Can a live axle be installed in a 2003 Cobra? And is a live axle better for racing?
Yes, this has been done as well. The swap doesn’t seem to be extremely difficult, but the only swaps I am aware of were performed by professional mechanics. The advantage of a solid axle is better launches due to no hop. And we all should know by now that wheel hop can very quickly snap the stock 10-spline input shaft, especially with a heavy duty clutch. It is recommended that if you’ve modified the motor with higher boost and you’re using a HD clutch, replace the stock 10-spline input shaft with a 26-spline shaft. A trade-off is to going to a solid rear setup is that you lose the ability of the IRS to react more predictably on uneven surfaces. Contrary to popular belief, an IRS doesn’t necessarily provide more grip, it is simply easier to drive in most cases over difficult surfaces. Many ask if a live axle setup is better for drag racing. Although many racers prefer a live axle setup, a properly built IRS system can work very well. Some want a simple but strong rear setup and choose
