drag link & track bar (panhard bar) relation discussion

Pt_Ranger_v8

Pt_Ranger_v8

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I read through this thread:

thezentree

Thread 'Panhard and drag link angles?'

I know in a perfect world that flat, long, and totally parallel is how the drag link and panhard bar should be, but that’s not always possible. Is there a rule of thumb for how much angular separation is too much?

I’m trying to make my 3-linked 1st gen Tacoma be less bad, and found a sweet spot for a Barnes panhard bar mount on the axle. Steering clears everywhere and pushing the panhard mount forward of the axle tube makes the panhard and drag link parallel looking from the side, and got me another inch of uptravel from oil pan and upper link mount clearance.

Unfortunately the panhard...

and I think I know my answer, but I'm going to ask it here. Flame away:laughing:



Use case is 95 Crew Cab F350, 90% road with/without trailer, 10% offroad with/without a trailer as a rescue vehicle.

Anyway, working on my OBS '05 axle swap, and here's what I've come up with for numbers/angles on the drag link and panhard bar.

Track Bar:
Axle end pivot height: 17.5"
Frame end pivot height: 24"
Length: 37"
Angle: 10*

Drag link:
Axle end pivot height: 15.25"
Frame end pivot height: 21.5"
length: 43"
Angle: 8*

Drag link axle end is ~12" offset from the Track bar axle end
Drag link frame end is ~5" offset from the track bar axle end.


Using the excellent simulator that holdmypocket came up with, I get this:

1733611066809.png





More picture of the actual setup to come, but what do the smart folks (or the dumb ones, I'm not picky) think about the arcs? Massive bump steer? Major death wobble? Busloads of pregnant nuns dieing in the streets?
 
Gotta be less bump-steer than a stock '95 F350.... where the trac bar is half the length of the drag link.

I still drive old stuff with push/pull steering and don't find bump steer to be an issue.
 
I modded my truck’s steering, and while by truck itself and from driver seat bumpsteer is invisible but I noticed and dislike on how my trailer sways a little after every bumps bounces on highway. It’s like if I rocked the steer wheel.
 
TrailTamer said:
I modded my truck’s steering, and while by truck itself and from driver seat bumpsteer is invisible but I noticed and dislike on how my trailer sways a little after every bumps bounces on highway. It’s like if I rocked the steer wheel.
Click to expand...


What did you do to the steering? In my case, everything is stock 05 up to the pitman arm, which is stock 95. The axle + radius arms is all stock stuff though, so I would expect it to behave similarly to an 05 F250/350 while towing :confused:
 
Just from the eyeball-o-meter. That looks pretty close to how my setup is with my truck. Yours might be sitting a touch higher, so they aren't sitting as flat as mine. Bump steer hasn't been an issue on mine.
 
'84 Bronco II said:
Got more pictures of the track bar riser setup?
Click to expand...


I can get you some more. The track bar and axle mount are the OTTER bar from Sky's Offroad.
Fantastic bar, mediocre purchasing experience. I'm also using their radius arm mounts, which are also fantastic.

Frame mount is just a Ruffstuff trackbar mount drilled out and modified a little bit.
 
Last edited:
'84 Bronco II said:
Got more pictures of the track bar riser setup?
Click to expand...


First picture is me setting it up. This is the reason it costs money for the Sky's Offroad setup. There's a fair amount of detail and machine work in this adapter. And it's beefy as hell.


You can see how it replaces the shifft factory "tie rod end" setup. As stout as it is, there's zero side to side play on the joint - no movement whatsoever. Time will tell how long the joint lasts, but I'll keep an eye on it.

mock down.jpg



Here's a picture of how I had it assembled the first time - the two piece design means you can have it up or down, and it's brilliant.:smokin:


built down.jpg
 
Pt_Ranger_v8 said:
First picture is me setting it up. This is the reason it costs money for the Sky's Offroad setup. There's a fair amount of detail and machine work in this adapter. And it's beefy as hell.

mock down.jpg
Click to expand...

This looks almost exactly like what I machined for mine. What do they cost? (I couldn’t find it on their site)
 
WaterH said:
This looks almost exactly like what I machined for mine. What do they cost? (I couldn’t find it on their site)
Click to expand...

www.skysoffroaddesign.com

92-97 Ford Over The Top Track Bar conversion for 05+ Coil Swap

Sky's OTTER "Over The Top Extendable Rod" With Sky's Adjustable Track Bar, you can adjust the axle side to side from stock height up to 12" of lift. This also eliminates the wear prone Super Duty ball joint style connection at the axle with our billet hiem joint cup. What this means is...
www.skysoffroaddesign.com www.skysoffroaddesign.com


~$600 for everything. It's overpriced, but if you don't have the capabilities to make one yourself, it's about the only option.
 
Pt_Ranger_v8 said:
www.skysoffroaddesign.com

92-97 Ford Over The Top Track Bar conversion for 05+ Coil Swap

Sky's OTTER "Over The Top Extendable Rod" With Sky's Adjustable Track Bar, you can adjust the axle side to side from stock height up to 12" of lift. This also eliminates the wear prone Super Duty ball joint style connection at the axle with our billet hiem joint cup. What this means is...
www.skysoffroaddesign.com www.skysoffroaddesign.com


~$600 for everything. It's overpriced, but if you don't have the capabilities to make one yourself, it's about the only option.
Click to expand...
Mine. The one on the right is my first try. I was scared of my welds. The one on the left is machined from solid chunk. It took me awhile, but I would do it again for $600. Of course, I had to make the bar also. Can’t really say that’s a bad price.

IMG_2011.jpeg
 
That's
WaterH said:
Mine. The one on the right is my first try. I was scared of my welds. The one on the left is machined from solid chunk. It took me awhile, but I would do it again for $600. Of course, I had to make the bar also. Can’t really say that’s a bad price.

IMG_2011.jpeg
Click to expand...


That's a nice looking unit. What did your angles/lengths end up looking like? I'm pretty convinced I can tack it all together and test everything as it sits now. :smokin:
 
Are the factory 2005 trackbar and mount(s) difficult to accommodate on the OBS?

Frame rail spacing and steering box location are basically the same...
 
Pt_Ranger_v8 said:
That's



That's a nice looking unit. What did your angles/lengths end up looking like? I'm pretty convinced I can tack it all together and test everything as it sits now. :smokin:
Click to expand...
Mine is full hydro, so there is no drag link to match. I made an adjustable track bar and it runs nearly level at ride height. Can’t hardly see it in this pic.

IMG_0134.jpeg
 
u2slow said:
Are the factory 2005 trackbar and mount(s) difficult to accommodate on the OBS?

Frame rail spacing and steering box location are basically the same...
Click to expand...

Probably not. I already had this mount though, so I didn't have to source a mount (factory or aftermarket).

As far as location, I just measured from a reference point (radius arm mount) so that the track bar is straight left to right (not angled front to back).

I'm betting the factory 05 setup is similar.
 
Pt_Ranger_v8 said:
Probably not. I already had this mount though, so I didn't have to source a mount (factory or aftermarket).

...

I'm betting the factory 05 setup is similar.
Click to expand...
Ah ok.

I'm playing with an 05+ axle swap project myself, but ended up getting the whole frame chunk so i didn't have to 'invent' brackets.
 
u2slow said:
Ah ok.

I'm playing with an 05+ axle swap project myself, but ended up getting the whole frame chunk so i didn't have to 'invent' brackets.
Click to expand...

The only thing I'd change for that setup is upgrading the track bar and axle mount if you want any type of articulation. You'll probably want an adjustable bar anyway :laughing:

Only reason to not have adjustable is if it magically fits in the stock arrangement.
 
Pt_Ranger_v8 said:
The only thing I'd change for that setup is upgrading the track bar and axle mount if you want any type of articulation. You'll probably want an adjustable bar anyway :laughing:

Only reason to not have adjustable is if it magically fits in the stock arrangement.
Click to expand...
I like the frame end on the stock 05+ stuff. The axle end leaves me wondering.

I cut and sleeve trac bars for the length I need. +/-1/4" is good enough.
 
u2slow said:
I like the frame end on the stock 05+ stuff. The axle end leaves me wondering.

I cut and sleeve trac bars for the length I need. +/-1/4" is good enough.
Click to expand...


Axle end is kinda ****ty :homer: It works, it's "serviceable", and it soes reduce part count. One of the biggest things I like about Sky's axle mount is that it's reversible - it can go above or below the mount and you gain ~8-10° of angle.
 
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