Panhard Bar Drop Bracket

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:54 pm

During a conversation with MarcMC he asked if my rear axle was centered. To my surprise, he was delighted to find out I hadn't made adjustments yet. He had been working with someone from here on a prototype to lower the panhard bar at the frame side bracket. Time passed, and now I've installed it. He asked me to post on here for some Feedback.

We have to drill a 1/2" hole in the stock bracket for bolt that goes at the top, facing the opposite way of the stock bolt. I installed this in my driveway with hand tools in about an hour and a half. I think if I had done it before and had all the right tools in front of me, this could be done in 30 mins.

He intends to send them with all hardware. He is also thinking they will be powder coated.

What does everyone think?

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:57 pm

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:58 pm

More pics

by **Opeth** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:04 pm

Hmm.... It's a good idea. But not sure how it will work with those guys running the SS rear end and who will have to move their axle back with adjustable control arms to fit larger tires. (Regulators current issue comes to mind, but it might also be erroneous since he pushed his so far back)

Also the guys running the purple cranium diff covers might run into problems wacking the pan hard bar on those now. I believe roadie discovered his bar was hitting the spiders head and had to cut that off his and that was with the bar in stock location.

How much clearance is between your diff cover and pan hard bar now?

Just two issues which come to mind.

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:09 pm

Opeth wrote:Hmm.... It's a good idea. But not sure how it will work with those guys running the SS rear end and who will have to move their axle back with adjustable control arms to fit larger tires. (Regulators current issue comes to mind, but it might also be erroneous since he pushed his so far back)

Also the guys running the purple cranium diff covers might run into problems wacking the pan hard bar on those now. I believe roadie discovered his bar was hitting the spiders head and had to cut that off his and that was with the bar in stock location.

Just two issues which come to mind.

My screen name is ErikSS. haha, sorry man. Those pics are ON an SS with 315/70/17s
Regulators biggest problem is the Envoy wheel wells.

EDIT: sorry, to answer your question... I just ran it around the block, bouncing side to side of curbs, houses, other cars... Whatever I could find to seat the suspension before measuring. It's about 1/2" clear of the diff cover. Not a lot for the spider cover, but I am running the 14 bolt.

MY Youtube Channel · by **TBYODA** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:20 pm

I did a little googling to find what what the panhard bar does, have a idea on that. So what's advantage of lowering the mount point on the chassis, more side to side stability? Please be nice

.

by **Opeth** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:22 pm

ErikSS wrote:
Opeth wrote:Hmm.... It's a good idea. But not sure how it will work with those guys running the SS rear end and who will have to move their axle back with adjustable control arms to fit larger tires. (Regulators current issue comes to mind, but it might also be erroneous since he pushed his so far back)

Also the guys running the purple cranium diff covers might run into problems wacking the pan hard bar on those now. I believe roadie discovered his bar was hitting the spiders head and had to cut that off his and that was with the bar in stock location.

Just two issues which come to mind.

My screen name is ErikSS. haha, sorry man. Those pics are ON an SS with 315/70/17s
Regulators biggest problem is the Envoy wheel wells.

I know you have an SS, lol. So with those 35's your still running the stock rear control arms and have made no adjustments backwards with the axle? I assume the rear sway bar is connected too?

If so, can you measure how much clearance is between the pan hard bar and your diff cover?

Rob, it's to re-center the rear axle after lifting without buying an adjustable bar.

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:24 pm

TBYODA wrote:I did a little googling to find what what the panhard bar does, have a idea on that. So what's advantage of lowering the mount point on the chassis, more side to side stability? Please be nice .

The panhard bar holds the axle from side to side motion. With a lift, the bar swings not only down bot towards the passenger side. The point of lowering it is to center your axle and reduce the sideways pull on your drivetrain.

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:28 pm

Opeth wrote: So with those 35's your still running the stock rear control arms and have made no adjustments backwards with the axle? I assume the rear sway bar is connected too?

I am running all stock arms with no adjustments other than the bracket I put in today. My passenger side rear antisway bar link has been removed since I lifted this spring.

by **Opeth** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:31 pm

Ok, just trying to get the big picture. Thanks!

MY Youtube Channel · by **TBYODA** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:45 pm

ErikSS wrote:
TBYODA wrote:I did a little googling to find what what the panhard bar does, have a idea on that. So what's advantage of lowering the mount point on the chassis, more side to side stability? Please be nice .

The panhard bar holds the axle from side to side motion. With a lift, the bar swings not only down bot towards the passenger side. The point of lowering it is to center your axle and reduce the sideways pull on your drivetrain.

Got it, that is what I was thinking from what I was reading. Hmmm could this be taken a step further with such a bracket to center the wheels in the wheel wells used with the control arms? Say you have X rear lift with X tire you need X bracket???? Not adjustable but once you have the massive control arms etc. adjusted most would never move them again right. If possible to do this could be cheaper way to move the axle back.

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:27 pm

Honestly, I think the only way you can move your axle back more than 1" is to have a curved panhard bar made. I'm not even aware of anyone making them at this time. Hint hint for the companies.

by **Regulator1175** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:44 pm

I am now moved back 1.25" and am still rubbing by about a quarter inch at least. It is enough that I had to go back to the stock bar until I solve the issue with the massive bar. The stock bar is able to flex enough to clear around the diff.

Erik, we should have checked it yesterday and see if it would help my clearance issues.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

by **mikekey** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:49 pm

Am I the only one not having these problems?

by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:56 pm

Regulator1175 wrote:Erik, we should have checked it yesterday and see if it would help my clearance issues.

I really don't think so. It only moves the bar vertically. In fact, I would think lowering it would cause more of a problem.

Mike, I'm not having any problems at all. All stock bars, and lower the panhard and the axle is almost centered.

by **Moots1288** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:00 pm

My axle is kicked out 2 inches further to passenger then driver. So I would try this out and I have the spider diff guard, and would let you guys know how it works out

by **Regulator1175** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:05 pm

mikekey wrote:Am I the only one not having these problems?

I swear I am going to lose my mind here. I will say again, my wheel wells are different the the trailblazers. To the best of my knowledge I am the first ENVOY to run 35s and had to push the axle back to fit them. I would imagine that if you push your axle back as much as I had to you would also have the same issues.

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by **ErikSS** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:15 pm

Regulator1175 wrote:I swear I am going to lose my mind here. I will say again, my wheel wells are different the the trailblazers. To the best of my knowledge I am the first ENVOY to run 35s and had to push the axle back to fit them. I would imagine that if you push your axle back as much as I had to you would also have the same issues.

I directly said that your issue was mostly the Envoy wheel wells. :read:

by **Moots1288** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:25 pm

Regulator1175 wrote:
mikekey wrote:Am I the only one not having these problems?

I swear I am going to lose my mind here. I will say again, my wheel wells are different the the trailblazers. To the best of my knowledge I am the first ENVOY to run 35s and had to push the axle back to fit them. I would imagine that if you push your axle back as much as I had to you would also have the same issues.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

This is true with 33s I have about an inch till I hit the door

by **mikekey** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:27 pm

I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Erik. My axle is centered without dropping the panhard bar.

Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys