All out is huge money, not your ph rod. Just out of curiousity though, how is an aluminum panhard rod stronger than a boxed steal one? It seems to me that the aluminum would flex more. I don't know, just asking.

 

Because the vast majority of the deflection is comming from your rubber bushings or from poly bushings if you install some. Making the bar stiffer is doing nothing more than adding weight unless you have solid bearings in each end.

 

Depends on what you are doing with the car. I don't drag race. And I haven't replaced the LCA's in my car. But for autox, road race, and street driving I gotta think the PHR is better every time.

There are plenty of autox cars that have stock rear control arms. They handle very well. Very well to an autoxer is far better than someone who just drives around. Think of re-gurgitating your insides, around every corner.

 

The stocker is just a stamped steel piece, fairly weak in comparison to every other aftermarket option.

Boxing the stocker with metal plate adds some strength, but not much...

Upgrading to a tubular unit is the strongest option... whether it be DOM, Chromoly, or 6061-T6. All 3 options are very viable options and are very strong.

Infact the weak point of all 3 are the endlings, bushings, or combo of the 2.

The 6061-T6 Aluminum ones are not as strong as the steel ones, basic materials knowledge, but they weigh a LOT less in comparison, and are harder and cost more to Fabricate. That's why you don't see a LOT of them.

The other reason is because a LOT of people don't do much engineering when they design parts like that for cars, they just basically wing it and overkill everything by a TON.

If you actually do the math of how much stress is put on your suspension over the lifetime of the vehicle assuming you're driving it on a racetrack for 100K miles, the aluminum ones won't even be 1/2 way through their life cycle.

Although the rod ends will need to be repaced atleast 2-4 times, they normally don't last more than 20K miles, infact that's the MOST I've heard of getting outta them.

 

question. what is the other u shaped bar called? the on that runs diagonal?from drivers side fraim down to pass. side axle? thx

 

Thats the part we've been talking about, it's the panhard rod.

Aaron

 

Just to clarify I'm not trying to be argumentative. I would just simply like to see this "math".

OK first of all I don't see how one could do ANY math in figuring the load transferred through the PHR and PHR mounts. For one there are just WAY to many variables. Car weight, weight balance, ride height, HP, torque arm, control arm angle, tire size and compound. Virtually no two cars will be the same. Even in major factor components, like tire size, and compound.

Also I do know that there has been aluminum PHR failures (not our cars, a SN95 Mustang) and possibly flexing issues with aluminum versions for F-bodies.

Depending on material, tire size, and a mutitude of other setup parts, I can see an aluminum PHR failing.

But for the most part, given an "in the ball park" material selection, you should be fine. FWIW I use an aluminum PHR that I made myself. 3,400lbs, 315 Hoosiers, T2R diff, no problems yet.

 

I actually don't have the numbers to do the math, and infact you are correct, there are TONS of variables in the calculations.

I'll almost be willing to bet that those failures would be attributed to the aluminum not being thick enough, or some other issue with the construction of the PHR.

 

ok if the diagonal one is the pan hard bar, then what is the horizontal black bar in his pic? thx

 

As you said, the ones I used are stronger than the rod ends (depending upon brand of rod end) so why add more weight? However, I will disagree with the "cost more" comment. $12 each for an LCA is pretty damn cheap.

Quote:

The other reason is because a LOT of people don't do much engineering when they design parts like that for cars, they just basically wing it and overkill everything by a TON.

I fully agree with that. Most of the popular (here, anyway) suspension pieces for these cars don't have much Engineering into them. Most companies that make the stuff don't even have a single Engineer on staff and it shows. That's why I do it myself.

riceinmybowl, the horizontal bar is the PHB. The diagonal one is a brace to provide a redundant loadpath to the body side bracket.

 

ahhh thank you i was worried my sig was wrong