panhard bar HELP!
 

alright, as you may have read my latest posts, i did a coil and BJ spacer lift on my 2nd gen. The OME coils gave me approx 2.25" lift in the rear. when i installed them i noticed quite the shift to the passenger side of my rear axel.(drivers tire flush with fender while passenger hung over about 1.5"'s) I just finished installing a downey panhard drop bracket and my axel is still off center just as before the drop bracket install. i am a little baffled here, the passenger side sits about 7/16" higher than the drivers side measured from the ground to the fender flare lip. i also installed new rancho 5009's in the rear as well (as if that makes any difference though). Any idea's out there- this is killing me as i have a huge wheeling trip planned for friday and i dont want the drive shaft rubbing on the tank anymore.

:shocked: I am baffled too. Did you have the rear wheels off the ground when you installed the Pan Hard bracket? I have done several of these but always used OME shocks....(which shouldn't make any difference) and have had no problem with the axle not coming back into alignment. I have always had the wheels off the ground when installing it. Maybe someone else has seen this but I really don't know what it could be. Can you take some pictures so we can see what you are seeing? I'll be anxious to hear the outcome of this. :think:

is the bracket on backwards? the one in my pro comp kit was put on backwards at first... i'm not sure what the downey one is like though... :dunno:

Like I've always said, the panhard bracket does almost nothing when the truck is just sitting there. Do the geometry math, a 2 inch difference in height does practically nothing. Hell, a 5 inch difference still does almost nothing.

I've got a thread somewhere which shows the math and what is physically happening, even with pictures. In short, your axle came like that from the factory.

Anyway, the panhard drop doesn't completely cure the driveshaft hitting the gas tank with the 5009s. I still rub a little, I don't really care.

yeah- i had both tires off the ground. i will run out right now and snap a picture for you... stay tuned

here are shots from the rear quarter on the tires offset. the passenger is just a little over an inch more than the drivers. also how and where my driveshaft was rubbing a couple weekends ago.

Hmmm......I can only tell you mine are almost exactly even. The others I have done or seen look better than yours. I'll try to put mine on a lift here today and play with it alittle to see if I can duplicate your offset. I'll let you know.

Try measuring to somewhere on the frame, the body might not necessarily be bolted on straight. Was your 4runner ever in an accident?

no accident's that have ever been reported to the insurance company. After i did the body lift i would have noticed if it sat off center as it was 2 months before i did anything to the suspension. will see what kind of measurement i can get from the frame to the outside of the fender lip.

also- i had set my torsion bars where i wanted them and had an alignment done. i just measured and the front end is about 3/4" higher than i set it. will it mess with my alignment if i lower it back down to where i had it prior to the alignment? is the CV angle too much now? (pic attached)

Call Downey Offroad for 3" pan hard rod drop.
It's the right side in the pics.

http://home.earthlink.net/~audiorat1.../rearsusp2.jpg

downey only makes one that i know of and thats the one i got

If your panhard drop looks like the one in Anthony's pic, you have the right one and its installed correctly. Having the minor amount of axle displacement you show in your pic shouldn't stop you from going on that trip. If you are really worried about the driveshaft rubbing, trim away part of the gas tank skid plate. I had to do it and my axle is centered.

thats the one i do have. the driveshaft was actually rubbing directly on the gas tank a few inches up from the skid plate. i have long since bent the plate outta the way- its the tank im concerned about. whats everyones take on adjusting my torsion bars post alignment?

I didn't catch that. Well hitting the gas tank obviously IS a problem. I have never heard of anyone having that problem before. Sorry I can't help on the torsion bars,
I have never adjusted mine.