<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

Put a IRS spring to its stiffest setting and 400 pounds will not budge it much but the comfy ride would be lost, your will still have the much higher ground clearance though if that a advatage for you.</end quote></div>

This seems to be the push with IRS....... In order to get the advantage of the comfortable ride, you need to run it soft..... But than running it soft you sacrifice lateral stability and create a lot more roll than SRA in off-cambers. And of course more sag.

I prefer SRA....... I prefer the feedback of the trail that an IRS machine hides.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>sacrifice lateral stability and create a lot more roll than SRA in off-cambers</end quote></div>

Not sure about the Rincon but most IRS (not all) have a sway bar to control boody roll.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>sacrifice lateral stability and create a lot more roll than SRA in off-cambers</end quote></div>



Not sure about the Rincon but most IRS (not all) have a sway bar to control boody roll.</end quote></div>

They do, but it is still not a SRA........ The sway bars do the best they can, but again if they get too stiff you risk bad reactions in other areas.

It really just comes down to give-and-take ....... each one has their benefits and limitations.

 

The Rincon seems to have spring rates, dampening, and anti-sway down well. It really floats over rough stuff w/o excessive body roll on fast sweepers or side hills.

If you do overload a Rincon, or when you land jumps, the suspension does compress and reduce ground clearance. There are aftermarket springs out for it, though.

The suspension on a SRA will also sag when overloaded, but the center of the axle doesn't flex down like an IRS.

If you want to run 2 up, I'd really suggest getting a machine that is made for it, like an Outlander Max or something...

 

On an SRA machine, you will not lose any ground clearance. That is the advantage of SRA. Yes if you put weight on it, it will squat but the axle does not move.

I prefer to have SRA just because I use it on a farm and it's better for pulling than IRS.

I have not had a problem with ground clearance. I sometimes too have to carry 2 or 3 people.

 

Yeah, towing a trailer, the hitch weight won't compress the suspension on a SRA.

SRA's also powerslide around corners better. IRS machines seem to find more traction, sometimes suddenly.

The feel for what the tires are doing is also kind of muted on an IRS. It's there, just different.

For my use (long days of fast riding on rough rock and root strewn trails) IRS makes a huge difference. I still enjoy riding the Foreman, especially if the surface is smoother or if the pace is a little slower. I've managed to bash the guard on the rear axle in so it is against the final drive housing, as ground clearance can be an issue where I ride. I really need to take that off to heat it up and pound it back into shape, then weld on a little steel strap or something to reinforce it...

 

At least with the two rigs I have I don't really see much of an advantage to the SRA. The ATP we have has the SRA and it doesn't tow any better than the X2 with IRS. At least with these two heavy duty quads the IRS setup still has better clearance with a full load than the ATP has. I'm sure the difference is more pronounced on the lighter duty machines that don't have rear springs rated at 400 lbs. It was one of my main reasons in purchasing the two we have. I probably spend 3/4 of the riding time doing chores and the rest is going out for fun. I'd give a slight nod to the SRA doing a power slide in the corners, but my IRS does very well also. It just requires a little more body English. I'd call it even on towing chores with a slight nod to the X2 because of the EFI. Much smoother under acceleration and easier to modulate the speed. General or hard trail riding, without a doubt, goes to the IRS. Clearance is better and that is key in rocks, ruts, mud, and waterholes. Ride is also much better without as much wheel hop. Just my .02 from a guy who's got both. Look at my pics in my page and it gives an idea what an IRS can do. In the last pic I have a trailer that is 4x4 and 3 ft. deep in between the tires. I figure it has about 32 cubic feet of firewood (1/4 of a cord) in the trailer and a couple hundred pounds on the rear dumpbox. (I made an extension for it). I can move that kind of weight all day long. It squats maybe an inch or two lower than usual from my observations. The ATP has 7" of ground clearance with the stock 25" tires. The X2 has 11" of ground clearance, again with the 25" stock tires. So, even loaded the X2 has at least a couple inches advantage over the ATP with the SRA. I'd be interested to see similar comparisons between an IRS Rincon and SRA Rancher. Hope this helps. PS with a bad back, I can tell you that the IRS is excellent.

 

I suppose it should be noted that there can be a huge difference in how IRS machines are set up, from brand to brand or model to model.

I buddy has an AC 650. It is IRS with Huge ground clearance, yet it's handling seemed pretty planted and flat around corners. Once we got it on rough stuff, though, it rode like it had no suspension, and it would really fight you trying to steer it expecially over uneven ground and going down hill.

We set the preload from the middle of the adjustment (where it came set at) to full soft, and that really helped the steering and ride, and it still didn't feel overly mushy in corners...