The "UPPER" Panhard brace....Is it really needed?
Originally Posted by JS
Madman sez throw it away.
I think he knows suspensions
I think he knows suspensions
Or, hey, maybe these people who "know suspensions" could provide us a few calcs quantifying the loading on the PHR mount with and without the support prior to making broad recommendations (which I'm assuming are being portrayed in their correct context)... 
Didn't GM build nearly a million 4th gen cars, and the third gen cars used the same part as well? How much money could GM have saved by not building and installing (metal, labor, drilling holes in the chassis, hardware, etc) nearly 2 million of those braces. If it was only a dollar each (yea, right) the would have saved 2 million dollars. If it was not needed and the would have 2 million dollars from not using it, do you think they would have installed it? I wouldn't have.
Originally Posted by trackbird
Didn't GM build nearly a million 4th gen cars, and the third gen cars used the same part as well? How much money could GM have saved by not building and installing (metal, labor, drilling holes in the chassis, hardware, etc) nearly 2 million of those braces. If it was only a dollar each (yea, right) the would have saved 2 million dollars. If it was not needed and the would have 2 million dollars from not using it, do you think they would have installed it? I wouldn't have.
As usual the statement wasnt finished about what I said. I remove the upper bar on drag cars only. I also only remove it AFTER the rear of the cage is tied in.
As long as it's tied into the upper PHB mount (well, very well), then maybe....
But, that is better than what was stated and credited to you.
In a drag car, the suspension pushes forward on the lcas. If the PHB was removed, the only thing keeping the axle under the car would be the LCA bolts and the poly (or whatever) bushings. Under enough power, the axle could shift until it hit the rear inner fender on one side or the other. The more power, the more potential for this there will be. The PHB will help keep the axle and LCA's "square" under the chassis and this can place tremendous loads on the PHB which can still stress the PHB mount. I'd think that drag racing (a 10 second car, or less) might actually place as much or more loading on the PHB mount (without doing all the math) as aggressive cornering activities. And, if you have rod ended LCA's, you have no "stiffness" provided by the LCA's and the PHB takes all of those loads.
Removing it concerns me, even on a drag car. But, I'm the paranoid safety freak type.
Be safe!
But, that is better than what was stated and credited to you.
In a drag car, the suspension pushes forward on the lcas. If the PHB was removed, the only thing keeping the axle under the car would be the LCA bolts and the poly (or whatever) bushings. Under enough power, the axle could shift until it hit the rear inner fender on one side or the other. The more power, the more potential for this there will be. The PHB will help keep the axle and LCA's "square" under the chassis and this can place tremendous loads on the PHB which can still stress the PHB mount. I'd think that drag racing (a 10 second car, or less) might actually place as much or more loading on the PHB mount (without doing all the math) as aggressive cornering activities. And, if you have rod ended LCA's, you have no "stiffness" provided by the LCA's and the PHB takes all of those loads.
Removing it concerns me, even on a drag car. But, I'm the paranoid safety freak type.
Be safe!
I would be more worried about some of the cheesey adjustable panhard bars out there than removing the upper bar.
Originally Posted by MADMAN
I would be more worried about some of the cheesey adjustable panhard bars out there than removing the upper bar.
My thoughts on those are already well known.....
Some of that junk scares the hell out of me.....
