GTO IRS in an fbody?
10-06-2005, 10:39 PM
#1
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GTO IRS in an fbody? I know that the corvette IRS (independent rear suspension) will not go into an fbod w/o some in depth fabrication and $$$$, but does anyone know if a GTO IRS will go into an fbody? Or do the gto and corvette both use the same suspension? My goal is to put IRS in my 2000 WS6, if practical.
-Steve
-Steve
10-07-2005, 01:03 AM
#2
Good question, but I don't know the answer! One thing I'm pretty sure about though is it would be a a huge PITA to get it into a fbody, and an even bigger PITA to get it to work effectively, if you want more than just bragging rights. But if you could get it working well without a huge weight penalty, it would be worth all the work of putting it in.
10-07-2005, 02:03 PM
#4
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You might also try researching the previous generation Mustang Cobra IRS (2000-2004...whatever the years), since it was designed to fit in-place of the solid axle. Its not the best IRS, but it may be easier to install.
10-07-2005, 02:33 PM
#5
I know the Cobra kit-car people often use a Jaguar IRS unit. It's pretty much all self contained and good cores can be found DIRT CHEAP on eBay. Units you would want to consider would be from 1968-1987 XJ6's and pretty much all XJS's. They also feature a pretty much indestructible rear... a Dana 44. One cosmetic downside is the use of inboard brakes located right up against the differential... great for unsprung weight, not so good for looks.
10-07-2005, 07:59 PM
#6
i can say personally that an gto irs swap on a f body is not possible with out some major fabrication. the irs has some bracing and brackets for the diff and whole assembly, in hard to build places. besides the irs cant handle any real power. my buddy found out the hard way recently.
twin t @ 17 psi + mickey et street = exploded half shaft. and also the yoke on the pinion comes in the very strong RUBBER confirguration. we are in the middle of the first straight axle swap in a gto
twin t @ 17 psi + mickey et street = exploded half shaft. and also the yoke on the pinion comes in the very strong RUBBER confirguration. we are in the middle of the first straight axle swap in a gto
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10-13-2005, 04:45 PM
#8
If you want the rear to be strong AND handle both, you want what I've got: 9 inch rear with aluminum center section, bent to 1/2 degree negative camber. Hollow 22 mm rear sway bar from Sam Strano further reduces unsprung weight. Koni SA shocks and 175lb Suspension Specialist rear springs. PHB with rod ends. 13 inch slicks. Many people at the AX track are surprised at how well the rear of my car stays stuck down.
10-13-2005, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Cal
If you want the rear to be strong AND handle both, you want what I've got: 9 inch rear with aluminum center section, bent to 1/2 degree negative camber. Hollow 22 mm rear sway bar from Sam Strano further reduces unsprung weight. Koni SA shocks and 175lb Suspension Specialist rear springs. PHB with rod ends. 13 inch slicks. Many people at the AX track are surprised at how well the rear of my car stays stuck down.
Cal, when you were reasearhing the 9, did you ever ask if it was possible to get an alloy housing as well as the center section?? This setup would actually be lighter than a stock 10 bolt!! BTW, what diff are you running in that thing?
10-13-2005, 05:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Cal
If you want the rear to be strong AND handle both, you want what I've got: 9 inch rear with aluminum center section, bent to 1/2 degree negative camber. Hollow 22 mm rear sway bar from Sam Strano further reduces unsprung weight. Koni SA shocks and 175lb Suspension Specialist rear springs. PHB with rod ends. 13 inch slicks. Many people at the AX track are surprised at how well the rear of my car stays stuck down.
im kind a n00b, so sorry for askign this, but are you saying you BENT the solid rear axle housing to attain a 1/2 degree negative camber?
if so
1) thats badass
2) what all is involved in safely doing this, how much rear camber is attainable?
10-18-2005, 03:27 PM
#11
dailydriver, no I didn't ask about an alloy housing, but I didn't see anything like that on their extensive web site. Diff is just a plain old Ford TracLoc. At some point I'm going to get a TrueTrac or oval track style torsen in there. So far the TracLoc hasn't cooked it's clutch plates with all the cornering I do.
mikespeed95, yeah bent the axle tubes up. Herb Adams, Trans Am racer from back in the day, tells how to do it in his book. Basically, you heat the top of each tube to a cherry red. When the metal cools, for some reason it contracts more than it expanded and you have two equally bent tubes. You can vary the size of the patch of metal you heat to get different amounts of bend. You can't get much more than a half a degree of camber this way, but thats about all my differential could stand anyway. I took the diff out and inserted the axle shafts, then measured the angle I could get before bind, and it was just over a half degree. I have a nice digital protractor I used to measure it. Other diffs may allow more or less than that.
In his book Herb states that you can get rear toe in the same way. He also says if you want about 1.0 deg neg camber, you can saw most (but not all) the way through each tube, then weld them back up. He says a typical hand hack saw leaves a cut the right width, then you just bend the axle to close the slit and weld it up. For that much camber and more you would probably need ball-cut splines on the axle ends, and NASCAR style floater hubs. A little much, but good to know it can be done. Of course any of this work must be done with the guts out of the housing, and preferably off the car.
mikespeed95, yeah bent the axle tubes up. Herb Adams, Trans Am racer from back in the day, tells how to do it in his book. Basically, you heat the top of each tube to a cherry red. When the metal cools, for some reason it contracts more than it expanded and you have two equally bent tubes. You can vary the size of the patch of metal you heat to get different amounts of bend. You can't get much more than a half a degree of camber this way, but thats about all my differential could stand anyway. I took the diff out and inserted the axle shafts, then measured the angle I could get before bind, and it was just over a half degree. I have a nice digital protractor I used to measure it. Other diffs may allow more or less than that.
In his book Herb states that you can get rear toe in the same way. He also says if you want about 1.0 deg neg camber, you can saw most (but not all) the way through each tube, then weld them back up. He says a typical hand hack saw leaves a cut the right width, then you just bend the axle to close the slit and weld it up. For that much camber and more you would probably need ball-cut splines on the axle ends, and NASCAR style floater hubs. A little much, but good to know it can be done. Of course any of this work must be done with the guts out of the housing, and preferably off the car.
Last edited by Cal; 10-18-2005 at 03:34 PM.
