[TuBaDuB]

My neighbor tells me I should be running a panhard bar or a wishbone instead of a diagonal link for locating the rear (ladder bar car). I just want some opinions on this. And my Nova is mostly street driven (to shows and weekends), eventually when I get it track legal It will see the track on occasions. Currently I run a bolt on diagonal link and I have leaf springs that float, He said the diagonal link will still make the rear shift side to side and it's a cheap bandaid.

 

[Seattle_Mike]

There are a lot of discussions one which on is best depending upon who you talk to. Bottom line is both work well and have their own plus's and minus's. I ran a diagonal link in two cars and had zero issues. It will keep the rear end centered. The panhard bar will shift the rear end depending upon how much angle it is going through since it moves in an arc.

 

[1974nova]

This is from the S&W Race Cars catalog "Panhard bars should be used whencornering loads will be present and a track locator will provide optimum straight line tracking". Hope that helps

 

[theracer]

diagonal here with the 4 link , no problem .

 

[Vin63]

You should have no problem with the diagonal link especially with the leaf springs...unless you start running in circle track or SCCA roadcourse events. Panhard bars are OK if you have the stock width frame - the shorter the bar, the shorter the arch, which means it will move the rear end side-to-side more. The panhard and J-bars can be tuneable to help a car turn - moving the mounts up or down to change the position of the arch. But, for what you are doing, as the others mentioned, your current set up will work just fine.

 

[TuBaDuB]

Thanks for the opinions. I'll stick to what I have. I know my neighbor will disagree, he was a top fuel driver and used to work for some of the top notch people in the industry back in the days. So it's hard to convince him.
You know the saying it's your car do what you want to it some people will agree and some will disagree, but what I have researched and the opinions I'm getting, I think I'm good.

 

[levisnteeshirt]

always saw

i've always saw ladder bars or a 4 link set up with coil overs use a diagonal link , never with leaf springs myself so i'd say your fine but i'd call a chassis shop to be 100 % on this one. What brand floaters are they ??

 

[TuBaDuB]

i've always saw ladder bars or a 4 link set up with coil overs use a diagonal link , never with leaf springs myself so i'd say your fine but i'd call a chassis shop to be 100 % on this one. What brand floaters are they ??

There hand made. The axle is not bolted to the leaf, the leaf rest on a set of rollers that are attached to the axle.
So the leaf is there to locate and hold the body up, but since the axle is just floating on the leaf I still get quite a bit of side to side movement this is why I ran the diagonal link to reduce this some.
By the way these are mono's I'm running.

 

[TechGuy]

the correct locator ( or diagonal link ) on the correct ladder bars or 4-link will work just fine .... if there is any slop in the set up it does tend to show up
with the diagonal more so than the panhard, however.