Quote:
Originally Posted by squatch81
As an owner of off road vehicles for some 35 years, I have to disagree with the statement I highlighted in red.
Raising the body with suspension and/or body lift modifications serve several purposes. - Increased suspension travel to keep tires in contact with rough terrain.
- Tire clearance. (Just try to stuff a pair of 38" mudders in the wheelwells of an unmodified truck)
- Attack angle (to keep from implanting your bumper into the bottom of the hill you want to climb)
- Ground clearance. It takes a lot less power to push just the tires and axles through deep mud than trying to force a path for the whole truck when traveling through 2 feet of gooey muck.
Please note that none of the above applies to the average yahoo that wants to jack up his truck because it looks KEWL.  |
Even with the axles lower than the rest of the underside, breakover angle is improved. Also, solid axles move up and down with the tires. If you put a tire on a rock, the axle goes with it unlike the rest of the underside.
On a smooth surface (like a GOOD road), I'd rather have the solid axles. Look at what happens to the wheel located by independent suspension when the vehicle leans. It doesn't change camber enough to lean into the turn like a motorcycle tire, instead of it leans out of the turn. A tire on a solid axle stays vertical aside from the tilt due to tire deformation.
Hence I can take my Cherokee with 2" lift and 31" tires around corners like a sports car.