IFS- Am I the only one?

[Greatscott]

I might be a little biased here, just about the time the IFS kit came out I had just completed some custom parts for the front of my Element that the IFS would not work with. Of course, I could always redesign them. With that, I just don't like the looks of the IFS kit, it just looks "chunky", and to me, screams "afterthought".

[JDM74]

I mean unless you redesign the whole front section of the frame to account for the IFS you're not going to get an integrated "look". If AE designed the truck to be either straight axle in the front or IFS from the start and have the ability to switch between the two at the consumer level with relative ease, I think they did a pretty good job. Being in the process of building both a builders kit and installing the IFS kit at the same time I have the perspective to say that they did a pretty good job of making the IFS kit a unit that you install with minimum disassembly of the original chassis. So by definition, it is an "afterthought" designed for people to install on a truck they already own. So if it "screams 'afterthought'", it's because it is by design.

[rkj__]

Originally Posted by JDM74

I mean unless you redesign the whole front section of the frame to account for the IFS you're not going to get an integrated "look". If AE designed the truck to be either straight axle in the front or IFS from the start and have the ability to switch between the two at the consumer level with relative ease, I think they did a pretty good job. Being in the process of building both a builders kit and installing the IFS kit at the same time I have the perspective to say that they did a pretty good job of making the IFS kit a unit that you install with minimum disassembly of the original chassis. So by definition, it is an "afterthought" designed for people to install on a truck they already own. So if it "screams 'afterthought'", it's because it is by design.

Fair analysis JDM74.

[JatoTheRipper]

1:1 IFS conversions and IFS lifts often look bolted-on and bulky.

[Szczerba]

For the price point, it is a great bolt on option or custom build option. Sure it's not an Ultra4 or track racing performance IFS but it's a good start to bring cheap IFS to scale. I am building in IFRS car with two kits, so we'll see they handle.

[Greatscott]

Excellent points guys!!!

Don't get me wrong here, I think it is awesome that Associated has offered this hit up, and at a reasonable price. My criticism is about not liking how it looks.

[Szczerba]

Originally Posted by Greatscott

Excellent points guys!!!

Don't get me wrong here, I think it is awesome that Associated has offered this hit up, and at a reasonable price. My criticism is about not liking how it looks.

There are several IFS kits out there, Roll Scale, Mickel's, Element and Mfab, all of which do not look the best, so it's kinda the norm right now.

Bottom line, if IFS setups are going to look scale, the bulkhead, arms and other parts are going to have to be smaller, which compromises strength. So then you would need to machine parts from titanium or something, which is going to drive the price way up. So we are stuck with somewhat affordable but clunky looking setups today.

[rkj__]

Originally Posted by Greatscott

Excellent points guys!!!

Don't get me wrong here, I think it is awesome that Associated has offered this hit up, and at a reasonable price. My criticism is about not liking how it looks.

I wonder if any other major brands will attempt an IFS scaler. I don't expect to see IFS on the SCX10 iii, due to the off-centre front driveshaft. Traxxas seems to typically be more performance oriented than scale oriented, though I think the TRX4 surprised a lot of people when it came out. Perhaps RC4WD would be the most likely to take it on, but I don't really understand that company very well. When was the last time they came out with a significant new release?

[rkj__]

Originally Posted by Szczerba

There are several IFS kits out there, Roll Scale, Mickel's, Element and Mfab, all of which do not look the best, so it's kinda the norm right now.

Bottom line, if IFS setups are going to look scale, the bulkhead, arms and other parts are going to have to be smaller, which compromises strength. So then you would need to machine parts from titanium or something, which is going to drive the price way up. So we are stuck with somewhat affordable but clunky looking setups today.

I think moving up to 1/8 scale would make it a lot easier to design a nice IFS truck. However, 1/10 scale is totally dominating the scaler scene right now, so a 1/8 truck would likely be a hard sell. Additionally, price always seems to go up with the larger scale vehicles as well.

[JDM74]

There is a tough balance to achieve between scale and capability in playing tiny trucks. IFS is pretty challenging to make have a decent amount of travel without having a trophy truck style front end design. Once you go there, you're not very scale compared to any production vehicle save a trophy truck or KOH style rig.

[Szczerba]

Originally Posted by rkj__

I think moving up to 1/8 scale would make it a lot easier to design a nice IFS truck. However, 1/10 scale is totally dominating the scaler scene right now, so a 1/8 truck would likely be a hard sell. Additionally, price always seems to go up with the larger scale vehicles as well.

I forgot I did a YETI IFS on a CXT build. Scaled out nice with correct offset wheels but was a larger IFS for a larger truck body.

Szczerba's Build #60, 5th CXT

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[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Szczerba

There are several IFS kits out there, Roll Scale, Mickel's, Element and Mfab, all of which do not look the best, so it's kinda the norm right now.

Wow there are way more options out there than I realized. I only know about Roll Scale and now Element. I feel bad for the little guys because nobody cared about IFS all these years so the little vendors finally gave us options and then the big, bad enterprise released their own.

[Szczerba]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Wow there are way more options out there than I realized. I only know about Roll Scale and now Element. I feel bad for the little guys because nobody cared about IFS all these years so the little vendors finally gave us options and then the big, bad enterprise released their own.

I forgot about j_dub_designs IFS setup for SCXII back in 2019.4. He has threads here on RCC and his kit does look decent. Parts on shapeways too.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Szczerba

I forgot about j_dub_designs IFS setup for SCXII back in 2019.4. He has threads here on RCC and his kit does look decent. Parts on shapeways too.

That one rings a bell now that you mention it.