TimothyPilgrim wrote: > Could someone elaborate why a solid axle is preferable to independent > suspension when it comes to a 4x4?
It's easier to get a lot of suspension travel with a solid axle, especially in a situation where one wheel is on a tall obstacle and the other is on the ground. Off road types call this "articulation." It helps avoid situations where one wheel is hanging in mid air. Here's an extreme example: http://www.fag.hiof.no/~frodehaa/forandringer/pics/extreme%20articulation%20side.jpg Independent suspensions are hampered, among other things, by the relatively small range of angles that CV joints can handle.
