Rear suspension

Post by **Innovator** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:05 am

Yes have an IRS on my Minor but it too has a space frame.

It is a lot of work to fit IRS unless it is on a self contained subframe like the MX5........

Post by **Lukey** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:14 pm

Never mind then, I'll stick to my live axle. So you have built your own custom chassis? Where did you learn to engineer something like that?

Post by **MartinB** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:21 am

Unless the independent rear suspension is done well (i.e. double wishbone type) and designed to complement the front suspension, it will very likely be worse than running a properly located live axle.

Martin

Post by **plastic_orange** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:13 pm

I've got a jag IRS on one of my V8 minors, the other having a ford 9 inch which is 5 linked. The jag IRS works very well, with a plush ride and good roadholding. Downside, is it is very heavy, and saps a bit of power, plus if it needs a rebuild is pretty costly (cost me £100 for hub bearings a while back - trade price). They do look the part though.

Pete

Post by dp » Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:46 pm

plastic_orange wrote:I've got a jag IRS on one of my V8 minors, the other having a ford 9 inch which is 5 linked. The jag IRS works very well, with a plush ride and good roadholding. Downside, is it is very heavy, and saps a bit of power, plus if it needs a rebuild is pretty costly (cost me £100 for hub bearings a while back - trade price). They do look the part though.

Pete

How much more plushness and roadholding quality does the IRS have over the live Ford axle? Which would you choose now if you were starting from scratch?

Post by **Lukey** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:51 am

Is this the setup found on XJS's, E Type's, All XJ6's? If so why does everybody use them?

Post by **Innovator** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:09 am

The Jag IRS was the first commomly available IRS that hot rodders couldput under there cars. It was easy to mount requiring a crossmember and some radius arm mount. It also looked good with the spinning Ujs on the drive shafts.

It is however very heavy and really only suited to big engined cars.

As to learning how to do all this stuff....... look, read, ask and do it!

School taught me the basics of solving problems and fabrication. Then I just got on and did it. My first car was a Minor and I fitted a twin cam when 17, then at 19 started building my first space frame car. Doing it is the best way to learn because it forces you to solve the problems you come up against.

Be warned that the hardset part of all car building is keeping going for months or years and finishing the project. The welding, fabrication, wiring etc is a piece of cake in comparision...... remember that!

For starters look here www.beardmorebros.co.uk

Post by **plastic_orange** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:00 am

My cars are completely different in concept. The ford axled one is Pro Street style - i.e. Drag car look, whereas the other is more of a custom.
The Ford axled car isn't completed yet, so I can't comment on the ride/handling, but I would say it wouldn't be as good as the IRS.

Pete

Post by **rv8** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:59 pm

ford axled ones more of a point and shoot, eh pete?

Post by **plastic_orange** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:11 pm

It should be.

Pete

Post by **morris62** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:33 pm

anyone got a list of axles with widths

i do like callyspoy's wheels and i know they stick out a bit further on the rear so maybe a narrower axle would be good.

hence the size question

Post by **jonathon** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:24 pm

With a different offset on the wheels they would not be too wide. The Ford axle is 54" backplate to backplate so a 5.5" or 6" rim with up to a 195 tyre will fit the arches easily, assuming an offset of between 15-18mm.

Post by **superchargedfool** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:39 am

so that will be peugeot wheels then.

Post by **jonathon** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:12 am

Correct, sir

Post by **morris62** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:28 pm

so whats the standard minor axle width?

and what would need to be done to fit whels like callyspoys

Post by **morris62** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:29 pm

oh and i already have mk2 escort axle with anti tramp bars

Post by **morris62** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:17 am

jonathon have you ever tried fitting a ford irs

Post by **jonathon** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:37 pm

Nope, we have now stopped Rand D on the rear suspension design and the 5 link kit will be our premier product for the forseeable future, as we will soon be diverting our attention to a full chassis for our race cars, which will have IRS.
The Ford IRS is about a foot too wide for the Minor if copied directly.