I hear terms of Lower Control Arms, Panhard, Strut Tower Brace, and other suspension stuff. I just wanted to know what all of this stuff does. And what other suspension stuff is there? thanx alot.
-Brent
P.S. I'm not sure what Panhard is but it just sounded like something to do with suspension.

 

Brent,

I will try to answer this question for you, but I am trying to finish moving to a new residence and this will be a long answer. If I get a chance later today or tomorrow evening, I'll get started on it (if nobody beats me to it) and get it on here.

 

alright, cool. thanx.

 

The Lower Control Arms (also called "LCA's") are the connection between the rear axle and the chassis. They are steel beams (stamped steel, formed into a sort of upside down "U" shape) that are located directly behind the rear tires. There is a bolt on the body and a bolt on the axle. Their purpose is to allow the axle to move up and down as well as "twist", such as when one wheel drops into a pothole.

THe Panhard Bar ("PHB") is located behind the axle, it looks like a "long LCA" and it runs diagonally (nearly straight) across the rear axle, one side is connected to the chassis, the other side is connected to the axle. It's job is to keep the rear axle "under" the car. Coil spring suspensions (what our cars use) will not keep the axle under the car, the springs will support the weight of the car, but they don't resist "side loads", such as cornering. (remember the "horses" they used to have in city parks, mounted on big coil springs....you would rock back and fourth as a kid and the spring would let you do that....that is why we need a PHB).

I strut tower brace (STB) ties the inner front fenders (above the shock and spring mounting points) together to keep the fenders from moving under loads (think of a big tuning fork, over hard bumps the strut towers will "ring" and vibrate, the strut tower brace changes this from a "U" shape to an "O" and makes it stiffer by reinforcing the top of the towers that are open to the air, think of putting a lid on a box....).

Subframe connectors (SFC's) tie the front and rear of the car together to help reduce twisting of the chassis and to remove suspension loads from the sheetmetal skin of the car (it routs the forces through a "frame" instead of your fenders).

Coil Overs are a shock and spring combination (usually the term "coilovers" will refer to a spring and shock set that have some adjustment for the height of the spring to change the ride height of the car) such as found under the front of an F-body (ours are non adjustable, but it is a coil over design).

That should get you started....if you still have questions, just toss them up and we'll see what we can do....

 

thanks alot trackbird!

 

No problem. That is the "general overview". If you have any more specific questions, just toss them out there...