My 66 has a 12 bolt housing with factory boxed lowers, home boxed uppers, upper/lower connecters, and factory rear swaybar. I'm looking to keep the rear more stabilized (side to side), does anyone make a bolt-in or weld-in panhard bar? (or equivalent). I stuffed in a set of 275/60 15 BFG DRs in, and I'm not comfortable with the rubbing on some turns. I have about 1/2" on the fender lip, and frame rail, clearance. I haven't been able to find anything from google searches ou:
i just bought the HRPARTSNSTUFF sway bar kit for the same reason, i'll let you know how it works when i install it ....
I don't think anyone is making a Panhard Bar for our A-bodies. You might check Detroit Speed but is they have one it is likely incorporated in their overall rear suspension set up and would cost some serious $$$. Dennis Kirban (the former GTO guy that morphed into the GN dude sells, or used to sell a GNX rear suspension set up that I think incorporated a Panhard bar, among other things. Maybe this is something that could be adapted to the earlier A-body. Saw the setup at his swap meet space @the GSCA Nats a few years ago. Or---get under an older 60's Riv...some, or all, of those have Panhard Bars.
Hi, I purchased a 1 1/8" rear sway bar for mine. Here's a link http://www.gasalley1.com/Templates/home.html I don't think you can order on line , but they are great to deal with on the phone. Fit like a glove. Bruce
I don't know of any purpose-built ones. Certainly it's not a big task to fabricate one or adapt one designed for a hot rod or circle track car. Check out speedwaymotors.com. Exhaust interference will likely be the biggest problem.
Mufflers to dumps make for more room. I thought about just welding on a bar, but wasn't sure of the engineering of it all. Like, would the rear still have full range of up-down motion?
Ed.... I'm installing a panhard bar on my B body...I was told his would be the best set up for a street driver...although, I am running a ladder bar set-up. The only clearance issue maybe with the upper control arms, but otherwise I would think a universal panhard bar would work. Got my bar from S&W..out of Spring City, Pa. you get all the necessary parts and have to cut the bar to fit your application. I think they run about $60.00. Tom:TU:
$60 isn't bad at all. After you cut the bar to fit, do you need to retap the holes or is it non-adjustable at that point?
I made my own, but I had to add a bar since I took the upper control arms and made them parallel (therefore they no longer provide any lateral control for the axle).
Ed.... The kit comes with a chrome-moly tube which you cut to length, and threaded tube ends which are slide into the bar and tig welded in place. Then you thread in the rod ends, which will allow for some adjustment. Tom:TU:
Kieth has a very nice install. It is nice and level, long to limit angle changes with suspension travel, and also mounts low on the differential and frame which makes for a lower roll-center for less body roll. Those are the 3 most important factors that I know about when installing a panhard bar.
