What's that brace for?

[Kybuilt]

I mean the brace that bolts to the frame on the driver's side, and connects with the panhard bar on the passenger side. Is this just a part of the spare tire mount, or is it necessary to help locate the rear axle?

[zamar]

I would say it is a track bar and is to locate the rear end. But my truck and chiltons are at home.

[ieatglue]

:offtopic: But what does a strut bar do? :confused:

[ScarabEpic22]

I would say it is a track bar and is to locate the rear end. But my truck and chiltons are at home.
Sounds right to me, was down there pretty close to it for a few hours over X-mas break when I put the Hotchkis in, and I think you would have some major issues if it was remove/broke.:o

[Kybuilt]

Sounds right to me, was down there pretty close to it for a few hours over X-mas break when I put the Hotchkis in, and I think you would have some major issues if it was remove/broke.:o
The bar I'm referring to just bolts to the frame rail on one side, and the bracket that locates the track bar on the other side. I'm thinking when the time comes to run some serious exhaust, that straight bar's coming off! Don't see any reason why an angled bar of the same length would make any difference? If the part that passes under the tail pipe were running parallel to the axle, it would free up a lot of room for (more) (bigger) exhaust.:yes:

[zamar]

Can you get us a Pic? This sounds like it is there to limit the side to side travel of the rear axle.

[Kybuilt]

Can you get us a Pic? This sounds like it is there to limit the side to side travel of the rear axle.
The bar in question...
http://images16.fotki.com/v275/photos/5/555480/2903849/feb8001-vi.jpg

[Kybuilt]

the other end of the bar...
http://images16.fotki.com/v278/photos/5/555480/2903849/feb8002-vi.jpg

[2006 Blue TB SS]

That looks like a stiffening brace for the panhard mount. It's probably there to ensure that the mounting point for the panhard doesn't move under load.

I might not be overly temped to remove it :no:

My :m2:

[turboawd]

That looks like a stiffening brace for the panhard mount. It's probably there to ensure that the mounting point for the panhard doesn't move under load.

I might not be overly temped to remove it :no:

My :m2::iagree:

[zamar]

:iagree:
That keeps your rear Axle firmly in the center. If you look at the 2 bars that are parallel to the muffler (traction bars?) they allow the rear to go up and down but do not brace it from side to side hardley at all.

Remove that bar = uncontrollable SS (IMHO)

[ScarabEpic22]

Now that I see the pic, dont think my TB has one of those, so I was referring to the wrong part.

I agree with the others and think it might not be the best idea to remove it unless we know exactly what it is there for.

[the roadie]

I would say it is a track bar and is to locate the rear end. But my truck and chiltons are at home.

The factory manual calls it a Rear Axle Brace, and the other side-to-side one a Tie Rod, in case anybody is searching a GM parts data base.

[the roadie]

Don't see any reason why an angled bar of the same length would make any difference? If the part that passes under the tail pipe were running parallel to the axle, it would free up a lot of room for (more) (bigger) exhaust.:yes:

Might work as long as the angled bar was stiffer. The bend would give flex where the OEM bar would be rock solid.

[Ddubb]

Every part on the car is there for a reason. If it didnt provide structural integrity to the body or suspension, GM would not spend the money to install them on hundreds of thousands of vehicles.

Its good to have these braces for the panhard bars, the tie rod has alot of stress on it to keep the axle centered. The 4 link does an excellent job for the suspension. If we only had a 2 link, the panhard bar would make the body / axle move sideways during suspension travel.

The panhard bar and brace may be removed if the parallel 4 link was changed to a Triangulated 4 link to keep the axle centered.

- Dan