adjustable panhard bar issue!!!???

[kiles2001]

so I lowered my 69 long bed 3" and installed 295/50/15 on the rear end as a result my passenger side tire rubbed against the inner wheel well of the bed, I bought a panhard bar from early classics, I adjusted it all the way closed and now the passenger side has about 7/8" clearance and the driver side has about 1/4" clearance in order to fix it I would have to close it even more but it has now been closed all the way!!!! UUUGGGHHHHH!!!!!! I would be able to fix the issue if I took out the nut that is in between the adjustment hole and the bar it is about 5/16" thick, my question is... is there any other way to resolve the issue? can I just remove the nut? it wont turn loose since it only has the adjustment on one side? do I call early classics? I beat it into place and doubt they would be ok with it... please someone help...!

[oldschool18]

you might find someone that can use the one you have and order one that adjusts on both ends, I got the double adjusted one from brothers just for that reason. If you take the nut off and it works and your not planning on changing the stance put a weld on it then you wont have any worries.

[kiles2001]

thanks for the weld idea, yes I dont plan on making any changes to it, if I did I would get a different bar... do you think a 110v wire welder would take care of the welds? I have a lincoln sp135...

[oldschool18]

yeah a nice small bead the whole way around or two or three good tack welds should do the job.......don't get it to hot and paint it up good when your done.

[knomadd]

Why would you need to weld it if it only adjusts on one side? It's not going to move when the ends are connected to their mounts. A double adjustable bar would have an issue, but not a single adjustable. One end can't twist at all and the other wouldn't be able to as long as the mount is fixed.

[TobyArnot]

Can you just cut 3/8" off the threaded end? Are the threads deep enough?

[oldschool18]

Well if you take off the lock nut there will be a little movement in the threads, the lock nut eliminates that movement. So putting a weld on it would be a good idea cause with a long period of time you could strip the threads off.....now it's highly unlikely that this would happen in his lifetime but it wouldn't hurt anything either.

[knomadd]

I see. That makes sense.

[kelsfine69]

Originally Posted by TobyArnot

Can you just cut 3/8" off the threaded end? Are the threads deep enough?

Thats what I would do, 3/8" is not much to cut off and then you still have a lock nut.

[BigCountryx]

Cut the nut in half. Seen it done plenty times on prop nuts. You'll get a little more adjustment and still be able to lock it down.

[GMCPaul]

Something's wrong on the truck, take it to a suspension /frame shop and have it checked out as a 3" drop will not move your rear end enough to cause the problem you are experiencing as 99% of the people with a 3" drop in rear don't need a adjustable track arm bar at all.
Paul @ GMCPauls

[Andy4639]

I'm going to put my 2cents in. Why did you have to beat into place. Did you not center the frame over the rear end before starting. A couple of nice rachet straps will do the trick and then just adjust it to fit. I have to agree with Paul something just doesn't seem right here.

[RexDodge]

Put it up on 4 jack stands. Once you have that done take a tape (you'll need a helper) and measure from the grease zirt on the lf ball joint to the u bolt on the rr (bolt closest to the lf). Make a note of the measurement and do the same on the other side getting cross measurements. I am not sure of the allowances but I've always made sure that measurement is nuts on or less than one eight inch difference and never had a problem with getting a good alignment done. The results of that measurement will tell you how to move forward. Wouldn't want a brother going down the road dog tracking...and people behind you looking at your side door

[oldschool18]

I lowered mine 5" and needed a double adjusting bar, you lower your truck 3 inches its going to move your rear end.

[lolife99]

Did you verify the bed is centered on the frame?
I normally center the rearend in the frame first.
The center the bed to the frame.
Something else is going on here.
Pics would help.

[cdowns]

i'd start from square one with the bushings of the trailing arms

[Classic Heartbeat]

First replace your trailing arm bushings.
Then with the truck sitting on the ground, measure from your brake back plate to the frame. The measurement needs to be the same on both sides if measured from the exact same spot on either side.
I use a ratchet tie down strap hooked to the rear end and the side of the frame that measures the longest distance to the brake back plate.
Then I pull the rear end with the rachet strap untill my measurements are identical.
Then take a measurement from the center of the bolt hole for the pan hard bar bracket on the frame to the center of the stud for the panhard bar on the rear end.
Take that measurement and adjust your panhard bar to that length as measured from center to center of the mounting holes in the bar.
Install pan hard bar and remesure to make sure you have it adjusted right. If the distance between the brake back plates doesn't change once you remove the strap, you are adjusted correctly.
Now if the distance from your tires to bedsides are different from each other, then your bed is not centered on the frame or your bedsides could have been dammaged at one time. Could also be different backspacing on each of the wheels.
Do not adjust your pan hard bar according to your tires and wheels and bedsides. This will only result in bad front to rear wheel alighnment causing your truck to dogleg, ware out tires or worce.
WES

[kiles2001]

Well this is what I did and problem solved... I ground off about 1/3 of the nut off then I ground off about 1/4" from the tip of the bar itself, the tip has the threaded part welded in and protrudes about 3/4" after that I was able to make the adjustments I needed, I have about 1/2" clearance from the tires to the inside of the bed now... not much but it is even now...

[lolife99]

What's your "tire to frame" measurements look like?

[kiles2001]

I will try to post a picture later today...

[Classic Heartbeat]

Tire to frame or what I use is back plate to frame measurement. EXTREAMELY important!! You need to make sure those measurements are the same, or your truck will dogleg, ware out tires or worce. Easy fix is not the answer. WES