tips on custom rear panhard bar

[pearlfastegg]

as the topic states..i am about to lower my egg and i wanted some ideas on making my rear panhard(lateral) bar adjustable?
what is everyone else doing with this dilema...
..
when you lower the estima(previa) the length of the rear bar has to be shortened to keep the rear axle centered?
thanks for you r help in advance !!

[mdenoga]

so you're saying u want to custom a lateral rod...Cusco, RS*R, Silk Road, G-tech are a few companies that make this rod.

[tech126]

I think you could see your local welder and make one yourself with threaded heim joints.

[mdenoga]

Yeah but the problem with that is its probably cheaper to just buy the part from Japan than have it custom-made.

[pearlfastegg]

well since i am a welder..i was looking for tips on fabricating one..
lets start with those hiem joints you were talking about?
where do i get those?

[tech126]

well since i am a welder..i was looking for tips on fabricating one..
lets start with those hiem joints you were talking about?
where do i get those?

I think you have 2 options:
http://www.jpkustoms.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_50/products_id/361?osCsid=a38af533013ec137ca735b1462cd1408

http://www.jpkustoms.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_50/products_id/338?osCsid=a38af533013ec137ca735b1462cd1408

The first one may be noisy and have some side to side play..The second one has atleast bushings inside to absorb some shock and should be quieter..

As a welder, you should be able to fabricate one on your own easily...Good luck and keep us posted..

[sukoshiyoshi]

Tech126......interested in custom fabbing me one? If so how much? Also would definately want to go the 2nd route.....less squeaking and creaking the better......get enough of that already.......from my car of course. LOL

Sukoshiyoshi

[tech126]

.less squeaking and creaking the better......get enough of that already.......from my car of course. LOL

Sukoshiyoshi


HAHA!! BANG BUS, BANG BUS!!!!!!

I'll be up in Oahu next week (presidents day weekend) and I'll get a hold of you.. We can talk from there..

Shoots...K Den bye..

Ray

[sukoshiyoshi]

Sounds like a plan! You still got my cell correct? You can also take a look at my WORK S2H's..........maybe seeing them first hand might have you re-thinking about trying to make the "fit" the Oddy.

Sukoshiyoshi

[mista808]

coming from the truck scene, i know exactly what you are talking about. are you planning on bagging you ride? if so, everytime you raise and lowing your ride. the axle with want to shift to one side. so you axle will never be perfectly centered through the motion. if you plan on still running a panhard bar, i would recommend using heim joints on each end of the panhard bar, doesnt nessessarily have to the threaded. then right on the center of the panhard bar its cut onto two. one side threaded normally, and the other side reverse threaded, with a double sided hex stud one side threaded normally and the other reverse threaded... get me so far? so that when you turn the hex one way it extends the panhard, and the other way shortens it.

or it you are really pressed for space cuz of wide rims you can run a watts link. keeps the axle perfectly centered through out the motions...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J4xkHuP7QY

[sukoshiyoshi]

Wow that Linkage system looks pretty dope. If you don't mind me asking how much a set up like that run you? I am assuming that either fabbing or buying the lateral bar would be cheaper though correct? Just need the axel to be centered before I begin any fender moddification. Maybe fabbing or getting the lateral bar will solve my issues with my left rear tire getting shredded up......only concern after the later bar is that both rears get shredded......LOL

Sukoshiyoshi

[mista808]

there is a universal kit that you can make fit anything... runs about $400 or so... the new dodge durango uses the same system... concept originated from, i think the 1gen rx7... if i were running wide rims, flush fitment, with no room to spare, a panhard bar would cause the fender lip to eat up the tires or rims... a watts link would keep EVERYTHING perfectly centered...

i never really seen the rear suspension on an egg before... maybe if you can get me a picture of what it looks like, i can see what would be the best possible solution to your problems (sukoshiyoshi,pearlfastegg). if you have about 5-7" to spare right behind the rear diff, you can run a watts link...

heres my watts link i welded up on my truck...
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/calitri808/IMGP1430.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/calitri808/IMGP0801.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/calitri808/IMGP2103.jpg

[sukoshiyoshi]

Will try to find some time to crawl under to see if I got the room.........already took off the spare since it was going to do me no good having a 15 inch spare tire...besides all it was doing was adding more weight to the EGG. If I am not mistake though I don't think that there is anything back there. The Gas tank sits pretty high being that the spare tire has to sit under it.

Mista808 you did all the work yourself? Much props man! I wish I had some skills.....in the long run I am sure that I would save a lot of $$$$.

Sukoshiyoshi

[tech126]

That is a nice set up mista808!! That is the first time I ever saw that watts link setup..Looks pretty nuts.. Is it billet???

Yoshi, now you got someone on the island to fab you up something.

[sukoshiyoshi]

Okay so I have a question....may sound dumb but here goes. From the looks of the Watts set up looks like because it will "automatically" adjust to you various ride heights and will always keep the rear end centered and aligned it is most definately the way to go right? So instead of spending a couple hundred dollars on the lateral bar it is better to spend double that because you will probally save money in the long run because after you get the lateral bar you are going to wish that you spent the money the first time around and got the Watts system correct?

Another benefit to the Watts System would be that you not have to worry about the drive shaft getting warped or drive shaft "shake/rattle" because everything is properly in alignment correct?

I am making sense correct? Or am I just talking bubbles? Or is it coming out like.......Bla bla bla bla Dis and Dat TV, bla bla bla bla OC 16.........(inside joke I think only locals may get it). LOL

Sukoshiyoshi

[DXJP]

If your not going to bag it then you have all the info you need. Go to a hotrod parts store they sell the left right thread turn buckle and the threaded inserts for the panhard bar.

Even with air nobody does anymore than an adjustable anyways although the watts link is the shizzle. With that you will have made a almost sweet four link with factory parts for your egg. The other would be to triangulate off the diff to the body somewhere. That will lay flater under the ride more than the watts but the watts dosent have to be 2 foot tall either its just the geomretry of it that matters.

[mista808]

Will try to find some time to crawl under to see if I got the room.........already took off the spare since it was going to do me no good having a 15 inch spare tire...besides all it was doing was adding more weight to the EGG. If I am not mistake though I don't think that there is anything back there. The Gas tank sits pretty high being that the spare tire has to sit under it.

Mista808 you did all the work yourself? Much props man! I wish I had some skills.....in the long run I am sure that I would save a lot of $$$$.

Sukoshiyoshi

yeah, i do everything myself, only cuz i dont trust anyone else doing it and i can make it to how i want it, and if it breaks i can fix it better...
as for the driveshaft thing, do you have leaf springs in the rear or track bars? if you have leafs, you'll have more axle wrap causing the driveshaft to kick up during hard acceleration causing vibration, etc... like dxjp said, you can eliminate most of that with a triangulated 4link, or a 4link w/ watts link. it all depends on how much space is back there, and stock suspension design...

if there is not too much space to play with, you can do a 2link w/ a triangulated panhard bar. i dont know.. its up to you, how much you want to spend, etc....

[sukoshiyoshi]

What is the most cost effective (spend least amount) route to do this? Would just doing the lateral bar fix my problem where the axel is not centered? Currently running a coil-over set up so basically once I set it up it should be good to go. But if I do go the air route the lateral bar may not do the job. Choices choices......well for the time being I don't have any plans of running air anytime soon so cheaper route that would fix my problem would be the lateral bar correct?

Sukoshiyoshi

[mdenoga]

if I do go the air route the lateral bar may not do the job. Choices choices......well for the time being I don't have any plans of running air anytime soon so cheaper route that would fix my problem would be the lateral bar correct?

Sukoshiyoshi

The watts link is the best choice if you want to invest in it. However, the lateral rod will work just fine.

[allstar]

http://www.suicidedoors.com/4LinkKitsThorbeckeBrothers.php

[sukoshiyoshi]

mdenoga,

Thanks for the PM. If the lateral bar is going to keep everything centered even on an air ride set up because it is the cheapest route I am back on the lateral bar wagon.

So what would be the benefits of having the Watts System if the Lateral Bars works just as good? Is it along the lines of I have an "universal air" suspension kind of like the "Lateral bar" compared to I the "Air-Runner" suspension kind of like the "Watts Linkage System". Sorry for the dumb question......seems that way but I may be mistaken.

Sukoshiyoshi

[DXJP]

Your making this harder than it is. If you have a solid axle estima then you have a pan hard bar. Now what they do in all cases is to put an adjustable on and set the tracking for the ride height you will usually travel at. This way you dont get a ton of travel like you would coming down from factory height to lowered height.

The watts link would be the best because it is a pan hard bar with a center pivot to allow the suspension to lay out with out sliding the rear. The center link just lays on top of its self instead of pushing on the axle.

If you did a triangulated over the rear that could be done with the lack of space in the rear of them. You would have to make sure that on full drop you dont sandwich the triangle part in between the rear diff and the body. This would be because of a lack of clearance and travel on the part.

If you built a small watts link then you would have the ultimate set up for a air equipped Estima how ever this is not required if you use a adjustable panhard bar like I said above.

[sukoshiyoshi]

^^^^^^So techinically you are saying that there is not even a need to get the Lateral Bar? You can use the existing pan hard bar and just get an "adjustable" joint to "adjust it"? Or did I interpret that all wrong. I fI did get it right where do you suggest getting an "adjustable joint"? Please be gentle with me.......I am old.....the neurons don't fire as strong, as often, and as bright.


Sukoshiyoshi

[DXJP]

You will need an adjustable or make one with the turn buckle pieces. left right thread center and the left right thread nuts. I think you can google the pieces and have them shipped or find them local.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/m/103_Race-Pan-Hard-Bar-Bracket-Mount.html

http://www.steeda.com/news/tech_articles/panhard_bar_dynamics.php

I know all about old I w0ke up and when I stood up I felt a sharp pain in my sack I had to lift my belly up to see I was standing on it.

[pearlfastegg]

wow great ideas here..
yeah all i need is to make it adjustable..so i can fine tune it for my ride height..
the stock setup has the same effect..when you hit heavy bumps the axle will shift to one side ..but when you lower(with out adjusting for lowering)
the axle will stay shifted to one side..
i really liked the idea of reverse thread and proper thread for one side of the three part bar..i was stuck on that for awhile..sometimes you get in a certain mode of thinking and your kinda stuck..

have not made bar yet..
waiting for springs to arrive..
now that rotors and ss lines are h ere..and the rims are in powder coat..

[sukoshiyoshi]

Thanks for the great heads up.....I was totally clueless to having to do this. I have done a "visual" on my EGG and can't say that I seen any difference of the rear end not center and either right or left wheels sticking out more than the other. But then again it was probally due to it being off centered that only my right rear got shredded. Because I am hopefully going to eventually go the air route I think that I am leaning towards the Watts System.

Mista 808,

Check your PM

Sukoshiyoshi

[sukoshiyoshi]

Guys who already lowered their EGGs.......Shawnthemonster, Mdenoga, how did you resolve this issue? Simple lateral bar? Custom Watts System? Curious with those going the air route....because the Lateral Bar probally won't do the job. Very interested....thanks ahead of time.

Sukoshiyoshi

[shawnthemonster]

silkroad lateral rod does me just fine.......when i get air i will adjust it for slammage.

[mdenoga]

Lateral rod (panhard bar) is just fine like Shawn has already said. I have the Cusco lateral rod. Though if you're going to try and order it from Naps USA, they'll just say they dont sell itGive me a break when they can really get it.

[sukoshiyoshi]

Any good sites to get me a Lateral Bar? Or is yahooauctionsjapan the best bet? Any brand better than the next? I know CUSCO, and SilkRoad is mention......any brands better than the other? Or it is all about brand preference? Thanks ahead of time.

Sukoshiyoshi

[mdenoga]

It is all a brand preference as well as color preference. Well theres RS*R, Cusco, G-Tech, Insurance, etc.

[sukoshiyoshi]

The cheaper the better.......color.....not really a concern of mine as you should not be able to see it anyways....right?

Sukoshiyoshi

[pearlfastegg]

well i got myself a spare stock panhard bar to cut up and a coupler and some other parts then i had a brainwave..
i am only dropping the van a couple inches..well the stock panhard bar is only 48 inches..
work that out and it less than 1/16 of an inch change...!!!not to working about the rear axle being out of alignment..
got my springs and ss lines and drill slotted rotors in also..ride looks sweet..need to take some nice shots for you peeps..
ended up putting 18" +35 offset rims and tires!
just clears the sliding door

[mdenoga]

Sweet. Can't wait to see the pics. Do you have the custom work on the panhard bar? If you do post a step by step on our tutorial part of the Boxes, Vans & K-cars.