03/02/11 - Rear Panhard Rod

Having previously fitted a front adjustable panhard rod I got around to starting fitting the rear today.

Dave at Bits4Vits has started selling Panhard Rod bushes and has achieved a superior design to those I had experimented with....

They are smart looking "cotton reel" designs which mean that they are self holding unlike the "top hat" design I had played with which suffered from popping out.

First of all, why do the Panhard Rods need to be adjusted? The picture below shows my standard rod bolted in position. As the rod is standard length it pulls the axle sideways when a Spring Lift is added (Mine has a 3" lift).

You can see how much it has pulled as when it is undone and the car is rocked a gap appears representing how off-centre the axle had been pulled. This is the amount of adjustment needed on my car.

Now to pop the bushes into the new Panhard Rod. First "wet" them with some lubricant to help things along. Then press the outer rubber into place (Dave has done this using a Vice but I opted for my press - so much easier!)

 

Then press in the centre metal piece...

A very smart and easy to do install, much easier than my rubbish design!

Disaster!! - work has halted. With the axle in its proper position it fouls the rear disk caliper (I have rear disk brakes). So its a pause with the thinking cap on. Of course I can adjust the rod down to pull it away but that, to some extent, defeats the purpose of centring the axle in the first place.