Panhard issues - need some advice!

[muffins]

Got a hilux with custom SAS conversion. The front panhard bushes were worn, so I pulled the panhard out, thinking that it would be a matter of simply putting in new bushes - boy was I wrong!

The reason the bushes have worn is because the panhard has been put in at an angle. I've got some simple diagrams showing a top down view of the problem:

Currently, the panhard is located between the mounts like this:


What has happened as a result is this:


I know that everyone will tell me that I need to get new mounts or something like that, which is obviously the most expensive way out. Other than premature wear of the bushes, and the bending of the panhard, is this design unsafe or will it not work though?

I had a few thoughts which I'd like some advice on: would the following panhard designs fix my problem?

Custom panhard with the eyes on an angle to the rod so as to fit square with the bolts:


A bend through the panhard so the eyes are square with the bolts:


I'm no engineer, so other people's advice would be much appreciated

[80's_delirious]

Id go with the last option. check you wont have clearance issues first.

[Shadow]

So the bolt goes through from the top of the mount's to the bottom??????

If this is the case, you need to rotate it 90degrees asap so the panhard can work properly. Bolt should go through the panhard rod from front to back, so the panhard can move down and up freely!

It must bind like a BITCH when the wheel nearest the diff end of the panhard drops down... And that is why its bending. Even if you do as in your last pic, you will probably find it still binds majorly when you flex the car up.



OR..., The bolts go from front to back(as it should), and the chassis mount is just misaligned (ie, further to the front of the car, or further to the rear of the car) than the diff end mount?

If thats the case I would either bend it as you have drawn in your last pic, which should work fine, or move the mount so that it works better, if you can in fact move the chassis mount, ie, nothing else in the way?

[MrGrim]

as long as the pivot axsis points are in parrell it will work fine then there will be no aposed force to either pivot

as you have shown in the last 2 picks

[DamTriton]

So the bolt goes through from the top of the mount's to the bottom??????

If this is the case, you need to rotate it 90degrees asap so the panhard can work properly. Bolt should go through the panhard rod from front to back, so the panhard can move down and up freely!

It must bind like a BITCH when the wheel nearest the diff end of the panhard drops down... And that is why its bending. Even if you do as in your last pic, you will probably find it still binds majorly when you flex the car up.



OR..., The bolts go from front to back(as it should), and the chassis mount is just misaligned (ie, further to the front of the car, or further to the rear of the car) than the diff end mount?

If thats the case I would either bend it as you have drawn in your last pic, which should work fine, or move the mount so that it works better, if you can in fact move the chassis mount, ie, nothing else in the way?

Looks like it is a chassis-diff alignment problem in plan view, ie diff fwd of chassis mount...

I would be guessing one way to fix it properly would be to shorten (adjustable???) the other links to pull the diff back into alignment with the chassis mount. The other more obvious way is to move the chassis mount, but there may be physical restrictions on doing that (steering box clearance, diff pumpkin clearance, coil bucket)

[muffins]

Thanks for the replies. Ok, so basically it's a top down view, and the chassis and diff mounts aren't aligned straight, so the chassis mount is further forward than the diff. To move the chassis mount back is impossible as the steering arms get in the way. To move the diff mount forward is possible, but it would be protruding forward of the diff significantly which would seem stupid. So if an panhard with a bend (looking from top down) could be manufactured would seem to me the most obvious and cost-effective solution. Now I just need to find somewhere to do the work

[BlueSuzy]

Where abouts are you?

[muffins]

Just near hornsby, but I will travel a bit if it means getting it done by the right crowd

[mavzilla]

i would cut the ends to alighn with the mounts and keep the panhard rod straight, pic 2 looks good

[Guy]

If you made a new one, you could look at using some of the rebuildable rod end type things .. (rockcrawler joints etc )
Of build it with the offset ends and panahard strait .. that wold maintain the most strength.

[80's_delirious]

there is no shortage of factory standard panhard rods with bends in them to clear diffs, sumps, chassis etc.

IMO bending it would let the rod come out of the brackets square on with less chance of fouling as opposed to making it with the ends welded on on an angle.

[rockcrawler31]

there is no shortage of factory standard panhard rods with bends in them to clear diffs, sumps, chassis etc.

IMO bending it would let the rod come out of the brackets square on with less chance of fouling as opposed to making it with the ends welded on on an angle.

Bingo!

Although while it may work from an engineering standpoint i'd like to hear from the fab and suspension gurus to know if there would be some kind of geometry clusterf*ckage with the way it is like that.

[Steve F]

Rather than moving the mounts backwards or forwards can you just cut and rotate them so the openings point to each other and keep the current panhard, probably cheaper in the long run if you need to get another made if it is just straight.

Cheers
Steve

[80's_delirious]

Rather than moving the mounts backwards or forwards can you just cut and rotate them so the openings point to each other and keep the current panhard, probably cheaper in the long run if you need to get another made if it is just straight.

Cheers
Steve

at some point they would bind (to some extent) as the bolts wouldnt stay perpendicular to the arc drawn by the end of the panhard rod as it articulates