Board logo

What axel setup to use?
quinnj3 - 5/1/04 at 03:30 PM

i'm fairly new to locosts, this is my first time in this web site, i bought "how to build a car for £250" book about a year ago. i will soon be in a position to start building maybe in the next week or 2. What i really want to know, is it easier to build an IRS car or one with a live axel. (is this the right term!) What are the advantages of each and also what make good donor cars for each bearing in mind i don't really want to spend more than £200 on a donor car.

cheers.

Digger Barnes - 5/1/04 at 03:37 PM

A live axle car is far easier to build than IRS.

If you look through the posts on this site you will see that there has been a great deal of discussion on the topic of IRS. You will see that this route will take much more time and head scrating to get right.

There is an alternative to using a live axle which is de-dion rear suspension. Do a search in this forum to find out about it.

This route would allow you to use a sierra as a donor. You should be able to source one of these for free.

ned - 5/1/04 at 03:39 PM

there are many threads on this topic. try a search.

to give my opinion:

IRS is ultimately the best but takes a lot of setting up and accuracy in design and building of components.
de-dion is near IRS but simpler to get right and gtstuning do a well pricied kit.

the above two using sierra difs can easily have an lsd if required and there are plenty of sierra's about.

live axle is cheapest and easiest to build and many live axle cars exist, including all the locost race series cars. capri and cortina are slightly wider than escort, capri i think had option of lsd.

Ned.

quinnj3 - 5/1/04 at 03:58 PM

thanks for the replies, i've just done that search and just from a quick look i can see that de-dion is sort of a cross between irs and live axel. There is still a beam joining each side together but the drives are on the outside instead of running inside the axel. Is this right?

stephen_gusterson - 5/1/04 at 04:47 PM

yes

its like ripping the diff and the drive shafts out, leaving the beam in place, and putting the diff on the chassis.

Its supposed to improve handing by reducing suspension unsprung weight.

you dont see any complaints of handling problems from live axle locost owners.....


atb

steve

blueshift - 5/1/04 at 06:18 PM

quote:
i've just done that search and just from a quick look i can see that de-dion is sort of a cross between irs and live axel. There is still a beam joining each side together but the drives are on the outside instead of running inside the axel. Is this right?

Yes, but the important part (in terms of handling) is that the diff is fixed to the chassis instead of part of the axle. As gusty says, that reduces unsprung weight and improves your grip on bumpy surfaces.

The important part in terms of locostery is that you can use highly available sierra parts in the building of one