Will Jeep switch to IFS in the Wrangler?

[Thed]

Will Jeep switch to IFS in the Wrangler?

Yes. When? Anyone's guess.

Sponsored

 

[Toccoa]

Jeep actually almost did this for the TJ. They called the prototpe vehicle Li'l Blue.

Bob Sheaves wrote that the estimated production cost for the components alone was about $210 per vehicle more than the YJ Hotchkiss suspension, based on a production build quantity of 50,000 vehicles per year for five years. The retail cost for the 1997 Wrangler would have been around $1,000 over and above the normal retail price - which started at $12,000. At the time, that cost penalty was hard to overcome; today, it would likely be lower.

https://www.allpar.com/threads/li’l-blue-the-amazing-independent-suspension-jeep-wrangler-experiment.229808/#post-1085223906

 

[NCOBX]

You're right genius, you win. Why would Jeep ever change if people are too stupid to understand, shit that has worked for Apple for how many years so far?

Sometimes I wonder why I bother responding to people who have to always be correct, easier to nod and smile

I’m using the points you are making, it’s clear Jeep with its solid front axle has outlived every single competitor to date, most of them with independent from suspension.

I’m simply looking at the history and drawing conclusions. And the history says to not bet against the solid axle Jeep.

 

[Nickp]

I’m sure Jeep has an IFS design in their back pocket. Where/when it gets deployed is unknown... as others have said I do not see a Rubicon coming with IFS for years, if not decades or ever. I could see an IFS Sahara/sport with the JM wrangler though.

 

[Thed]

Jeep actually almost did this for the TJ. They called the prototpe vehicle L'il Blue.

https://www.allpar.com/threads/li’l-blue-the-amazing-independent-suspension-jeep-wrangler-experiment.229808/#post-1085223906

That was a helluva read and really interesting setup.

 

[PWillette]

The Defender is a minivan now, it’s not a valid comparison to compare an off-road vehicle to a city car.

The new Ofender, although minivanish looking, is a capable off-road vehicle based on reports from friends that have driven them...not a hardcore rock crawling machine but capable. My point was vehicle evolution. Like jeep, the Land Rover Series trucks which eventually evolved into the Defender were all SFA from 1948 to 2016. The Defender community across the world swore up & down that LR would never stray from the SFA on a Defender...you can imagine the disappointment. Jeep lovers will eventually feel the pain.

 

[ZackDanger]

Jeep actually almost did this for the TJ. They called the prototpe vehicle L'il Blue.

https://www.allpar.com/threads/li’l-blue-the-amazing-independent-suspension-jeep-wrangler-experiment.229808/#post-1085223906

Something about these patent drawings reminding me of this:

 

[flatlander40]

Ultimately it’s all about sales and profit. It will be decided by whatever the numbers may be.

 

[flatlander40]

It’s interesting because using the Baja scene Ford has managed to change the focus of what a capable rig is. More than just a rock crawler.

 

[NCOBX]

The new Ofender, although minivanish looking, is a capable off-road vehicle based on reports from friends that have driven them...not a hardcore rock crawling machine but capable. My point was vehicle evolution. Like jeep, the Land Rover Series trucks which eventually evolved into the Defender were all SFA from 1948 to 2016. The Defender community across the world swore up & down that LR would never stray from the SFA on a Defender...you can imagine the disappointment. Jeep lovers will eventually feel the pain.

I have done my due diligence to give the new Defender every opportunity to prove me wrong, I’ve sat in them and gotten under them and studied them - it’s a damn crossover by any definition.

People want to use the GC with solid axles to say that unibody is capable off-road while ignoring the entire market of exoskeleton companies strengthening the unibody and the out of alignment frames. The fact is the new defender doesn’t have the frame and without a proper frame the suspension means bumpkis.

Every off-road stunt I’ve seen is in a heavily controlled environment. There is only so much you can do when you can’t equip it with decent sized tires.

As the word goes LR couldn’t afford to built an appropriate predecessor so they took a unibody vehicle and tried to make something it’s not. At very best the Defender is in the same off-road category as the Bronco Sport. I’ll take a Tahoe with a G80 any day over that.

 

[Mattwings]

Jeep actually almost did this for the TJ. They called the prototpe vehicle Li'l Blue.

https://www.allpar.com/threads/li’l-blue-the-amazing-independent-suspension-jeep-wrangler-experiment.229808/#post-1085223906

Looks like the old Ford TTB system, it was ok, a bit hard on tires, but nice compromise of ride vs. durability.

 

[Brongo]

Would be hard to imagine but if their sales tank low enough, next generation might be dramatically different, including IFS.

We might also see Jeep borrow the sideview mirrors on the fender idea.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I’m using the points you are making, it’s clear Jeep with its solid front axle has outlived every single competitor to date, most of them with independent from suspension.

I’m simply looking at the history and drawing conclusions. And the history says to not bet against the solid axle Jeep.

Which Jeep? The one owned by Bantam, Willys, Kaiser, AMC, Daimler Chrysler or Fiat?

They are almost kind of the Jonah of the automotive world... a pattern for success to be sure.

Ultimately it’s all about sales and profit. It will be decided by whatever the numbers may be.

MPG ratings and crash/stability testing play a role too. IMO that is what will eventually kill it if better riding/driving competitors don't do it first.

Looks like the old Ford TTB system, it was ok, a bit hard on tires, but nice compromise of ride vs. durability.

Not really, it looks like a normal IFS but the diff is offset for some reason and is somehow tied to the DS suspension. On a TTB the diff is part of the DS axle beam.

 

[NCOBX]

Which Jeep? The one owned by Bantam, Willys, Kaiser, AMC, Daimler Chrysler or Fiat?

They are almost kind of the Jonah of the automotive world... a pattern for success to be sure.

You’ll notice, even if Jeep ends up killing every parent company it hitches up to, it’s still the last man standing no matter what. You don’t see many Plymouth’s anymore do you?

 

[AcesandEights]

Which Jeep? The one owned by Bantam, Willys, Kaiser, AMC, Daimler Chrysler or Fiat?
...

The Ford GPW

Sponsored