In All Honesty ......
 

Is it worth it to do a SAS? You dont really read anything bad more than a little rougher ride, but are there any other cons to consider before swapping a solid axle in for an IFS?

I have about $1200 saved up right now and found a killer deal (if I can get it here) on a solid axle. I have been reading but cant find a budget build for a SAS. Is this even enough to do a SAS on my truck? I'm only running 33x10.50s (brand new) and can't buy new tires for a while. Can you do a SAS for only 2-3" using a 2wd oil pan? -OR- Is 4" a basic SAS for any vehicle?

I know I'm probanly asking dumb questions and things answered elsewhere but you have to admitt they are hard to find baried in soe thread 5 pages deep.

Are you sure you even need a solid axle up front? Have you been breaking IFS components or running into obstacles you couldn't make it through/over?

I guess that's what I'm asking. I have always looked up to TC on this board because he is running stock suspension, but locked front and rear. I have seen him go threw some amazing stuff and it makes me wonder if my truck is capable of the same thing. I guess I don't really need a SFA, but it would be nice to have on the truck. It's less things to break in the future, but I guess it's all in how you take care of it and knowing your limits as well as the best route around things instead of over or threw. lol.

SAS is worth it imo because IFS doesn't perform nearly as good.

IFS doesn't flex in any way shape or form.

I think if you have to ask yourself if you really need a sas or not, and then come to the conclussion you don't, you've got your answer right there... wheel it till you start breaking things, then look at it. I think thats money spent better elsewhere. What's the point of going sas if you don't wheel enough to push the ifs close to the limits??

This is literally one of those posts where a person thinks they need a SAS just because a bunch of hard-core rock crawlers say so. It's kind of scary actually.

My guess, you DON'T need a SAS and you'll be just fine with what you've got. It isn't necessarily true that the SAS breaks less, and it certainly IS true that resale value of your truck will go in the toilet, so you'd better plan on keeping your rig forever. It's also true that SAS will degrade your on-road handling, and increase sprung weight up front.

:saw::saw:

Don't get a solid axle because you've read about it while web-wheeling. Get one because you've completely destroyed your IFS.

Id say unless your planning on doing some really hard core stuff, keep the IFS. The guys I wheel with can't believe how far I can take my ifs runner. Its all about how you drive it.

tc is one of the better IFS wheelers I have met. It makes me realize that driver skill is very handy - and learned well on IFS. I also have another friend that had the exact same IFS set up as TC (except for on a Yota truck - 93) and he drove pritchette in Moab regularly.

Rockpile on Pritchette:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...108AbNWLJszZOA

Rocker Knocker on Pritchett:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...108AbNWLJszZOA

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...108AbNWLJszZOA

If you aren't breaking things... wait for the SAS (IMHO). Maybe TC will chime in :D

It is dependent on driver skill, that's a given.

I've personally only driven solid axle rigs off road and that's all I want to drive, I biased, sorry.

I was in your same boat last summer. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...6102&highligh= i decided to do the SAS.

On-road: compared to BJ spacers / LC coils and no sway bars the handling is better now. its still not going to hold the corners like my dads Z4, but i'd rather go over the mountain then around it. :D

off-road: Night and Day differences. its amazing what the truck can do.

These threads are universally terrible.

It is not all about travel. Long travel IFS and a solid axle are two different animals.

If your IFS is geared, locked and breaking things, you need a solid axle.

I have been on trails here, in Moab and in Arizona with IFS that people build solid axle trucks for.

My truck drives 1000% times better on road than with hammered IFS, it doesn't break so that means it drives home better too.

Reminds me of the last time I was at the brothel, if you have to ask, you don't need it.

X eleventy billion.

My reason to SAS:
I broke stuff wheeling. When I ripped the rear apart and broke some other stuff in the front I figured it was time to SAS and I always liked the look and they way they drove(my brother had an '85). I got a deal on both axle housings and went from there.

Its pricey but go for the full kit. Plan on it taking some time and lots of tweaks and odd parts.

As far as whats better so far I like the Solid Axle myself and the way it drives. It is completely different. IFS has its advantages as the others said and I will have to learn to wheel over again as soon as I get right output flange for my T-Case (Its on the way from Inchworm, tomorrow hopefully).
Hope this helps.
Andy
Oh I did wheel my IFS for about 2 years before I went to a SFA. I broke a few cvs and got tired of having to replace them on the trail and/or paying for a new one as well. So I fall into the broken parts category.

My reason was when my repair bills neared a 1/4 of a SAS and I realised they would continue to do that until I SAS'd.

If you have to ask, you don't need it ... spend the money on armor and lockers.

IMHO, IFS locked f/r will take me anywhere I want to take a truck I care about the body and glass.

The decision isn't "should I SAS my truck". You should be at the point, as Adrian mentioned, where you KNOW IFS isn't cutting it anymore and your decision is "should I SAS or build a buggy".

My $0.02

(thanks for the kind words)

unless you have fab skills or good friends with fab skills, forget about a budget SAS.

everything else has been stated already.

You said budget SAS. :laugh:

:guitar:

A Cheap SAS is like masturbation: In then end, you are just screwing yourself.

1200 is just enough to get all the parts, cut off the IFS, and then have the truck sit while you earn more money for all the things you forgot to get becasue it NEVER goes according to plan.

Why will I SAS? I will be able to drive home from the trail and not have massive amounts of maintenence to do to fix all the things that went wrong on the trail. Plus, i will get to feel cool when i drive it.

Yep if theres one thing I'm finding out quickly its that its not happening for $1500. My best estimate right now is

$100 for axle
$60 for front locker (from a friend) so $200-$750
$150 for a used third for the front (which done 100% right at once should be $500 to regear front and back)
$1100 for the kit
$250 for wheels (to do the tires on the cheap)
$250 for 36x12.5's (on the cheap)
$200 for my friends invested time (welder wire, electric bill,time,grinder discs, ect ect.)

$150 for warns if your axle doesnt come manual too...

So right around $2000 and that putting the rear up on blocks until I do chevys...

Wow. So you mean there is a difference between just getting an axle under the truck and getting an axle under the truck worth having.

Napoleon did all the work himself, built stuff beyond what a normal person would and still had more than 1500 into it.

I have outlined what I regard as minimum prices for a geared, locked, 30 spline stock Toy housing, plus driveshafts on here before. It is NOT $1500

An open diffed stock axle/joint solid axle truck is not going to go as far as a double locked IFS rig no matter what the web says.