Re: TOY: IFS vs. Live Axles

[Peeter <peeter@xxxxxxxx>]

>Dogbox3@cs.com wrote:
>IFS SUCKS! squeeky limited peices of shi!

Parts Suppliers have million$ of reasons why IFS is a "benefit to the
consumer"!

Suppliers Cheer IFS Suspension Trend.
Author/s: Issue: May, 2001

What is an independent suspension worth? A lot if you happen to be a
suspension component supplier. While most of us would associate the move
toward more car-like independent rear suspensions in SUVs as a benefit to
the consumer, there's a group of suppliers who are thankful for their good
fortune. Why? Because more independent suspensions add up to more control
arms, suspension links and trailing arms.

CSM Worldwide expects overall use of independent suspensions (either front
or rear) in North America to increase from 71 percent in 2000 to over 82
percent in 2006. This will have a major effect on the type of components
that make up the suspension system. Consider that the typical solid drive
axle at the most contains two trailing arms. A typical multilink rear
suspension can have four upper and lower control arms, four lateral links
and two trailing arms. This adds up to a lot more content on the vehicle
and a lot more dollars for suspension component suppliers. A good example
is the current U152 Ford Explorer. The previous model had a solid rear
drive axle with no trailing arms, control arms, or lateral links to speak
of. But now it has an independent short/long arm (SLA) rear suspension with
both upper and lower control arms. What is this worth? If 370,000 new Ford
Explorers are built in the 2001 calendar year, and an average finished
control arm cost to the OEM is $25, that would add up to $37 million
dollars worth of content that wasn't available before to these suppliers.

                    Vehicles Fitted With Independent Suspensions
                    2000  71.3%
                    2001  74.5%
                    2002  76.8%
                    2003  79.3%
                    2004  81.0%
                    2005  82.2%
                    2006  82.2%

COPYRIGHT 2001 Cahners Business Information
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group


It seems to me that 4x4 parts suppliers benefit from the "consumer" (4x4
enthusiast) not being able to purchase exactly what they want from the
dealer too. I don't remember who said/wrote it but "4x4 are built not
bought" right!?
(something like that anyway)