MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Panhard Bar

I currently race a MGA in Vintage, and was wondering about a Panhard Bar. I have replaced the bushings in the leaf springs with solid spacers, and have removed the leaf spring pads. I use Dunlop Vintage Racing tires, not Hoosiers or modern wide tires. Any thoughts?
ASH Andrew

Andrew, What are you trying to acheive by installing a panhard bar?

I was thinking about doing the same to get rid of tire rub but after talking to a bunch of other A racers found that they were not really necessary and I just use 1/4" wheel spacers.

Also, are you running a rear sway bar? What diamater front sway bar are you using and which front springs?

John


J Bries

I use a 7/8 sway bar on the front, and no rear sway bar.I also use Spax shocks at the rear. Front springs are about an inch lower, and quite stiff,660LBS I think.
ASH Andrew

You can weld a bracket to the frame and to the diff case for the Panhard. I run one on my race car. Keeps the diff centred under the car and no rubbing.
Bill Spohn

Hi bill,
Anything I should look out for when setting up the Panhard Bar, besides having the car at Mid-Laden, {ride height} and event with the rear end?
ASH Andrew

Hi Andrew -
Did you ever get the aluminum floorboards I sent? Don't believe I ever heard back from you.
Steve
Steven B

Hi
Is there anywhere I could read up on setting up a panard rod for competition? Haven't fitted mine as not sure how to "tune " it.
Thanks, Dave
David Godwin

Hi Dave,

Have you considered using a Watts linkage instead of a Panhard rod?

The following is taken from a Google search for Watts Linkage. This is from Wikpedia.

"The Watt's linkage is also used in the rear axle of a car suspension as an improvement over the Panhard rod, which was designed in the early twentieth century. Both methods intend to prevent relative sideway motion between the axle and body of the car. The Watt’s linkage however approximates a vertical straight line motion more closely.

It consists of two horizontal rods of equal length mounted at each side of the chassis. In between these two rods, a short vertical bar is connected. The center of this short vertical rod – the point which is constraint in a straight line motion - is mounted to the center of the axle. All pivoting points are free to rotate in a vertical plane.

In a way, the Watt’s linkage can be seen as two Panhard rods mounted opposite of each other. In Watt’s arrangement however, the opposing curved movements introduced by the pivoting Panhard rods are compensated by the short vertical rotating bar."


Mick

Mick Anderson

If anyone wishhes to see a Watts Linkage in action go to:

http://www.brockeng.com/mechanism/Watt.htm

At first the motion may seem strange, but the red dot is where the vertical bar is fitted to the centre of the rear axle casing with a pivot bolt and it moves straight up and down. No movement of the rear axle from side to side can occur.

Mick
Mick Anderson

If you wish to see the Watts Linkage in motion you need to have the Java program on your computer.
There is a free download from the company owning the program at:

http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp

You need the Java Runtime Enviroment.
This program is necessary to access many web pages on different subjects and is well worth having.

Mick
Mick Anderson

Just browsing and I spotted quite a bit on Panhard bars at British Automotive: http://www.mgbmga.com/tech/mgb15aa.htm

Steve
Steve Gyles

When I put a Panhard rod on my MGB V8, it improved the stability of the rear end significantly. The main thing to remember is to keep the Panhard as long as possible. Make the mount on one side off of the frame and on the other end make a bracket attaching to the end of the axle, just behind the brake backing plate. The longer the rod, the less side to side induced by vertical movement of the suspension. The bar should also be mounted parallel with the axle with the normal car lead, driver, fuel, etc.
KM Schley

Mr Schley got it right in all deatils - you don't want the bar pushing the rear end sideways and the way to do that is exactly what he said - long as possible, flat as possible.

You cannot fit a Watts link assembly on an MGA with a stock gas tank. You'd be able to if you were running a suitably located fuel cell.
Bill Spohn

Thanks Guys

My Panard is the full width of the car and horizontal with 2 people and half a tank of juice. So that appears correct! Next is, do I tighten the end bolt to push, pull or hold the rod central? In other words, should there be any tension on the bar when setting it up? Maybe equalise the gap between the tyres and body each side? Would this be too inaccurate?
Thanks, Dave
David Godwin

Would some of you guys post some photographs of the Panhard rod as fitted . Also the Watts linkage.
David
D C GRAHAME

David, the tire gap should be equalized before hooking up the Panhard bar. These are not designed to correct for misalignment, just to hold things in alignment when cornering forces want to move the axle sideways. Most are mounted with a heim joint (rose joints) rod end on each end for racing purposes, as these joints rotate freely, but don't allow any side shift. The bar on my midget mounts high and doesn't show in any of the photos I have so I can't help you in that area.
Bill Young

This thread was discussed between 01/01/2008 and 15/01/2008

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.