GQ Adjustable Panhards

[dieseldude]

Where is a good place to get some of these for my truck?

What should I expect to pay?

I just got quoted $260.00 each for Tough Dog ones from Oppositte Lock in Newfarm, Brisbane...

[ludacris]

I have them for five hundred a pair. I have a set on the shelf so it is a matter of just picking them up if you like champ. Mine also come in black and come with original bushes not the poly crap.

Cris

[Area54]

Adjustable panhard rods (among other things) are something that is heavily scrutinised by QLD DOT, something to consider when purchasing these items. Don't think that you will never get pulled over for inspection... you have been warned.

Call BATC - Les Duffell - he supplies front and rear (don't remember the price) rods, stamped along with engineering certification, ready for QLD DOT approval. Powdercoated red They are competition proven on his own comp rig.


BATC - 3890 4211, new cleveland road Tingalpa.

[bogged]

contact whiteline they sell em, but about same price as Cris has em..

[ludacris]

Les Duffell panard rods come without bushes and cost $220 each and only come in red unless you specify what colour you want then you have to wait for them to be made up. I can get them as well and can press original bushes in but it will cost more than $500.

Cris

[dieseldude]

What are the issues with adjustable panhards and QLD transport?

What's the legislation with them? Illegal or what?
$500 sounds reasonable though

[dieseldude]

Ludacris.

Any pictures of the ones that you sell?

[ludacris]

Anything over two inches is illegal unless you can get the entire lift engineered.

Cris

[ludacris]

I have to sort out the digi camera this arvo if I have enough time. I will get a photo to you asap.

LudaCris

[Area54]

What are the issues with adjustable panhards and QLD transport?

What's the legislation with them? Illegal or what?
$500 sounds reasonable though

They are not illegal if you go via the appropriate channels and have the supporting documentation.

The fact that you are replacing a genuine factory item (that has been manufactured under controlled conditions) that has undergone rigorous testing by the manufacturer (albeit in a batch testing method) to comply with ADR's, with an item that could very well have been made in a home workshop (no one is to take this the wrong way - there are some talented home workshop people) out of unknown materials (to QLD transport) with no backup paperwork from a qualified auto engineer stating the item has been tested, material, xray welds etc. (Again I'm not targeting this at anyone, just pointing out the standpoint of QLD transport.)

The fact that yes, the original panhard rod leaves a lot to be desired strengthwise, you could make a stronger one from a star picket with tin cans welded on the end, but QLD transport will just defect the vehicle if they see non approved panhard rods on the vehicle. If you work fulltime this is a real pita, the work you have to do can be a nightmare. I recently went right through all this, it was easy for me as I'm self employed, but was still a lot of work running around. I had a bit more than just panhards, but the defect was still there (full off the road yellow slip) My advice is simple - do it right the first place, you will be approved, and when you get pulled over for an inspection you will be in the clear (well for this item anyway )

Yep Cris is right - 45mm lift on a Patrol is legal.

[dieseldude]

Yeah? The cops could have a field day anywhere at any time I'd say!

My mate got his panhards from Les and his still got defected big time!

All it had (the GQ) was 6inch lift and 35's. He had no way at all of getting around it. He tried and tried and in the end just lowered it then sold it.

So is it likely that the cops will ping you for a 4 inch lift? Pretty sure if it is that high already then it's already illegal so the panhards aren't that big of a deal.

Hmmmmmmmmm......... What to do.........

[Area54]

You are not reading my posts, and the answer to your mate getting defected is in your own post. 6 inch in spring is not approved, and 35's are not approved.

Les supplies engineering documentation with the rods he sells, each part is stamped with a serial number to correspond with the paperwork. Les has gone via the channels to have his items approved, in consultation with an approved automotive engineer. It is the responsibility of the owner to apply to QLD transport to fit the items to the vehicle, using the Vehicle Modification Application form 1854, available from QLD transport offices, or they can fax it to you. Phone up the modifications department on 3253 4851 - they are very helpful.

I'ts hard to say if your 4 inch is legal or not, you will have to work out the height for yourself, as some 4 inch kits are like 6, and vice versa. Suspension height is whats termed as a self clearance item, you still have to provide details of how your height conforms to the regulations, but it requires no additional inspection ie at the pits.

I'tll be obvious to the inspectors if your tyres protrude outside the flare on the drivers side - pretty much the only reason you need to fit adjustable panhards anyway.

If you want more height, go the body lift. I know bru21 will disagree. But its a method of extra height that QLD transport don't have a problem with, again if the proper channels are followed.

[choppa1978]

I have les's arms in all my trucks and he can supply with genuine bushes for around $500, never had a problem with them and if you did i cant see les sortin it out asap 4 you , i no that 2 of my mate got defected and had to go to pineapple st d.o.t and with the right paper work they passed all arm mod's , the papper work that les gives you is ample. with height regulations its a very touchy subjuct as your only aloud 1/3 origanal bump stop clearance increase or decreace , well some one tell me what is origanal ????

we got 2 trucks threw on 2in body and 4in coils just told them it was 2in coils
got a self clearence and thats it. all i can say is if your going to put the arms in go to dot and let them see them in and show all your papper work...



cheers

[dieseldude]

Troy, sorry about that........I did answer my own question.....!

I should have realised that 6 inch lift is illegal. Oops.....

I mainly want them because I have a DX and I don't like having flares. My wheels do stick out the right hand side a little and I'm sick of getting dirty all up one side!! And it looks stupid from behind too!!

Ludacris, if you could post some pictures then that'd be much appreciated.

Cheers.

[bogged]

Anything over two inches is illegal unless you can get the entire lift engineered.

Cris

same anywhere well 75mm in some states.

[bru21]

you are only allowed 2" lift OR 2" blocks not both. you may get away with both or you may not but on paper not. i got defected big time and they said nothing about my 7" coils. they didn't like my uapproved 5 link though. my tyres stuck out a little and they nabbed me for that too but said nothing about the 35" diameter or the obvious 10"rims. they hated no mudflaps and about 10 other minor things. i got a rodie and mod plates and i was back on the road. so it all depends on who pulls you over. i think most importantly it must look roadworthy. like cutting your guards carefully makes your tyres look more in proportion and hence more factory.

why do wou want adjustable panhards. i think they are a pita. keep working loose. i have wizard ones. when i finish my truck i will adjust them correctly and fab my own non adjustable ones out of the original ends and heavy pipe and they will look original to the dot. cost under $40 too. cheers bru

[Area54]

you are only allowed 2" lift OR 2" blocks not both. you may get away with both or you may not but on paper not. i got defected big time and they said nothing about my 7" coils. they didn't like my uapproved 5 link though. my tyres stuck out a little and they nabbed me for that too but said nothing about the 35" diameter or the obvious 10"rims. they hated no mudflaps and about 10 other minor things. i got a rodie and mod plates and i was back on the road. so it all depends on who pulls you over. i think most importantly it must look roadworthy. like cutting your guards carefully makes your tyres look more in proportion and hence more factory.

why do wou want adjustable panhards. i think they are a pita. keep working loose. i have wizard ones. when i finish my truck i will adjust them correctly and fab my own non adjustable ones out of the original ends and heavy pipe and they will look original to the dot. cost under $40 too. cheers bru

Ahem, is this based on a fact at all? I don't think so.

Yes, some inspecting officers in the field don't have the training to identify all mods out there, some officers are specialists in their field, ie concentrating on heavy haulage trucks, but if they see something that just doesn't seem right on a 4wd, they have the right to defect you, forwarding you to have an inspection at a station where the officers there will have access to the appropriate reference material and computer databases for information.

Suspension lifts and body lifts CAN be performed simultaneously, but individual specifications must not be exceeded.

[blkmav]

All this talk makes me glad I live in Victoria

However all my mods are legal*

*This may or may not be true

[Simo63]

I had a Rangie ute that I built for the Xtreme winch series here in QLD and it had too many mods to remember or list but i went to Chapmans at Cooroy and they modded the whole bloody thing. This included 4 inch lifted springs, 2 inch body lift, adj panard rod etc etc etc.

They did tell me that my 36 inch Silverstones were not legal though. The funny thing was that i parked it in the main street of Nambour, just up from the Police station for around 12 months before i sold it to a guy from Cairns ... not like it was suble either ... bright red,, white and blue paintjob and completely covered in sponsors stickers as well .... guess I must have been lucky.

But in all seriousness, If I had of been involved in a road accident or something like that then i would have been in deep sh#t ... and that's what eventually got me to sell it.

Cheers
Simo

[bogged]

so it all depends on who pulls you over.
cheers bru

Post of the week!.. SO TRUE

[dieseldude]

Blu21

I want the adjustable panhards because my wheels aren't in the centre. I understand that you might have been asking a rhetorical quetion so don't take offence to my lame answer.

Anyway, I need some so if I can get a good deal, I will take it.

$500 a pair seems to be the best so far...............

[bogged]

thought of cutting and rewelding your current ones?

[Hoonz]

I had a Rangie ute that I built for the Xtreme winch series here in QLD and it had too many mods to remember or list but i went to Chapmans at Cooroy and they modded the whole bloody thing. This included 4 inch lifted springs, 2 inch body lift, adj panard rod etc etc etc.

They did tell me that my 36 inch Silverstones were not legal though. The funny thing was that i parked it in the main street of Nambour, just up from the Police station for around 12 months before i sold it to a guy from Cairns ... not like it was suble either ... bright red,, white and blue paintjob and completely covered in sponsors stickers as well .... guess I must have been lucky.

But in all seriousness, If I had of been involved in a road accident or something like that then i would have been in deep sh#t ... and that's what eventually got me to sell it.

Cheers
Simo

hey simo did ya hear the young fella who bought ur rig put it on its lid in his first comp kekekekeke



Hoonz

[Simo63]

Yeah Bill was his name ... he rang me and told me the week after the event ... it's okay though ,, I supplied a full set of replacement panels when i sold it. I warned him that it would get him into places that he shouldn't be .... although if you've seen the Feb 2003 Xtreme winch challenge video you may recognise the Rangie upside down (again) in a creek bed after I flipped it over backwards ... shit those Silverstones have got some grip .... seemed like the tyres stopped spinning and the car rotated around the bloody diff ... hurt too ... we were around 6 metres up the embankment and it fell back onto it's roof in 1 step ... ie didn't touch anything else just fell backwards until it contacted terra firms ... glad i put that extra heavy duty cargo barrier (read unapproved rollbar) in the rear ... the bonnet was flat, broke the master cylinder, smashed the instrument cluster then the roof rose up to the roll bar and then back down to the rear tailgate .... still, used a highlift jack to bash her all straight and won a section on the final day .. she was a great truck.

That was still a station wagon ..... got it home and that's when it went from Rooted to Uted .. lol

I wonder how he is going with it now?

Cheers
Simo

[Hoonz]

dunno havn't heard from him ... but its all good ... he had fun was the main thing

ehehehe

[bazzle]

Ive got Mal Leslie Panhards. Made to a set length (15mm longer on mine) , painted black, stronger, OE bushes, look stock.
No adj nuts etc to fail or come loose.

Bazzle

[Simo63]

Now that idea has real merit ... nobody would be able to tell unless they really looked hard and measured .... only downside is that if you change spring heights you may be up for another one ..... but the factory ones aren't adjustable and when the std springs sag out that is okay so I think that is a good option Bazzle.

How much were they?

Simo

[bru21]

Blu21

I want the adjustable panhards because my wheels aren't in the centre. I understand that you might have been asking a rhetorical quetion so don't take offence to my lame answer.

Anyway, I need some so if I can get a good deal, I will take it.

$500 a pair seems to be the best so far...............

i know that but they don't have to be adjustable. work out how much longer it has to be and lenghten it by that amount. buy heavy wall tube and fishmouth each end and weld to your original eyes (press the bushes out first) and done. its basic trig to work out the new length. or what i did ages ago was cut the original panhard up weld cyclone rod to one end and a nut to the other. when you have the right length do as above and build them.

[bru21]

you are only allowed 2" lift OR 2" blocks not both. you may get away with both or you may not but on paper not. i got defected big time and they said nothing about my 7" coils. they didn't like my uapproved 5 link though. my tyres stuck out a little and they nabbed me for that too but said nothing about the 35" diameter or the obvious 10"rims. they hated no mudflaps and about 10 other minor things. i got a rodie and mod plates and i was back on the road. so it all depends on who pulls you over. i think most importantly it must look roadworthy. like cutting your guards carefully makes your tyres look more in proportion and hence more factory.

why do wou want adjustable panhards. i think they are a pita. keep working loose. i have wizard ones. when i finish my truck i will adjust them correctly and fab my own non adjustable ones out of the original ends and heavy pipe and they will look original to the dot. cost under $40 too. cheers bru

Ahem, is this based on a fact at all? I don't think so.

Yes, some inspecting officers in the field don't have the training to identify all mods out there, some officers are specialists in their field, ie concentrating on heavy haulage trucks, but if they see something that just doesn't seem right on a 4wd, they have the right to defect you, forwarding you to have an inspection at a station where the officers there will have access to the appropriate reference material and computer databases for information.

Suspension lifts and body lifts CAN be performed simultaneously, but individual specifications must not be exceeded.

i was told this by the dot when i got pinged a few years back. and by the guy that does my mod plates. the code available to the public is basic and vague and everyone draws their own views from it. you go and find better proof if it bugs you.

[Area54]

Proof is in my approval letter from the engineering department in QLD Transport and the Inspector that sighted the vehicle at my thorough pit inspection only a few months ago.

Look I'm not trying to start an argument, fact is there are heaps of people around the traps that have difficulty in getting solid information and good advice - that includes from some shops and component sellers. The majority are people looking for a way to do it right, but don't know where to turn. The people who do know where to go or how to do it - ie hardcore element or comp rigs - don't need to ask or are happy to take the risk with unapproved mods. They aren't too concerned about accidents etc - the risk might be too small given the time they drive them on the roads - I can't speak for their reasons. But for the average law abiding joe that wants good solid responsible info - that won't get them in hot water with DOT or their insurance in the case of an accident - they need to know the proper channels.

I just like helping people out, and experience is something that is good to pass down.

A major defect is not really expensive, but the hassle of having the rig off the road, returning the rig to standard to pass the inspection (as happens most of the time - mentioned in previous posts) or going to the trouble of researching and making items comply with regulations - is just beyond most people's time and patience levels.

Like I said, do the research via QLD TRansport modifications help line, get everything approved and you'll be able to sleep at night. It may squash the dreams of having the baddest rig on the block, but this aint the US.