Panhard rod.......... Do I or don't I ?

[X FLOW EDDY]

I am at a stage in the build of my mk2 escort whare i need to fit the panhard rod tower to the car. I have a Rally Design adjustable tower kit but i think this is a bit over kill for the spec of my car ( 1700 x flow 4speed box and rs english axle with R D tramp bars) My problam is nobody can give an exact mesutment on whare to drill the hole to put the tower through the boot floor so i was considering buying a non adjustable tower and fitting that insteed. What does everybody alse on heare use ? Some pics would be nice as well

[mk2 stu]

Use the adjustable height tower, easy to fit as it can only really go in one place, take the rod out and offer up the bracket, then mark the centre of the bracket on the bottom of the car and drill through. weld on bracket and insert pole, then set car on level floor and adjust the pole so its parallel to the axle, tack on bracket to axle, check your level and away you go with the welder.

Jus look at pictures in classic ford mag or i think retroford did a guide

[Anglia68]

^^^What Stu said^^^.

 

When I fitted one to an Anglia van I tacked the bracket to the axle first then fitted the panhard rod to both brackets,made sure it cleared everything and then marked where the tube hit the chassis,made sure it was vertical,drilled through,checked everything again and then welded it all up.Worked a treat.

[Guest MK1gaz]

You don't need one mate

[DarrenM]

I had one on my Harrier and could definately feel the difference over other Escorts BUT I haven't driven an Escort with the factory Tramp bars before so maybe they would do?

[Retromotorsport]

You don't need one mate

 

You dont need a 16v Pinto .... but you've got one

[Retromotorsport]

Leaf springs are wonderfull things for a manufacturer ... they do the fore/aft location , the sideways location (all be it with some movement) and the springing, 3 jobs one part, an engineer to a budget dream.

 

Going back to the sideways location .. as the car corners centrifygal force dictates that there a side loading on the axle, now the springs keep this in place, sort of, the springs twist as the axle moves and a twisted flat spring has a higher rate than a flat one ... and it is a massive increase the more loading it gets, all of a sudden you have a solid back end and .. whoops round you go.

Now fitting a sideways location device stops the springs from having these loads, it can now work as a spring alone (the fore/aft dosnt effect the spring.)

 

I've said this many times before ...

 

standard suspension ................ good

polybushed .............................better

anti tramps .............................better

panhard ..................................better

watts....................................... better

4 link and slippers.................... better

4 link and coil-overs................. better

bespoke 6 link......................... better

upper and lower wishbones with bell cranked coil-overs .... the bollox

 

 

A 10k engine in a standard suspension car will be beaten by a 5 k engine with 2k worth of suspension mods on a trackday

[antz]

im gonna put a panhard rod on mine....just gotta fit it

[Guest MK1gaz]

You don't need one mate

 

You dont need a 16v Pinto .... but you've got one

you do if you want to sound the tits !!!!!!!!!

[samcos]

im thinking of fitting a panhard to mine to, seems that the axle keeps moving itself to the offside, for some reason, could it be that the u bolts need replacing, someone told me they were stretch bolts, maybe they have over stretched??

[Vista]

Panhard rods are definitely a worthwhile improvement

[Gonzo]

But as the suspension goes up and down, doesn't a panhard rod cause the axle to move side-to-side slightly?

 

And what's a Watts linkage got over a panhard rod? Howzat work?

 

And just to really throw everyone off, what's a Mumford linkage got over a Watts?

[Tom]

Yes but only slightly - a watts linkage lets the axle move straight up and down whereas a panhard rod is on a fixed point on the body so as i goes up and down the opposite end travels in a circle

[mk2 matt]

i wouldn't bother putting one on mate!

[oliwally]

im thinking of fitting a panhard to mine to, seems that the axle keeps moving itself to the offside, for some reason, could it be that the u bolts need replacing, someone told me they were stretch bolts, maybe they have over stretched??

 

sam have you got lowering blocks on her? make sure the locating pegs are the right size.

my blue capri had single leaf's with 2" lowering blocks and i didnt have the right pegs and it would move back and forth and left and right.

 

come over one night/weekend when your down and you can have a look at how mines fitted.

told you before the kettles clicked and i'm pouring the water

[hellblue]

I always fit a panhard rod, it needs to be as long as posible & parallel to the ground with the car at rest & you will feel the fact you have one ! Watts is better but costs more, a long panhard rod is fine for a sreet car

[Retromotorsport]

The Mumford Link is a type of watts link that uses two pivots and a conecting bar, its to get the rear roll center really low,

 

A panhard will move the axle sideways .. but in a controlled manner, and if its as long as possible, over the full travel of the suspension the axle will only move 1/4" or so .. but its real benifit is stopping the springs from twisting

[Toby]

 

A panhard will move the axle sideways .. but in a controlled manner, and if its as long as possible, over the full travel of the suspension the axle will only move 1/4" or so .. but its real benifit is stopping the springs from twisting

 

I'd fitted one to mine, I know why now.

[sierra1off]

When you say they stop the springs from twisting, do you mean in a sideways direction.

Surely the panhard and watts linkage only stop / control the sideways movement of the axle in relation to the body not stop the springs from winding up under load.

 

Anyone got a diagram of a Mumford link, sounds interesting

 

alan

[Tom]

yes stops sideways twist of the spring mate