shelby-dodge  

Re: SD> weld up rear trailing arm beam or pan hard bars?

swedeis
Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:30:36 -0700

The panhard rod locates the suspension and rear wheels side to side.  The 
Panhard rod does nothing for the stiffness of the rear springs.  Replacing it 
with an adjustable unit or stiffening the stock piece will make a difference in 
how well the vehicle tracks while being driven aggressively.

The rear axle is called a "twist beam" rear axle and has an anti-sway bar built 
into the cross bar.  Boxing this cross-bar or increasing the diameter or wall 
thickness of the bar will increase the roll-stiffness of the rear suspension.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twist-beam_rear_suspension

Enjoy,
Stefan

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In a message dated 9/19/2007 11:01:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> 
> The bar  inside the rear axle does act like a sway bar.  
> 
> Take one wheel  and tie it to the ground, lift the other up.  What is
> twisting?   The cross channel.  Now add a tube/bar into the channel.
> Harder to  twist, right?  So now the two wheels are trying harder to stay
> at the  same level.  That is what a sway bar does...
> 
> Now, this is not as  ideal as a frame/axle swat bar setup, but it is
> somewhat functional and  definitely cheaper for Dodge, hence why you see
> them in these  cars.
> 
> Shane
> 
> 
> That's why I had asked if the mod was worth it.  I do have a separate  sway 
> bar (3/4") that attached to the rear axle and it is even adjustable.   
> Although 
> Johnny said that this mod (boxing in the panhard bar) would still be  
> beneficial, I can't imagine how much more it would, since I already have an  
> aftermarket sway bar in the rear to begin with.
>  
> -David C. Lucidi

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