Quadradawg has had some very positive things to say lately about the IFS on our Trackicks.  Just wondering what your thoughts on the IRS in the new GV's would be.  Think the new GV could ever be a capable wheeler?  I'm asking this in the general forum because I'm sure others might have something to add.

they set it up so it's sitting really really low stock. maybe with new control arms and whatever esle (I haven't looked at thier suspensions so shocks or struts) and sway bars removed they may do okay for some things. I am thinking it would be super spendy to make one of those not a piece of crap CRV on steroids. I don't consider them grand vitaras at all because they are not but suzuki decided to call it that I guess. It's kind of like when a little kids labrador dies and the parents get him a poodle and say it's the same dog or something

I don't know, just thought I'd say that since I'm a tadd bored and it came to mind

yea, now that I think about it the vitara replacement (that gets a D in my book) could probably be a capable wheeler with lots and lots of money and fabrication skills. my opinion: not worth it.

oh yea, quadawg hates body lifts so he wouldn't lift a vitara replacement cause when you do a suspension lift you lift the body but not the frame because there is not frame

I like to tell my friend he has a 4.5 inch body lift on his grand cherokee.. again, no frame on that vehicle either

maybe we have to buy 2 sets of the calmini kits, one kit for the front and one kit for the rear. 4 lower control arms. just do a long arm kit like the desert racers. use airshox or coil overs. wicked.

anyhow, they are low and not so interesting, and quite boring honestly, and the only vitara left in the new GV is the little side vents in the bonnets/hoods. thats the only thing that links them to the 1st gen vitaras. not enough though.

not happy mr. suzuki.

maybe we have to buy 2 sets of the calmini kits, one kit for the front and one kit for the rear. 4 lower control arms. just do a long arm kit like the desert racers. use airshox or coil overs. wicked.

anyhow, they are low and not so interesting, and quite boring honestly, and the only vitara left in the new GV is the little side vents in the bonnets/hoods. thats the only thing that links them to the 1st gen vitaras. not enough though.

not happy mr. suzuki.

yea, that's about all the vitara they are. they pretty much have nothing in common with a 2nd gen. I think by the time you do new control arms and air shocks allong with a good axle setup it's not even worth it. lots of fabbing to be done on something that doesn't even have a frame. suzuki is going yuppie

   There was a sweet GV at the melt this year.  What I saw it do, looked pretty impressive.  Not sure what mods they had, but it was big bucks.  Quadawg might have more details on it as well.

It does what it was designed for pretty good: A yuppie SUV that is more capable than most on forest roads

I would pick the new GV over a Highlander or CRV any day; but if you want to do serious off-roading expect to spend a lot of money getting it off of the ground or go with something else.

I recently saw a review in Peterson's for the new GV, the standard traction device seems pretty good unless your in the sand... DOPE 
http://4wheeloffroad.com/eventcoverage/131_0602_2006_4x4_of_year/suzuki_grand_vitara.html

   There was a sweet GV at the melt this year.  What I saw it do, looked pretty impressive.  Not sure what mods they had, but it was big bucks.  Quadawg might have more details on it as well.

That GV was a solid axle swap, very very nice... but it doesn't pertain.


As far as the question posted, the answers so far are quite interesting. As for myself, I don't know a thing about that vehicle and how it's IRS is manufactured.

Do I think IRS in general is off roadable?? YES!!!   do I know if modding a GV with no frame is doable? I don't know.

I personally think a LIGHT, STRONG vehicle with 4 wheel independant suspension would be the best possible set up for trails.

IRS/IFS has been tried by several folks, and even W. Evans went back to solid. WHY? I am not sure, I guess you would have to be able to drive in the first place to take advantage of it.

Properly set up, I contend, independant suspension would be highly superior in traction and especially ride comfort on rough trails. 

Quad manufacturers are chasing the IRS, the new Polaris sport quad has it! (Ask Jeff|removethispart|@tireballs!!) and it WORKS!!  I think it is just a matter of time before someone produces a GOOD 4wheel independant vehicle for off road (tank like Hummers DON'T count!lol).  If I had the cash, and place to do it, I would make a Rockstar type vehicle with 4 wheel independant, Mike Hagen could (should) whip one out in a weekend!!!

YES on theory, and I DON'T KNOW on practicality of modding the new GV...

I personally think that two GV steel front IFS setups, installed on a SAMURAI (or even a kick) would friggin RULE (especially if you retained the inherent 4 wheel steering)

on the quads that don't have IRS the solid axle goes striaght up and down and nothing else so of course irs is surperior on a utility quad. on a sport quad I don't think it would be cause I heard you lose power with shaft drive and the lack of articulation is probably allot of what keeps a sport quad stable plus it probably weighs less to have a solid on a sport quad. on a utility quad, 4 wheel independent hands down. I have never seen a solid front and rear 4 wheeler but it would be really interesting to see one with 4 link front and rear. maybe they could use sami axles.. lol

I do think 4 wheel independent could work great off road on a truck. I saw a tube buggy somewhere on the internet that had the setup. not the best articualtor it seemed but I'm sure it was capable. probably more expensive and harder to fab up than a dual solid axle. I think both setups have thier place on a truck. don't know enough to say which is better for what but I'm certain they have strong and weak points

The new Polaris Outlaw IRS rules! I think all sport/race quads will go this route in the future. With enough development I believe it could work on 4x4 trail rigs. I nominate Mike! 

well, i remember driving the Army M-151's in service.  independent front and rear.  unibody ie: no seperate frame.  they worked really well off road and not too bad on road.  the early ones articulated so much they were easy to roll over.  then they added the limiting straps and ROPS and they were fine then.  you can by the front and rear cut pieces that would include all the suspension, steering, diffs, and axles pretty cheap.  the ones that escaped the torch are pretty expensive.  and let me tell you, i'd much rather drive the old M-151 on road or off compared to the Hummers.  they were fine off road if you had enough room for them to fit.  on road they tended to wander badly and were quite "challenging" until you got used to them.
the Germans (i think) came out with their Audi "ILTIS".  audi/veedub vehicle with independent suspensions at both ends.  i believe they had both gas and diesel engine options.  again small 4 cylinders and the chassis was unibody.... no frame.  never had teh chance to drive one of those myself.

The new Polaris Outlaw IRS rules! I think all sport/race quads will go this route in the future. With enough development I believe it could work on 4x4 trail rigs. I nominate Mike! 

okay, sorry everyone, I guess I was wrong. had no idea they were doing irs sport quads now. how much do those irs polarises weigh?

Not sure of the exact weight but it doesn't feel heavy at all. Hell, I had never even sat on the bike before the race and I finished 2nd overall out of 230 racers so it can't be very much heavier than the straight axle quads. The quad was bone stock except for a twist throttle and TireBalls.

Not sure of the exact weight but it doesn't feel heavy at all. Hell, I had never even sat on the bike before the race and I finished 2nd overall out of 230 racers so it can't be very much heavier than the straight axle quads. The quad was bone stock except for a twist throttle and TireBalls.

what are tire balls? I noticed polaris predetors seem heavy to pick up but I've heard my 450 R is the lightest on the market so maybe that's why. I'm sure that it doesn't make the 450 R the best quad overall and that different quads have different strong and weak points. like the yamaha yfz 450 having the lowest center of gravity last i checked/ how's the stability on that irs? is it shaft or chain drive? that is pretty crazy to see. I bet polaris is the only company to have irs on a quad

Check out tireballs.com and read up on the future.

I wish I could get/afford tire balls for my Tracker....... They aren't being marketed for that application yet, are they Jeff??


Polaris is the first to offer IRS on a sport quad, they WON'T be the last. The 450R and all the current sport quads are EXCELLENT machines, super nice! But don't count Polaris out... I mean, out of the 228 quads Jeff beat (on a quad he had never ridden!!) I am sure there were one or more of just about everything...


Independant suspension is the way to go on just about everything, the technology is around for strong componants, breakage isn't a problem,   cv angles are available off the shelf that will do the job too.  With the proper spring rates, and damping and such (read...Adjustable!) and proper set up,  I think 4 wheel independant for a trail rig (and even a rock crawler) would be unbeatable.  Time will tell, but it will happen. 

There is  a reason a rail buggy will go where it will go, and IRS is part of the reason, along with weight distribution, and light weight.

yea, 2nd place on a quad that he hasn't ridden is impressive. I do like how mine doesn't really lean over when I turn because the back suspension does nothing but up and down. who knows, maybe someday I'll get on an irs one and like it better. my 450 is my first 4 wheeler ever. I've ridden many utility ones and my old 3 wheeler allot. with a quad at work that was 2 wheel drive with a non-articlating solid rear and ifs I climbed some water wash off on a hill and the front tires were lifting a bunch but it seemed unstoppable. makes me think light weight and no diferentiating with the driving tires can really take you places. I'd like to try my dad's honda rincon that's 4 wheel independent on something like that. I keep telling him to undo the sway bar and see what it can do but he's a chicken. that rincon has no rear diff so it's basicly like having a spool and the front is limited slip I think. it's an auto with torque converter which I don't like but I'm sure it would go anywhere I'd want to go with it. maybe he'll let me try someday