IRS in my 97 GT

[g_dogg]

Need some help people.
I was planning on building my rear suspension this summer.
also wanted to upgrade my rear brakes to cobras.

But I just found a praticly new 2004 cobra IRS localy!!
So I decided to go for it. I will get it this week.
I comes with the springs and shocks (bilstein)
will the springs and shocks work with my 1997 GT?
I know I'll have an issue with the driveshaft and I will
have to change the yoke or something. anyone have
any info on that? What else do I need to know???

 

[scarface]

just go over to svtp and search. there are a ton of how tos.

you will need the 04 springs, and shocks. Your 97s wont work. you will also need the rear yoke off the 04 driveshaft to put on yours. also you will need the upper IRS cradle mount for the frame if it isnt still bolted to the IRS.

We did the swap into wyotechs 98 cobra. The hardest part was dropping the gas tank and drilling the bolt holes for the mount. Its a doable swap in one day with a friends help and moderate skills.

Feel free to pm me with any questions, I have put an IRS in a 98 and a solid rear and back to IRS in my Cobra...needless to say I have experience.

 

[scarface]

http://www.mouthbreather.net/IRSSWAP.html

this is for a fox, but basically the same thing.

 

[g_dogg]

wow thanks for the info.
will the irs work with my rear lower and upper control arms??

its to bad i will have to take the tailpipes off my beautiful borla catback :S

 

[Javi]

here

http://www.2kgt.com/item.php?itemid=164

 

[reivaxtorres]

wow thanks for the info.
will the irs work with my rear lower and upper control arms??

its to bad i will have to take the tailpipes off my beautiful borla catback :S

i have an 04 IRS in my 98gt, the swap is easy. personally, on that yoke that you need to change, i would go the easier route and just change the rear u-joint on the driveshaft with a precision 448 u-joint and also just use the rear driveshaft flange off an 04 cobra ($30 from ford), which is what i did.

and no, your upper and lower control arms wont work, the IRS has a way different setup.

here is a picture of mine from the transmission tunnel. see where the lower control arms used to go? the IRS subframe takes its place.

EDIT:

oh, and dont worry about the borla catback that you currently have, the IRS catback looks sooooooooo much better (stock catback, 2.25" diameter. i now have a 2.5" catback):

 

[amoosenamedhank]

Did you have problems with the width of the IRS on the 96-98 body. The IRS is wider then the 96-98 axle and I'm worried that the difference would make my 18x10 rims poke. :nonono:

 

[scarface]

Did you have problems with the width of the IRS on the 96-98 body. The IRS is wider then the 96-98 axle and I'm worried that the difference would make my 18x10 rims poke. :nonono:

no problems... you are only talking 3/4 of an inch

 

[scarface]

wyotechMSa had 18x10 on his 98 w/ IRS.

http://www.sn95forums.com/MOTM/Nov07/index.htm

 

[amoosenamedhank]

wyotechMSa had 18x10 on his 98 w/ IRS.

http://www.sn95forums.com/MOTM/Nov07/index.htm

Man, that IRS cat-back is pure sex!

 

[scarface]

wyotechMSa had 18x10 on his 98 w/ IRS.

http://www.sn95forums.com/MOTM/Nov07/index.htm

Man, that IRS cat-back is pure sex!

lol...that is the stock catback off my car. It does look good though. His car drives like a dream with the IRS, and it wasnt hard to install.

 

[g_dogg]

thanks reivaxtorres

So all i need to make my driveshaft fit is a precision 448 u-joint
& the pinion flange from the cobra? (which already is on the IRS)

I'll see if i can just get some IRS tailpipes and make em fit with my borla catback.

 

[reivaxtorres]

thanks reivaxtorres

So all i need to make my driveshaft fit is a precision 448 u-joint
& the pinion flange from the cobra? (which already is on the IRS)

I'll see if i can just get some IRS tailpipes and make em fit with my borla catback.

not quite, you will need to go to ford and buy the rear flange for the cobra driveshaft, the part of the driveshaft that bolts onto the IRS.

and no, chances are you wont get those mufflers to work. if i remember right, the solid axle catback has the input and outputs offset. the cobra ones have the input and output on the same side of the mufflers. i had wanted to do the same with my magnaflow catback, but ended up just selling it and buying a used one for my car.

 

[scarface]

thanks reivaxtorres

So all i need to make my driveshaft fit is a precision 448 u-joint
& the pinion flange from the cobra? (which already is on the IRS)

I'll see if i can just get some IRS tailpipes and make em fit with my borla catback.

not quite, you will need to go to ford and buy the rear flange for the cobra driveshaft, the part of the driveshaft that bolts onto the IRS.

and no, chances are you wont get those mufflers to work. if i remember right, the solid axle catback has the input and outputs offset. the cobra ones have the input and output on the same side of the mufflers. i had wanted to do the same with my magnaflow catback, but ended up just selling it and buying a used one for my car.

you are correct on the exhaust, just make it into dumps it of really want to keep it.

 

[g_dogg]

thanks guys good info

 

[reivaxtorres]

thanks reivaxtorres

So all i need to make my driveshaft fit is a precision 448 u-joint
& the pinion flange from the cobra? (which already is on the IRS)

I'll see if i can just get some IRS tailpipes and make em fit with my borla catback.

not quite, you will need to go to ford and buy the rear flange for the cobra driveshaft, the part of the driveshaft that bolts onto the IRS.

and no, chances are you wont get those mufflers to work. if i remember right, the solid axle catback has the input and outputs offset. the cobra ones have the input and output on the same side of the mufflers. i had wanted to do the same with my magnaflow catback, but ended up just selling it and buying a used one for my car.

you are correct on the exhaust, just make it into dumps it of really want to keep it.

i couldnt even do dumps if i had wanted to, the hangers dont match on the muffler. on the solid axle muffler, the hanger is welded onto the muffler and its pretty much right over it. on the IRS, its about 5-6" (if not more) behind the muffler. i guess you could custom make a hanger, but i dunno

 

[Willis_98GT]

completely noob question, but what do you benefit from a irs? one of my mustang buddys is about to buy one too and i'm just curious. i thought solid axles were better for launchs and stuff?

 

[g_dogg]

It's just a matter of personal preference.
Depends what do you wanna do with your car.
do you go to the track often? race on a straight line?
then staright axle is for you
do you just drive your car on the street?
you dont plan to go over 350-400hp?
then IRS is a good option

 

[g_dogg]

if it' just a hanger thing for the catback I'll try to keep
the borla. that thing was expeez $$
I don't thin the mufflers will get in the way the're really tiny.
half the size of the flowmaster I used to have

 

[scarface]

thanks reivaxtorres

So all i need to make my driveshaft fit is a precision 448 u-joint
& the pinion flange from the cobra? (which already is on the IRS)

I'll see if i can just get some IRS tailpipes and make em fit with my borla catback.

not quite, you will need to go to ford and buy the rear flange for the cobra driveshaft, the part of the driveshaft that bolts onto the IRS.

and no, chances are you wont get those mufflers to work. if i remember right, the solid axle catback has the input and outputs offset. the cobra ones have the input and output on the same side of the mufflers. i had wanted to do the same with my magnaflow catback, but ended up just selling it and buying a used one for my car.

you are correct on the exhaust, just make it into dumps it of really want to keep it.

i couldnt even do dumps if i had wanted to, the hangers dont match on the muffler. on the solid axle muffler, the hanger is welded onto the muffler and its pretty much right over it. on the IRS, its about 5-6" (if not more) behind the muffler. i guess you could custom make a hanger, but i dunno

you know as many times as I have had an IRS and a solid in and out of my car you would think I would have remembered that little detail...lol