Not to start a war, but........IRS or Swing?

[mwh986]

Is there a "Better, Preferred, Econimical, It is the bomb" pan format for a buggy?

I'm looking at the difference in rear axle type and wonder is a swing better than a IRS, or vice versa. I like the easy replacement of the IRS but also kinda like the wheel cant of the swing.

Any difference in ride quality, performance, etc...

Or is it just a personal preference?

Mark

[Jack Duncan]

Mine is a 1970 and the wheels don't change, up or down. I like that. Personal preference I guess.

[GregR]

I think the conventional wisdom is that IRS tends to be more street friendly and swing more off-road friendly. I think I've heard guys say that swing axles hold up better if you're going to drag race.
That said, there are plenty of IRS off-road and swing on the street, so go figure... I have a type 1 IRS, I drive strictly street (unless forced off road by the idiot too busy texting to drive their car) and I don't race
I guess it would boil down to your primary use...and what you have access to.

[Aquabuggy]

IRS is superior in almost every way to swing axle. The only time swing axle is preferred is for drag racing and not because it is stronger then IRS but because there is a little less rotating mass with the swing axle set up.

[Don]

One thing to know about IRS is that there can be a clearance issue on buggies that have a battery and/or spare tire well between the trailing arms and the wells. The solution is a body lift or reducing the depth of the wells.

[blackthree4me]

I think I agree with the group that the IRS is perfered if starting from scratch
I always want one when I need to pull the trany for any reason.
If I had to do it again I would search out the IRS pan for a build.

[mwh986]

I have noticed that there is a possible conversion option from swing to IRS, using a jig.

Not a lot of info out there, but anyone know the process.

I assume you need a "donor" set of trailing arms, weld a boss to the frame to mount the arms, and change out your tranny to accommodate the IRS axle?

Sounds a bit cost prohibitive....

[ManxManiac]

This thread hasn't been around in awhile & neither have I, but I wanted to put some more info out there to give as much as possible, so the right answer for whomever will be the correct one for them!

I prefer a swingaxle rear suspension for many reasons. It suits my driving style & other reasons, but the main one is the overall number of parts.
A swingaxle basically has 2 axles & 2 axle bearings to worry about!
Whereas an IRS has 2 axles, 4 CV joints/boots, 2 stub axles & bearings, 2 axle flanges & all of the bolts that hold the CV joints to the flanges!
The simplicity of the swingaxle does it for me!
I've seen f/g buggys equipped with both styles, traverse the exact same terrain & all did equally as well!
So... it all boils down to personal preference!

I hope this helps in some crazy little way!