Super Flexy Torsion Bar IFS

[corax]

A friend of mine showed me what one of the Isuzu guys came up with to flex out his IFS. Seems he's been working on this idea for awhile and is starting to sell it, though I'm not sure it would work for Toyota torsion bar IFS due to where the adjusters are mounted. One concern I would have is side hill stability. Obviously not something you'd want unlocked for street driving or high speed work either, but a neat idea none-the-less

Not bad for a short wheel base VehiCross :roll:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/2010-08-20_19_08_58.jpg

Here's what he made - the green bits on the far outside are the torsion bar adjusters pull the pin in the middle and it's ready to go.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/515/medium/2010-09-23_20_12_00.jpg

Video link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWdQs0oPAc4#)

Thread link (http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18007&page=6) (kit is intro'd at post #85)


. . . .your overall drop travel will not change. (both front tires at full droop) HOWEVER, it does allow one tire to be at FULL COMPRESSION while the other tire is at FULL DROOP, AND more importantly while the tires are in these extreem positions, the weight is ballanced between the two tires MUCH MORE evenly, and the vehical remains much more level, while increasing traction....Typical OEM syle IFS does not allow this as much.

Also, as one front tire climes an obstical and compresses that side of the suspension, the KIT transfers force to the other front tire, pushing it downward...
This does a few things...First, the tire climing the obstical has its spring rate decreased, allowing it to stuff farther and easier and sooner up into the wheelweell untill it reaches maximum compression (bump stop)... at the same time, the tire on the opposite side has its spring rate increased, pushing it down into the terrain...

For example, With this Kit, You can drop one front tire into a 4" deep rut while the other front tire is sitting on a 4" tall rock, and maintain EQUAL tire preasure on both fronts, and maintain a more level vehical as well.

[troyboy162]

so they are tied together? like if my drive side compresses, then my passanger side is forced to droop? thats pretty interesting. i bet it would be an improvement in most situation

[Cebby]

That is pretty awesome. I looked at the thread, but I still don't quite understand how it works... I think this would be neat for our IFS if the spacing can work out - appears to be a proven concept.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

Basically it sounds like if say the driver side is in the air (full droop) and the passenger side is on a rock, it will compress fully using the spring pressure from the driver side, thru the connector bar, to the passenger side. Almost making it act like a solid axle, right?

[Cebby]

Basically it sounds like if say the driver side is in the air (full droop) and the passenger side is on a rock, it will compress fully using the spring pressure from the driver side, thru the connector bar, to the passenger side. Almost making it act like a solid axle, right?


I understood that part, I just don't follow how it secures to the torsion bars - they said that the torsion bars don't need to be removed to install it. Wonder if there are any pics of it installed??

[strykersd]

Hhhmm, looking at it, would it require that you set your suspension to have an equal amount of droop and compression? Which if you did it on an early generation Toyota, you'd probably want stiffer t-bars with such little compression travel. So who wants to build a Toyota prototype? :D

On a side note, I've always liked the look of the Vehicross. I've been wanting to build either one of those or an Amigo with a solid axle swap and ~37s.

[Crinale]

thats a really cool idea... when this rain stops i may have to go lay underneath my 4runner and ponder if this is possible with our trucks... it would be awesome down in Big Bear and other crawling places..

[strykersd]

I already did Kevin! The end of the torsion bars are where the transfer case output is. At first I thought about running it under the t-case output, but then where would I mount the center block to. And that's as far as I got...

I'm also curious how this setup will work when side-hilling or in off camber spots

[corax]

Basically it sounds like if say the driver side is in the air (full droop) and the passenger side is on a rock, it will compress fully using the spring pressure from the driver side, thru the connector bar, to the passenger side. Almost making it act like a solid axle, right?


I understood that part, I just don't follow how it secures to the torsion bars - they said that the torsion bars don't need to be removed to install it. Wonder if there are any pics of it installed??


I see it like this: remove cross member (only part not in green in the pics above) leaving torsion bars installed in front control arms, install the product onto the cross member, lift into place and slide torsion bars back into the adjuster arms

The adjuster bolts stay in the crossmember, so it looks like all you'd need is an arm coming off the existing torsion bar adjuster arm, the center link and a way of stopping the center link from moving

[Crinale]

since my torsions are just helper springs it shouldnt be a huge issue for me, i would keep my ride height (the only reason i have the torsions on there at all) and the rocks would only have to compress my AirShox..

[DHC6twinotter]

Pretty neat idea. I'm curious to see how easy it is to line up the pin holes. Seems to me like the truck would have to be on pretty level ground with no flex. :headscratch:



At first I thought about running it under the t-case output, but then where would I mount the center block to. And that's as far as I got...


If the t-case output is in the way, you could offset the center block to one side or the other. I don't think the center block and pin necessarily have to be in the center. You just need some way to keep the center bar from moving back and forth, so it seems to me like you could stick the pin anywhere.

[strykersd]

At first I thought about running it under the t-case output, but then where would I mount the center block to. And that's as far as I got...


The problem isn't that the transfer case is in the middle of the vehicle, it's that the block would most likely have to run underneath the transfer case output. Maybe if someone made a skid plate similar to budbuilt's t-case skid, you could mount the center block to that. But that's assuming that the skid can take the side to side load when the pin is in place.

I'm wondering if this guy's setup will hold up to prerunning and jumping his vehicross...

[Crinale]

Dan - you know how easy it is to lean into our trucks to tilt them a bit right? lol imagine if only the rear was keeping u centered.. also, if you have sway bars that would help too..

Patrick - thats a good point... i dont think i would want this on my truck just cuz i do some high speed stuff with my LT, and wouldnt want that kinda stress on a single pin :-P

[L33T35T Tacoma]

I imagine you'd only have the pin in for the slower, rock crawling stuff. I wouldn't want that pin in there at Pismo, for sure.

[strykersd]

I imagine you'd only have the pin in for the slower, rock crawling stuff. I wouldn't want that pin in there at Pismo, for sure.


I think you have it confused. You pull the pin while rock crawling so that when one side compresses, the other is forced to droop. You want the pin in there when you're going fast so that each side works independent of the other. IFS is much better for high speed stuff!

[Crinale]

the problem, is i dont think i want all that leverage of my long travel suspension kit with a 5000lb truck putting that much force on such a small pin.. >.< if i was building a dedicated crawler i would look more into this.

[L33T35T Tacoma]

I think you have it confused. You pull the pin while rock crawling so that when one side compresses, the other is forced to droop. You want the pin in there when you're going fast so that each side works independent of the other. IFS is much better for high speed stuff!


I guess I'd have to see it in action to fully understand. Is it pivoting on the pin, or is the whole brace moving left to right?

[DHC6twinotter]

The whole brace moves left and right. The pivot points are at the torsion bars and ends of the cross brace. The pin is just put it to lock it up and provide a normal ride when on the road.

[Crinale]

seems like it would be possible to secure the center section better than just a single pin, i'd still be interested if someone could adapt this to a 2nd gen..