliable and stabile enough to drive down the interstate on the way home. I dont even own a trailer... I dont need one.
Now dont get me wrong, I have nothing against SAS. IFS is not for everyone. However I get irritated when I hear the comments about how "crappy" Trackick IFS is. Anybody that has run with our club in the last two years knows that is debateable.  We have several very trick IFS rigs in our club. We run trail rides at our events and constantly whoop ass on most straight axle rigs. Now I dont run around talking about how "crappy" straight axle rigs are. I like the fact that everybody builds their rigs differently... we are all different! I just dont feel I made a crappy choice, thats all.
Sorry for the severe thread hijack Heather. :-[Mike
As far as durability the vitara front has been good... I guess the limited front flex has had its benefits - no major breakages.
I believe the Kings springs are at least half the problem, as I recognise they are too stiff for the light weight of the soft-top, but now being on my 3rd set of alternative springs and they've all been as crap as each other I'll be SAS'ing it.
The extra travel is the
tertiary benefit and the main game is to make the vehicle more stable so the movement of the front doesnt cause so much cab tilt.... a secondary benefit of allowing a sierra lockright in a tougher axle (we all know the vitara alloy case is weak) so both of these rate higher than "poser value" flex.
At present with the guys I run with (including Nissan Patrol, Jeeps and Sami's - all of which are Solid Axle) I still have probably the most capable rig, but then I also have the only locked rear diff too.
The one guy who has a better Sami/Sierra (twin Airlockers and Rockhopper on 30"s) rolls his too much to consider his to be better
The IFS isn't as "crap" as people make it out to be, but in the end the amount of travel before CV binding is definately a limiting factor.
I'd say that the wider track of the Vitara (as opposed to the Sami) compensates for the IFS at least half the time...... but then I've had the car teetering on two wheels far too many times already ÂÂ
Although it never has gone for a lie down yet ÂÂ
It's not the IFS per se, it's the design of IFS used and the alloy manufacture.... I got MORE suspension travel and about 4 times the power out of my 240Z IRS and that was not even supposed to have mega flex... just mega grip on road. longer driveshafts and a shorter diff housing made for much better shaft angles.
If the CV shafts were longer and the housing shorter, then there wouldn't be so many issues with breakages or travel.....
