Adjustable panhard links

[stumog]

I am just thinking of some adjustable panhards for my 80 as i dont like the fact my wheels are in different places either side. I am thinking of making some adjusters as i couldnt find any body that supplies them in the uk. I havent phoned anybody to be fair.

My questions are
1; would it be ok to make them from mild steel with some thing like a m24 or 1" thread
2: do you think they would need to be hardened once they have been made?
3: should i just buy some and if so who from?

stu

 

[Chris]

Ironman do them. I have a pair on mine. They are completely over the top for a moderate lift.

If I were you I would - measure the offset, remove the current rods, cut them, insert or sleeve the make up and weld back together. I have a 5" lift on mine Stu and the correction with the massive adjustable rods was ...... half an inch. Not worth it. Cut and add. Dead easy.

You could cut, slit the ends like an exhaust joint, put a bar in and clamp it until you get the right length then spark it, take em off and weld them on the bench. It's not a bodge. Ever heard of anyone breaking a standard PH rod off road? They're strong. Introducing a section isn't going to weaken them.

 

[stumog]

I was thinking that its ott to make the adjusters as i only have a 2 " lift but it just really buggys me each side is different.

What wall thickness do you think would be best?

I got one spare to play with and was shocked how heavy it is when it arrived.

stu

 

[Chris]

Well it depends what you decide to do Stu. If I put a bar inside, I'd machine a piece of solid to be a push fit. If I sleeved it with what I had to hand, I would use the same wall thickness of the original toob.

If I machined it, I would take a bar say 6' long, machine it (all but the part that equated to the extra length I wanted) to the inside diameter of the cut PH rod and then shove them together. I'd drill the PH rod first with a series of holes and then once reassembled, I'd plug weld it through into the new shaft section. I don't think it needs more than that. It would be the strongest part of the rod.

 

[stumog]

I could cut up the old piece of rod to put back into the space then weld a tube over the top with lots of hole to weld up.
thanks
chris.

 

[Chris]

The really annoying thing about the very expensive Ironman adjustables is that that are not adjustable ON the vehicle. They have a joint which is just a simple male/female threaded joint. So you give it a good guess, then fit it, trying to pull the body level with the wheels only to find out it's not right. You take one end off and give it a turn then re fit and again and again. If they had made it with a bottle screw in the middle like a steering track rod you could fit them and then just turn until everything lined up perfectly then lock them off. It's a call, but you can make the rods simply and then faff about fitting them. Or make the rods complicated but then fitting is a doddle. Or, you cut them. Add half an inch and stick them in. That's all it took. I felt robbed.

Eh?

Chris

 

[stumog]

How much were you Panhards to start with i found one in AUS that worked out about £130 plus i think £30 carriage that was on eblag.

They dont need to go very far its just one of those things i hate not being right.

I did see an adjuster that was a left and rightr hand thread so you could adjust on the car but it didnt look strong enough to me.

stu

 

[Gav Peter]

Gwyn Lewis (land rover/4x4 specialist) started producing these but they were quite pricey; there should be a thread on it somewhere Stu

Found it

http://www.landcruiserclub.net/forums/showthread.php/41620-Very-HD-SUMO-Bars?highlight=Gwyn+Lewis

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Gwyn Lewis (land rover/4x4 specialist) started producing these but they were quite pricey; there should be a thread on it somewhere Stu

Found it

http://www.landcruiserclub.net/forums/showthread.php/41620-Very-HD-SUMO-Bars?highlight=Gwyn+Lewis

That was steering bars Gav not panhards

The front panhard is solid, rear is tube. What size is the threaded section on your Ironman ones Chris?

Dunno if I'm pointing out the obvious but with the panhard being at an angle whatever length correction you calculate needs to take that into account.

 

[stumog]

I was going to use the old way of doing the calulations Jon By moving it till it is in the corrcet place then welding it to death.

stu

 

[Chris]

Jon, the thread and bars are moosive. Like 30mm? I didn't have a spanner big enough for the nuts and had to use stilsons. Yep the correction is a diagonal calculation not a lateral one. The Hypotemouse I think it's called.

 

[stumog]

the bar are 30mm Dia solid bar.

 

[Gav Peter]

That was steering bars Gav not panhards

DOH!!!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I used Slee weld in adjusters on my old 80, the ones on this page http://www.sleeoffroad.com/products/suspension_pieces_diy.htm you could make something similar if you have access to a lathe? Cut, sleeve and weld would work, till the next time your suspension changes height and then it'll be bothering you again I don't see why mild steel wouldn't be ok with a decent amount of thread in the hole as it were.

 

[stumog]

I was going to get the tool room in work to copy these but wasnt sure about a couple of things.
We dont have any fine thread taps and die i did find 1"UNC which was pretty fine would this be good enough? i was wondering if M/S would be ok i think it would need to be coated in something as well to stopp the dreaded rust..

Pm sent jon.
Stu

 

[Chris]

Adjustable upper control arms, eh?

Hmm, I can feel a project looming

 

[stumog]

I saw that on slee and didnt really get why you wouls do that. I take it its for the rear axle to be able to rotate the axle to bring your prop angle back in to line? I may be wrong
stu

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

yes on the upper links. I experimented with making some of those and have some part finished, not sure why they never got done must have got distracted by something else (good few years ago now).

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I was going to get the tool room in work to copy these but wasnt sure about a couple of things.
We dont have any fine thread taps and die i did find 1"UNC which was pretty fine would this be good enough? i was wondering if M/S would be ok i think it would need to be coated in something as well to stopp the dreaded rust..

Course thread should be good enough? At M30 course pitch would be 3.5mm, so you can adjust length in increments of 1.75mm. Seems close enough no? I'd coat them in copper slip and leave it at that, no different to track rod ends except the panhard has a nice eye in each end to put something through to get it moving.

 

[clivehorridge]

Reading all the above only confirms my opinion that (most) adjustable PHs are there just to make the truck look more comp.

Sure, it's nice to square up the wheels, but as you've all discussed, you don't need an adjustable to achieve that. Mods for mods sake, which kinda defeats the object somewhat.

Saying that, my rear axle is about half an inch out, and I don't feel the urge to correct it, maybe I should....