Hot Rods Rear panhard bar

When we replaced the rear springs on the old beater this past weekend I noticed the bushings on the panhard bar were shot and as old as they are they were made of rubber I would like to replace them with something more durable like urethane bushings.

anyone know of a good source? HRP

 

I'm not a fan of urethane as while it can be more durable, it also transmits shock loads and NVH more than rubber does. I know that when I altered the front suspension on my '64 Comet, Global West (my A-arm suppliers), they recommended NOT using urethane in place of rubber on a street car as the increased shock loads could break parts. YMMV....

 

Energy suspension.com, should be able to find something close if you don’t mind “upgrading”.


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The sedan was built almost 30 years ago and sat a few years before being road worth but I suspect there is at least 26 years of wear & tear and the rubber is so worn part of the rubber is missing. HRP

 

The ladder bushings on the A were the same way, basically nothing left but the metal sleeves. Replaced with prothane bushings from the above company. A little measuring and you should be able to find something.


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So Steve, I take it you wouldn't recommend rod ends then!
I know GW has been a player in the suspension game for a long time but I'd be suspect of them a-arms if they have no more faith in their products than that.

 

Call your parts store ask for jeep front track bar bushings. See how close that is, 95% chance it's exact

 

Nope, no rod ends... LOL. Global West was very specific in their recommendations. Their a-arms featured plastic pivot bushings, but that was actually an improvement over the metal-on-metal factory arm pivots. They had no opinion on the sway bar and lower control arm bushings other than to note that urethane would transmit more noise/harshness with little handling gain. They were specific in NOT recommending urethane at the shock bushings or the strut rods, as they had seen failures in both the strut rods and upper shock mounts on street cars. I'll note that I had multiple sway bar end link failures with urethane bushings until I replaced those with rubber. It will depend on the quality of the roads you travel; many of my local roads feature potholes and I stressed that to Global West when asking.

 

The thing to remember is urethane was developed as a 'street replacement' for race-only metal bushings which generally won't survive day-in, day-out street driving, not to mention how much NVH you get. Urethane was designed to bridge the gap between rubber/metal, but does carry a price...

 

I've gotten the orange ones from Pet&Jakes.

 

Urethane bushing are a low compliance-high maintenance wear item.
They are good, have their place and purpose and life expectancy.
Ever wonder why they are so simple and easy to install/change?
Hint: because they need changed often when they get pounded out.

 

Anything beats rubber with no metal bushings. HRP

 

Those lasted 26 years.
Might as well stick to the same thing unless you plan to stick around and har*** us for another 1/4 century.

 

Rick,they have been there that long,lasted is another story.

I have a long term plan for my future but you know as well as I that we are not in charge of when we take the dirt nap. HRP

 

Friend of mine has a frame/suspension business and had some issues with bushings from one of his vendors, the durometer rating was too light and they were compressing prematurely so I know there are some options.

 

Years ago I rember going into an off-road shop and they had bins and bins of urayhane bushings all different sizes etc , you may try that on top of energy and Pete and jakes also
If you find the right I.D. If you know someone with a lathe ( even a wood lathe) a good sharp tool bit turns them down fairly ez

 

I've done that, and it only works well with fairly hard durometer bushings. Freezing the softer ones will help, but too soft will just tear....

 

I guess I'm going to have to remove the bar to figure the correct size but since the sedan is currently my daily driver for the next few weeks that ain't gonna happen until I get my everyday truck back. HRP

 

BTW,I did go by the 4x4 center and they do have bushings of all types. HRP

 

My coupe has TCI bars front and rear. The front bushings gave up several years back. Called TCI and ordered front and rear bushings. Replaced the fronts but the rears are still holding up good.

 

I would guess that a bar that old may have had Chev rear panhard bar sleeved rubber bushings; like on '58-'64 full size. Same kind Pete & Jakes used in their 4 bars to start with; until they found they "twisted" out too quick. I would guess their orange bushing would be the right size, although a little stiffer then the rubber bushings; easier to install, tho.

 

Come to think about it I may have used a TCI panhard bar.

They did appear to be a early rubber bushing. HRP

 

I think urethane bushings are a maintainence item, like change every year on a daily, could go steel on one end of panhard, if that keeps ya on the road

 

You mean as in steel rod end right.

 

Yes, or machine a steel piece that mimics the urethane or rubber, they do it for rubber mounted Harley handlebars to get rid of super slop

 

Steel on steel might work in that application but not on something that pivots **x a day, EVERY day.

 

Mind you, this is a scurrilous off-the-cuff, why not go with two relatively hard durometer rubber bushings? Each end of the bar would then offer ''compressed" resistance, when sized to fit.

 

Doesn't a panhard keep the rear located only. Or are we playing pin ball with our back tires? As far as Shock. How about A framed cars with uprights and kingpins along with there A frames pivot's. There's some solid stuff going on there?

 

That's what it is designed to do and when I was under the car I had someone pushing the rear of the body side to side and there was a little movement in the rubber,I am under the impression the urethane would be far superior to the original rubber bushings but anything would be better than the ancient hard & split ones that are going to be replaced. HRP

 

I believe you have your answer.