Budget Racer

[ausca62]

Hi guys, time for an update.

not much has been happening lately but I decided to do somthing about the wondering rear axel. As those of you that race would know. leaf spring rear ends tend to wonder from side to side under hard cornering. This is made so much worse with a set of sticky race tyres. This makes the car very unpredictable and can snap from understeer to oversteer in an instant. To help overcome this I have made a BUDGET panhard rod.

 

All you need is

1 a brain

2 a pair of 16mm rose joints. $15 ea.

3 a length of 16mm allthread

4 1 mt 21mm gal pipe $6.00

4 8 16mm nuts

5 some scraps of 5mm plate

6 100mm of 50X75X6mm angle

7 an arc welder and drill

 

 

All up about $50 and 4 hr time.

 

 

 

As you will see in the first pic, I used a transmission suport bracket to save time but this is only because I was being lazy. You will also notice the brackets for the adjustable sway bar but that is for another day.

 

 

 

 

Then I made a plate to attach the rod to the bracket

 

 

 

 

And bolted it on

 

 

 

 

This was all bolted securely to the boot floor with a plate inside the boot. That is the boby mount side done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now time for the axel end. With this I diden't want to weld to the asel housing because I am in the process of building a nissan R31 diff conversion, and this way I can change the diff without making new mounts.

 

With the angle iron, Icut it to fit onto the lowering block. Drilled two holes for the U bolts and for the rose joint mounting bolt.

 

 

 

 

 

Then positioned it on the lowering block.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And welded it on.

 

 

 

 

Then bolted it into position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now to make the rod. Its just a matter of welding the allthread to your gal pipe. By drilling a hole in the pipe you can get a good weld on the thread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now fit and adjust your rod.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thats the basics, If anyone wants any more details just yell out.

 

I will show the adjustable swaybar setup when i finnish it.

Cheers all.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Very nice work.

[Crowie55]

That panhard rod is a neat bit of work. Good job!

[cuzzo]

Are those bolt in the floor strong enough?

 

I'm worried it might rip out.

[ausca62]

Are those bolt in the floor strong enough?

 

I'm worried it might rip out.

Not a problem mate. It has 5 X 10mm umbraco bolts and 5mm steel plate on the inside. You could lift a car with 3 of these bolts. Cheers Paul.

[ke70dave]

yeah i woudlnt be worried about those bolts! they will tow the titanic (well maybe not off the bottom of the ocean...)

 

that is some sweet engineering there mate, love it very much!

 

i wouldnt call it a "budget" panhard rod. cheap yes, but not cheap on quality!

 

just one Q what was the reasoning on drilling a hole in the galv pipe before welding on the nut? (for the rod itself)

[ausca62]

yeah i woudlnt be worried about those bolts! they will tow the titanic (well maybe not off the bottom of the ocean...)

 

that is some sweet engineering there mate, love it very much!

 

i wouldnt call it a "budget" panhard rod. cheap yes, but not cheap on quality!

 

just one Q what was the reasoning on drilling a hole in the galv pipe before welding on the nut? (for the rod itself)

 

 

thanks Dave..................... The reason for the hole is to let you get a good weld on the allthread. The rose joint is female. the adjustment is made by screwing the joint on or off and then do up the locknut. The threaded bar is welded to the gal pipe, through the hole, and the nut is also welded to the pipe as a backup. Most of the strength is in the weld in the hole.

Hope this clears it up for you

Cheers Paul

 

 

[ke70dave]

ahhhhhh now i get it.

 

sorry i thought the thread was part of the rose joint (ie a "male" rose joint)

 

and i was wondering how exactly you were gonna adjust it!

[philbey]

Are those bolt in the floor strong enough?

 

I'm worried it might rip out.

 

He plated inside the boot, I'm guessing it's not the actual bolt strength cuzzo was questioning, but the floorpan.

[ausca62]

He plated inside the boot, I'm guessing it's not the actual bolt strength cuzzo was questioning, but the floorpan.

 

 

No worries mate. I made pretty sure the plating I did on the floor was adequate. It also holds the mount for the sway bar link. Most of the load is lateral anyway.

Cheers Paul.

Edited September 25, 2010 by ausca62

[dale72ke20]

Nice work there paul. I like the panhard rod idea, might have to talk to you about it when the time comes with mine.

 

Is the beast back on the road / track yet ???

[ausca62]

Nice work there paul. I like the panhard rod idea, might have to talk to you about it when the time comes with mine.

 

Is the beast back on the road / track yet ???

 

 

Na mate, been too flat out at work. I am hopeing to get some time over Christmas. I'm going to get onto the flares next week then I can put some paint on it.

 

Have changed the dash and wiring since the last post but thats about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I got me a trick number plate for the back

 

 

Edited December 2, 2010 by ausca62

[ausca62]

Time for an update

 

During the engine rebuild, I couldn't find any reasonably priced double valve springs. This led me to the decision to fit the standard ones and limit my revs till i could find and fit new ones. Over Christmas I found them on Ebay and purchased a set. Now the delemer........... how to fit them without removing the head. I decided to experiment with a spare head and spare motor that I had lying around.

The final product worked well so I thought I would share my findings in case someone else is in the same situation or you want to replace your valve guide seals.

 

 

First I needed something that would fit over the valve spring but still fit into the head recess. I used a whole saw and cut it to suit.

 

 

 

 

Next I continued by working out a way of compressing the spring using leverage. I made a pivot using a piece of pipe that locates under the opposite side cam saddle

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was just a matter of making up a lever to put downward pressure on the spring.

 

 

 

Then the first trial,

 

 

 

 

All worked well.

 

Now to keep the valve shut so it doesn't fall into the combustion chamber when the retainer is removed.

 

Get an old spark plug and remove the guts by grinding the lip off.

 

 

Then weld a fitting to it

 

 

And make up a tool as shown in the next pic. It has an airline fitting on the end to allow it to be connected to your compressor.

 

 

And then you screw it into the spark plug hole in your cylinder head.

 

 

Connect your airline and the air pressure from your compressor, (approx 120 psi) acting on the bottom of the valve keep the valve shut. As an added safe guard, put your piston at TDC but remember to stick the car in top gear with the handbrake on or the pressure will turn the motor over.

 

More Soon................

[ae824ate]

Your work is awesome mate, ive been a welder/engineer for years, and i understand the thought you have put into what you do. Very nice work. And you must have one sweet workshop. Keep it up! Thanks, Luke.

[ausca62]

Your work is awesome mate, ive been a welder/engineer for years, and i understand the thought you have put into what you do. Very nice work. And you must have one sweet workshop. Keep it up! Thanks, Luke.

Thanks Luke, Hope you didn't get washed away in the floods. Cheers Paul.