A General Observation

[TarheelRick]

I really enjoy looking through these builds and I pick up bits and pieces on most of them to help me in my builds.  One thing I have noticed is, on quite a few builds with coil spring rear suspensions many of them are missing the panhard bar.  A four-link is really cool and a nice looking training arm setup looks good, but neither of these will prevent the chassis from swaying side to side without a panhard bar.  Not trying to be a rivet counter or super critical, just a thought.

[GaryR]

NOT rivet counting, but a great observation!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Depending on the specific geometry of a 4-link, a Panhard-bar or Watts-link may or may not be necessary. Parallel links need one or the other, while non-parallel links may not.

This setup needs a Panhard-bar or Watts-link (Panhard-bar is shown). 

This setup does not need a Panhard-bar or Watts link. 

Leaf spring rear suspensions can benefit from the additional predictability in handling a Panhard bar or Watts-link offers as well.

Below is a Watts-link. It also limits side movement, like a Panhard bar, but doesn't introduce its own slight side-to-side movement like a Panhard bar does.

  The white bellcrank in the middle pivots as the axle moves up and down, keeping the axle centered.

 

 

Getting the basics of how a car's suspension is made isn't "rivet counting". Rather, it's showing a little interest in and respect for knowledge of how the real things work.

EDIT: A lot of transverse "buggy-spring" equipped cars were lowered back in the dim recesses of time by using long shackles. While this did drop the car, it also allowed it to "sway" from side to side as the shackles worked. "Anti-sway" bars, actually Panhard bars, solve the problem. But over time, the term was shortened to "sway bar", and incorrectly applied to "anti-roll" bars, which do something entirely different. Lotsa people use the terms interchangeably now, few know what they really mean, and most things called "sway-bars" are actually anti-roll bars.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2019 by Ace-Garageguy

[1930fordpickup]

This is a touchy subject to some. Things could and or should be done to the best of your ability. Sometimes it is just a slammer or a curbside. 

Bill thank you for posting the info so that the ones that do not have the knowledge that you do will understand what the OP is talking about. 

 

[Richard Bartrop]

Agreed.  Some people take it as a personal slight if you criticize metal axles.  This is still stuff that's nice to know if you want to use it.   Thanks for the tech info, Bill!

[Ace-Garageguy]

21 minutes ago, 1930fordpickup said:

This is a touchy subject to some...

I will never understand why telling the truth about how something actually works would be considered "touchy".

The OP was not critical, or rude, or abusive, or singling anyone out.

He made a simple truthful and very general statement that he'd noticed some models could have been more correct from a functionality standpoint if an additional link had been provided where it would be required on a real vehicle.

The knowledge of how a real car works is available to anyone who has the interest to look for it, but no modeler HAS to care if his model correctly represents reality

The knowledge I offer is for those who would like to get things right, not to hammer on or denigrate those who don't see the need.

I really wish that was more widely understood.

                                                                     

 

Edited September 1, 2019 by Ace-Garageguy

[1930fordpickup]

? Bill I have no problem with what the OP posted or to what you and the others have posted. Some times when we read things our mind , takes a spin on it. 

[bobthehobbyguy]

I think that you don't see that many models with panhard bars becuase tgey aren't always included in the kits. If one primarily builds out of the box they might not bother scratchbuilding one for accuracy.

If you're building curbside then it silly to display the underneath because you aren't concerned with a lot of details that don't show.