Panhard Bar Material

[SCOTI]

So my 'project' lately has been building a 4-bar/bagged set-up for my 89 square body CC dually using an older/used 'Ride Tech HD bolt-in kit' as my starting point.

The Ride Tech kit was not designed to be 'used' @ my planned ride height (my ride height = lower than their air'd out height) so several changes were required for optimizing my set-up. So far I've changed the 4-bar ends, fabbed my own front 4-bar mounting brackets, tweaked the bolt-on rear end brackets, installed step notches (Thanks PB!), & built new shock mounts to work w/the other changes.

The last thing I need to fab is the Panhard bar set-up. The Ride Tech kits utilize a set-up that is secured to the rear end w/the differential cover bolts & positions the bar slightly above the rear end. This works well @ their expected height range. The bars placement doesn't work well for my set-up. Their Panhard bar kit is also intended to to be secured to the frame w/a bracket that bolts to the inside of the frame rail. Since my frame rail is now boxed, it changes the placement of the bar which makes their differential bracket an unlikely choice.

I only got the bar minus brackets when I picked up this used kit so I've been trying to work w/what I had. I got a bracket for the 'frame' end of the bar that works w/the PB step notches & was going to build a tower that attaches to the rear end axle tube to locate the other end of the bar.

The problem now is the bar that I got w/my used kit will now be too short. I've searched the net & cant seem to find the same size tubing in a longer length (1 1/8" OD x .219 wall DOM). Ride Techs universal bars offer no size info & to be honest their 'new' stuff is typically out of my budget.

Where's a good source (other than Thorbeck Bros) for this material?

[dwcsr]

Try Marmon/Keystone
3421 North Sylvania Ave Phone: 800-392-2044
Fort Worth, TX 76111 Fax: 817-831-7779

They do list it

[mongoose]

are you just needing that tube? what are you using for ends? rod ends? etc..

did the math on that.. and it's set up for tapping the tube.. i'd just up the size and weld in some tube adapters.. which you can get from anywhere online.. summit/speedway.. ballistic.. im sure someone here sells adapters and rod ends.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by mongoose

are you just needing that tube? what are you using for ends? rod ends? etc..

did the math on that.. and it's set up for tapping the tube.. i'd just up the size and weld in some tube adapters.. which you can get from anywhere online.. summit/speedway.. ballistic.. im sure someone here sells adapters and rod ends.

Yes... Just need the tube (about 24"). I was just going to use the ends that came w/the current bar.
Yes... It is just tapped directly (3/4 - 16).

Ballistic was my 1st stop then Summit & Speedway (along w/Jegs, Hotchkis, & others) but figured I ask the question before moving on to using a different size & having to go w/tube adapters (since none indicated they had that size). I figured, if I can just buy the bar material in the right size it would be cheaper (& easier) vs buying larger material plus tube adapters.

dwcsr.... I'll check them out.

[lolife99]

Scot,... call these guys:
http://www.welderseries.com/blog/onl...your-own-bars/
They have 1"x.219" wall.
Surely they can get 1-1/8" dom tube.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Scot,... call these guys:
http://www.welderseries.com/blog/onl...your-own-bars/
They have 1"x.219" wall.
Surely they can get 1-1/8" dom tube.

LoL.... I checked their site after Ballistic. I googled dwcsr's suggestion & found what I needed. I'll give them a call tomorrow since they're within an hour of me.

[SCOTI]

I e-mailed Marmon-Keystone 1st thing this am for info but haven't heard back.

While on my break, I found another place closer to me (Plano TX/20mins) that says they/he can prob have some for me by the end of the day. Wainting to hear back now on confirmation & price..... This would be much easier so hopefully he can get it.

[earl84]

SCOTI, did you ever finish this panhard bar? Can you share your information with us? Where you bought it and what you ended up using for ends, etc. I'd greatly appreciate it, and I am sure others would as well. Thanks.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by earl84

SCOTI, did you ever finish this panhard bar? Can you share your information with us? Where you bought it and what you ended up using for ends, etc. I'd greatly appreciate it, and I am sure others would as well. Thanks.

Yes, the bar is finished.

I used the 1 1/8" OD .219" wall DOM tube. I got it from my local Metal Supermarket (Plano location was closest/easiest for me). The material isn't common so they had to do some searching for me. I personally felt that was a BIG deal... THEY looked for this small amount of material for me knowing I wasn't some big ticket deal. They got back w/me & I had the material the next day. While browsing their web site I noticed NFamous uses them as well.

I used the rod ends that came w/the Ride Tech Panhard bar (3/4 - 16RH) since I had 6 of them. I also purchased a male-to-male adapter (3/4 -16RH to 3/4-16LH) for < $20 & a LH tap ($70... ouch).

That allowed me to use the existing rod ends @ each end & have the ability to make simple length adjustments w/the turn of a wrench w/o having to take anything apart. I went back to Metal Supermarkets & got DOM material for the base of the rear end Panhard bar mount too....

http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/metals
http://www.spohn.net/shop/Replacemen...-Adjuster.html

[earl84]

Wow, that $70 tap price sort of takes it out of the inexpensive DIY range I was hoping for. Might have to purchase one or lengthen my stock one.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by earl84

Wow, that $70 tap price sort of takes it out of the inexpensive DIY range I was hoping for. Might have to purchase one or lengthen my stock one.

But... it's paid for & I can use it again & again. For the cost of 1 aftermarket Panhard bar, I have enough material to make 3.
Tools are an investment.

[earl84]

Very true, and having some new tools is always sweet. I probably won't do another one for at least another two years, so gonna have to go with lengthening my stock one, I think. Thanks for the information, though, it will probably come in handy one day.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by earl84

Very true, and having some new tools is always sweet. I probably won't do another one for at least another two years, so gonna have to go with lengthening my stock one, I think. Thanks for the information, though, it will probably come in handy one day.

If you can find a second OE bar, you can make a budget long bar pretty easy that functions the same....

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=450565

Just leave each bar longer (as long as needed). Most aftermarket long bars are about 34"L.

[earl84]

Yeah, I've got that bookmarked already. Nice work, and hgs notes has some great pics as well. Thanks for your time, and all your time you spend helping us all out. Another one of the invaluable sources on this forum. I really appreciate it.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by earl84

Yeah, I've got that bookmarked already. Nice work, and hgs notes has some great pics as well. Thanks for your time, and all your time you spend helping us all out. Another one of the invaluable sources on this forum. I really appreciate it.

No problem. I did previous trucks like that but used the OE type tie-rod end sleeve. Not as visually nice as the billet sleeves hgs used. I built my rear end mount into my home made lowering blocks as well to get the bar parallel @ ride height.

Both worked & were budget friendly.