Smoother Highway Ride for Coilover Conversion

[CraigS]

I find this thread curious. A given suspension style can't give a decent ride? What? First realize that one difference between an IRS and a solid axle is that the IRS will usually have some leverage built in so the spring or shock rate is not the effective wheel rate. The wheel rate will usually be much softer than the spring rate. The solid axle will have the two rates nearly identical. I mention this because (assuming the lengths would fit) a given coil over unit that rides great in an IRS car will be very much stiffer if moved to a solid axle car. Regarding ride comfort only, as long as both systems will allow 5-6 inches of wheel travel (without binding control arms or unwanted contact to frame or body) both can be made to ride well. The IRS will have the advantage when on rough pavement because of much less unsprung weight but, other than that ride can be nearly the same as IRS. There are a lot of other advantages to IRS regarding geometry but to say a solid axle car can not be made to ride reasonably is crazy.