so yeah, i am new to ford trucks, have owned 3 3/4 chevy trucks, but lately i have noticed this whole IFS thing under your guys 4x4 trucks and was wondering a few things about it. the one i am talking about is the one that looks like a straight front axle from a first glance, until you get up close and check it out.

here are my questions:

A: how strong is it? i talked to a guy who said he has done some mile rockcrawling in cali with it and never broke a u-joint.

B: general opinions on it - i know a guy with a 97-250 power stroke lifted about 5 inches, and he says he cant get the tires on camber, they lean in and are eating the rubber. he says he hates it and is gunna convert to a straight axle, i told him he was dumb. is there a camber kit to fix this? it seems like there should be.

C: do a lot of people strive to have this IFS in their trucks?

the reason i like it is i know that with the a-arm style IFS that chevy uses has the CV joints which are fin until you lift them, and they wear out quickly.
also, the point at which the arm hinges. the a-arm style is only like 18 inches long, and the ford IFS 4x4 front axle hinges from on the other side of the truck centerline. this seems like a smoother ride, and easier on tire sidewalls.

so any input would be appreciated, thanks

 

The ford SD's don't have IFS. They have solid, straight "live" axles. I prefer the IFS I had/have in our GM trucks to the live axle, personally. But I don't lift my trucks or go rock crawling. The live axle may be better for that kind of use.

 

I think that you are thinking of the Twin Traction Beam suspension. It was found under 4X4 Ford pickups from 1980-1996 or 97 F-250s. The guy with the 97 F-250 probably has the right plan converting it to a straight axle, considering that it is pretty easy. TTB is one of the worst suspension systems to ever be made. It is nearly impossible to keep the tires on camber and the steering componenets and bushings seem to wear out quickly. This system is probably actually very hard on sidewalls once the springs get stretched out and the camber goes off.

Chevy IFS is better in nearly every way. The CV shafts hold up fairly well and the wheels do not go off camber when a load in put on the front. Also, the torsion bars can be tightened up if a snowplow or something else is put on the frontend of the pickup. Also, handling is much better and the ride quality is at least as good. A TTB system might be slightly better for lifting, but besides that, a-arm IFS is far better.

 

It really comes down to what you want in a truck, If you want a soft cushy ride, then maybe IFS is for you. If you want a firmer ride and want to put a snow plow on, then a straight axel may be the item of your choice.

I agree that a TTB compared to chevys IFS is a pos in terms of maint., but as far as over all abuse, I think that the TTB may have a slight edge.

In either case, I'd rather have the straight axel, or IFS if I didnt have to plow anything.

 

I think that TTB suspension is fine if you know how to align a truck. It is not the best for 3/4 tons but it works. If he raised his truck that much, he needs to get the brackets that the middle of the traction beams mount to for a lift kit and his camber will be fine.

 

MJB - I knew chevy did something right!

this is all very interesting to read about, i agree that it seems as though a straight axle is generally the way to go, but IFS can be nice, and i know that the TTB offers a very nice ride.

K_krett - shouldn't his lift kit have come with those brackets? otherwise how come his camber would be off....worn out springs?

 

If he got a lift kit for his truck it should have come with the right brackets. To adjust the caster on a TTB truck you should really get the adjustable caster plates that go under the ball joints, and you can change camber by a lot with simply turning the adjuster to different positions. I have an F-150 that is lifted 2" in the front and aligned it once about 55,000 miles ago and have never had a problem, although with the stiff springs and 4 shocks on the front it rides rough, but trucks are supposed to ride rough.

 

I personally like the TTB better than the chevy IFS. The GM may hold a slight advantage in handling, but realistically, these are trucks, not sports cars. The GM's eat far more front end components such as ball joints, idler arms, and pitman arms. Whie the TTB does eat it's fair share of ball joints as well, the GM's seal to wear out faster. As to abuse, the TTb will take a licken and keep on ticken.

 

I say that a arms belong on a car or 2wd truck. If you have a 4x4, a straight axle is the only way to go... My opinion after owning (and loving) my 97 Z-71 with a 6 inch lift) I loved the truck but IFS sucks. 2 Idler arms before the lift and then the pitman arm afterwards. I didn't keep it long enough after the lift was installed to experience any ball joint problems.

 

I was never a fan of twin traction beam suspension on fords F-250 pickups from 1980-1997. I always liked the F-350s from 1987 up to the present superduties with a solid front axle. The weight of the engine you had in the TTB made a big difference in how the front end held up. The six cylinders in the 250 had very little trouble on the front end. The engine wasn,t that heavy. However the diesels were a different story. The front ends didnt hold up to well. People liked the look of the front of the 250's better than the chevy IFS because it looked a lot tougher. I still think chevy made a big mistake going from a straight axle front on there H.D. trucks to I.F.S. When push comes to shove Chevies I.F.S will not hold up to abuse like fords will. In truck pulling I have seen chevies IFS the shafts snap and break. Never have seen a ford do that. Chevies toughness left after they put IFS on there H.D. trucks.

 

well, as it turns out, the lift kit wasn't really a lift kit at all, the previous owner just added leaf springs to the front and blocks to the back, this is why it is screwed up...

i sort of like the look of the TTB suspension, though...it does seem to be stronger, too. i wonder if anyone has ever put on on a chevy...

 

I haven't had any problems with my IFS (Dana 50), but the Dana 60 that all current Super Duty trucks come with is stronger. Since 2000 something all Super Duty F250/350 trucks have the Dana 60 in the front.

 

I know of welders who insisted on using GM trucks instead of Ford's or Dodges for their welding rigs. The GM IFS just didn't hold up at all, hualing the extra weight all the time, plus all the off pavement miles. Usually they had to have front ends rebuilt about every 30,000 miles. Another problem with the GM IFS is ofton, off road, the boots for the CV joint 1/2 shafts get ripped open resulting in premature CV joint failure. IFS is probably fine for 1/2 ton light duty, but is a bad idea for most heavy duty operations.

 

Hey did you mean ford instead of GM in your last post. Another problem with those boots in cornstalk fields that happened all the time.

 

ok man,m I am confused by your first line....they use GMs casue they are not as good? Am I reading this right? Or do I need a beer?