Thread: Take the poll: Red hairpins? Or chrome hairpins?

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Have to disagree with the "bound up" thing. No question 4 bars may move a litle more freely , but I have never run anything BUT hairpins or split bones and have a zillion miles on both. Never have experienced any bind or problems.

Also, when I look at an otherwise traditional car and see four bars, something is just out of place. Just like seeing disc brakes on a traditional car.


Don

Don, just plot out the arc on the wishbone cars.... They are twisting the axle every time one tire hits a bump, or whenever the car is stuffed into a corner...... I agree hairpins have the look for traditional cars, but they are a comprimise on what would be better handling, and yes the 4 bar is a comprimise of the even better handling of an IFS. I guess I'm just always more concerned about the performance rather then just looking correct in the parking lot...... Same thing on the disc vs. drum brake debate. Put me down as in favor of what works better. Another major area of concern on the handling is sprung vs. unsprung weight. Granted, not an area of concern on traditional looking cars, but definitely and area of concern in performance and handling.

I just think all options should be looked at, then the builder has to decide on how many comprimises the want to make to have the traditional look vs. better handling.......

Here's a very traditional looking coupe with full IFS and IRS....

Like I said Dave, I know in theory you are absolutely correct, and I have seen all the diagrams showing axle arc, twist, etc. But what I am saying is that hairpins and split bones aren't the doom and gloom engineering everybody makes them out to be. If they were, you wouldn't see them on the market, and being used almost exclusively on the majority of T buckets and similar cars turned out by companies like Total Performance, etc.

Let's face it, NO straight axle setup we use is perfect. It is 100 year old technology, and even though we have made improvements over the years, it will never compare to a properly setup IFS . But, we use them because we do like the looks, so we make them operate as well as possible.

Although I have had a bunch of cars over the years with hairpins and split bones, the one I drove the most was my '27. This was pretty much my daily driver for about 7 years, day in day out. I could run down the interstate at 70 or 80 and it tracked like an arrow, and in the turns it never wandered. So I am not talking from a position of not living behind the wheel for many miles.

I simply want to make the point that not all cars HAVE to scrap these in favor of four bars and still be a very good driving machine.

Don




Here's a very traditional looking coupe with full IFS and IRS....



Yes, but it also has fenders.