Pan hard bar adjusting with bags. What height to set at? Set it in the air? Noob.

[Low & Slow]

Have a set of rear bags coming in the mail today and will be setting my rear pan hard bar to center the axle. I have searched and know that the rear must be centered to ride height.

But what am I measuring to make sure the rear is centered at ride height?
From what location to where?
What happens when I air up or down from the set ride height?
Do I need to weld new brackets or will an adjustable bar simply work?
Do the measurements take place in the air or on the ground?
What do I look for that my rear axle isn't centered?

Sorry for all the questions, brand new to trucks, lowering, and airbags.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Low & Slow

Have a set of rear bags coming in the mail today and will be setting my rear pan hard bar to center the axle. I have searched and know that the rear must be centered to ride height.

But what am I measuring to make sure the rear is centered at ride height?
From what location to where?
What happens when I air up or down from the set ride height?
Do I need to weld new brackets or will an adjustable bar simply work?
Do the measurements take place in the air or on the ground?
What do I look for that my rear axle isn't centered?

Sorry for all the questions, brand new to trucks, lowering, and airbags.

You want to verify the wheels/tires are centered relative to the chassis/body. The quick & easy way is to visually look & see if you have the same gap on the inside/outside edge on both tires on the rear end. More/less gap indicates it needs to be shifted one way or the other. Check everything w/weight on the suspension (either raise the truck in the air & sitting jack-stands under the front a-arms & under the rear end housing or check w/it on the ground).

When you raise or lower the truck w/air pressure, it will slightly shift from where it's centered @ ride height. The longer the Panhard bar, the less shift you'll experience. I like Porterbuilts Panhard bar set-up or CPP's, or No Limits.

[craig@ridetech.com]

When deciding where to measure from just make sure you pick something that is the same on either side. Say the flange on the end of the axle tube to the outside frame rail. And like Scoti said, the longer your bar is the better, since it will be moving in an arc as the suspension travels up and down the longer the bar is the less arc and change in side to side movement.