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Does a standard 4 wheel alignment usually include panhard adjustment?

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Old Mar 10, 2011 | 09:28 AM
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Default Does a standard 4 wheel alignment usually include panhard adjustment?

Hey folks...

I'm considering doing the cheap route as a temporary fix for my need for being lower.

Cheap in that I'm considering only doing Springs and adj panhard bar FOR NOW.

I know its gonna ride like crap, but assuming I am pretty sure given my previous cars that I can live with it like this for a few months.

Anyway. I'm pretty sure I can handle the spring install myself. And I'm also fairly certain I can handle the panhard bar install myself as well on my back with the car on jack stands.

The question is once that pan hard bar is in, how the heck do I adjust it?

I've got a 3 year warranty alignment with my previous car at a local tire shop, I'm allowed to transfer that warranty to another car ONCE during the life of the warranty. I plan on transferring it to the Mustang, and not having to pay for an alignment for it but getting one done.

Does the tire shop, doing a routine 4 wheel alignment routinely adjust panhard bars as part of the whole alignment process? or do they just adjust camber/toe/caster typically?

Thanks for your guidance fellahs.
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 10:52 AM
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Yes., but you sometimes have to remind them that it is adjustable.
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 01:20 PM
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routinely no, the pan hard bar as nothing to do with a 4 wheel alignment, it just recenters the body over the axle, if you were to ask them to they probably would, but routinely I'm pretty sure they wouldn't.
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 01:31 PM
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I know the shop well and the guy in particualr that usually works on it probably wont mind doing it. How precise is this? In other words, is adjusting it something that I could easily do? Do they need any kind of particular measuring equipment to ensure its as dead center as possible?
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 01:33 PM
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Is your adjustable panhard bar ON-CAR adjustable? That would make it a lot easier.

Here's an on-car adjustable UMI panhard bar from Sam Strano that I've had my eye on:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...208&ModelID=35

Last edited by MrLatte; Mar 10, 2011 at 01:36 PM.
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by MrLatte
Is your adjustable panhard bar ON-CAR adjustable? That would make it a lot easier.

Here's an on-car adjustable UMI panhard bar from Sam Strano that I've had my eye on:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...208&ModelID=35
Haven't picked on yet... though I'm highly considering the Steeda Adjustible one.

http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-a...d-mustang.html
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by starbai
Haven't picked on yet... though I'm highly considering the Steeda Adjustible one.

http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-a...d-mustang.html
I went with the Steeda also.
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Old Mar 10, 2011 | 03:36 PM
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Originally Posted by MrLatte
Is your adjustable panhard bar ON-CAR adjustable? That would make it a lot easier.

Here's an on-car adjustable UMI panhard bar from Sam Strano that I've had my eye on:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...208&ModelID=35
Just for the record and future reference, it seems like the steeda IS on car adjustable as well...

According to this:

https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...on-w-pics.html
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by partsbill
routinely no, the pan hard bar as nothing to do with a 4 wheel alignment, it just recenters the body over the axle, if you were to ask them to they probably would, but routinely I'm pretty sure they wouldn't.
I believe the adjustable pan hard bar adjusts thrust angle (dog tracking) which IS one of the measurements of a 4-wheel alignment.
Old Mar 10, 2011 | 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by danzcool
I believe the adjustable pan hard bar adjusts thrust angle (dog tracking) which IS one of the measurements of a 4-wheel alignment.
If it affects thrust angle, it's only indirectly and only by a very little. Shifting the axle laterally theoretically does shift the thrust angle because the two LCAs are not quite parallel to each other or to the car centerline.

It would be far easier to make thrust angle changes with adjustable-length LCAs.

FWIW, you should never be paying 4-wheel alignment prices for a stick-axle car. Thrust angle alignment price tops.


Tweaking stick axle alignment other than thrust angle is pretty serious road-race or autocross stuff, and for any shop that would actually have the capability and the time to do it and the expertise to do it right, I doubt that standard alignment shop 4-wheel alignment money would be enough to get your car even looked at.


Norm



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