Every new build ships with IFS because it rides better on the drive to the trailhead. On the trail itself, a solid axle still wins the argument that actually matters: articulation.
"A spec sheet has never once gotten a rig unstuck."
They buy ground clearance without lifting the center of gravity. They also cost more than the donor vehicle. A look at when the trade actually pays off.
Two decades of GSA auctions built an entire civilian aftermarket. The supply is drying up, and the parts economy built around it hasn't noticed yet.
A single procurement decision moved more production volume than the entire civilian off-road segment combines in a year.