pros and cons: SAS vs. IFS

Dain Bramage · Dec 5, 2006

i am trying to decide if i really need to do an SAS. obviously a solid axle would be better off road with better flex and ground clearance, but is it a less comfortably on the road? i would liek to hear your opinions on this.

MADDMUDDER · Dec 5, 2006

well i owned a yukon for a while and though it was nice on the road it was kinda not nice on the trail. I love the flex i can get out of my rig with the mods and lift i have on it.

+ it is cheaper to lift sas vs. ifs

dr drae · Dec 5, 2006

There are MANY solid axle front rigs on the road, the pros far outweigh the cons IMO if doing a SAS is not cost prohibitive.

Toyoda1 · Dec 5, 2006

I have IFS right now, on on road ride is nice and its fairly decent on the trails. But I would'nt keep it for long or spend any money to modify it. Going solid axle is kinda a hands down option, unless you are looking for a pre-runner for high speed off-road or dune running, then a built IFS would be perfect for that.

KarlVP · Dec 5, 2006

It depends on what type of wheeling you like to do.

If you enjoy trail riding, and going to areas that feature rock obstacles and such, where articulation is a must. Than SAS is the way to go.

If you enjoy high speed prerunning in the dunes, or racing in the 4wd comps, than IFS is the way to go.

Dain Bramage · Dec 5, 2006

i am more of a trail kinda guy, dunno about rocks, this is gonna be a DD for me, so body damage=bad, but i might try some rocks.

what you are saying is that there really isnt a drawback that would justify not doing an SAS, right?

my next question: how much does it cost if i do it myself? what all is involved? i know that you basically strip the front of the frame, then you weld on some spring hangers, but what else is there? also, i have heard that some guys use their rear springs in the front, and buy new rears. how did you guys do it?

Mista_Shrpnl · Dec 5, 2006

heres a couple of good places to start searching around at

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=12

and

http://yotatech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=60

Trail Gear (among others) makes a SAS kit for a reasonable price..may want to look into that as well
http://www.trail-gear.com/sas.html

Hope that helps you out a bit in your Journey

zig80toy · Dec 5, 2006

Just remember that it is an upgrade landslide after your SAS. You going to install a lift when doing the SAS, right? Then your going to want bigger tires, right? Then your going to need lower diff gears to work with the larger tires, right? etc... etc...
I would save your money and do it all at once if i were you. If you barely have enough cash to do the SAS than i would say "hold off for a bit". Wait until you can atleast afford any unforeseen problems that might come up. What happens when you just get done doing your SAS and your motor starts knocking??...

chevyxj · Dec 5, 2006

Would highly recomend doing an SAS. I have a 88 4runner that had a 4" IFS lift and 35's. Just did a SAS on it last weekend and have no complantes. This is my DD and I things it drives way nicer with the straight axle VS the IFS set-up that was on it. All said and done with mine im into it about $1,500. I bought a few parts used and bought alot of stuff that you wouldnt have to buy if you were going to do it (5.29's, lockrights, rebiult complete frt end)

GRNTACO · Dec 5, 2006

IFS rocked. I miss mine.:booo:

NOT:flipoff:

skrause · Dec 5, 2006

Pros: everything
Cons: .......nope, nothing comes to mind

Do it! You know you want to. All the COOL kids are doing it. You want to be cool don't you? :flipoff:

no excuses · Dec 5, 2006

zig80toy said:
Just remember that it is an upgrade landslide after your SAS. You going to install a lift when doing the SAS, right? Then your going to want bigger tires, right? Then your going to need lower diff gears to work with the larger tires, right? etc... etc...
I would save your money and do it all at once if i were you. If you barely have enough cash to do the SAS than i would say "hold off for a bit". Wait until you can atleast afford any unforeseen problems that might come up. What happens when you just get done doing your SAS and your motor starts knocking??...

X2 its the lil things that kill yah $$$

skrause · Dec 5, 2006

no excuses said:
X2 its the lil things that kill yah $$$

It's the OSIFAT factor. Oh Shoot I Forgot Aboot That. :corn:

84Toyota4x4 · Dec 5, 2006

Lets see, heres my opinion...

If I had it to do over again, I would have just bought an IFS truck and done a SAS on it instead of the 84 I have now. Im ending up swapping out for so many of the IFS truck parts anyway, it would have been easier to just start with one and SAS it.

~T.J.

yodaboy4life · Dec 5, 2006

I have had both sides i own an 82 with the SA and an 90 with ifs on the road by far love the ifs alot smoother in the 82 going over railroad track at 35 feels like you just jumped off a jump but i have not really had any problems with the ifs on the trail besides i get hi centered but i would not lift an ifs kinda a waste of money but doing an sas your self would be around 2000k. but if i had that kinda money laying around yea i would do it in a heart beat

stompinjab1 · Dec 5, 2006

The pro of being SAS is your not IFS
The con is It cost money to swap but WELL worth it

lilyota · Dec 5, 2006

Im into my swap about 2500 so far

I you like to change cv shafts and fix you allignment and everything else up front every time you wheel then stay with the ifs

If not then get rid of it

The swap is super easy the hardest part is getting the new wheel studs in with out a press lol

Dain Bramage · Dec 6, 2006

zig80toy said:
Just remember that it is an upgrade landslide after your SAS. You going to install a lift when doing the SAS, right? Then your going to want bigger tires, right? Then your going to need lower diff gears to work with the larger tires, right? etc... etc...
I would save your money and do it all at once if i were you. If you barely have enough cash to do the SAS than i would say "hold off for a bit". Wait until you can atleast afford any unforeseen problems that might come up. What happens when you just get done doing your SAS and your motor starts knocking??...

yea, thats what i was planning to do. get my tires, gears, lockers, SAS kit, and lift all together, then start tearing into the truck. and the engine better not start knocking, i only have 1200 miles on it!

zig80toy · Dec 6, 2006

FordFrk06 said:
yea, thats what i was planning to do. get my tires, gears, lockers, SAS kit, and lift all together, then start tearing into the truck. and the engine better not start knocking, i only have 1200 miles on it!

Nice. And i didn't mean to say that your motor is going to quit working. I was just trying to think of an expensive example of something that "could" happen.

Dain Bramage · Dec 6, 2006

right. one more question: i heard some guys use their rear springs up front. mine are kinda sagging right now, and i would like to get them re-arced, but i dont want to spend the money if i am not going to use them. is it easier/better to use the rear leafs up front? if i dont, will i still use the rears on the rear, or will i want to upgrade? if it matters, i am planning on a minimum of 2" shackle lift. maybe a 3" shackle.