baddog671

Did my rear suspension late Thursday night, minus shocks which I still need to install. Ford P-springs, Whiteline trailing arms, arm brackets, panhard bar, chassis brace, and stabilizer bar. Shocks are Tokico D specs.

No squeaks. Don't know about overall noise transfer, I have muffler deletes lol. A little stiffer but not very much. My girlfriend didn't make any comment about it being more jarring. Springs are slightly bouncier, enough to tell the difference, but the Tokicos might fix that. Noticeable lowering, still need to get a good measurement.

I'd like to say it was an easy/quick install, but some things gave me issues. Had to use a prybar to get the old panhard out, and a sht-ton of muscling to put the new one back in it's place. The stabilizer bar is giving me the most trouble, as it is not lining up correctly. Pictures of bar issues at end...

Before with 3/4 full tank

Bar and springs

Arms, panhard, brace, shocks, bar hardware, and arm brackets are in the box

Before shots of the Rustang




Bar vs. stock bar

Panhard

P-springs

Arms next to my BMR polys

Brace

Brace, panhard, and springs in


Arms & Brackets


All together now



Here is the right connector for the stabilizer bar. For the most part, it is perpendicular to the ground and lines up correctly.

Here is the left side. It isn't perfectly visible with these poor nearly 1am pictures, but it is jutted to the left a few degrees. Probably doesn't affect overall performance to not be "ideal", and if it was just limited to this I would be ok buuuuut......

Here is the bar. As you can see, the left "bend" is very close to that buttress on the differential. After driving it a bit, it shifted and settled even closer and is, as I would guess, about 1/8" or less from hitting. It might even hit while driving, but I've heard nothing and will have to feel it for contact marks. I don't understand how to fix this, because the entire bar needs shifted to the left approx 1/2", but the drop connectors would obviously not mount either???
Thoughts?

moosestang

Did you adjust the new panhard bar to center the axle? How did you measure for centering?

I measure my axle center by placing a tap measure through the wheel to the inner fender and measuring to the outside edge of the brake rotors. I've done the whole plumb bob thing and find this way the most accurate.

Getting an adjustable panhard bar in is easy. You shorten it and slide the passenger side in first, then lengthen it to push the other side into the axle bracket.

2007CalSpec

It seems like you need to center the axle as Moosetang said. I would loosen the sway bar U-bolts on the axle housing first and then center the axle with the panhard bar and retighten the U-bolts once the axle is centered.

baddog671

Thanks for the input, guys. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Tomorrow when I work on my shocks I will have to measure it and adjust it. Obviously the differential needs shifted to the right a little bit to even it up with the stabilizer bar.

And as for the panhard bar, I can't emphasis how much of a b**** it was putting into place. I'll try to get a picture of the driver end bushing that is "smooshing" from out of it's mounting place (best I can explain). Maybe I will take a wire-wheel to that area and put some lube on it before putting it back in...

Calspec, if I remember correctly, these P-springs are yours! lol

moosestang

You don't need to take the panhard bar out to adjust it. Maybe your panhard bar bushings are bigger than most. All I did was sand inside the mount and put some lube on it. If it won't go in, spit on it, that's what I've always heard, lol!

It's nice to see another car with rust and dirt underneath it. You see so many cars on here that look like they are never driven.

2007CalSpec

Couldn't have been me. I never had Ford P-springs nor have I sold anything through this forum.

baddog671

Some other member from Carolinas then

moosestang

He's from north California, lol!

baddog671

derp derp

audioAl

Derp, the panhard should move 1/2 inch to the drivers side helping your problem,
they are "on car" adjustable. Dink.