As you can see, there are many important reasons to install an MM Panhard Bar:
- Improves straight-line and cornering stability
- Makes handling more predictable, increasing control
- Fewer steering wheel corrections to stay on line
- Helps keep the car straight during a hard launch
- Eliminates the Mustang's normal rear-steer tendency
- Lowers the rear roll center
- Simpler (and less expensive) than a Watts linkage. Read more on MM's Panhard Bar Tech page.
- Bolt-in installation, no welding required.
- Durable black powdercoat finish.
- Clears stock tailpipes. Aftermarket 2.5" tailpipes that follow the factory routing will usually clear the MM Panhard Bar without modifications to the tailpipes. These brands usually fit well: Dynomax, Flowmaster made after 2000, Late Model Restoration.
- Vertical adjustment of the rod's mounting accommodates different ride heights.
- Very long rod minimizes sideways movement caused by the arc of the rod's motion.
- PTFE-lined spherical rod ends precisely control movement with virtually no noise transmission.
- Stout 6061-T6 aluminum rod is made from a custom extrusion, designed with a very thick wall by MM for this application.
- Rod ends are mounted in double shear for greatest strength and safety.
- Special inserts allow proper tightening of mounting bolts for the chassis mounting bracket without distorting the frame rail.
- Low mounting height of the rod significantly lowers the rear roll center, reducing the tendency of the inside rear tire to lift and unload during cornering.
- Roll center is lower than what can be achieved with a Watts link.
- While compatible with the standard T/A differential cover when properly installed, we recommend the new low-profile cover (listed for the S197 application) to ensure no interference.
- Required before installation of the MM Torque-arm.
Fits
- 1979-1998 Mustang with 8.8" or 7.5" solid axle
- Some Ford 9" axle housings set up for Fox or SN95 installation
Does NOT fit
Some aftermarket rear lower control arms (RLCAs). Some companies make RLCAs that relocate the rear swaybar significantly rearward. Why? We can’t figure it out. It seems nutty. When the swaybar is moved significantly rearward it will interfere with the aluminum Panhard rod.
MM RLCAs don’t relocate the swaybar rearward, so you won’t have that problem.
How do I tell if an RLCA moves the swaybar rearward?
Look at the forward bolt hole where the swaybar attaches to the control arm. Measure the horizontal distance between the center of that hole and the center of the pivot bolt hole. While there are some variations in that distance even between different stock RLCAs, a dimension greater than 4” starts to run the risk of the swaybar interfering with the aluminum Panhard rod.
Busting the Myth of the Watts Link - This FAQ/Tech page explains why a Panhard Bar is a better choice for your Mustang than a Watt's Link.
Will 3" tailpipes fit with the MM Panhard bar?
Short answer: not without great difficulty.
Longer answers:
- The 3" Flowmaster system sort of fits with the Panhard bar. But, there is only a tiny bit of clearance after everything is adjusted to fit as well as possible. As soon as the engine is started engine movement will cause the exhaust to shift and start banging at every tight clearance spot. The exhaust pipes can be dimpled at the appropriate locations, but that's not easy to do.
- More clearance can be had by fabricating 3" tailpipes from an assortment of mandrel bends and tight-radius donuts. But, that's a lot of expense.
Drawbacks of a 3" exhaust
- Watch this video of a test of a 620hp engine; going from 2.5" to 3" exhaust only made a 2.5% difference in power and torque. That's not much increase for all the headaches of making 3" tailpipes fit.
- The weight of a 3" exhaust system over a 2.5" exhaust will nearly cancel out any acceleration performance gains provided by the added power. And handling ability will suffer from the added weight.
- The increased heat radiating area from the larger exhaust will make it more difficult to keep fuel from boiling in the fuel tank.
We're working on FAQs for this product. If you have a question, please use our Contact Us page to email your question. We'll answer your question by return email, and also consider it for possible addition to this FAQ section.
Still not sure your Mustang will benefit hugely from the MM Panhard Bar? All 2005-2014 Mustangs have a Panhard Rod. Ford would definitely not spend the money if there wasn't a significant benefit provided by this essential piece of equipment.
Wheel spacers are recommended for 1979-1993 Mustangs that have both:
- Fox-length axles
- Rear wheels with a backspacing greater than 5.75". This is typical of 9" or wider wheels.
Why?
The Panhard rod lowers the roll center from the stock height. This may allow the inner sidewall of a wide tire to rub on the inside wheel-well when the body rolls during cornering.
A 1/4" wheel spacer will eliminate or reduce tire rubbing on the inside wheel-well housing after installation of a Panhard Bar.
Busting the Myth of the Watts Link
Real-world testing puts theory into perspective.
Advocates of the Watts Link base their arguments on theory rather than testing. Here at MM, we're all about using engineering and real-world testing. What happens in this video reveals the true story about the Panhard Bar vs. Watts Link debate for the late-model Mustang.
What's the true story? Myth busted, that's what!