Can someone please tellm e what the benefit of haing a swing axle tranny is???

[BuG60]

Ok, so I'm building this monster, its a 70 bug, i'm fitting a g60 engine, worked up to 300-325 hp / 340 ftlbwith the 24lb pulley, and 270 / 290 with the 14 lb pulley. I called up rancho trans. and asked some basic questions, and he told me that if I plan on running the bug in the 1/4, i'm MUCH better off with a swing axle. The car is IRS now, and am not too sure as to what exactly has to be done to the suspension, or any other part of the car to modify it to fit a swing axle trans. What benefits, or costs does the swing axle have over the IRS, and vice versa. I remember he was telling me the physical differences, and that its 15 lbs lighter, but is there any loss of handling, or ride feel?

This car IS meant for the strip, but its also meant for the street / nice sundays / local shows / what ever.....

Thanx for any info
-Mike

[jrinlv]

Swing is great for goin straight, and it's stronger, and now that you say it, it's probably cheaper, but you will never get the performance for road control out of a Swing that you can get out of a well setup IRS. So if the strip is where you want to be go swing axle.

[BuG60]

but can an IRS still take the abuse of a 1/4 mile track like the swing axle can?

[zen]

it can take abuse. just not as much as the swing tranny.

[vujade]

but can an IRS still take the abuse of a 1/4 mile track like the swing axle can?


I have talked with people that have said they have spend at least an
extra $1000 to make an irs as strong as a swing axle.

[BuG60]

would you say that a swong axle equiped beetle has a much rougher ride, or that the grip in semi-hard turns would seriously take a Dive if I went swing, what about the fact thatI already have 944 trailng arms, in order to fit my 911 turbo 'big reds' brakes? Could I still convert to swing if I chose?

PS, Kinda leaning toward the swing, just cause i'm doing all this work, for a better 1/4, and if the consensus(sp?) is all the same for the swing, being that because of how its made, its better for the track, then I may just have to stick with a 5 speed swing, a worked berg 5 speed shifter, with 1-4 for track, and 5th for highwway speeds.

[MattKab]

A wheel that will clear those huge brakes will need an equally big tyre to transfer the energy. Swing-axle and the inherent negative camber doesn't like wide tyres as much as IRS.

Porsche brakes to swing-axle can still happen.

Matt

[BuG60]

Swing-axle and the inherent negative camber doesn't like wide tyres as much as IRS.

Ah, I never thought of that, yes the tires are 235 in the rear, on 9" rim, I think i'm gonna do an IRS anyway. What i'd really like to do, is plug up my stock tranny, and see how fast that goes boom, then I can figure from there what trans to replace it with. The swing axle idea is probably more ideal for me for the 1/4, but as I told the guys at rancho, I DO want to eventually drive the car from CT to NJ, for a car show, and that aint happening with a car tahts totally dedicated to the 1/4, i'd like to have somewhat of a highway car. Besides, the gearing will be my main concern next, don't know if I should either go for a 1 to 3 close ratio, and a tall *** 4th for the highway, or just bite the bullet and get a 5th gear tranny (Berg or what ever)

[Steve C]

Hi

A swinger is not as bad Ralph Nader made out, Ive rallied swinger early bugs without to many problems, you just need to commit and then keep the pedal down.

Steve

[thelazerviking]

hey, if it's not too late, look at this

http://aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=SSS0005&cartid=1002200562746339

if you haven't done anyhting yet, i'd go with IRS for handling and ride comfort issues. you can use the sway bar to adjust the rear end, cheap and effectively. go with better adjustable suspension or stiffen your torsion bars.


plus, if you want to drive it on the street you can out handle people better with IRS

[kleinporsche]

Why is it only good for going strait? A part from changing a SA to Irs, what coukd be done to get better hanling from a Swing Axle? porsche 550 spyder uses it! :agree:

[kleinporsche]

Aaaaanyone?! No comments? :(

[Supa Ninja]

If you want to build a car that is mainly for the 1/4, then build a Callook, thats what they are really good at. Then go swing axle/ link pin, 2332 w 48IDA's and close ratio box. Why build a GLer that is only setup for the drag strip, your defeating the whole purpose of a German Looker, its ability to corner and brake like modern sports cars.

[Wally]

Yes, exactly.

Plus: the fact that it says Porsche in front of a model number (550), doesn't neccessarily mean it has better suspension!
Another nice example: the Mc Pherson suspension that VW outfitted the 1302 models with in 1970 (!!): it took Porsche untill 1990 (that is 20 years later!!) before their aircooled rearmounted boxerengine model got the Mc pherson coil springs up front... :laugh:

And I won't even start about the 924, 944 and 968 models that all still used basically the VW IRS suspension :rolleyes: and those models were all street cars, not drag racers :p

Swing Axle has two great points for dragracing function wise: lighter and it renders less hp-loss.

[bow]

if noone has mentioned this the swing-axel is much simpler and less things to break .w/irs there is many more parts to break hope this is a help

[bean_8044]

more things to break? Biggest difference i can see is the CVs, right?