59 - 63 x frame gm rear suspension question

on the lowrider site's there is a recommendation to remove the rear panhard rod and replace it with what is called a y bone. this is a bracket which replaces the upper single arm and locates the rear to avoid the side to side pulling of the rear by the factory panhard rod it bolts to the rear and the 2 mounts on the body. anyone use one or any old timer tricks? thanks

 

NO, but I have a watts link in my 60. Gary

 

by any chance do you have a pic? they do acknowledge that there are better ways but they say this is the best bolt in

 

its basically a upper triangulated bar, yes they work, keeps it more centered then a pan hard bar does, if your running air or juice, if stock spring set up , i don't feel its needed.

 

I'm sitting pretty low with bags on my 62 wagon. I have a panhard still. No issues, BUT have been thinking of building a y-bone. I've looked into it and unless you plan on doing some auto cross racing, the y-bone would be just fine. If you go to buy one that some one has built, just make sure is of solid design.

 

Theres 2 primary reasons (NOT the only ones, but the 2 that I am familiar with) that the "lowrider" guys (of which I am one) use it for. There are other reasons too, I am sure, but for us it is usually to get a higher lock up in the rear with out the panard bar pulling the rearend over to the side, preventing the rear of the car lifting up more. Second is when using what a lot of traditional lowrider guys use, (13X7 full reverse rims with skirts), when the car is being lifted and lowered thru its motion, the panard bar wont force the reversed rim into the fender skirt of the car.
Just my take on it.

 

i'm thinking of something like this as i do have bags all around and on occasion thesideways movement of the rear has been an issue

 

We use those, for the exact purpose mentioned above, with bags or hydraulics. They work well.

 

hey gimpy i was just wondering about your opinion between an aftermarket panhard rod or the ybone? have you ever swapped from one to the other? does either handle or ride better? thanks

 

The y-bone allows for extreme travel, with no side-to-side movement. It is a must for long travel air or hydraulic equipped cars, especially if they are equipped with skirts.

That said, if you are not going to extremes, the panhard bar makes for a lower roll center, and potentially better handling. Remember, nothing with an X-frame is light, or likely to be a canyon-carver, so "better" handling is relative to your expectations. There is nothing "wrong" with the handling on a car equipped with a y-bone.

If you are not planning on dragging floorpans, frame or rockers, the panhard bar is fine, otherwise, get the y-bone.

 

I went to a bigger Panhard on my 59 and that alone made a huge difference in performance. the original one is a little flimsy and the back woud "wag" in a hard corner.

I'm bagged but don't have a lot of travel so the little bit of side to side I get is not a problem.

 

So I'd like to bring this topic back from the dead. If there is another one like it can someone point me in that direction. What I have is a 62 4 door biscayne. I have been researching the best rear end setup to lay frame on 22s with out having to change the entire setup of the car. Is this a doable route?

 

You can just about do it with the stock setup, with an adjustable panhard bar. This is, of course, barring any tire fitment issues. Everything of that era we work on is rolling a 185-205, on a 14, so I can't say. I say just about, because I think your frame will be about 1" off the ground, if the tires are stock height. Any lower requires frame surgery.