You've got me thinking...

When the shop installed my FRPP springs, they were able to get them within spec (I have the printout), but visually, it has more negative camber. Maybe I need a more precise alignment.

 

Okay, my question for Import-Slaya, RadBoss, and RRRoamer is this: Have you noticed your car going sideways when the rear tires break lose, because of the body not being properly centered over the rear axle?

 

Have I noticed the car going sideways when the rear tires break loose? Absolutely. That's more to do with road surface, level, steering input, etc...

Mine is centered, but I highly doubt being off by a fraction of an inch is going to cause the car to go sideways.

 

I agree, minor offset is not going to make the car unmanageable, does not materially affect the roll stiffness or distribution and balance. If your rear is going sideways you have exceeded the limit of adhesion.

 

To my way of thinking, if the Ford engineers didn't feel the panhard bar was necessary, than I would be inclined to at least try it as is. Shelby uses this kit "as is" even with optional wheel/tire combos.

I also do not see how wider tires would cause the body/chassis to be out of alignment.

 

Being as I'm still running the stock tires/wheel set up, along with what you posted concerning the Shelby GT. This would seem to make sense, as the Shelby GT, is equipped using the FRPP handling pack, without an adjustable PHB.

So I suppose that I can first try using a lowering kit without an adjustable PHB. However if I'm visually able to notice the body is off centered, I can always add an adjustable PHB later.

 

I really don't mean to sound as though I'm being skeptical, but how do you really know for certain, if being off centered by a fraction of an inch, may or may not cause the car to go sideways


It's just as you said, your car is already centered from using an adjustable PHB correct ?


IMHO, the only way to know for certain, is without using an adjustable PHB.

 

Brad, I finally heard back from Marty over at FRPP, and he did confirm that their FRPP sway bar that comes with the pack, is the same size as the stocker, but is larger in diameter. He also confirmed that it neither compensates for the shorter springs, nor does it recenter the body over the rear axle.

He stated that it's main purpose, is to enhance and improve overall handling for their suspension/handling kit. At any rate, he continues to claim that FRPP engineers don't require the use of an adjustable PHB, is really necessary

 

I'd call it a nice to have unless the tolerance stack up on your car is at the extreme limit and you want to correct it. Otherwise it allows you to get it exactly right. Sheet metal may not be exactly perfect either, so just because you are aligned perfectly to the sheet metal, you still may be off relative to hard chassis points.

 

I can't completely disagree with many of the statements on this thread, but in my experience this car doesn't whip to one side nearly as bad after I installed the panhard bar. You've got to figure the car can't completely track straight if the rear axle is not square to the front axle. It's not that big of a deal and most guys do not install the adjustable bar. I just know my car used to always whip the rear end around to the left only. Now it just gets squirrley and whips back and forth kind of evenly.

 

Anthony, as you well know. I've always followed your advice in other threads, and will continue to do so now.

As I mentioned before, if for some reason I visually notice the body being off centered, I can and will add an adjustable PHB later. You can count on it.

 

It wouldn't. However, wider tires will visually make any 'off center' amount more noticeable as the tires are moved closer to the quarter panels. If you look down the side of the car and both tires are tucked behind the sheetmetal, then it's not as noticeable as when one may be sticking out just slightly.

 

That's a good point.

 

I just wanted to let you guys know how it worked out for me.

 

If it worked out well for you, then it's also good enough for me.

 

I lowered my 07 Vert with the Eibach Pro Springs and the rear was 1/2 inch off and noticeable with the 18x10 bullets and 275/40's on the car.

 

Nothing wrong with being skeptical--that's what these forums are for, open dialogue. The best way to know for certain would be to compare lap times with an uncentered stock bar vs. a centered stock bar.

Correct, I haven't done that. What I did do is run my stock bar for a weekend while deciding whether to keep my CHE aluminum bar. There was a noticable difference in rear end feel (uh, that just doesn't sound right...) when I put in the CHE bar. It wasn't a centering issue (since I was centered with my stock bar and set the CHE bar length to match), it was a bushing issue. The stock panhard bar bushings are pretty soft rubber. The CHE bar I'm running has a combo delrin/high durometer poly bushings with almost no give.

Comparing the feel of an aftermarket centered bar to a stock uncentered bar isn't the best comparison due to the bushing change (not to mention the aftermarket bar may be stiffer). As far as I've seen, all aftermarket panhard bars use at the very least a poly bushing, which is much firmer than the stock bushings.

That said, I think we are all in agreement that an aftermarket panhard bar is a worthwhile upgrade.

 

Got to agree with that. I just know I don't want my rear wheels tracking out of line with the fronts in in relation to the car's body. It's bad enough the car's can have inconsistant tolerances throughout the manufacturing process let alone any I may cause by modding it. That aftermarket panhard bar will give a noticable different feel too.

 

I had the exact same results as Rob. 1/2" out of center after lowering 1.25". It was more noticeable because the rear tires were 285/40's. But I could actually see it on mine.

 

I ran into somebody that I've known for awhile, who attends my local car cruises that has Steeda Ultralights on his 06 Mustang V6.

Anyway, he claims Steeda has a non-adjustable PHB that's designed exclusively for their Ultralight, and Sport spring kits.

In the meantime, I'm going to find out from Steeda, if they recommend either their adjustable PHB, or non-adjustable PHB.

And if they're able to confirm this non-adjustable PHB, does exist for their Ultralight spring kit. Then I'll go ahead and purchase it, otherwise I'll either consider BMR or CHE's adjustable PHB instead.