S197 could've had IRS cheap!

[Embalmer]

That is, if you believe this article from Schmotor Trend...


http://blogs.motortrend.com/6523204...ang-near-enough-is-not-good-enough/index.html

 

[stang910]

The IRS is overrated IMO especially since the mustang can handle better then similar cars with an IRS . The GTO is gone and the G8 will be gone very very soon and the mustang still lives to see another year. Looks like satisfying magazine editors just don't cut it when it come to selling muscle cars. I'll be surprised if the challenger makes it another year and as for the new camaro, lets just wait and see how many of them start using a Ford live rear axle.

 

[94tbird]

who the hell cares IRS blows. Theres a reason the cobra guys switch. IT KEEPS BREAKING

 

[302]

Thats not the first time i've read that. Ford ditched the idea to save a few dimes and plus it didnt get that great of reviews. However i wouldnt mind switching to an IRS on my cobra. I bet it would handle like a demon compared to the live thats in there.

But lets face it, you can't have a muscle car without a solid axle...

 

[irishpwr46]

theres a reason that people put a FORD 9" rear end in a lot of different cars

 

[Error404]

"...could save Ford $100 a car if the Mustang was switched to a live rear axle..."

"...live rear axle actually ended up costing Ford $98 per unit MORE than the low cost independent rear end originally developed for the car."

Never want to fork up the money to do it good the first time, but always got money to do it twice.

I don't drag race, so I'm not sure I have a preference between solid rear, or independant rear. I'd like to get into road racing, so maybe IRS would be better for that, but I think the solid will work just fine for an amateur

 

[SteveP]

only guys who drive it on the street and just drive would want that.

 

[romac]

While I would like to see a Mustang with a good IRS setup, I don't mind the live axle, and there definitely is a need for one since so much of the Mustang is based on drag racing. The S197 is a nice handling platform I think, I went in a little gun shy about the handling after owning some nice handling IRS vehicles before this, but I was impressed with my 06. I think too many critics made up their mind about its capabilities without really wanting to give it a shot. Pre-05s definitely felt sloppy to me in comparison, so I can see where some prejudice might come from.

Regardless, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[94tbird]

i happen to think my lowered 02 with tokiko non adjustable shocks, ebaich pro springs and steeda front and rear swaybars outhandles my 05 with tokico adjustables, frpp springs and frpp swaybars

 

[ZmanM3]

An IRS would be nice, but when you up the power like most here do they tend to fail and are a bit expensive to build up so that they hold the power.

 

[302]

i happen to think my lowered 02 with tokiko non adjustable shocks, ebaich pro springs and steeda front and rear swaybars outhandles my 05 with tokico adjustables, frpp springs and frpp swaybars

My '94 can outhandle my 08 aswell. Or i'm just too afraid to really push my new car... whoknows...

 

[fhlh]

motortrend has always sucked

 

[raverjames]

An IRS would be nice, but when you up the power like most here do they tend to fail and are a bit expensive to build up so that they hold the power.

If done properly, IRS can be solid.

Let's face it, Ford kept the live axle rear to play to the drag racing crowd. While that is not so good for those of us who want to go round a twisty road course, it really works well for most. The mustang would handle much better with IRS. I really wish there was an option for it, but that would cost too damn much and add more parts for the service centers to stock.

 

[fhlh]

wondering how much lighter the new camaro would have been if they retained the solid axle.... 100-125 lbs?

 

[Kraftsman]

I had a new gto with irs and it sux!!! A forum I joined show a irs to 9" swap and lost weight! They said it was due to the huge cradle that held the irs in place. A place called diftechnics out of australia (which is where the gto came from) make a irs 9" but the price was outragous, like $6000!!!