I have a basically stock suspension, is an upgraded panhard rod going to make a difference? I imagine the poly bushings alone should help, but a solid bar should as well, correct? Is it worth the $60-$100 I've seen them go for?

 

If that's all you plan to replace, it's probably not worth it. I've done a ton of suspension work on my 85 IROC: 36/24mm sway bars, tie-rod sleeves, a beefier steering box brace, LCA's, panhard, torque arm, SFC's, poly throughout, etc., and while it's nice to have, frankly, I don't drive the car hard enough for those upgrades to truly matter.

JamesC

 

I plan on doing more eventually, I just figured it was an easy and cheap place to start. I have a wonderbar and plan on doing SFCs.

 

I bought one coz the original was really rusty, had to grind the heads off the bolts, due to seized bolts in bushes.
It was as cheap as buying an original type, but i'm not going to do any racing with it.

 

I'd go with some good springs to tell you the truth. I put some Sportlines on my 86 Z28 (it had 100k miles on the orignial springs). Talk about a huge difference in handling!

 

go with springs, shocks struts and sfc's

then bother with a panhard rod and lcas

 

Start with your SFC's.

Then I would go with replacing swaybar bushings, and maybe upgrade them in size.

Dont worry about the panhard bar to much tell it starts to rattle, lower it, or stock springs are sagging BAD. But then you need to place the springs rather then panhard.


It is noticable difference, but there are other things it sounds like you need start with before it.

 

Definetely go with sfc's first springs shocks bushings next... panhard isnt going to make much of a difference until you address these items first

 

I've heard SFC's, STB, and Wonderbars are all some of the most felt improvements without a whole lot of work.

If you want to stay in that price range and make a big difference, I would go with a Strut Tower Brace and the TDS Wonderbar... Both 15 minute bolt on's that are said to have great results, and the TDS bar is only about 50 bucks, another 100 bucks will get you a nice STB also... Then save up for some SFC's later.

Guarantee you feel it more than a panhard bar, and they look nice too

 

weld on SFC's'll cost ya a little less then 100$ Thats always been my first mod

 

I did the wonder bar and STB. Couldn't tell the diff.

I did springs + struts + shocks and the car changed night and day. Totally different vehicle.

I upgraded the panhard and LCAs and it was a very noticeable difference. The rear wasn't loose anymore.

Depends on what you want to end up with?

If you do the springs and struts you will notice it on every turn, start and stop. Not too mention the car look better a little lower...

 

hey guys did the 1LE susp. come with a wonderbar or something that looks like it? I checked mine out and saw that it looks exactly like the ones for sale but didnt know if came with it or if the guy who owned it before me had installed it?

 

Z28's all came factory with a 'wonderbar' brace and that includes irocs 1le's b4cs T/as etcs i beleive

 

To answer the original question… for most use the a properly working stock suspension will work fine, but the panhard rod is usually the first thing that I recommend to people, especially if the car has a manual tranny or a hard shifting auto and some power. If you’ve ever watched one of these cars hit a hard, 1-2 shift with a stock PHR you’ll notice that they tend to jump to the side fairly hard on the shift. That is the phr flexing and kicking out. Replacing it with something stiffer/stiffer bushings fixes that. At the dragstrip you’ll see it in a faster ET (most cars shift very late or after the 60’ mark, so usually you won’t see it in the 60’)

 

As long as the parts that are worn out have already been replaced (like shocks and bushings), I'd recommend a panhard bar as one of the first suspension upgrades.

 

Ill be in the market for one also
I thought I might be able to get an answer from
one of the experts on this subject..

First off I would like to note that my rear end is
being replaced soon hopefully.
While under there checking it out I noticed the
panhard bar was bent.

So now Im looking to replace that with an aftermarket.
I know they sell single adj and double adj but I was
wondering the control arms which run straight
from front to back dont they keep things lined up?
If your rear is off to one side wouldnt that bend up
those arms?
I suppose some deflection would occur with
the lcas bushings and you could see that maybe and
use the panhard adjustable to straighten it out right?

 

so getting an aftermarket wonderbar would be pointless

 

If its bent, yes, replace it. Get one that is adjustable. End style is up to you.

Now,

Lcas are what keep the axle from flying out, and hold it in the car. They are designed somewhat to flex left to right from factory.

TQ Arm keeps the axle from spinning round n round. Designed from factory to flex left/right.

Panhard keeps the axle from vibrating left to right. Go shake the car left/right with it attached. Will wiggle some from worn parts, and sidewall flex. Now go detach that and shake it again from same place and see how much more it moves. Again, from factory its designed to flex forwards/backwards a bit.


All this flexing is why the aftermarket parts offer the option of heim joints. It pivots on the joints, rather then the rod/bar itself.

 

Thanks for that info

The thing is Im a first timer and I will
be lowering the car with springs eventually.

Does moving the panhard left or right effect pinion
angle?
How would I line everything up straight I cant just eyeball it right?

Pinon angle tool I guess..

 

if you plan to lower it, 100% get an adj panhard. You will have to shorten it when you lower it.

I dont see how you can move the panhard left to right. It pivots on the right side, where the left side travels up n down.

To get everything aligned, you can measure n eyeball, but best to go get a 4wheel alighnment.

As the axle moves up n down, it changes pinion angle. So when you lower it, it changes pinion angle. They have a magnetic tool you can get to help set pinion angle. I got one from spohn when I bought my torque arm.

 

I see what you mean about the panhard
adjusting, one side is attached to the frame other is to the
axle.
Then theres another bar above that which is really rusty.
but theres no aftermarket stuff to replace that one?


The torque arm kit from Spohn which attaches
to the new trans crossmember.how do you like
that?
I heard really good things
about Spohns aftermarket components.

 

bar above panhard is a brace. Only one company makes an aftermarket one, I "think" its BMR. Most will tell you to replace it with a oem/junk yard pull off.

Spohn torque arm, for most I like. I would buy it again, and I do recommend it.

What I dont like is the joint from the front trans cross member, to the torque arm itself. It clunks alot. My car is lowered quite a bit, and the part that bolts to the rear axle hits the underbody on very harsh bumps.

 

The panhard was not only bent but it was twisted also.
I guess it threw the whole alignment off and messed up
the axle in the process.
Now to edit this uh oh maybe the frame is bent
I guess Ill find out when I get another panhard thats
straight.

Thanks for the info on the spohn torque arm,

I see that your car is very low for auto x.
goodluck with that and thanks for your input.