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Spring shackles

Ponyboy66

Pole Position
The rubber bushings in my stock spring shackles are cracking. I am debating between HD shackles from MustangPlus or Del-A-Lum shackles from Global West? Mostly street driven with a couple open track events per year. Do the Del-A-Lum shackles act like a Panhard Bar?
 

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Brad
I doubt that some shackles bushing would act like a panhard bar.
Either way , a (seperate ) panhard bar isn't a bad idea when having leaf springs.
my 2 eurocent.
 
Finally, a comment! Man it is slow on the forum. It is supposed to be the best of the best with some sarcasm thrown-in.
 
I would have told you the same as Bruno but was waiting to see if anyone had any real firsthand experience to share. A solid bushing will obviously reduce the movement in the bushing material but that only adds more forces to cause the shackle to flex. Which it will. If you really want to keep the housing in one place you need the panhard.
 
I am not a bushing expert, but I would think they would be a poor substitute for a panhard bar. You still would get flex out of the shackles themselves as well as the leaf springs. No doubt these are better than rubber, but it really depends on what you want for a final product.
 
I doubt it. Are they better are locating the rear than the stock pieces...likely but no way to the extent of a true panhard bar. The springs themselves permit an amount of twist which would result in lateral movement of the housing. The forces exerted under track conditions are pretty great. There is a reason engineers came up with panhard bars in the first place. Think about it.
Personally, I would think on the street or occasional track day car there is probably a difference over stock, maybe even obvious, but if you really want the effectiveness of a panhard bar I suggest going that route. But like I said originally, I have experience with their product so only giving my "educated" opinion.
 
That concept of leaf spring has its origins the time men used a horse and carriage to transport himself and goods. Just say the old west.
Its simple and cheap.
A four link rear suspension would be very nice except you have some clearance issues with the exhaust.
A independable rear suspension is the ultimate goal to have the best, but its $$$$$$.
 
I read an article about a group of the original Shelby crew who built a GT350 with the independent suspension that Ford had developed in the '60's. They raced it against the standard a Shelby leaf spring set-up and the leaf spring car consistently had better times.
 
I read an article about a group of the original Shelby crew who built a GT350 with the independent suspension that Ford had developed in the '60's. They raced it against the standard a Shelby leaf spring set-up and the leaf spring car consistently had better times.
That IRS was a Jag differential n custom half shafts n other components. It is available...
 
I read an article about a group of the original Shelby crew who built a GT350 with the independent suspension that Ford had developed in the '60's. They raced it against the standard a Shelby leaf spring set-up and the leaf spring car consistently had better times.

On an oval or so , that could be true but on normal road condition , I'll doubt that , but he who am I .
They did the same thing in a 2005 mustang model ( putting in a IRS ) I think.
They gained a bit of time on the test track but was too expensive to standarize it in production.
my 2 cents
 
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