Review of the Granatelli Upper Panhard Brace - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

JamesC · 01-15-2009, 06:25 PM

I purchased my Granatelli upper panhard brace on sale for $125 plus shipping, for a total of $144. The brace is essentially an OE piece which has been boxed and powder coated. If you have fabrication skills, save your money on this piece.

JamesC

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blacksunshine'91 · 01-15-2009, 06:53 PM

Basically I should wait until I can afford the BMR piece? I'm still debating the need for it at all. I haven't heard anyone speak up in support of it and none of the suspension books I've read make any mention of upgrading it.

Stephen · 01-15-2009, 07:08 PM

Just do what Granatelli did & save $100...Weld a plate on your stock one....Not sure if they could make any measurement difference anyways, except in FULL-RACE applications.

krisb410 · 01-15-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksunshine'91

Basically I should wait until I can afford the BMR piece? I'm still debating the need for it at all. I haven't heard anyone speak up in support of it and none of the suspension books I've read make any mention of upgrading it.

FYI: The BMR piece relocates (lowers) the panhard bar with no correction to the drivers side mount for the panhard bar. So you may (or may not) end up with a panhard bar that is not parellel to the ground. Unless you need this piece to make clearence for exhaust, it's not worth the $225.95 + shipping. Now, Jegs does offer a solution, they sell a mount to lower the drivers side, but it's @ $90. Another piece easily made if you have the proper tools.

Quote:

This kit replaces the upper panhard rod support and relocates the panhard rod allowing enough room for up to dual 3" exhaust routing over the axle. Heavy duty tubular upper panhard rod support mounts in the original panhard rod location. New heavy duty brackets bolt to existing mounting holes and lower the panhard rod while maintaining the correct geometry. No welding or drilling required.

Ya, it's cheaper to do the work yourself, as this looks fairly easy. But not everybody has the tools needed to make the piece to box it in. As well as not having a welder to weld the pieces together. This isn't for everybody, but I think it's nice that at least someone offers this.

JamesC · 01-16-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksunshine'91

I haven't heard anyone speak up in support of it and none of the suspension books I've read make any mention of upgrading it.

True. It's odd, however, that the other stamped pieces in the rear have tubular after market versions when the piece in question doesn't--and it's a brace. Many members, including me, don't drive their cars hard enough (or simply don't have the skills to drive them hard enough) to merit all the upgrades they throw at their car. And yet we're always looking for more, which is part and parcel of the car guy dilemma.

JamesC

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 07:47 AM

After several months of putting off the install, I finally got around to it. Long story short, the piece in question--at least the one I had in my possession--simply won't fit a thirdgen. The OE sleeve is designed to accept a stepped bolt from the spring side; the sleeve in the Granatelli piece (see the first pic) seems to be reversed and as a consequence wouldn't allow the bolt to be inserted from the proper direction. That said, Granatelli's return man mentioned that the brace was installed in a 90 Camaro that they had. At any rate, the piece wouldn't fit my application without modification. A restocking charge is part of their return system, so be sure that this is a piece you desire and that it'll fit as advertised.

JamesC

ghettocruiser · 06-12-2009, 08:07 AM

Just wanted to add a couple thoughts to this...

First off. Granatelli is making a KILLING off these..... You can get a brand f'in new brace for $45 from GM... And back when I built my 87, I got one for $8 from an online parts distributor. NOT a typo...it was only $8.00. So...lets say they pay $45 a piece, willing to bet they get em for less. Then what...few dollars in steel. Couple bucks worth of welding wire/gas and time. Im sure they send them in bulk to get coated..so MAYBE $10 a piece for coating. Yikes...

Second...these braces have been the same from 82-02. Same part number and all. So whether it was on a 90 camaro or a 97 formula..it should theoretically fit your car. The overall rear suspension of these cars hasnt changed since 82. The one on my car now is a brand new one that was looked up for an 02 Trans AM. The sleeve, unless they modified it, is a straight through sleeve. Its the holes in the bracket that are set up to accept the tapered bolt. Its possible that they amount of powdercoating caused the bolt to not fit, because its a VERY close fit. Otherwise you'd have clunking. There's no bushing there...so it has to be almost an interference fit. Add a tiny bit of powder coat and you'll cause the bolt to not run through.

Third and lastly... The BMR piece (or UMI). If you install it, i can almost assure you that you will not notice the lowering of the passenger side mount. It drops a couple inches at most, and that bar makes such a large arc, that there is a good bit of room there before you see adverse effects. I would MUCH rather have the tubular relocation bar from BMR than a stock one with plate welded to it.

That being said...if you dont need the room for exhaust, as was stated, you are better off burning on some metal to your stock brace. I will say, the stock brace isnt as flimsy as the stock panhard bar itself. You cant twist or deflect it nearly as easy. But its still pretty weak. So if you have a welder, grab a strip of metal and weld it on up. Done deal.

Thanks for the review James. I noticed this bar awhile back and kinda thought that it might be a stocker modified.

J.

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettocruiser

The sleeve, unless they modified it, is a straight through sleeve. Its the holes in the bracket that are set up to accept the tapered bolt.

The sleeve is dimpled inward (from the outside) in three places, which narrows the sleeve's ID enough that the bolt wouldn't pass through.

JamesC

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 08:20 AM

Here are pics that show the problem better. Note the dimple in the first pic. The holes in the bracket that you mention, of course, won't accept the bolt, as shown in the second pic.

JamesC

iroc a 86 berli · 06-12-2009, 08:56 AM

will the BFH take care of it?

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iroc a 86 berli

will the BFH take care of it?

Unsure, frankly. Granatelli suggested using a round file to eliminate the dimples, but IMO the part simply wasn't correct, for whatever the reason, so I returned it.

JamesC

TA · 06-12-2009, 11:30 AM

No trying to be a whiner, but when you photograph something like that, put it on the ground where there is plenty of light, get back at least 6 feet so the camera can focus on the subject, and use your zoom to get a tight shot. The camera is focusing on the background because you are just too close. If you have plenty of light, you will not need a tripod.

The other option is to use the cameras' "macro" setting, which changes all the settings and allows it to focus on objects under 6 ft away, then make sure the subject is well lit. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

TA

ghettocruiser · 06-12-2009, 11:47 AM

Huh... I never noticed dimples in them. Neither thirdgen part that I had, or my donor 4th gen, or the new one I ordered had dimples.

Does it look like they removed the stock sleeve and welded in something different? Thats always possible I guess. Either that, or its a defect from GM or something.

Either way...you returned it so there isnt much need to figure out the problem now haha. I think you'll be fine if you are boxing in your stock piece. I dont really see much need to screw with that brace at all really, but it never hurts to beef things up.

J.

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettocruiser

I dont really see much need to screw with that brace at all really...

I agree. I scuttled the project at least for the time being. BTW, if you removed the stepped bolt, how'd you proceed? Generally, they're seized to the sleeve.

JamesC

iroc a 86 berli · 06-12-2009, 12:12 PM

james, if you would like, i can gusset your stock piece. or u can use my tools if you wanna do it ur self.

ghettocruiser · 06-12-2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesC

BTW, if you removed the stepped bolt, how'd you proceed? Generally, they're seized to the sleeve.

JamesC

Not sure what you mean here. The bolts from both my thirdgens and my donor came right out. Im actually using the 4th gens bolts for the entire rear end because they were much nicer. I generally put a good bit of antisieze on all those bolts to. Since they have lock nuts.

JamesC · 06-12-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettocruiser

Not sure what you mean here. The bolts from both my thirdgens and my donor came right out. Im actually using the 4th gens bolts for the entire rear end because they were much nicer. I generally put a good bit of antisieze on all those bolts to. Since they have lock nuts.

iroc a 86,

Thank you for your kind offer.

Ghetto,

From the research I did in advance, many members experienced hair-pulling misadventures in attempting the remove the bolt. Mine seemed welded in place.

JamesC