Panhard Bar question

[04GT]

I got a panhard bar installed last week and it's working great. However, when I hit hard bumps the exhaust is hitting it. It's not real bad, but when I had about 60lbs in the trunk and a passenger last weekend it was worse.

The shop did their best to modify the exhaust to fit around it, but there's just not much room to work with. I can see where it's hitting...it's hitting the aluminum bar on the drivers side about 3" from the end link.

Here are my questions:

1. Could this do any damage to the bar?
2. If I replace shocks with Bilsteins, will that help?
3. Would stiffer rear springs help?
4. Should I take it to back to the shop or to a exhaust specialty shop?

I guess what I'm really asking here is what's the best solution to the problem.

 

[hognutz]

I think modifiing the exhaust is the best solution. there are some varibles to the shock and spring approach. it will be stiffer but it also will be lower. almost any spring combination lowers at least 1".

 

[squares98]

True I would have the muffler shop put a nice dent in the pipe where it is making contact.

 

[Torinalth]

i have read a couple places that people have gone to muffler shops and had them add 1" of strait pipe to the top of the bend going over the rear axle.... go to MMs site, click on the PHB, and at the bottom of the page is a picture "see the panhard bar installed". looking at that image you can see the top of the "hoop" and that is where people have added an inch of pipe to make it clear. i have not done this as i do not have my PHB yet, and this is just what i have read from other posts, but i do know the answer to the equasion is an exhaust shop.

oh, and if you do go and get the 1" of pipe added, you might want to make sure its done to both sides, to keep the tips the same length

Torinalth

 

[tomustang]

The exhaust is fixed in one position and suspension travels so they will be contact even if you bend the pipe. Your best solution is the get turn downs right at the mufflers and have no pipe passing through the PHB.

 

[04GT]

i have read a couple places that people have gone to muffler shops and had them add 1" of strait pipe to the top of the bend going over the rear axle.... go to MMs site, click on the PHB, and at the bottom of the page is a picture "see the panhard bar installed". looking at that image you can see the top of the "hoop" and that is where people have added an inch of pipe to make it clear. i have not done this as i do not have my PHB yet, and this is just what i have read from other posts, but i do know the answer to the equasion is an exhaust shop.

oh, and if you do go and get the 1" of pipe added, you might want to make sure its done to both sides, to keep the tips the same length

Torinalth

They did the 1" splice on the passenger side, but not the drivers side. Sounds like they should have done both.

Thanks, I'll give em a call.

 

[silver4.6]

There isn't much room for the exhaust and phb over the axle, so a side exhaust or turn downs might be an option. My phb does the same as yours, it's just a little rattle when I take off from a stop, but I'm usually listening to my exhaust or the radio, so it doesn't bother me too much.

 

[04GT]

The sound doesn't really bother me, but if it's gonna damage the PHB I wanna get it fixed now.

 

[Chris00GT]

You could go with one of the exhausts that MM recomends to be used with the MM Panhard bar. I have the MM bar with a Dynomax Ultra flow cat back and have no issue's with exhaust contact.