Hey y'all!  I heard in the tech articles that the stock stamped upper (and possibly lower) arms on a 2wd truck's front suspension are pretty weak for offroading... but I also heard that 4x4 (stock) IFS front suspensions are also undesirably weak too. My question is would a stock half-ton 4x4 with IFS be any more durable (even if left in 2 Hi?) than a stock half-ton 2wd. The tech articles lead me to believe they both suck...

By the way, what was the latest half-ton 4x4 that had solid front axles stock? (I'm guessing none of the newer 4x4's have 'em)

I also noticed Chevy's Z71 package comes with special sway bars so I'd like to know are there any advantages offroading with sway bars, or is this part of the modern (stupid?) philosophy of car-like 4x4's are way better than true 4x4's and are done so to sell 4x4's to the "Hollywood" crowd. (Read the tech article on page 3 of "Hollywood vs. Dollywood" it's HILARIOUS!)

well up until current (i dont know about now) dodge kept a solid front where everyone else has gone to ifs. 

IFS isnt like the plague (though to some of us it is), for offroading.  If you're not going like hardcore to the extreme (requires tires over 38s or crazy articulation) then ifs is ok.  From what i have HEARD most of the Baja and rally trucks run ifs.   

Yes the Baja trucks and stuff do because it works great for soaking up high speed bumps but they also put HUGE amounts of money into it to make it work also.

I know expensive (like Baja or a Hummer H1) IFS is great, but I intended to ask about a stock 4x4 IFS (like GM's) durability versus a stock coil- spring front suspension 2wd truck. I also wanted to know if sway bars are ever usefull offroading.  

I think sway bars are only good at speeds to help prevent body roll and at slow speeds they keep your suspension from moving as freely so if you take corners fast you need them (more with softer suspension) if your suspension is harder like a old chevy with big lift you will not miss it as much.

dodge 1/2 tons i think quit solid axles in 2002 that were coil sprung and we all know chevy trucks in 87 was thelast year except the blazers and suburbans till 91.  Not sure on this but didn't dodges use dana 44 always in the fronts or just to 91?

Hey Ronny! You said old Chevy's have stiff suspensions. How old, do you mean the 88-98's, the 73-87's, the 67-72's or even older than that?  

I was refering to leaf sprung chevys with a lift of 6 or more inches.  Some brands of srings may not be as bad as others.  but my chevy a 73 and i do not know who or how long the lift has been on it does not have as much body roll on the road as a friends toyta truck (in the early 80s) but his truck he says does better on the trail without one but it needs it for the road.  my truck it does not seem to make much of a difference.  My truck on the power lines the springs seem alot stiffer on  the bumps and bounce you to death at some speed while his toyota seems to take the bumps better without throwing you all over the cab of the truck.  When i had a 68 chevy 2wd it even seemed to take these trips down these kind of paths with a easier ride than the truck i got now.  A friend at work told me that they 67-72 trailing arm suspension on the 2wd was alot of problems but i never had a problem with it.  I don't know if there is a difference in the 2wd front ends from year to year but short of a few people breaking a ball joint every now and then i have not heard of problems.  Most of the people i know with new trucks don't go off road   

Hola Amigo,

I have a IFS Chevy look here  http://www.jeeperos.com/foros/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12733

I am running 39x18x15 Mickeys in town and 35x17.5x15 on the road. Suspended by a Pro Comp 6" kit (with dual stabilizer kit) that works very well.

The only problem I had was those weak tie rods 

I had Rusty's make some johnny joint tie rods to aviod any problems. Contact him and tell him to make some just like mine.

If not email me I can send you pics [email]jeepmasters4x4@yahoo.com[/email]

I rarely use the 2 high since I have a rear Detriot Tru Trac and front locker with 4:56's I sometimes have to use the 4 low.

Good luck!!!