Panhard bushes. Again. (1 Viewer)

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May 1, 2008
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I seem to do front panhard bushes every 15k or so. It's not a tough or expensive job, but it is a pita.

My truck has a 4" lift and runs 35s, which have decent balance. Castor correction by way of home brew drop plates on the chassis end of the trailing arms, which run stock rubber bushings, and haven't been changed in over 100k. They're all fine. My swivel hubs are recently rebuilt, the tracking is fine and nothing loose in the steering.

Any usual suspects to go after here?

Cheers.
 
I seem to do front panhard bushes every 15k or so. It's not a tough or expensive job, but it is a pita.

My truck has a 4" lift and runs 35s, which have decent balance. Castor correction by way of home brew drop plates on the chassis end of the trailing arms, which run stock rubber bushings, and haven't been changed in over 100k. They're all fine. My swivel hubs are recently rebuilt, the tracking is fine and nothing loose in the steering.

Any usual suspects to go after here?

Cheers.
Are you installing OEM bushings?

Are you tightening the bolts with the weight of the truck fully on the tires and suspension? Leave them loose until it's on the ground fully.
 
Are you installing OEM bushings?

Are you tightening the bolts with the weight of the truck fully on the tires and suspension? Leave them loose until it's on the ground fully.
Yes to both.
 
I seem to do front panhard bushes every 15k or so. It's not a tough or expensive job, but it is a pita.

My truck has a 4" lift and runs 35s, which have decent balance. Castor correction by way of home brew drop plates on the chassis end of the trailing arms, which run stock rubber bushings, and haven't been changed in over 100k. They're all fine. My swivel hubs are recently rebuilt, the tracking is fine and nothing loose in the steering.

Any usual suspects to go after here?

Cheers.
Let's see these home brew drop plates. I wonder if they're loading your track bar funny
 
Are you installing OEM bushings?

Are you tightening the bolts with the weight of the truck fully on the tires and suspension? Leave them loose until it's on the ground fully.
Thing is it feels like the bolt must be tightening down onto the centre core of the bushing, but surely that's not the intention as when the truck goes into bump or droop it's going to be tring to twist the bush apart.

I suppose I should be able to prove or disprove by disconnecting either end with the other fully torqued and see how it feels. I wonder if the mounts might have been squeezed due to being over-torqued, I do need a punch or a screwdriver to lever the panhard into the correct position.

One last thing - you say leave it until the trucks on the ground - I couldn't see a reason to lift it in the first place - am I doing that part wrong?

Cheers.
 
The brackets on the chassis and diff housing will clamp down onto the centre sleeve. The centre sleeves are effectively fixed solidly in place. The panhard rotates around the centre sleeve, so the bushes twist every time the suspension moves up or down

If you're installing the panhard with the car sitting at ride height, then you are ok to bolt them in tight straight away.
If you have the car up on stands, and suspension drooping, tightening bolts while it's in this position introduces a twist or preload in the bush once it's lowered back to ride height. Not good.
 
^^^What he said^^^
 
Thanks chaps, sadl;y this isn't the issue I have then. I've never bothered to jack it up to change them. I'm leaning toward going with a nylon bush instead, are they really that bad?
 
Thanks chaps, sadl;y this isn't the issue I have then. I've never bothered to jack it up to change them. I'm leaning toward going with a nylon bush instead, are they really that bad?
If you are buying real OEM rubber bushings, they shouldn't be tearing up that fast, especially not in the panhard bar. The panhard bar is the one that is horizontal and keeps the axle in place left to right under the truck.

You don't need to even put it on a jack to remove this bar. You can remove it and replace it with the truck sitting on the ground and the weight on the tires.

Make sure you are torquing the bolts correctly IIRC, it's like 174 LB-FT on those bolts. (Double check me on that)

Yes, it SHOULD be clinching that sleeve in the middle. That's how it works. The rubber twists as the arm articulates up and down.
 
Let's see these home brew drop plates. I wonder if they're loading your track bar funny
Quoting myself here but I'm telling you, I suspect you have some jacked up caster angle that requires you to use a drift to misalign the bushing just to get the bolt through.
 
Check the panhard frame mounting for cracks. Also check where the steering box attaches to the frame for cracks while your at it.

Both locations are known to crack.
 

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