IRS Conversion

[Kevin O'Brien]

I'm currently working on my oval chassis, welding in new floor pans, etc. In terms of drag racing is an IRS rear end of any benefit over a swing axle? Even if I don't decide to run IRS straight away, would it be worth welding in the IRS brackets now while everything is apart and the welder is out so that I can do the conversion if I wanted to in the future?

 

[Roadcow]

I'll be bringing over the jigs for this in December, I personally prefer IRS but they are more common in the US. It's much easier to change an IRS trans than a swing.

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

Cheers Britt. I think it would make sense at this stage to fit the brackets whether or not I actually do the conversion straight away. I wasn't aware that an IRS box is easier to change than a swing, but having first hand experience of changing a swing axle box anything that makes it a little easier is a big plus I reckon. I was either going to order the jigs from Heritage or make them if I got access to a chassis.

 

[chewy356]

Kevin. I have the back end of an irs chassis here if you want to borrow it plus a home made jig. It will fit in back of a hatch back (golf).

 

[Rocky]

... i guess it's RIP Kob_at_79?

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

Kevin. I have the back end of an irs chassis here if you want to borrow it plus a home made jig. It will fit in back of a hatch back (golf).

Thanks Chewy You have PM

... i guess it's RIP Kob_at_79?

Jeez Mick, I'm not dead yet!

 

[Dirty1]

It's easier to change a box as you just let go the shafts an drop the box, with a sing axell you have to let go the brakes an remove the shafts from the spring plate.
It's not that easy fiind IRS boxes here as Britt mentioned an they are more expensive. Ben is still running swing axle but Dave has IRS. IRS helps you go around corners better which is why I will be fitting one to my car. Also looking at it on Sunday it's lowered an still sits way too high as it's so light. IRS will let me drop the rear more an keep the tyres level to the ground. The problem with swing axles is when the suspension unloads the wheels tuck.

 

[kvinyl]

I had planned to convert the rear of the Ghia to IRS but given how tight it all is there at the moment (from a track width point of view), I'm going to stick with swing axle. I wanted to switch to IRS as it superior to swing from a camber handling point of view but bear in mind that is does widen the track - how much depends on the the length of axle you start with (i.e. short or long axle swing) and the type of a-arms used i.e. standard beetle or nice aluminium Porsche ones.

I can just about get a little finger in between tyre and arch with the current short axle swing setup I have so that's what I'll be sticking with...which also means that I'll have a built IRS box for sale in the next few days...or swap for a built swing axle...

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

It's easier to change a box as you just let go the shafts an drop the box, with a sing axell you have to let go the brakes an remove the shafts from the spring plate.
It's not that easy fiind IRS boxes here as Britt mentioned an they are more expensive. Ben is still running swing axle but Dave has IRS. IRS helps you go around corners better which is why I will be fitting one to my car. Also looking at it on Sunday it's lowered an still sits way too high as it's so light. IRS will let me drop the rear more an keep the tyres level to the ground. The problem with swing axles is when the suspension unloads the wheels tuck.

I did a swing axle trans swap on my own and it was a pain in the balls. The ease of swapping an IRS relative to a swing axle really appeals. As does the superior handling characteristics. It would be nice to have a car that handles well in a corner as well as a straight line. I'm going to fit the brackets now anyway while it's all accessible. Hopefully making a template off Chewy's IRS rear half.

I read on the Samba that you could weld the brackets to the torsion bar housings an inch higher than standard, so that if you are lowering the rear end the suspension geometry would remain closer to stock than if you were to lower with the brackets in the stock position?

 

[Rocky]

.... The problem with swing axles is when the suspension unloads the wheels tuck.

Tell me about it, back of my bus did a jig and a reel off the line

 

[56oval]

swingers are for winners

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

Tell me about it, back of my bus did a jig and a reel off the line

That was crazy to see

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

I had planned to convert the rear of the Ghia to IRS but given how tight it all is there at the moment (from a track width point of view), I'm going to stick with swing axle. I wanted to switch to IRS as it superior to swing from a camber handling point of view but bear in mind that is does widen the track - how much depends on the the length of axle you start with (i.e. short or long axle swing) and the type of a-arms used i.e. standard beetle or nice aluminium Porsche ones.

I can just about get a little finger in between tyre and arch with the current short axle swing setup I have so that's what I'll be sticking with...which also means that I'll have a built IRS box for sale in the next few days...or swap for a built swing axle...

So I know this has been asked a thousand times before, but how do I tell if my axles are long or short? It's such a long time since I bought the car I can't remember what the PO said they were.

 

[kvinyl]

I read on the Samba that you could weld the brackets to the torsion bar housings an inch higher than standard, so that if you are lowering the rear end the suspension geometry would remain closer to stock than if you were to lower with the brackets in the stock position?

Possibly, but if you don't get the position right back there your suspension will never be right. Personally, I'd go exactly with the jig template, less chance of making a f$%kup then

 

[56oval]

So I know this has been asked a thousand times before, but how do I tell if my axles are long or short? It's such a long time since I bought the car I can't remember what the PO said they were.

the axle tube end castings which carry the bearing are different lengths (not the tube itself). i can whip out to the garage and give you a measurement of my short end castings later.

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

That'd be great Ben, thanks.

 

[Rocky]

Save you some time ... here ya go ...

 

[trev]

swingers are for winners

Obviously nobody told caddy that

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

The end of the measuring tape is the wrong side of the flange, but mine are definitely long axles.