[Dick]

Jeff: Houston Prevost should (emphasis on “should”) be able to lift the coach and determine if there is something amiss with the front sway bar, links (Dog Bones), bushings, and even the shocks. A shock could have become unhooked or the bolt broke; in that case it would tend to roll over when turning in one direction versus the other direction.

Al: A broken Panhard bar is very serious, since it keeps the drive axle centered under the coach. Although I’ve been under the coach a number of times when it was lifted, I can’t remember exactly how the rear suspension is designed. I think there are one or two links on both sides of the coach that align the drive axle, shocks, and the air bags plus the Panhard bar. If the Panhard bar is broken or unhooked, the drive axle is free to move right to left under the coach subject to whatever limits the links, shocks, and air bags provide … which given the weight and leverage aren’t very much! Acceleration and deceleration will cause the chassis to move from side to side and those parts listed could be bent, damaged, or even broken. My advice would have been to try not to drive it unless you absolutely have to and then not very far! Probably put it on a low-boy to get it to the shop.

If you’ve watched enough NASCAR races you’ll eventually see a race car with a broken Panhard bar … one of the tires sticks outside the body about 6″ and the back of the car wiggles back and forth. In race cars the Panhard bar usually doesn’t break, but the mounting point on the rear axle or the frame is what breaks.

From Wikipedia: A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar, track bar, or track rod) is a suspension link that provides lateral location of the axle. Originally invented by the Panhard automobile company of France in the early twentieth century, this device has been widely used ever since.

[Bernie]

I think the cheese got to Dick again, put an H3 on a low boy!

[Dan]

A keyboard can be a dangerous thing Truk.

Later

bv

[Jerry]

Tom: if the Panhard bar is broken, what do you do? Have one John Hawkin’s rigs pick up the back of the coach and haul it in the steer tires? Why can’t you put an H3 on a low boy?

One of the Xfinity cars at Bristol tonight broke a Panhard bar and it barfed the right rear coil spring out onto the track.

[Archived]

Dick, you are correct it was very bad . It was a Blue Bird not a Prevost and I only mention it because it did as you stated. Prevost in Nashville figured it out but could not source the part , so they sent me down the road to another shop . Man was that a slow craw. We did replace it and over the years i would always inspect it and all other structure components during service .