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Panhard with Leaf Springs on a Suburban -

9K views 54 replies 19 participants last post by  roy jones 
#1 ·
It is finally in. The handling is like night and day. New crossmember and panhard. It tightened up the steering a great deal and ended the bumpsteer.

It is hard to tell from the pics, but the angle of the panhard matches the angle of the crossover. I didn't make it, and won't claim that, but it is great. On to the pics -

 
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#12 ·
That looks nice! Any thought on possibley creating any issues with the spring eyes/bushings/mounts/shackles with this? Is this street or dual purpose rig?

It seems a panhard will push or pull the axle one way or the other when the suspension cycles. It would seem unnatural for the springs to want to allow this.

Fab work looks top notch :beer:


Chris:cool2:
 
#13 ·
Not sure why you'd want a pan hard bar with leaf springs.
Seems it would inhibit articulation, and isn't required to keep the axle centered.
I do like that "strut" running across. It should give the frame area near the steering box a lot of support.
 
#14 ·
Cool piece, although I'm with the others wondering why it's needed.

I know YJ's and Superduties run track bars with leaf springs, however I don't see why they are needed. Assuming your bushings are good, crossover shouldn't deform them enough to warrant a track bar.

Otherwise it looks like a pretty trick setup. Maybe it's just the D60 making everything look small, but for some reason the drag link TREs look small. Are those 1-ton GM ones or something else? Maybe it's just the picture.
 
#15 ·
The Burb is driven to places on and then off-road (last 2 trips were to Uwharrie, N.C. and Martinez Canyon, Az.).

I may have to take the actual bar out in some situations, but its just 2 bolts and the truck has OBA. I can take it out while airing down without a problem. Quick releases are next on the "may do" list.

Ideally, with leaf springs, the axle should move almost straight up and down. The panhard bar makes keeps the axle from moving side to side and adds a lot of lateral stability. No more bump steer and the stering is much more responsive.

The truck also has crossover steering that tends to push the frame side to side wich twists the shackles. The panhard eliminates that completely.

In short - No more bumpsteer, tighter steering, should spare the frame some stress.
 
#17 ·
I had done that on my D60 w/leafs on the front of my Yota - I had shackles up front which is not too good for 40 mph speeds in my rig. Major DW. So I built something along those lines and it really helped out a ton = side affect was you BETTER keep an eye on your spring perch mounting bolts. The bar is going to cause your springs to twist unnaturally putting stress on the these bolts. I fought that until I eliminated the whole problem buy going full hydro steering. Only other choice is link suspension.

Quick release on the cheap - use Lynch pins like you use for trailer hitch receiver. Get the ones with big oval handles for easy R&R. Use small snap over clevises instead of the hair pins to retain them in place. And carrie a few spares just incase.
 
#19 ·
Instead of using busings, couldn't you use "orbit eyes", the spherical bushings for the spring eyes, at both ends of the leaves. Wouldn't this alleviate the springs twisting while the axle is articulating? Might pick up some extra flex in the process. I have been contemplating this set up on my 79. What year burb you got?

Neil
 
#22 ·
Cool. I'll watch for problems with the bolts. There are a couple of other guys running very similar setups to mine and neither have reported any problems.
 
#24 ·
Really great looking work.
Like some of the others have said, keeps the spring bushings alive much longer, no bump steer, way better steering response. I ran one on my rig for years. I had the springs clamped at the ends to keep from bending leafs, installed the panhard, and it would still drive off the top of a 30* ramp.
 
#25 ·
Thanks, Dave does great work. That fitting is for the diff vent to help allow the diff to breathe even in deep water. The crossmember acts as an "air chamber" and you hook tha high side to the other fitting.

I don't know wht pic #2 was, but here are a couple of the crossmember uninstalled -



 
#28 · (Edited)
There is no such thing as an ORD brace. That is the Autofab brace. ORD paints it and puts their sticker on it, but it is not designed by, nor manufactured by ORD (and never has been_.

I know this isn't important to some people, but Autofab is a great company and has been making those steering braces for many years. It is absolutely disgraceful to me that ORD passes them off as their own product.

Those steering braces have been manufactured by Autofab since before ORD was ever in business. John told me years ago that he has a patent for them, but I have not ever verified that information.

http://www.autofab.com/sbgk 100.htm
(619)-562-1740
 
#30 · (Edited)
I would suggest against that. The studs and u bolts on that side already have enough force on them. I actually broke mine last year. Adding the panhard to that would just create more problems in my opinion.

(and it's a cast piece anyway...so welding to it would be a pain in the ass, just a bad idea all around)
 
#31 · (Edited)
hmm. i had some plates made up that replaced that side spring plate for the 'burb i mess with (15"liftw/46's mall crawler) and was gonna make a panhard off of that side to help with the swaying and bumpsteer. not knocking your idea, its very clean, just wondering when i do mine why im doing it like i am :D


so how much for the bracket on the axle? ill make a bracket for the frame.

ahh shit tell me how much the whole chingadera goes for too :D


thats a 60 right? mines a 10 bolt (i know i know shaddap, its not my 'burb)
 
#34 ·
so how much for the bracket on the axle? ill make a bracket for the frame.
ahh shit tell me how much the whole chingadera goes for too :D
thats a 60 right? mines a 10 bolt (i know i know shaddap, its not my 'burb)

I didn't make it, but if you PM me you're e-mail, I'll send it to the guy that did.
 
#32 ·
Good tech in this post!

Thank you for the pics,:beer: and thank Dave for all the work & help!:beer:

2"x2" 1/4'wall?
Everything is .250 right?
I'm starting/doing a crossmember, but trying to plan and make a panhard bar at the same time. I want to make one multi-purpose mount also.
I have a K10 (weak) frame. 6" spring, but going to 52'ers, or 50 ish alcans.
What lift spring are you using? 4", 6" or 8" ?
Spring length? Look's stock 47" ish.
Shackle length?
Why no driver shock? I assume mock up.
Upper shock brackets? They don't look like ford's.:cool: Could be the angle. I see about 2"-4" up travel, and 6"-8" ish down?
What size tire?
I like what I see, not trying to flame, just asking questions!

Do you have a build thread? Link's?
:crybaby2:
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#35 ·
What lift spring are you using? 6" BDS front springs

Spring length? Stock.

Shackle length? Stock, but they are ORD Greasers

Why no driver shock? Just a bad pic angle- 14" BBCS - 4" or so up travel, and 10" ish down

Upper shock brackets? Ford f-250

What size tire? 37" MTR's

And I'm a scorpio.:flipoff2:
 
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