wrkhrd

Hello:

I am doing a lot of reading about lowering springs and lowering the car for an inch or so. It has be advised in many threads that you should replace you stock non-adjustable PB with the adjustable one. So, my question is how do you do that? I plan to do the lowering myself but centering the back is something that I can do or should I take it to alignment shop?! Is there any measurement need to be taken before taking the parts apart?
Thanks

houtex

An inch lower may or may not need an adjustable panhard bar. But it's still advised.

To figure it out, it's just a matter of measuring the rims to the body of the car before you do anything. Unless the car is bent, this is the baseline you should adhere to. You can do it with a plumb and string, affixed to the top of the rear wheel well, and then a ruler or tape measure from the rim to the string. If the wheels/tires pooch out of the car, well, you'll have to do it some other way, but whatever the measurement is now, that's what you would want to have it be when you get done (DO NOT change the wheels/tires until after you do the suspension! You can't measure it as well.)

The idea is if it's a 1/2" in on the wheel from the wheel well on both sides before you do any work, then that's what you should wind up with after, and if it's not (say it wound up 5/8" on the driver's side, and 3/8" on the passenger), then you'd adjust to get both sides 1/2".

Note that these numbers are imaginary. I don't know what your measurements are. But that's the idea... Since the stock, nonadjustable panhard bar will move the axle to the driver's side when the body comes down, you have to recenter it, so adjustable panhard.

Also, be sure to measure all this with 1/2 tank of gas. You'll get the best results.

Now, if you go more than an inch or 1.5 inches, you may also need lower control arm relocation brackets, or adjustable lower control arms, to correct the axle pinion angle, for if it's too great at cruise, it'll wallow out the yoke seal. You don't want to do that.

But again, in the case of just an inch lower in the back, the pinion angle and the axle centering may be just peachy keen, and you don't need to do anything. You can do the work, and figure it out after, as the panhard is seriously simple to do, so getting it a week later won't do any harm. Just will drive a little off, because the thrust angle is out of whack. Then again, they're pretty cheap to get and once you have one, you have it. I like my BMR lower control arms and adjustable panhard bar with the Ford P springs, if that matters. Did it m'self.

Have fun, and good luck!

wrkhrd

Thanks for the explanation.

tj@steeda

Houtex explained it perfectly.

It will always move the rear axle when you lower the car, always.

Best Regards,

TJ