IRS(not I.R.S.) in VX

[pbkid]

What do you think about "sliding" doors!!! That would be awesome! I should be able to figure that one out using van parts.
If we lived near each other we would update the VX to an awesome vehicle!

no offense, to each their own obviously...

but why transform a well designed vehicle into a van???? i dont know anyone that looks at a van and goes, "wow that thing is cool!!"

secondly, why take an SUV and try to make it perform like a car??? there's no utility in it...just to say you can???

i think the VX is a great vehicle and im sure you would enjoy it a lot if you get one eventually, and if you dont offroad then i could understand creating greater handling but why chop it up???

once again, not trying to offend but are you trying to turn a VX into a subaru??

[kodiak]

Take a look. Still not as cool as the stock VX rear. But to each his own.

https://factoryfiveparts.com/product...cat=267&page=1

Kodiac that is a brilliant setup. What is it a Corvette IRS?
You're so right. The last thing that the VX can be accused of is giving a comfortable ride.
Where can someone get a setup like that?

[TheGanzman]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]“Improve the road manners of the VX.” Ganzman, have you test driven a VX yet?[/IMG]

Yes thanks - about 50 miles under quite a few (on-road) conditions. VERY impressed w/the steering response and turning radius; acceleration was good, braking was pretty good. I was able to dial in the seating to be pretty comfortable; visibility was adequate except out the rear window, but the ride was VERY "jittery"or "busy". I don't mind a "firm" ride; hell, I drive a Porsche and a Chrysler 300C SRT8! IMHO, the VX could greatly benefit (at least ON road) with more compliant springs/shocks at minimum; IRS would probably help some too, but is probably cost prohibitive. It pretty much is what it is. I can live with its foibles, but knowing me, I would certainly start messing with the spring rates (I'd likely have a set custom made in a "variable rate" configuration) and I'd try to talk Koni into making their FSD shocks for VX. Custom wound springs are not THAT much $ to have done, and changing out coils is relatively easy with a proper spring compressor...I'm up for the challenge!

[pbkid]

sorry about my last post, i didnt mean to be aggressive towards your idea i just dont understand it...

perhaps you would have an intelligent argument for doing it... in comparison to most of the people who lower suv's and trucks just because everyone else they know does it...

[Bieredalsace]

Do you think those silly Lamborghini doors look good on the VX?
I don't! I'm not suggesting sliding doors so it will look like a van. I am suggetsing them so they will be as unique as the rest of the VX. I saw them on the proposed Mini SUV and they looked awesome. Besides I'll bet 90 % of VX drivers have been caught parked sideways on an angle and trying to operate those heavy doors up against gravitys pull usually leaving a big gash in your leg as gravity takes over and closes the door for you before you get your leg fully in or out of the vehicle.
Now imagine the same off kilter operation with doors that slide open. Pretty cool Huh!? I ain't as krazy as you think.

[Bieredalsace]

Now as far as the IRS unit. I will be honest. I have never seen the rear suspension system of the VX. I only know how hard the vehicle rides. Many many SUV owners never see a bush or mud unless they live near the Cali coast like Malibu. So why not try and find a way to give a sophisticated imaginative unique vehicle a sophisticated ride? No, Rock crawling would be out of the question, but isn't that what chopped up Jeeps are for?
With all this talk about reverse cut pinion gears meshing with ring gears etc it would be easier, less confusing and probably the same cost as dropping in one of those units in Kodiak's note above.

[pbkid]

ya i suppose it depends on your ultimate goal....

i just get really frusterated when i see lowered trucks or SUV's with body kits. the way i figure it, if you want low center of gravity with good handling buy a vehicle designed for that...

thus is why i have 2 vehicles (along with other owners).. one suv that is used for one thing and a sports car for going fast and throwing you left to right without a worry of rolling or having to seriously modify it...

i dunno, i can understand where you are coming from because i love to have a sporty vehicle...however, i think once you see the abilities of the vehicross you will be happier with the way it is than you think...

but ya driving the VX all the time lately has had me itching for something more sporty and wishing i had the money for an STI...

[VX1032]

Sounds like your issue with the VX ride can partailly be attributed to the short wheelbase of the vehicle, not the suspension. Remember, this thing is really short and you are hitting bumps very close together. A different shock package could help with that. How many miles were on the VX you test drove and were they still the original shocks?

[TheGanzman]

Sounds like your issue with the VX ride can partailly be attributed to the short wheelbase of the vehicle, not the suspension. Remember, this thing is really short and you are hitting bumps very close together. A different shock package could help with that. How many miles were on the VX you test drove and were they still the original shocks?

I drove a 16,500 mile pampered '99. Stock shocks and highway (non-aggressive tread pattern) tires. And yes, much of the "issue" with the ride on these IS the short wheelbase. It's also "oversprung/overshocked" for a (primarily freeway-driven) SUV. Ya' can't fix the wheelbase - ya' CAN set up the suspension to be more compliant for highway driving, which I would/will do. I've had really good luck w/variable rate springs on previous vehicles that I've owned; those, combined with some high-end "P" road tires and some good quality shocks will go a long way, IMHO. We're talking well under $2K total for virtually "the best of the best" of those three items...

[Scott Harness]

I'll take your stock shocks,when you throw them away.

[Bieredalsace]

Well like I said, to each his own and I don't disagree with your theory... yet still, creating an IRS from a collection of parts obtained from a donor vehicle doesn't seem practical... there is no way you are going to find something to match or work with a stock VX front end unless you keep VX parts in the mix. You mentioned using the front and rear ends from another vehicle and perhaps all drivetrain components. I could see this being more plausible... however, no offense to Bieredalsace... taking on a project like this whilst saying, "being on a restricted cash flow"... it is just not feasible. Also, it is very easy to ask the question, "could I do this?" but at the same time you have to ask, "should I do this?" If you are looking to improve the road manners of the VX, you have to ask yourself if you know suspension geometry enough to know how it is going to react to the road, is it safe, is it legal, is it viable. Now sliding doors... haha!

Zeus...No offense taken... However if you look at my note I related my "restricted cash flow" directly to the cost of an Audi R8 ..what are they $$ well over $100K ?

[Bieredalsace]

ya i suppose it depends on your ultimate goal....

i just get really frusterated when i see lowered trucks or SUV's with body kits. the way i figure it, if you want low center of gravity with good handling buy a vehicle designed for that...

thus is why i have 2 vehicles (along with other owners).. one suv that is used for one thing and a sports car for going fast and throwing you left to right without a worry of rolling or having to seriously modify it...

i dunno, i can understand where you are coming from because i love to have a sporty vehicle...however, i think once you see the abilities of the vehicross you will be happier with the way it is than you think...

but ya driving the VX all the time lately has had me itching for something more sporty and wishing i had the money for an STI...

pbkid....I agree it would be more desirable to have dedicated vehicles for specific applications....I myself have the VX, a 1998 Ram Air Trans Am, a Cadillac, a new Suzuki Sx4 crossover (which is a really cool but underpowered unit) and I had a Mazda 323 GTX which was a real screaming 4x4. ..........so I guess I have a different vehicle for each driving application .........but the VX is so unique it is a thrill to drive it in the city and on the highway and get so much attention. I've even had people ask if it was a 2010 Isuzu model..and that feels great.
However if you feel the VX is more dedicated to off road operation then isn't it unnecessary overkill for members to add Superchargers? I assume the S/C is for street performance rather than rock crawling.
So the VX has universal applications. And to modify the suspension to give a more comfortable ride while still lookijng awesome gives it the best of almost all applications. IMHO

[nfpgasmask]

once again, not trying to offend but are you trying to turn a VX into a subaru??

Yeah, reading this thread just makes me sit here and wonder....if you want to change all this stuff about the VX, you probably should not buy one and get something else that meets those needs you are talking about. If you want a Caddy smooth ride, then the VX is certainly not the vehicle for you....

But then again, I do completely understand fantasizing about mods....after all, I want a mini-gun, automatic caltrops dispenser, smoke screen and a canon on my VX, so one might ask, why didn't I join the Army to be a tank driver??

Bart

[nfpgasmask]

It's also "oversprung/overshocked" for a (primarily freeway-driven) SUV.

I think the above statement clearly points out the "friction" here in this thread. There are a group of people on here who have street VXes, and then there are the offroad VXes.

You all know what category I fall into, and I agree with The Paint Ball Kid. You want a street machine, drive a Subi or a Porsche, you want a compact, short wheel based, 4x4 that loves to be off the pavement but does just fine on the highway, drive a VX.

Again, just my 2 cents worth of opinion.

Bart

[nfpgasmask]

...but, in addition to what I said above, I think this spells it out clearly:

THIS:


Makes about as much sense as THIS:


But then again, as many have said, "to each his own".

Bart