Thread: panhard bar with quickchange

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well i was looking at my 32 and i have the rear mocked up in the frame . it is a 3/4 ton winters , and im using a pete and jakes ladder bar setup . i have a panhard mount that bolts to the front of the rear near the yoke , but if i run the bar paralel as i was told (wheather is correct info or not) that will put the bar thru the ladder bars . is there any other way to do this ? if pics are available id appreciate it . and if someone has install tips that will work also .

Not a good way. I would prefer a Watts linkage to keep the rear end centered, but if you have to run a panhard bar, then run it off the top where the axle tubes bolt on and over to the frame rail. To minimize the misalignment inherent with a panhard bar, make the bar as long as possible, too....

do you meen bolt one to the side bell bolts or one to the tube and go over the rear to the frame rail . do you have a good pic of a watts linkage on a simular setup w ladder bars?

found this on speedway motors

The kit from Speedway is a good basic Watt's linkage. If you could mount this off the front of the center section with a rod going to either frame rail it would work excellent. The bars on a Watt's linkage have to be mounted so they are equal length and parallel, then the rear end will remain centered under the car throughout the entire range of motion of the rear suspension. It does get a bit tight with ladder bars, but is by far the best setup.

If you only have room for a Panhard bar you would want it as long as possible. For example a bracket off the center section that is angle to the right as much as you can, then the other end of the bar mounted to the left frame rail making the bar itself as long as possible.

I don't have one mounted right now, but the basic Speedway kit is the same as I pattern mine off of. On lighter cars, I usually make the tubes out of heavy wall aluminum tubing. Much lighter, plenty strong, and they polish up very nice.....

Below is a watts setup to consider as an example. With either the watts or panhard mount it as high as you can. The top bar of the P&J ladders is at about the axle tube center line, so clearance isn't real tight considering the relatively limited travel. You may have to modify the floor for clearance. Also, though it may mess with the aesthetics of the quicky, you can mount a watts (or panhard for that matter) behind the axle too (again depending on space available).

This isn't a great close-up photo, but it should give you an idea. You should be able to make a bracket that attaches to some of the side bolts on your differential housing. If you use the Panhard bar on front and rear, make sure they mount to the same side of the frame. You don't want the front to tango while the rear is waltzing . . .

I disagree slightly with my esteemed colleagues about the Watts linkage. While they perfectly center the rear axle, I don't use them because I don't believe they're necessary due to the limited travel of street rod suspensions. Also, it makes the rear suspension a bit too "busy" for my taste. That's just me.

One other point. If you use the Speedway Watts kit, I certainly wouldn't use four Heim ends. Urethane bushings are much more street friendly.

By the way, Bob, that's a nice Watts you set up in that photo.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

By the way, Bob, that's a nice Watts you set up in that photo.

Thanks Jack, but not my doing, that's a web found pic from the "Hmmmmmmmm, interesting idea" file.

ahhhh now im wondering what maybe the best way far as looks go too. another thing is the rear is large and i dont want to modify the floor at all . the other is the ladder bars get in the way of the panhard if i mount it to the pinion area

i looked at it again im definatly gona have to mount my setup near the pinion area for sure . , speedway also has a one hole bracket that mounts to the pinion area bolts. i wonder if i can utilize that to make a watts link there , i sure i can though ..another thing is im gonna be producing 500hp with my blower motor , im not saying im gonna be shooting of the line at 5500 rpm but for what im reading a watts maybe the safest for this beast of a car

its the purple one in pic ......gotta chrome that piece

I don't think it's that hard. Make a U-shaped bracket coming forward off of the two bolts I've marked and the one bolt on the other side of the housing. Keep the mounting point of the bar at or below the top of the housing, and attach the other end to the left frame rail. This should clear the ladder bars and the floor - unless you have a channelled body.

so your saying just a single panhard bar then ? will it also be long enough if so just going from the frame side to the center of the rear ?

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

I don't think it's that hard. Make a U-shaped bracket coming forward off of the two bolts I've marked and the one bolt on the other side of the housing. Keep the mounting point of the bar at or below the top of the housing, and attach the other end to the left frame rail. This should clear the ladder bars and the floor - unless you have a channelled body.

Keep in mind that the panhard bar does not have to be a straight piece of tubing. The line drawn through the bar ends determines the angle of the bar. The closer to level this is at ride height and the longer the bar, the less the side to side movement you will have. The higher the bar is mounted, using the center of the bar as a reference, the less body roll you will have. If the bar has bends, it will need to be heavier wall and/or larger tubing.

If you mean like this . . . , yep. If you fabricate the right bracket, the bar could go from the left frame rail to the right side of the housing. Note the P&J chassis with ladder bars - and this is a channelled car. (I retract my U-Bolt idea.) Rather, it looks to me like you could use your "purple bracket" off the pinion housing. That should raise the Panhard high enough to clear the ladder bars. Use a Heim end on the "purple bracket" and a urethane 4-bar fitting on the frame bracket. You might even be able to rotate it one bolt hole towards the right frame rail to make the bar a little longer. In a bit, I'll attach a drawing of a home-made bracket that could make the bar even longer.