Here is a thread in the Corvette forum about a fellow who converted the IRS to a solid axle.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...love-this.html

IMHO the 05+ Mustangs have a solid axle because of the 1/4 mile types - not for a lower cost.

 

ROFL. I think its a bit of both.

 

The car was designed to have an IRS. That's fact, not speculation. A design requirement on the GT500 was that the rear axle be able to withstand 1000 drag launches - bye bye IRS for the GT500.

The GT received a stick axle for a variety of reasons, but mainly cost and weight due to CAFE standards.

I don't see how us Mustang guys need be concerned about the happenings in a Corvette forum.

 

I don't know of a single IRS design out there made to to handle hard launches indefinitely..Not saying the solid rear axles don't have their stress limits as well but they certaily hold up way better than IRS. I have a neighbor that owns an 07 C6, he hates teh fact that when he hammers it he gets wheel hop. Handles like a dream in the twisties but he's always afraid of snapping a CV joint...

 

You may be correct, but I'm guessing there is more to it: appease the 1/4 crowd, cost, simplicity, weight, don't have to support/work on two rear ends (assuming Rodeo's comment on the GT500 is correct).

Having been around the C-cars for a few months now, its pretty clear to me that the GM diff does not hold up on the strip for the power the LS engines are capable of. I'll wager this is going to be a big problem with the new Camaro also.

But aside from the 1/4 mile issue. The C-car rear end has other cons: seals need to be replaced every 30-50K miles due to leakage, its complicated, changing gear ratios is much harder, it costs much more $ (as in if you need to buy a replacement), and diff to diff, it weighs more. On the other hand it does have several pros.

So - IMO I think you are partly right, but I think the reason goes beyond just appeasing the drag racers.

PS: in the post on the C-forum it is kind of funny that a guy would spend that much money to put a solid rear end in a Vette. He could have got there a lot easier by changing to a Mustang. Heck - pull the LS and put it in the Stang...VetteStang (flame suit on)

 

Haha i'm not the only one that's crazy for thinking such... such... CRAZY thoughts

What if....