Panhard rod

The Panhard rod is a suspension guide element for vehicles with Rigid axle. The simple but effective axis side management was invented in the 1890s in France by Panhard & Levassor and is still used today.

Function

If a rigid axle is connected only to the suspension elements at their ends or trailing arms to the chassis ( or body ) of the vehicle, there is the problem that not only up and down movements, but also uncontrolled lateral movement of the axle are made ​​possible by the spring-loaded connection. This degrades the directional stability of the vehicle. The sideways movements are intercepted and prevented by the Panhard rod. He therefore restricts one of the six degrees of freedom of the axis because it takes over the leadership of the transverse axis, thus preventing an otherwise uncontrolled lateral movement. Some descriptions refer to the Panhard rod because of this function as a wishbone.

The longitudinal axis of the guide take over the leaf springs or separate (with coil springs ) trailing arms that are similar in design to the Panhard rod.

Construction

The Panhard rod mounted rotatably at both attachment points connecting one side of a rigid axle with the other side of the car body. Structurally it may be a rod, profile, or a pipe.

The effect is due to the fact that the bar runs almost parallel to the axis. For up-and- down movements of the axis of the rod is therefore rotated only by a small angle around the suspension points. Together with the large radius of the circle while he described this results in a small, controlled sideways displacement of the axis, which can be absorbed by the suspension.

Even with De Dion axles Panhard rods can be installed. The De Dion axle is the principle of wheel guidance establishes a solid axle, in which the differential is rigidly connected to the body to reduce the unsprung mass.

• Chassis Technology