Excellent comparison of IFS vs SFA (Jeep on 37s vs FJ cruiser) from a Toyota fan.

[HjStrater]

This is a great video. I have watched a bunch of this guy’s content just to better understand yotas and he does a great job explaining their suspension set up.

Worth a sub and a trip down the rabbit hole for sure.

Sponsored

 

[willhonkforparts]

Until I bought the Gladiator I was a die-hard Toyota-fan and most of my friends still drive Toyota's this was a good video. I knew I wanted a new mid size truck that could wheel. I drove both a new Tacoma and the Gladiator and their was no comparison in "off-road ability". I am so enjoying the move to the "dark-side" lol.

Welcome

 

[BourbonRunner]

It's been perfect for me. I added the Apex AutoLYNX discs and that made the truck perfect.

Good to hear. I've settled in ordering a Mojave with Selec-Trac some time in the first quarter of next year. Count me among the Toyota to Jeep converts.

 

[BearFootSam]

Great video and solid comparison. My takeaway: Toyotas are great for daily drivers with occasional wheeling so long as you remain stock or close to it. But start modding it and you're on your own.

I back that up with having had a few Toyota trucks over the years (4R's and Tacos) and living with a First Gen TRD Taco that saw extensive fire roads, washboards, and sand wheeling. The saving grace is the Toyota IFS is stupidly easy to work on, as is the rest of the truck. Serious wheelers and overlanders running them typically carry an assortment of spare CVs and front end bits for that reason.

The hardest thing to change on my trucks has always been the starter motor. If you've done one, you know.

Edit: All of that being said, the Mojave would appear to be the best of both worlds- travel, shock absorption and high speed washboard ability.

I got good at replacing CV axles and could do it in 45 minutes but would rather not have to keep doing it. CV's for my prior vehicle were $450/ea and non-rebuildable so the solid axle setup was a clear win in my book.

 

[Elff]

I got good at replacing CV axles and could do it in 45 minutes but would rather not have to keep doing it. CV's for my prior vehicle were $450/ea and non-rebuildable so the solid axle setup was a clear win in my book.

You can still have CV axles inside an SFA Axle housing. It's kind of the best of both worlds, but can then potentially transfer the failure point to the Ring and Pinion.

 

[BearFootSam]

You can still have CV axles inside an SFA Axle housing. It's kind of the best of both worlds, but can then potentially transfer the failure point to the Ring and Pinion.

True, but when it comes to the steering axles the angles in play with lifted IFS are much more extreme. With a lifted SFA the CVs would be in an unstressed neutral condition when driving straight and level while a lifted IFS is under more stress in the same condition. I think that is what killed mine, long road trips where the angle induced by the lift generated excess heat and wear.

 

[Elff]

It's the droop that kills the shafts in IFS. That exceeds their operational angles. The video showed that at one stage.

CVs in an SFA provide a lot more strength while at full turn compared to a U-Joint, especially when climbing, but then something else becomes the weak point.

I had them on my competition Jeep, due to how the courses were laid out. In my current TJ Build, since it is a for fun only, I opted to not go the RCV route. I can take my time swapping out a front axle. It's actually pretty easy and fast. I have mine already setup with the Hubs installed.
It's really as simple as these 5-6 steps [Depending on whether or not you run spacers]

1. Jack up Jeep via Axle housing
2. Remove 5 lug nuts and remove tire
3. Remove 5 acorn nuts and remove spacer [optional step if installed]
4. Remove 2 caliper bolts and set caliper aside
5. Remove 3 Hub bolts
6. Pull out broken shaft

Reverse the above to re-install
15 minutes max

 

[Ward]

I especially appreciated the video having come to a '21 Mojave in Feb. of this year from a '18 TRD 6 Speed Manual. I found myself in agreement except for one element as it applies in my circumstance. Steering & road-ability. This last weekend I had to travel from Durango, CO to my BIL's ranch in the Dragoon Mts. near Tombstone, AZ & return. I went down via crossing the White Mountains in monster storms & 5 high water crossings on Mule Creek highway & return via I-10 & I-25. My '21 Mojave steering is tight & precise & the 8 speed auto allows 80+ interstate travel at about 2200-2300 RPM with plenty to pass slower traffic. My trip average MPG was 18.2.
The 6 speed manual TRD would have made the trip but not with the ease of the Mojave with Auto.

 

[Deleted member 47279]

i love this dudes videos. im more of a desert runner so i should have gone to IFS, yet my gladdy after much wrench time and nut hardening does a great job. its not smooth, but i keep up on washboard roads with built prerunners most of the time.

 

[Trailman]

+1 for great video.

Two comments:
* The steering play they show on the JL would drive me nuts too. With the replacement steel steering box, I don't have play like that at all, however, in the JT.
* Washboard is definitely an issue in the JTR. I find it remarkably bad, actually, and have to go very slow in areas where I could run my VW Golf considerably faster.

 

[bleda2002]

* Washboard is definitely an issue in the JTR. I find it remarkably bad, actually, and have to go very slow in areas where I could run my VW Golf considerably faster.

I felt like that until I swapped to 39's and use the tazer to disconnect the swaybar at any speed. Really smoothed out the ride even on non-fancy shocks

 

[Trailman]

I felt like that until I swapped to 39's and use the tazer to disconnect the swaybar at any speed. Really smoothed out the ride even on non-fancy shocks

Good point - I do find it much better with sway bar disconnect. But w/out a taser I'm limited to... 20mph? Can't remember the exact cut off.

 

[Rocksalt]

informative comparison

 

[orngechevy]

Cool video and all the same stuff I have been saying for years, I just didn't do the math bits.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Good point - I do find it much better with sway bar disconnect. But w/out a taser I'm limited to... 20mph? Can't remember the exact cut off.

I'm going to ask the stupid question because I'm coming from IFS land but isn't disconnecting the sways for high speed runs on washboards asking for an off road death wobble?

Sponsored