Thread: No more panhard

Originally Posted by wagoo

My sleeved,bent/cranked and reinforced top link, made from a rear lower link,mounted above the diff for packaging vs good engineering reasons, has been giving me some bother lately with straightening out and cracking under high torque loadings. Will have to try to replicate the length and shape but using an old radus arm instead.Or maybe do a One Link myself.
Wagoo.

Bill,

I always admire your ability to make something from nothing..with good design and know how....But arent those rear links about as strong as a candy cigarette.

Bill, regarding the different links styles: 3/4/1 RA etc...the one thing that the RA has that the others dont (and please correct me if im wrong) is Roll Stiffness...that is the RA's and axle are like a big swaybar....the longer the RA's the less Roll resistance

Originally Posted by uninformed

Bill,

I always admire your ability to make something from nothing..with good design and know how....But arent those rear links about as strong as a candy cigarette.

Yes Serg you're right about the strength of stock rear links. The reason i chose to use one for my top front link was for reasons of expediency and basic laziness as I also elected to use the 3 bolt trailing arm chassis bush on the 3rd link crossmember. Due to too much compliance on that bushing I soon had to replace that with a A frame ball joint. I'm now finding after all these years that the 2 piece chassis end bushings of the front lowers are too compliant, allowing too much axle housing rotation from torque reaction.If I don't go one link I'll probably have to replace them with ball joints too.
You are of course correct about the radius arm bushings providing roll resistance, but the roll resistance is not readily disconnectable for high articuation cross country work like an anti roll bar link is.The longer RAs would provide lower roll resistance and more articulation though.
Would still like to do a controlled articulation rollover test on a vehicle with good flex, and then with the flex restricted by limiting straps or similar.
I'm reasonably certain that the roof on my vehicle would be totally destroyed if it didn't have as much front/rear balanced articulation as it does
Wagoo.

Been having trouble getting on the forum lately,
I think the one link plus panhard should fit and flex very well but am worried about the handling on the road, might need to fit adjustable shocks or a swaybar with disconnects.
As far as the one link goes offroad the only situation that might be bad is down hill across a side slope, the whole body may want to lean over as the front end won't bind up as it does now with radius arms.
If only kinectic suspension were still around and developed kits for rovers, forced articulation would be ideal here.
I won't be able to measure up anything for a few weeks due to work, keep the ideas coming though.
How long would you make the one link?
Is there a formula or something to work it out?
The removable crossmember can go as far back as the rear tail shaft.

Eric

One links as with radius arms with portals should ideally be as long and as horizontal as possibe to reduce antidive geometry. Three links like one links also have no roll resistance, but those measurements I gave for the relocated panhard rod raise the roll centre of the front suspension, and should produce similar results to the v8110 on volvos and my own vehicle. That is good stability on and off road without the need for an anti roll bar.
wagoo.

to what extent would the size and material type play in the Roll Siffness of a RA for a given length? Could you "tune" them like a tortion bar???