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heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

posted by  Nahtanha on  Tue Mar 3 08:11 CST 2020
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last visit: Tue May 20 10:10 CST 2014
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After installing some IPD heavy duty springs in my 740 wagon it offset the rear axle side to side. Shifted the axle towards the passenger side. I then installed the IPD adjustable panhard rod and shortened the rod (From Stock) and pulled the axle back center and inline with the driveshaft. Problem is the driver side fender to top of wheel clearance is less on the driver side rear and higher on the passenger side rear. My question is, Would 14 gallons of gasoline at approximately 98 LB. cause this sagging on the driver side, since the gasoline tank is on the driver side ? Correcting the axle center also drop the driver side fender height even more when pulling the axle over to the driver side, pryor to panhard bar change. Rides nice and straight now, but I'm still at a lost on why the car still sags on the driver side. All new shocks and the bushing are all fine.Cars never been in an accident. Brains Hurting Now !








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    heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

    posted by  MichaelYount on  Wed Mar 4 15:00 CST 2020
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    What changes, if any, did you make to the front springs/shocks?

    Adjusting the Panhard to center the rearend shouldn't have any appreciable effect on ride height. If the heavy duty springs RAISED the back of the car, then with the stock Panhard, that could affect side to side clearances as the Panhard travels through its arc.

    And if you didn't carefully (car level, fuel load the same as later measurements, etc.) measure right height and side to side clearance before starting and again afterwards under the same conditions - then you don't really have anything to go on. Just got through changing the ride height on one of my project cars -- and it all began with very careful (and repeatable) measurement of the ride height at each corner.








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      heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

      posted by  Nahtanha on  Thu Mar 5 07:47 CST 2020
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      last visit: Tue May 20 10:10 CST 2014
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      Everything was measured with full tank of gasoline and after a drive, coasting onto the level driveway coasting down to a stop without braking. The heavy duty springs did shift the rear axle off center due to arc of the panhard alignment. You could see that the two piece driveshaft was not inline from underneath. Adjustable panhard allowed me to pull the axle back center with minimal arc displacement. Someone suggested swapping the new shocks side to side and see if possibility of an inferior made spring. Maybe changing the shocks position tonight. Stange trying to find the reason for the fender height difference.








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        heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

        posted by  MichaelYount on  Thu Mar 5 08:26 CST 2020
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        .....and what about changes to the front suspension?

        All 4 corners of a car work together. If measured carefully, a change in ride height at one corner will also affect the other 3 corners. If you have a saggy/soft spring in front, it can affect what you're measuring at the rear.

        I've spent lots of time over the decades playing with rates, ride heights and corner scales. It's amazing how what seems like a relatively benign change can impact things. Example -- simply opening the door all the way on my 2-dr 242 shifts 40 lbs. from one side to the side with the open door. Removing the 40 lb battery from the driver's side under the hood and placing it in the passenger side of the trunk adds 60 lbs. to the rear axle weight readings, and removes 60 lbs from the front axle weight readings - because of the leverage created with the battery being ahead of the front axle "line" and moving behind the rear axle. There's lots of counter-intuitive results when you start making changes.

        Tell us more about bushings -- did you recently change them? Did you torque anything all the way down with the suspension at full droop?

        I'd also add - most cars even when brand new will not measure equal at all 4 corners. Often 1/8", 1/4" even 1/2" off.








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    heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

    posted by  james_a_sousa on  Wed Mar 4 11:10 CST 2020
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    last visit: Thu Oct 23 18:51 CST 2014
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    Same poster.

    To really see how others view your car from each side, take a picture of each side of your car from the same distance and a height of about 3 feet and compare them.

    Your eyes and brain modify what you see, pictures are impartial.








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    heavy duty IPD springs and adjustable panhard rod.

    posted by  james_a_sousa on  Wed Mar 4 11:07 CST 2020
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    last visit: Thu Oct 23 18:51 CST 2014
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    The difference in clearance is interesting - more important is how the suspension behaves - straight line behavior, movement under emergency braking, cornering balance, tire wear, etc.

    Except for you, no one observes side to side fender clearance - how does the stance and clearances look from each side? That is what others see.

    As was suggested, shaping the springs side to side may make a difference.

    Another solution might be to install a shim on the low side.

    Some research on Panhard bars might be in order. What is better - level ride height or centered rear axle?

    How about checking 4 wheel alignment - for the reasons that I cite in the first sentence, alignment is probably a key issue.







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