Panhard bars consist of two...
Panhard bars consist of two parts: the actual bar running between the axle and chassis, and a tubular brace that supports the Panhard-bar brackets. Both are replaced with the Steeda parts, with the job starting with the removal of the Panhard bar at the chassis end.
To get the most from the bars, Steeda also offers seriously beefed sway-bar mounts front and rear. These stiffer brackets deflect less than the stockers, thus increasing sway-bar effectiveness. The combination is good for an approximate 25 percent increase in roll stiffness, according to Steeda. In addition to the sway bars themselves, Steeda offers sway-bar end-links. The stock links are nicely lightweight with tie-rod-end-like fittings for adequate precision, but the Steeda replacements are beefier, sport no-slop ball-end bearings, and are length-adjustable for setting the sway bar preload. Initially, Steeda offered bars with all-metal Heim-joint ends, but has moved to a superior ball-end joint that eliminates the noise that marred the Heim-joint installations within days of their fitment.
For rear trailing arms, Steeda offers three options. Its standard is a $219 tubular-steel, adjustable arm with urethane bushings at each end. It's stiffer than stock, and Steeda recommends it for both street and drag-racing use. A step up for street cars at $399 are Steeda's billet-aluminum trailing arms. Their main attraction is reduced weight while remaining quite rigid, and Dario says they are quieter than the steel arms. They can be had with either urethane bushings or rod-end bearings. Racers will want the extra-beefy tube-steel trailing arms with rod ends at each end, but street cars won't because the double rod ends are simply too noisy for street use. All of the urethane bushings used in Steeda trailing arms are of a patented design. Stiffer than stock, Dario says they eliminate any axle hop.
Here's a shot of the tubular...
Here's a shot of the tubular Panhard-bar brace. Like the bar itself, it is a simple nut-and-bolt job to remove and replace it.
Panhard bars for '05 and later Mustangs are just too easy. Ford provides a Panhard bar as stock, so the Steeda bar is simply stronger and adjustable, with urethane ends. It's an easy upgrade, as the bar is all that's needed. The rest of the Panhard-bar assembly-mounts, braces, and such-is already in place from Ford. In case you have the urge, the Steeda Panhard bar is approved for Grand Am racing, so you can use them on your FR500C.
In addition to a bit firmer mounting thanks to its urethane bushing, Steeda's third link-"or adjustable upper link," as they call it-bolts in place of the stock third link atop the rear axle. Steeda's is length-adjustable, which allows adjustment of the rear-axle pinion angle. This can be a traction aid on drag cars or a fine-tuning adjustment on lowered, open-track cars.
Getting the Panhard-bar length...
Getting the Panhard-bar length correct is the only critical part of changing the bar. The simple way to adjust bar length is to adjust it to match the stock bar length. With left- and right-hand threads at opposite ends of the bar, the Panhard bar is actually a large turnbuckle, and therefore easily adjusts for length.
Bumpsteer is another concern, which is aggravated by lowering. Simply spacing the tie-rod end-link downward below the spindle is the cure, and the job of a bumpsteer kit. Steeda's kit uses rod-end bearings for maximum steering precision and offers a wide range of adjustment so the tie rods end up parallel with the lower control arms.
One thing we lost with the new Mustang front end is camber adjustability. While not a meaningful problem for casual street cars, camber adjustability is nice when optimizing the front end, especially after moving other factors around, crash damage, or when trying to perfect alignment left to right on track cars. To allow camber adjustment, Steeda offers a billet camber adjuster. It's an aluminum plate that bolts to the front strut at the same point the spindle does. The plate has a recess that accepts hardened steel inserts that space the spindle outward. Up to 3 degrees of negative camber are possible with the kit.
While the camber adjusters may seem a bit awkward, the large coil spring of the new car precludes camber adjustment by moving the top of the strut because it hits the chassis.
The new Steeda Panhard bar...
The new Steeda Panhard bar fits into the stock attach brackets. A coating of grease helps the otherwise sticky urethane bushings slide into place.
Finally, Steeda offers two upper strut-tower braces (one showy, the other less expensive), a g-load brace for the lower framerail area, and a rear shock-tower brace. All aid rigidity, but with the new Mustang supposedly 95 percent stiffer than the previous car, they aren't as vital. Steeda offers them as final touches for the otherwise completely updated late-model chassis.
In all, the Steeda gear delivers the same pliable handling that results in a great-driving car on the street and one that leans a bit then digs in and delivers traction on the road courses. It's good to know that as the Mustang changes, the aftermarket can still deliver.
Horse Sense: Steeda has a long history of either participating or sponsoring Mustang road racing. This year, look for a renewed effort by Steeda to support a large and growing number of late-model Mustangs in grassroots road racing.
 Moving on to the rear lower...  Moving on to the rear lower control arms, removal starts by unbolting the arm from the axle end. This is hefty hardware, so expect to use some muscle getting it loose. |  Because the parking-brake...  Because the parking-brake cable is routed through the lower control arm, it's necessary to undo the brake cable from the brake caliper and pull the cable through the control arm. A sliding clip at the caliper end of the cable is the key piece to undoing the brake cable. |  We opted for the more expensive,...  We opted for the more expensive, but lighter and quieter running aluminum Steeda control arms with urethane bushings in deference to our GT's street use. Like the Panhard bar, the control arm's bushings are liberally greased prior to installation. It makes things go much easier and reduces the chance of squeaks. |