- Panhard rod
A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar or track bar) is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the
axle . [ [http://www.timskelton.com/lightning/race_prep/suspension/panhard.htm panhard bar ] ] Originally invented by thePanhard automobile company ofFrance in the earlytwentieth century , this device has been widely used ever since.While the purpose of the rear suspension of an automobile is to allow the wheels to move vertically with respect to the body, it is undesirable to allow them to move forward and backwards, or from side to side. It is this latter movement that the Panhard rod is designed to prevent. [ [http://www.afcoracing.com/tech_pages/panhard.shtml RPM Net Tech Articals: Understanding Coil Springs - Powered by: AFCO ] ] It is a simple device, consisting of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the rear axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or
chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle. The bar is attached on either end with pivots that permit it to swivel upwards and downwards only, so that the axle is, in turn, allowed to move in the vertical plane only. This does not effectively locate the axle longitudinally, therefore it is usually used in conjunction withtrailing arm s which locate the axle in the longitudinal direction. This arrangement is not usually used with aleaf spring rear suspension, where the springs themselves supply enough lateral rigidity, but only with coil spring suspensions..
Some vehicles including Land Rovers with
live axle suspensions use a Panhard rod as a component of the front suspension where aWatt's linkage is not an option.References
See also
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Scott Russell linkage
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