front panhard bar

[akitagandy]

How many of you are running a front panhard bar ? I was told that I have to have one I am running a frontend out of a 54 pickup

 

[ellis8500]

Good Question. I've wondered this myself and it has been discussed here before. I did notice at the St. Louis July 4th parade, that none of the T's in the parade had front panhard bars. I asked one of the guys about it and he said his car drove just fine without one and he didn't really see how one would do much with a leaf spring that, in itself, limits nearly all side-to-side motion. So, I'm going to build without one. I can always add one later if the car's handling gives me a reason to do so.

 

[Leon renaud]

I know that they used to run a "Dead perch"On the drivers side of early circle track fords which was supposed to help in handling by limiting body roll but I don't know that it would help in a street application.The drivers side spring eye was mounted directly in the perch rather than with a shackle.A panard bar would keep the frame centered over the front axle but I don't know if it would have any effect on "body roll"

 

[clamper]

When I started putting my frontend back togather, I noticed that with out the panhard bar the my wheel were futher from the frame on the right side than the left. After installing the panhard bar I'm back to within 1/8". I was thinking it might be because of my old spring, but it looks good now.

 

[Ted Brown]

If your axle sits off center without the sway bar, things are not mounted correctly (centered)address this problem with a proper fix, not just the Panhard bar... Most any "correctly mounted" leaf spring front axle, except cross steer, does not need a Panhard bar...