Topic: Pan Hard Rod ?

[whiteman]

     I was thinking about a Pan Hard Rod and how it works.  Would it limit your travel?  Because as your axle moves upward under compression the Pan Hard Rod hast to move outward as it moves up therefore it has to push your axle out to one side.

     I can see it wouldn't hurt you if you were flexing on something because as one end of the axle moves up the other and moves down or stays in one position allowing the axle to have the play needed to compress or DE-compress the Pan Hard Rod.

     I know that the play is minimal but still the slightest bit can make a world of difference in some cases.  In theory if it were a light rig  rather than limiting the travel it would make the rig pull side to side as you go over bumps at high speeds.  But if it were a heavy rig rather than letting the axle move side too side it would make a harsher ride and possibly if the mounting point was not made strong enough, it could brake or bend what ever it was mounted to.                   

          Again I am not sure if these facts are true and if it makes a deference in travel,  I just started thinking and this is what I came up with to question, I am not saying a Pan Hard Rod is a good or bad thing I was just thinking          

          Any comments would be appreciated! 

[Hyena]

Most people that make custom suspensions with pan hard bars make them level with the body/axle.  So it will have equal amount of up travel and down travel.  If it is level then it won't have much side to side movement of the axle/body when it is compressed or extended.

[BigMike]

Yup, that's why you also see them running from one side to the other in order to make the rod as long as possible to minimize this effect.

[whiteman [OP]]

         How would they make the rod level with the body or axle.  Do they use a drop mount from the frame or a raised mount from the axle?
I have never seen it done like that.            Thanks for the input guy's 

[notajeep]

exactly! 

[robinhood4x4]

Toyota panhard: http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/#Panhard

[ntsqd]

Usually you don't want the panhard rod exactly level. It should have a slight downward slope towards the axle hsg. Very little street driving involves much droop, but quite a bit involves compression. The idea behind the slight slope is to maximize the 'sweet spot' of the rod's arc. In that sweet spot the rod will have very little lateral deflection for the amount of verticle travel.

Also note that if you're thinking to use one on the front suspension that your draglink and the panhard rod need to travel in arcs that are both similar in radius and similar in starting and stopping points. Otherwise it will have bumpsteer.