Home Made Adjustable Panhard bar.

[maxspeed96ct]

Theres no way I was going to pay 200 $ for one, maybe for the serious offroader it might be worth it. Not me

So to recenter my rear end.

Picked up a 5 x 3/4 bolt and 2 nuts at home depot. Total cost was $4.00


Welded one nut onto the bar, and the other is a backup.

I cut the head off the bolt and welded that into the other end.

And wallla !! :surfer:

The only down side is you have to unbolt it if you want to adjust, unlike some of the aftermarket ones ive seen have a left hand thread on the other end for quicker adjustment by just moving the rod.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Is that bolt a good enough grade (especially after welding) to handle the stress of the panhard? I am not sure I would trust that..

 

[scoobydann]

Negative sir. Although in theory it works, and may work for a while i would seriously reconsider

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Man no one has faith in some 7018 rod and a grade A 3/4 bolt anymore. Ill put it back in wednsday and do some good flex tests.

 

[Singtoe]

I am sure that it is strong enough. The oem pan bar tubing is thin as all can be. the weakest link would be the welds.

 

[cobiker]

Another weak point would be where the bolt threads into the nut welded into the panhard bar. Thats only half an inch of threads holding it all up. Wouldnt that loosen over stress and time? maybe two bolts together would be better.

But all in all still an excellent home made idea!

 

[MAD 69]

Your better off trying to find an OEM PHB, that bolt will snap after it is exposed to the elements pretty quickly...
Goodluck with it though...

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Another weak point would be where the bolt threads into the nut welded into the panhard bar. Thats only half an inch of threads holding it all up. Wouldnt that loosen over stress and time? maybe two bolts together would be better.

But all in all still an excellent home made idea!

After seeing how cheap and thin the oem panhard bar is I think the 3/4 nut threads will hold up fine. Plus the jam nut will keep it from losening . Ill keep you guys updated, I'm going to be putting it to the test wednesday.

 

[fightman80]

Don't let everyone get you down on your idea, I got alot of nay-sayers telling me that my tire carrier wouldn't hold up! It's been well over a year, and still no signs of wear!

That being said, they MAY be right, just make sure you get a professional welder/fabricator to look at your work. This way, you have an educated opinion, criticizing your work. I had 1 heavy duty mechanic, and 1 welder/fabricator look over my design ideas and final product, before it was tested on the road.

I hope it works out for you man! Maybe someone will copy your idea! :trophy:

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Don't let everyone get you down on your idea, I got alot of nay-sayers telling me that my tire carrier wouldn't hold up! It's been well over a year, and still no signs of wear!

That being said, they MAY be right, just make sure you get a professional welder/fabricator to look at your work. This way, you have an educated opinion, criticizing your work. I had 1 heavy duty mechanic, and 1 welder/fabricator look over my design ideas and final product, before it was tested on the road.

I hope it works out for you man! Maybe someone will copy your idea! :trophy:

Thanks man, when I put it on Im going to unbolt the sway bar, and flex the rear end as much as can each way with my 3 ton jack and see how it holds up.

The guy that welded it is a profesional pipe welder, so I trust his skills.

The weakest link may be the threads on the rod like some said. But after seeing what the bar is made out of im not nervus

 

[Singtoe]

Thanks man, when I put it on Im going to unbolt the sway bar, and flex the rear end as much as can each way with my 3 ton jack and see how it holds up.

The guy that welded it is a profesional pipe welder, so I trust his skills.

The weakest link may be the threads on the rod like some said. But after seeing what the bar is made out of im not nervus

I think the real way to test is to insert it into 2" receiver of your trailer hitch, pin it in and do it the same to another 4runner's trail hitch and have a tug of war. If it doesn't break, I think that you are good to go. :zoom:

 

[Big John]

Man no one has faith in some 7018 rod and a grade A 3/4 bolt anymore. Ill put it back in wednsday and do some good flex tests.

I'm having trouble finding specs on a "grade A" bolt. Can you school me on this?

 

[rajuncajun]

I think it'll hold. Now get all rusty and totally eliminated the point of being threaded... that's another story.

I would have searched out at least a carbon treated nut/bolt. Only part I'm skeptical of is where the nut is welded to the eye part of the panhard.

Really hope it works.

 

[prospectator]

Although I admire your ingenuity and cost-conscience approach.
Why not spend $10-15 for good hardware. It's cheap and simple insurance. Good Luck.

 

[t4r4life]

Don't let everyone get you down on your idea, I got alot of nay-sayers telling me that my tire carrier wouldn't hold up! It's been well over a year, and still no signs of wear!

That being said, they MAY be right, just make sure you get a professional welder/fabricator to look at your work. This way, you have an educated opinion, criticizing your work. I had 1 heavy duty mechanic, and 1 welder/fabricator look over my design ideas and final product, before it was tested on the road.

I hope it works out for you man! Maybe someone will copy your idea! :trophy:

consider it copied lol

 

[City_Rider]

I'm having trouble finding specs on a "grade A" bolt. Can you school me on this?

I'll bite and say that he probably meant a 'Grade 8' bolt - but then again, that doesn't look like grade 8 hardware, perhaps grade 5.

 

[steezemcqueen]

IMHO, you should listen to the guys on yotatech.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Don't let everyone get you down on your idea, I got alot of nay-sayers telling me that my tire carrier wouldn't hold up! It's been well over a year, and still no signs of wear!

That being said, they MAY be right, just make sure you get a professional welder/fabricator to look at your work. This way, you have an educated opinion, criticizing your work. I had 1 heavy duty mechanic, and 1 welder/fabricator look over my design ideas and final product, before it was tested on the road.

I hope it works out for you man! Maybe someone will copy your idea! :trophy:

Way to be fickle fightman. And I am not trying to naysay. Everyone needs their designs checked. We're still waiting for your hinges to break

Thanks man, when I put it on Im going to unbolt the sway bar, and flex the rear end as much as can each way with my 3 ton jack and see how it holds up.

The guy that welded it is a profesional pipe welder, so I trust his skills.

The weakest link may be the threads on the rod like some said. But after seeing what the bar is made out of im not nervus

I am not doubting the welding, I am sure they are as strong as they can be, I am more concerned with the material itself. If it is standard home depot stuff, then it is not a good enough grade for a vehicle suspension application, even at .75in. Then when you weld it, it changes the structure anyway, and rarely for the stronger.

That bar may be thin, but Toyota has tested it alot, it is probably a good grade of metal, and it has no threads. I don't know for sure what Sonoran steel uses for theirs, but I doubt it is home depot grade.

 

[cordrayj1]

toyota "designed". enough said.

i have the Sonoran Steel one. it is beefy. not worried in the least.


personally, i would be sketched out using anything below grade 8 for that app. i can feel the force on my panhard when i shift (5 speed with Aussie locker) and i would bet that i could snap that hardware relatively quickly . . . Just my opinion though. let us know how it goes.

 

[sportscarfan]

IMHO, you should listen to the guys on yotatech.

Agreed - as harsh as that thread is going.

It's not going to fail when flexing the rear end with the jack in the driveway, it's going to happen when you are going at highway speed loaded up with a bunch of others along for the ride. That bar sees both compression and tension with every bump in the road...repeated over time something will let go.

Even worse, more cornering speed = more load. Throw in a mid-corner jostle (bridge expansion joint) and the forces are momentarily multiplied. Nothing else is keeping the rear axle centered if/when something breaks.

I'd be nervous.