Panhard Rod - Is it bent or normal? + RTC (1 Viewer)

[Reedys]

Hey guys,

I was told while getting a RWC (Roadworthy Check) done that my panhard rod is bent, however I honestly thought it looked quite normal.

However, I did experience some form of death wobbles if I hit rough roads / aggressive potholes which stops if I slow down. (Which the panhard rod could explain).

Would love some advice / happy to move to an adjustable as have recently added a 3” lift so it probably needs one. Do we think RTC Dampeners are worthwhile as I could easily add one at the same time.

Please let me know your thoughts & recommendations.

Kind regards,
Reedys

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

It is bent. An offroad hit, perhaps.





Juan

 

[sadam_husain]

both the panhard and the draglink/relay rod look bent

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

Panhard rod looks bent and the track rod (aka tie rod) is badly bent. Must drive like

EDIT - it's the drag link (aka relay rod), my bad.

 

[Reedys]

Hello,

It is bent. An offroad hit, perhaps.





Juan

both the panhard and the draglink/relay rod look bent

Panhard rod looks bent and the track rod (aka tie rod) is badly bent. Must drive like

EDIT - it's the drag link (aka relay rod), my bad.

Thank you all very much, not sure what happened with it, as I've just recently picked it up. Could the recent lift have anything to do with it, or this would purely be from an off road hit of some kind?

I'll go ahead and replace these, any product recommendations or anything goes?

Thanks again.

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

Maybe it caught something like a tree stump and levered the drag link against the Panhard rod, bending the latter downward.

I guess you mean did the recent lift cause it - no, it will just pull the axle slightly to one side due to lifting the Panhard rod, and have no effect on the drag link.

Whatever you do, that will need an alignment job.

 

[Reedys]

Maybe it caught something like a tree stump and levered the drag link against the Panhard rod, bending the latter downward.

I guess you mean did the recent lift cause it - no, it will just pull the axle slightly to one side due to lifting the Panhard rod, and have no effect on the drag link.

Whatever you do, that will need an alignment job.

No worries, thanks for the help.

Will get onto this asap.

 

[sadam_husain]

harder offroading bouncing into banks, ruts, rocks etc will bend them quite easily, I've lost count of how many draglinks I've replaced

 

[AirheadNut]

If I had to guess this might be related:

 

[Reedys]

If I had to guess this might be related:

View attachment 3961520

Hahaha would say so!

 

[Reedys]

harder offroading bouncing into banks, ruts, rocks etc will bend them quite easily, I've lost count of how many draglinks I've replaced

I bet haha, since you've been through a few, I'm having a hard time trying to find one for my lj78w, any suggestions or links? Greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[AirheadNut]

Here's the part number for the panhard rod: 48740-60023 and the drag link: 45451-60111. Not sure if those parts are still available from Toyota, the panhard rod is available as an aftermarket adjustable unit for use with bigger lift kits, and the drag link should be available aftermarket as well.

 

[Reedys]

Here's the part number for the panhard rod: 48740-60023 and the drag link: 45451-60111. Not sure if those parts are still available from Toyota, the panhard rod is available as an aftermarket adjustable unit for use with bigger lift kits, and the drag link should be available aftermarket as well.

Thank you, just to confirm these are the part numbers for 1991 LJ78w?

 

[Redline70]

Thank you, just to confirm these are the part numbers for 1991 LJ78w?

ToyoDIY.com

 

[JuanJ]

Thank you, just to confirm these are the part numbers for 1991 LJ78w?

Hello,

Quite likely they are long discontinued. Maybe some vendor has them in stock.

You can use parts from a newer model (post-1999) 70 Series.

Take the chance and drop in an aftermarket steering damper.

Last but not least, take a closer look at the frame and drivetrain when you replace these parts.





Juan

 

[Broski]

I will put in my 2 cents
Neither of those bent rod will cause you truck to drive bad.
The bent relay rod/tie rod will make the steering wheel off center.
The bent panhard will change the way the axle is centered under the truck.
Neither will cause death wobble.
On the other hand bad bushings in the panhard will allow death wobble to happen as will bad tie rod ends.

 

[Reedys]

I will put in my 2 cents
Neither of those bent rod will cause you truck to drive bad.
The bent relay rod/tie rod will make the steering wheel off center.
The bent panhard will change the way the axle is centered under the truck.
Neither will cause death wobble.
On the other hand bad bushings in the panhard will allow death wobble to happen as will bad tie rod ends.

Thank you for your reply.

Death wobble is being triggered by medium-large bumps / holes in the road. Besides that I can’t really seem to trigger it too often.

I do plan to replace the rod ends when I change out the Panhard & finally find a drag link - (due to no stock I am just considering just getting one fabricated to match oem spec).

Tie rods and an adjustable panhard are easy to find and around $350 AUD for the two of them. Shall I be replacing anything else at the same time?

Hello,

Quite likely they are long discontinued. Maybe some vendor has them in stock.

You can use parts from a newer model (post-1999) 70 Series.

Take the chance and drop in an aftermarket steering damper.

Last but not least, take a closer look at the frame and drivetrain when you replace these parts.





Juan

Re: Damper, I read that the return to centre dampers do more harm than good on the rest of the steering setup in regards to wear. Shall I just get a regular steering damper? Both have been easy to find, RTC being easier.

Again, thanks for your inputs.

-R

 

[JuanJ]

Re: Damper, I read that the return to centre dampers do more harm than good on the rest of the steering setup in regards to wear. Shall I just get a regular steering damper? Both have been easy to find, RTC being easier.

Again, thanks for your inputs.

-R

Hello,

You can use a center damper with the factory setup. The details are in the service manual under "steering linkage."

A regular damper is good enough.





Juan

 

[Eurasiaoverland]

I will put in my 2 cents
Neither of those bent rod will cause you truck to drive bad.
The bent relay rod/tie rod will make the steering wheel off center.
The bent panhard will change the way the axle is centered under the truck.
Neither will cause death wobble.
On the other hand bad bushings in the panhard will allow death wobble to happen as will bad tie rod ends.

Sound advice. I didn't look closely enough at first and thought it was the tie rod that was bent.

 

[Broski]

Thank you for your reply.

Death wobble is being triggered by medium-large bumps / holes in the road. Besides that I can’t really seem to trigger it too often.

I do plan to replace the rod ends when I change out the Panhard & finally find a drag link - (due to no stock I am just considering just getting one fabricated to match oem spec).

Tie rods and an adjustable panhard are easy to find and around $350 AUD for the two of them. Shall I be replacing anything else at the same time?



Re: Damper, I read that the return to centre dampers do more harm than good on the rest of the steering setup in regards to wear. Shall I just get a regular steering damper? Both have been easy to find, RTC being easier.

Again, thanks for your inputs.

-R

To be clear what can be seen in the picture is the drag link and panhard bar.
IMO the they are both bent.
Behind the axle is the tie rod/relay rod, it can’t be seen in the picture so no way to know if it’s bent.
If it is that would change the toe and effect how the truck drives.
All 4 tie rod & drag link end should be changed at the same time.
And if your having death wobble you should be looking at all the bushings in the front end.
You should also take a close look a the frame mount of the panhard bar for cracks.