Anyone have info on Vette IRS Swaps?

**goof4080** · 10-01-2010, 05:31 PM

yet one is far more behaved in terms to handling, and the 5.0 makes up for it with seemingly limitless low end torque. there was a comparo video somewhere...i'll have to look for it.

**justinmc978** · 10-01-2010, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by goof4080

yet one is far more behaved in terms to handling, and the 5.0 makes up for it with seemingly limitless low end torque. there was a comparo video somewhere...i'll have to look for it.

found it by coincidence me thinks:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwSPccbzl4[/ame]

**Smittro** · 10-03-2010, 03:40 PM

When it comes to IRS vs. live, even a moderate setup would run rings around any live axle car.. Anyone whom thinks other wise has never driven an IRS worth a chit or that has been tuned for an application.. I don't care if you throw a million $$$ @ a pickup axle your NOT getting IRS stability into and out of corners and hard apex exits.. There's a reason super cars, F1, indy, and many other road race cars run IRS... A presicely tuned IRS is far and away a class above live axle.. Live axles have one major problem that they can't ever overcome.. What one tire does the other "tries" to do as well.. Live axle is excellent for strait line racing, and doing work.. But the fact remains, when you need camber, caster, and toe, you've got zero options... Just my .02

**thomasterrible** · 10-15-2010, 03:07 PM

Well first this is a thread, and further a forum about 4th gen WS6 Trans Am's, not BMW's or Mustang's. Second I don't think the BMW and the Mustang cater to the same market base. Someone interested in a Mustang or a BMW I think are two different types of people. Third an appropriate test would be a 4th gen TA with live axle vs 4th Gen TA with IRS. The original post was about information for an IRS swap for a 4th gen, it got really off topic. With things such as they are however I would suggest taking a look at the Top Gear episode where the Shelby Mustang GT 500 with live axle (because the factory did not want to spend the 5 grand to give it IRS, bad move) vs the Roush Mustang upgraded WITH IRS AND about 100 LESS HP, on the track it made a lap time of a full 2 seconds FASTER than the higher HP GT 500 with the live axle. I think it is absurd to think that an IRS does not make a positive increase in performance other than perhaps drag racing.

Again all of this is totally off topic for this site and this thread. The cost/benefit for an aftermarket on a 4th gen is a legit question, the only real test would be a 4th gen IRS with and without. Any mod done to a WS6 is obviously going to lower the value should they become collectible, if one is going to do a serious high dollar modification however then it becomes an interesting idea.

The original post was for information about a 4th gen TA IRS swap remember.

**Smittro** · 10-15-2010, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by thomasterrible

Well first this is a thread, and further a forum about 4th gen WS6 Trans Am's, not BMW's or Mustang's. Second I don't think the BMW and the Mustang cater to the same market base. Someone interested in a Mustang or a BMW I think are two different types of people. Third an appropriate test would be a 4th gen TA with live axle vs 4th Gen TA with IRS. The original post was about information for an IRS swap for a 4th gen, it got really off topic. With things such as they are however I would suggest taking a look at the Top Gear episode where the Shelby Mustang GT 500 with live axle (because the factory did not want to spend the 5 grand to give it IRS, bad move) vs the Roush Mustang upgraded WITH IRS AND about 100 LESS HP, on the track it made a lap time of a full 2 seconds FASTER than the higher HP GT 500 with the live axle. I think it is absurd to think that an IRS does not make a positive increase in performance other than perhaps drag racing.

Again all of this is totally off topic for this site and this thread. The cost/benefit for an aftermarket on a 4th gen is a legit question, the only real test would be a 4th gen IRS with and without. Any mod done to a WS6 is obviously going to lower the value should they become collectible, if one is going to do a serious high dollar modification however then it becomes an interesting idea.

The original post was for information about a 4th gen TA IRS swap remember.

My appologies sir..

**justinmc978** · 10-15-2010, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by thomasterrible

Well first this is a thread, and further a forum about 4th gen WS6 Trans Am's,

oh, really?

not BMW's or Mustang's. Second I don't think the BMW and the Mustang cater to the same market base. Someone interested in a Mustang or a BMW I think are two different types of people. Third an appropriate test would be a 4th gen TA with live axle vs 4th Gen TA with IRS. The original post was about information for an IRS swap for a 4th gen, it got really off topic.

and how is that? the BMW/Mustang matchup is very related, because it shows how a car with a live axle can compete very well with an IRS car (not to mention a EUROPEAN IRS car.) very related me thinks.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 10-15-2010, 07:10 PM

Lets get this back on track guys.

**thomasterrible** · 10-15-2010, 07:17 PM

Apologize for what? I agree with your statements about IRS suspensions as well as your cool build on your car. Maybe you misunderstood because the post happened to come after yours but was not in response to your statements.

**thomasterrible** · 10-15-2010, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by justinmc978

oh, really?

and how is that? the BMW/Mustang matchup is very related, because it shows how a car with a live axle can compete very well with an IRS car (not to mention a EUROPEAN IRS car.) very related me thinks.

You are welcome to your opinion, but I disagree with you, but mainly I think it is off topic because it is not dealing with the car in question. But if you go down that road a far better comparison is to watch much more similar cars with or without IRS such as the much more similar Mustang vs Mustang instead of Mustang vs BMW. Even though the IRS car has less HP it was very obvious how the car handled better than the solid axle car, it is watching the advantages mentioned by Smittro in action and they do hold true.

Of course there are fixed axle cars that can be made to handle well but there is a good reason why an IRS is used in high performance cars around the world and why Roush implemented an IRS in it's Mustang.

Again in this case we are talking about 4th Gen F body cars.

**Smittro** · 10-15-2010, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by thomasterrible

Apologize for what? I agree with your statements about IRS suspensions as well as your cool build on your car. Maybe you misunderstood because the post happened to come after yours but was not in response to your statements.

Oh okay.. I can go off track sometimes..

**thomasterrible** · 10-15-2010, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Oh okay.. I can go off track sometimes..

Me too and sometimes it is ok and I did not reply to your post which was appropriate to how the posts were going, and IRS in general. I just think some people were really making a stretch when it came to the BMW v Stang and when I saw the two Mustangs on the track today with or without an IRS it seemed to me much closer to the topic than the BMW v Mustang demo. If I could post the two Stangs going around the track it really shows the advantages the IRS Stang had in handling. It would be cool if everyone could see that comparison to see the difference it made.

It would be especially cool to see YOUR car when it is done if you go ahead with an IRS, it is already going to be super cool but that would help a direct comparison of something done right.

I am not anti-Mustang either by the way. My first car was a 1971 Mustang Mach One. It was a really cool car. It could have handled better but at age 16 the fold down rear seat made up for that...