Kraze's Mall Crawler build thread

It just doesn't look like it took a hit is the thing:



It has some very minor scratches, but I would imagine there would be a big dent somewhere if it was a direct hit that made that bend?
 
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I don't think it's tubing, all the links are solid steel as far as I know. You might not necessarily see a mark or ding depending on what you hit. Either that or the axle took a massive hit compressing it which would probably only happen in a roll.
 
^^The PHB is tube.^^
Looking at the pictures it is really interesting, it looks as if it bent exactly to the angle and placement it would naturally rest in if you did not have a phb drop.
 
This is crazy, but my previous 2wd black t4r had the same bend.
Mines too, had zero markings underneath and was clean as it looked like it came from factory.
I had a bend in it and if i remember correctly i even posted a thread about it a while back.

It had the same bend and i could not figure it out at all, what was even more crazy was that 2wd 4runner never really got much time offroad and if it did, it was very minor stuff back then.

I still till this day cant think of how it happened.

BUT there is good news, after i replaced it with a straight one from a junkyard i cut the end off the bent old one and now i use it ever now and then as a solid breaker bar.
any ratchet will fit right in the tube and i have never found a bolt i could not break loose without it.

haha let me see if i can find that thread..

EDIT: Found the thread.. but with a more interesting twist to my story...
5198801a.jpg~original


Mines was bent there, but the other way around!?! haha even more of a mind bender.. why would mines be bent the other way around, even more so impossible for it to happen offroad haha.

link to thread if your interested: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/87618-panhard-crooked-pics.html
 
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snivilous said:
I don't think it's tubing, all the links are solid steel as far as I know. You might not necessarily see a mark or ding depending on what you hit. Either that or the axle took a massive hit compressing it which would probably only happen in a roll.
Click to expand...

I am aware that you are a physics engineering student or something along those lines but do you know how heavy solid steel is? If you do, and have ever removed the panhard or your lowers you would know these aren't solid.

Here are my old lowers after I cut the ends off the make some new 1/4" links.

epubepyh.jpg
 
Kraze said:
It just doesn't look like it took a hit is the thing:



It has some very minor scratches, but I would imagine there would be a big dent somewhere if it was a direct hit that made that bend?
Click to expand...

I see scratches right were it bent, it's possible that you put a ever so slight bend in the PH bar on an earlier trip (or earlier that trip) and it folded in the same spot under stress (truck flexed out or a hard hit to the suspension).

Imagine a perfectly straight piece of wire (or paper clip), squeeze it in your fingers and it will will put up a fight. Now put a small bend in it and squeeze it again, it will just fold in half. The stock tubing is thin wall tubing, it wouldn't be hard to bend it under the right circumstances.
 
that trackbar is way thin. It bent because you hit it on a rock. that link itself does not see the force of the other links. Its only there to locate the axle side to side. Its not seeing any torque from the motor.

And that bend is not really hurting anything. It makes the panhard slightly shorter in overall length, but it is minor. Its probably fine just leaving it bent. i would just leave it. Maybe weld something to it to try and reinforce it. COnsider it a high clearance track bar.

And dont worry about the wheeling trip there are always more.
 
The PH bar is actually surprisingly thick...thicker than the lower control arms for sure. 0.135" is the exact spec....

I bent mine when I had my 2wd truck as well, and I don't know how. It definitely wasn't from wheeling.
 
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NateMob said:
I am aware that you are a physics engineering student or something along those lines but do you know how heavy solid steel is? If you do, and have ever removed the panhard or your lowers you would know these aren't solid.

Here are my old lowers after I cut the ends off the make some new 1/4" links.

epubepyh.jpg
Click to expand...

I've never pulled the lower links or panhard, I just assumed they were solid from their weird shape and since the jeeps I wheel with have solid links. Thanks for the info though!
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. The more I think about it, the more I agree with you all. Maybe there was some sideways force on the axle when it took the hit and that's what made it bend easier. It could have happened coming off Pancake rock on the last wheeling trip I went on. I remember hitting the rear end on something, but I figured it was the rear bumper.

Next question. Now that the panhard bar is a bit shorter, does that move the axle more to the passenger side or driver side?

And I'm definitely going to turn it into a cheater bar when I get a replacement. Thanks for the suggestion [MENTION=46681]awpsome[/MENTION]!
 
Kraze said:
Thanks for the responses everyone. The more I think about it, the more I agree with you all. Maybe there was some sideways force on the axle when it took the hit and that's what made it bend easier. It could have happened coming off Pancake rock on the last wheeling trip I went on. I remember hitting the rear end on something, but I figured it was the rear bumper.

Next question. Now that the panhard bar is a bit shorter, does that move the axle more to the passenger side or driver side?

And I'm definitely going to turn it into a cheater bar when I get a replacement. Thanks for the suggestion [MENTION=46681]awpsome[/MENTION]!
Click to expand...

Passenger.

Went to Deer Springs during the storm today. Things got intense haha
 
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Kraze said:
Thanks for the responses everyone. The more I think about it, the more I agree with you all. Maybe there was some sideways force on the axle when it took the hit and that's what made it bend easier. It could have happened coming off Pancake rock on the last wheeling trip I went on. I remember hitting the rear end on something, but I figured it was the rear bumper.

Next question. Now that the panhard bar is a bit shorter, does that move the axle more to the passenger side or driver side?

And I'm definitely going to turn it into a cheater bar when I get a replacement. Thanks for the suggestion [MENTION=46681]awpsome[/MENTION]!
Click to expand...

I bet it is less than 1/4" shorter eye to eye now that it is bent.
 
Awesome, that's what I thought. Even a 1/4" passenger is a plus when my driveshaft is constantly getting intimate with my gas tank skid haha.
 
Kraze said:
Awesome, that's what I thought. Even a 1/4" passenger is a plus when my driveshaft is constantly getting intimate with my gas tank skid haha.
Click to expand...

I still have my stock one if you want to carry that around incase yours breaks on the trails one day. I found all my original links but the bushings are pretty worn on all of them.
 
These photos look familiar. I got some with them pushing on your roof rack keeping you off that rock as well that I didn't upload.
 
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