What's the worst 4x4 ever?

One at front diff, one at front hub, 2 per shaft, 4 total for ifs  

yeah why's everyone bein so harsh on ifs? just about all factory trucks suck on trails ifs or straight axle.  you can upgrade both to working pretty dang good.  afterall what do the baja 1000 trucks use in the front suspension?????  ifs.  it can be built tough but what do you expect production truck manufacturers to make? all they want is a truck that will hold up to its stock abilities.   

I've been a Chevy man for as long as I can remember, but I agree with whoever mentioned Ford & Dodge having the right idea about solid axle front ends on their pickups (actually, Ford uses IFS on the F-150).

I'm going to be looking for a new 4X4 Crew Cab pickup soon, and the F-250 is what I may be buying due to the fact I insist on a solid-axle front end.

As far as the "Worst 4X4", I would have to vote on the Pontiac Aztek. I'm sure many would agree, being they didn't sell well before being discontinued a few years ago. I admit, they drive nice (I rented one once), but I'd never take one off-roading.

I don't know why they are  so rough on IFS all hear if its got a 10 bolt put in a 12 bolt or if its a dana 30 you need a 44 or a 60 or a 14 corp. or some rockwells. what about the u-joints at the end of str. axles they need to be beefed up. Then you got  the down fall of the king pins that just what i refere to them as like on fords which is a very weak point on str. axels just like a drive shaft  that you got to have the big spicers u- joint's or they won't last. what would be a easier fix or cheaper a broke str. axel that broke off the ears at the end of the axel that the whole axel houseing and maybe a axel shaft has to be replaced or a new tube. or  replace a upper or lower ball joint or a upper or a lower a-arm's.  i think this is why they run IFS in the baja races if one thang breaks its quickely repaired and if they hitt a bump at over 100 mph on one side or the other a str. axel its more likely to roll over couse the axel goes up in a angel an on the low side thats still on the ground the tire is in a severe lean at the top that couses the truck to make a fast turn. im sure everbody has had the steering wheel spinn out their hands same effect but they are at high speeds so you can picture whats fixing to happen not saying IFS won't.their just not as bad thats why you see the tires leaned in at the top so when it lands on the low side in a angel that tire is then in a more straight up angel less likely to make a sever turn and take the wheel out of his hands.so either one str. or IFS will have to be built stout every one has its limits.   

Dodge 1/2 ton is ifs as well  

CV Joints and IFS in general were invented so that the car & truck manufacturers could make some regular money on parts that go bad regularly. I used to drive fleet trucks for a company and you could always count on the CV joints going bad regularly, almost on schedule. Solid axle is the only way to go in my opinion. The only thing that will go are the gears on the weaker straight axles, if you are hard on the truck, but highway driving, they last forever. - ...and that's the problem. The manufacturers just hate things that 'last forever'. - just my opinion.

I agree with you there! You can build a killer IFS system that will put any straight axle to shame, ( after spending a butt-load of money ) ...and it will give you a way smoother ride than any straight axle ever can off-road, but stock IFS in almost all forms are crap, except for highway driving or the bunny-trails. All those off-road truck commercials for Chevy, Ford, Dodge, what - ever are total BS. Trucks are not built for that sort of service out of any of the big auto makers factories. Real world heavy duty trucks are "built, not bought" as they say - just my opinions.

bunny trails? LOL, a 2wd half-ton should be able to do those!  

Newer straight alxes are just as bad with there unit bearings.  

What's a unit bearing?

I have an old brochure for the 1997 Dodge Rams, and they said there 4x4's had solid axles. Are the 94-01 1/2 ton 4x4's any stronger than the other 1/2 tons from the same era? Do these have weak unit bearings?

You'd be surprised just how many newer trucks that have "4X4" or "Off-Road" stamped in big 'ol letters on the side take a dump the first time you take them on a serious off road outing.

Ya can't have both worlds - a street truck and a serious off-road truck. Ya get something related to a jack-a-lope, and it ends up not being good at either endeavour.

I'm guessing since I might be barely able to buy a newer 4x4 and not be able to modify it much, it's not worth it for me (I'd probably break it anyways, lol) so maybe I should get a 2wd truck and add some a/t tires and maybe a locker instead, if for some reason I need a newer vehicle for reliability.

Does anyone know where to get these rough counrty shafts? possibly a part #?

Randy  

the worst 4x4 ever in my opinion is the geo tracker.  

hummer it krawls,at least around most malls ,and really slow with 26 inch rims and playing a stupid hip hop song,its a pure posers truck,only a lucky few ever get taken any where a Real four wheel drive would go.GM NEEDS TO PULL THE PLUG ON THE RECTAL/CRAINIAL insertion specialists that do the demographics.they will never have a real four wheel drive truck again,ever,all they will do is push the ifs wanna be a car-truck.no solid axle for anyone..ps ive had 3 gm 4x4s,so dont be hate'in ime not.