Pan hard bar or wattts linkage

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Erik the Awful

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A watts keeps the rear centered better with long travel.
The Achilles Heel of a watts link is long travel. At the extremes the figure-8 motion of the center is apparent, and it causes binding which sends your spring rates through the roof. Racers had this problem on first-gen RX-7s - they came from the factory with a watts link. The solution was to convert from 4-link with a watts link to a 3-link with a panhard bar. It was much more controllable at the limit.
 

arrg

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Panhard bars are effective, but that top kit is pure bunkum. If you want to go full-racer on the suspension, ditch the leafs and go with a three or four-link rear suspension.

I agree that it looks like a band-aid solution, but if you put it into context, it probably works pretty well for what they're using it for: an autocross truck. That thing is lowered at least 7-8 inches in the rear. Limited suspension travel would give it less of chance to bind up. The traction bar aspect of it looks like it would work fine.
 

BOOT

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Bit late to the discussion but been researching Panhard bars and watts some, since I want to keep a leaf spring setup on my beater project BUCK.

Not sure if I'll do either BUT was reading another book by Carroll Smith - Tune to win And he basically says the Panhard for leaf springs is simple and good enough, watts isn't worth "the theoretical advantages" & complexity. Also he talks bout the design and set up of a Panhard and as mentioned by Erik, that one in the link is not good based on what I've read. IF I decide to take the time & money to fab either I'll build a Panhard setup but I got a few other ideas I wanna try when I get around to it.
 

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I have a Tahoe and fabricated two 1 1/2 aluminum bars that go from as closed as I could get to the center ( both sides of the diff and ran them to the inside corners of the cross rail and frame. I made up l brakes to screw the heim joints to.
 

DonYukon

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Bit late to the discussion but been researching Panhard bars and watts some, since I want to keep a leaf spring setup on my beater project BUCK.

Not sure if I'll do either BUT was reading another book by Carroll Smith - Tune to win And he basically says the Panhard for leaf springs is simple and good enough, watts isn't worth "the theoretical advantages" & complexity. Also he talks bout the design and set up of a Panhard and as mentioned by Erik, that one in the link is not good based on what I've read. IF I decide to take the time & money to fab either I'll build a Panhard setup but I got a few other ideas I wanna try when I get around to it.

This ^^^ most people here won’t benefit from a watts setup at all. I’ve wheeled extensively with my pan hard bar and while it will shift the axle with hard suspension applications like coming off a rock too fast or a quick cycle I haven’t noticed any issues other than it will usually eat up Hiems there first before anywhere else


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Supercharged111

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This ^^^ most people here won’t benefit from a watts setup at all. I’ve wheeled extensively with my pan hard bar and while it will shift the axle with hard suspension applications like coming off a rock too fast or a quick cycle I haven’t noticed any issues other than it will usually eat up Hiems there first before anywhere else


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The less body roll and suspension movement you have, the more attractive the panhard becomes. The frame mounted side dictates roll center which plays a large role in body roll.
 

Carlaisle

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This ^^^ most people here won’t benefit from a watts setup at all. I’ve wheeled extensively with my pan hard bar and while it will shift the axle with hard suspension applications like coming off a rock too fast or a quick cycle I haven’t noticed any issues other than it will usually eat up Hiems there first before anywhere else


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Pardon the temporary derailment...

DonYukon, I noticed the ARB bumper in your signature pic. Can you share your thoughts on it? Curious to hear a first hand opinion. Thanks
 

DonYukon

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The less body roll and suspension movement you have, the more attractive the panhard becomes. The frame mounted side dictates roll center which plays a large role in body roll.

On a Leaf sprung set up correct. Mine is linked so I require one or my axle will literally walk out from under mine :D
 

DonYukon

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Pardon the temporary derailment...

DonYukon, I noticed the ARB bumper in your signature pic. Can you share your thoughts on it? Curious to hear a first hand opinion. Thanks

No worries , So far I love it . fitment was great no rust issues. the quality of the parts were spot on and I had to drill nothing. uses the factory mounting as a traditional bumper with some added bolt in supports obviously. Winch mounting was also a breeze. Although there was a guy here that said the paint fades within a few years but I haven't had that issue yet.
 
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