A Panhard rod provides lateral location for the rear axle, a function that the standard Midget rear suspension does not adequately address. The leaf springs, which are the sole means of locating the rear axle on a standard car, are designed primarily for vertical load carrying and fore-aft location. They provide relatively poor resistance to sideways movement, which allows the body to shift laterally relative to the axle during hard cornering.
Panhard Rod Kits Overview
This lateral movement manifests as a vague, uncertain feeling from the rear end when cornering at speed, the rear of the car seems to float slightly before settling, particularly on turn-in and during mid-corner bumps. A Panhard rod eliminates this movement entirely by providing a rigid link between the axle and the body at a fixed point on each side.
Mounting Arrangement
The rod mounts to a bracket on the axle at one end and to a bracket on the body at the other, running horizontally across the car. The rod pivots on bushes at each end to accommodate the vertical movement of the axle on its springs. When fitted, the improvement in rear-end stability is immediately noticeable, the car feels more planted and predictable through corners, and the driver can commit to cornering lines with greater confidence.
This is a particularly valuable upgrade for competition use but also provides a meaningful improvement for enthusiastic road driving.