Adjustable panhard bar options...

[ShooterMcGavin]

I will be installing a lift soon and I have been advised to get an adjustable panhard bar. The two I have found online are the Toytec (~$220 shipped) and the Sonoran Steel (~$207 shipped). The SS page has a much more detailed description of the one they sell, mentioning full adjustability for a lift or lowering. I want something that will be fine for stock height and up to 4" of rear lift. Saving $13 is nice. Are there any drawbacks to the SS bar? Any others I should consider instead?

 

[lhsoulrebel]

I think those are pretty much your two options people run both, I haven't heard anything bad about either. I think both will allow adjustability for over 4" of lift. So order what ever one your most comfortable with. I have products from both places, and no complaints.

 

[Konkordmusk]

Be sure to order a panhard drop as well! An adjustable bar will correct axle positioning, but a panhard drop will correct the arc of travel
Also, you cannot go wrong with either, so maybe just pick the cheaper one!

 

[SweetWaterSurprise]

I have the SS, it works.

 

[D Farms]

Be sure to order a panhard drop as well! An adjustable bar will correct axle positioning, but a panhard drop will correct the arc of travel
Also, you cannot go wrong with either, so maybe just pick the cheaper one!

from doing some research the panhard drop makes the vehicle more tippy, the extended or adjustable panhard bar corrects the tracking of the rear wheels and maintains the factory pivot point. when you drop the pivot point with the drop bracket you add that much more of a lever for the body to roll.

 

[Konkordmusk]

from doing some research the panhard drop makes the vehicle more tippy, the extended or adjustable panhard bar corrects the tracking of the rear wheels and maintains the factory pivot point. when you drop the pivot point with the drop bracket you add that much more of a lever for the body to roll.

I believe your "tippy" terminology comes from Steve at SS's words on the page for his adjustable bar. I believe he is referring to ONLY running the drop bracket; not an adjustable AND drop. I completely agree that running JUST the drop will make the vehicle more tippy. However, with both, you correct the arc of travel, which helps the driveline track straight even under compresion, as well as center it within the wheel wells and for your thrust angle. Having lifted my truck around 4", checking the alignment, i have 0.60º of thrust angle. 0 is ideal!
See this thread for further confirmation on my thoughts:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...-panhard-drop-bracket-adjustable-tracbar.html

Plus, doing a bar drop AND an adjustable will prevent driveshaft contact with the gas tank skid plate. Win-Win!

 

[blcktpgsr]

I believe your "tippy" terminology comes from Steve at SS's words on the page for his adjustable bar. I believe he is referring to ONLY running the drop bracket; not an adjustable AND drop. I completely agree that running JUST the drop will make the vehicle more tippy. However, with both, you correct the arc of travel, which helps the driveline track straight even under compresion, as well as center it within the wheel wells and for your thrust angle. Having lifted my truck around 4", checking the alignment, i have 0.60º of thrust angle. 0 is ideal!
See this thread for further confirmation on my thoughts:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...-panhard-drop-bracket-adjustable-tracbar.html

Plus, doing a bar drop AND an adjustable will prevent driveshaft contact with the gas tank skid plate. Win-Win!

That for real?

 

[Konkordmusk]

That for real?

It won't 100% prevent contact, it definitely depends on the truck, but it will certainly help; without a drop (and adj. bar), the arc of travel is sorta diagonal, right in the gas tank skids way. With a drop (and adj. bar), the arc swings everything just inside of the skid. Ideally, at least. I might draw a diagram to illustrate this, but I feel you might get the idea!

 

[D Farms]

oh actually i found out about the body roll from older mustangs, they had panhards as well, I also knew about the gas tank issue, but I was unaware that the panhard drop could possibly do that. Id think that a bracket mounted on the axle would be ideal, It would make the "fulcrum" of the sprung weight of the truck instead of lowering it, and the higher the "fulcrum" the smaller the amount of leverage the body has over the rear suspension.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I'm not set up for welding. I'd like to get the adjustable panhard first and then assess whether I need the panhard drop later.

Honestly, I thought the panhard drop was a "hack" fix, instead of buying the more essential adjustable panhard bar. I'll have to do more research and eventually attempt to take the advice from this thread. Money is still a concern too, so we'll see.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

i did a panhard lift instead of a panhard drop and i also have a adjustable bar as well.

 

[JBurt]

[MENTION=30949]SIKHILUXSURF[/MENTION] how long have you been running that setup? Is that just a normal drop bracket welded to the axle instead? Any issues?

 

[GhostRing]

I would still very much want to overbuild that lift bracket...

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

[MENTION=30949]SIKHILUXSURF[/MENTION] how long have you been running that setup? Is that just a normal drop bracket welded to the axle instead? Any issues?

It is a modified drop bracket. It was notched to slide onto the axle side and was welded in after I have been running it since February of this year and no issues.

 

[shinyblackdeer]

+1 for Sonoran Steel. Steve will answer any questions you have.

 

[MStudt]

Body roll and the "tippy" feeling are the exact same thing. No matter how it's set-up you're not going to be able to completely get rid of that feeling. You might be able to limited, but it's still going to be there. By adding a drop bracket and using the stock pan hard you'll achieve the exact same thing as using the drop bracket and adjustable pan hard with a 3-4" set-up. The only time in that situation when an adjustable will be useful is when you want to remove the lift.

Your body roll comes from the weight of vehicle and the coil springs on the rear. Notice how you don't get much boy roll in the front? With the added weight of the motor, the more rigid coilovers, and sway bars up front help keep it almost unnoticed (I don't even run a sway bar in the front and don't notice it much). Now moving to the rear where we don't have nearly as much weight, have coil springs that aren't as stiff, and in some case have an extra couple hundred pounds hanging off a rear bumper (which give you the "tippy" feeling). You're going to notice about 85% of your body roll coming from the rear.

No matter what you run you're going to have body roll. Getting your axle back to the stock position is the most important thing when trying to achieve a flex that won't bind or limit itself by something you did to it.

Oh course this is just my own opinion, and everyone will have one.

 

[Yoter]

It is a modified drop bracket. It was notched to slide onto the axle side and was welded in after I have been running it since February of this year and no issues.

Looks good!
Did you make the bar as well?
What bump stops are you running?