Getting 5er and truck level with each other.

Reddog1 wrote:
BenK, I have read your response to my post a couple of times. There is nothing I take exception to. I do not see any photos or sketches. I did not follow the " Reference my broom handle & bar weight example" statement.

Used verbiage...no diagrams back then.

Trying to say that with a higher CG...the forces are amplified by the increased lever arm of the lift amount....that will then focused at the suspension joints...that then moves that force to pavement via tires



Found some images that might help...

Locomotive, but CG applies to all things. This one on rails, so no tire slippage or higher slip angles. The higher the CG the greater the forces and high chances of tipping over






This one is of an off roader (nephew had a 8" lifted Samurai and constantly broke leaf spring eye bolts & mangled their home made shackles...till he asked me for help). The Centrifugal force is the same, but if you lift (increase the lever arm), that same centrifugal force has more effect...my attempt with verbiage with the broom stick and 5 lb weight swung around to show that your wrist will take much more force to hold it vertical with a higher CG






Higher CG is a common item taught/discussed in most ME classes and this is just an image from a college class work


There are too many more and hope this helps

I have a Suzuki Samurai I modified for offroad use. It is lifted 6-1/2" and has soft leaf springs. The Panhard Bar was an exceptional improvement to its road manors. Most offroaders will say you do not need a Panhard with leaf springs.

Ditto that on my nephews Samurai. His buddy didn't understand and their first attempt had a home made panhard bar too short and not enough tensile strength. Told them to either buy one or go to a junk yard Mustang. They found one old Mustang and it was just right.

Back to the why...a lift has the longer lever arm and muscles the lower suspension...that the OEM designed it for less lever arm.

By installing that panhard rod, it took most of the lateral forces onto more solid areas of the body/frame and suspension.

Showed them HOW2 replace the leaf spring eye bushing with a home made delrin bushing that had a larger hole for a larger grade 8 bolt

Where would you locate the Panhard on my 5th wheel?

First, longest that will fit.

Frame rail on one side and on the axle at the other side.

There will need to be a connecting rod at both ends to make the panhard rod level in a static mode. The length of those end connection rods need to be long enough to articulate without allowing the panhard rod to touch/strike anything in both compression and extension of the trailer suspension movement range.

But...maybe no panhard rod needed if you don't drive HARD. Maybe just beefing up the shackle and leaf eye areas would be enough, but that is up to you, as I don't know how you drive...where you drive, etc

Plus...am NOT a fan of ever increasing CG on anything vehicle related...have done it, but only after noodling it...then re-noodling it a lot...