A few questions of longtime Chevy/GMC IFS 4wd owners.

CCPAJeeper

Observer
A solid axle is stronger then IFS. Not to say you cannot moderately wheel IFS, but solid axles are stronger than IFS. Guys aren't switching from IFS to a solid axle to loose strength.
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
A solid axle is stronger then IFS. Not to say you cannot moderately wheel IFS, but solid axles are stronger than IFS. Guys aren't switching from IFS to a solid axle to loose strength.

However there are ALOT of people swapping in solid axles that don't need to either. I would expect a good 80 percent of them. Just like the 90 percent of Jeep JK owners will never bend a front axle, but they go bat **** crazy trying to swap out a stronger one, add truss etc to them because they heard a friend of a friend of a friend farted on his and bent it. I would say run the IFS, build it like you want, then if you break it bad, swap in a solid axle.
 

jimi breeze

jimi breeze
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my 2010 1/2 ton with a heavy steel bumper, winch, 2" leveling kit and 285/75/17 tires. . Been wheeling it carefully through, sand, rocks, dirt, gravel, and mud with no problems.
 
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legendaryandrew

Adventurer
The IFS is pretty strong once you take care of the tie rods, and if you keep the lift and tires reasonable. For me, I'll do a SAS when and if I break something bad, like snap a cv at the same time I grenade the front diff. IF that ever happens, I'll swap.

For me, it's the articulation and simplicity more than strength. My trucks heavy and big, it'll never be a crawler, so I dont NEED anything other than what works, and does so in Cadillac comfort.

A solid axle is stronger then IFS. Not to say you cannot moderately wheel IFS, but solid axles are stronger than IFS. Guys aren't switching from IFS to a solid axle to loose strength.
 

ExplorerTom

Explorer
I went 4wheeling with some guys a couple months ago: one of the rigs was a late 90s/early 2000s Blazer. The trail was easy- the type of trail that nearly any stock 4wd could handle. And the Blazer was basically stock. At the top of the last pass we noticed that the front alignment of the Blazer was WAY out. I don't remember if it was the camber or toe, but it was bad enough that when we got down to pavement it was parked until a trailer could be brought back up to retrieve it.
 

lilkia

Active member
I have a 99k2500 crew cab 4wd 350 4l80e with 280k miles hard earned miles. I run either 265s or 285s Es depending on what was on sale at the time I prefer the 285s. It has been through trails from NC to Pa to NM. Done regular duty as a work truck, plow truck(in PA) and a tow rig towing up to 14klbs pretty regularly including 12k from the Carolinas to S. Texas. I have never had even the slightest issue with the front end. It may not be the greatest setup but its one thing I have never heard of anyone blowing one up.
The only major issue I have had with the truck is the 4wd selector. It has the push button setup and 4hi wont work 4lo works fine. Weve narrowed it down to either the switch or the TCCM but cant diagnose because I have a communication error with the obd2 port and I do t want to just throw parts at it.
 

Northern_Touch

New member
The only major issue I have had with the truck is the 4wd selector. It has the push button setup and 4hi wont work 4lo works fine. Weve narrowed it down to either the switch or the TCCM but cant diagnose because I have a communication error with the obd2 port and I do t want to just throw parts at it.

Sorry for the slight derail but if you have comm issues have you checked for power at pin 16 and ground on pin 4? More often than not on GM's i've found the power is shared with the cigar lighter and the fuse is blown. Change the fuse and you restore power to pin 16 and therefore regain network communication.

On the original topic. Ive never had to replace a front axle on a GM ever and that includes plow trucks in Ottawa, Canada. I've been wrenching professionally for a little over 15 years. The vast majority of people will never push their trucks to the limit that would necessitate a bigger better front end. The type of abuse that destroys a front axle would also likely kill your steering components.
 

M35A2

Tinkerer
Absent the intent to use your IFS truck for hard-core crawling, swapping out the IFS for a solid axle is for one's head, not for the truck.
 

lilkia

Active member
Sorry for the slight derail but if you have comm issues have you checked for power at pin 16 and ground on pin 4? More often than not on GM's i've found the power is shared with the cigar lighter and the fuse is blown. Change the fuse and you restore power to pin 16 and therefore regain network communication.

On the original topic. Ive never had to replace a front axle on a GM ever and that includes plow trucks in Ottawa, Canada. I've been wrenching professionally for a little over 15 years. The vast majority of people will never push their trucks to the limit that would necessitate a bigger better front end. The type of abuse that destroys a front axle would also likely kill your steering components.

I have not checked that but I will. Thank you!
 

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