Pan hard bar rubbing against its own bracket on driver side

I noticed yesterday that my panhard bar had small gouges where it had been hitting its own mounting bracket. I've been reading that after getting a lift some people have to weld on extension brackets because they need the get the bar even again. But I don't have a lift, and my pan hard bar is level.

Original Photo credit: JohnOfTheJungle on toyota-4runner.org | Annotations done by: Trekker on 4runners.com
The panhard bar is rubbing against its own bracket on the left side. My 4runner is still running on its original springs, and the back is within half an inch of the front in terms of height from hub to wheel well (so ride height is within normal afaik). I don't carry large amounts of weight in the rear, and I don't take it far off road. What is causing this to happen?

(Edit: Changed photo link because the old one was about to be removed)

 

I would say, from what I can see, that the springs may be getting worn out. I believe, and I am NOT a suspension kinda guy at all, that there should be more of an angle to the PHB. In other words, the body should be higher than it is. I could well be wrong, but could that be making the end of the bar where it attaches to the axle, contact the parts around it? It's angle isn't correct, thus it's not clear of the parts it should be clear of.

Having said that, it could also be the bushings worn out? Or the bolts not torqued correctly? I would guess bushings. Rubber doesn't last forever, after all.
I saw a section on 4X4Wire about new bushings made from a different materiel, that last much better than the OEM rubber bushings do. The new ones are urethane, and last much longer than the rubber ones do. Fairly easy to find. A quick google is all you need.

Hope this is some help
Pat☺

 

The car in the photo isn't mine, its just something I used to illustrate what I was referring to. I'm guessing bushings too, there is nothing else that it could be.

Tried jacking up the vehicle and seeing if it had any play, there was none, but I was using the rear axle as a jack point so the thing might have been under so much tension that I couldn't tell anyway.

 

You could try jacking on the frame to check. That way, the axle will be at full throw, downwards at least.
Easiest way would be to jack one side, put a jack stand in, then the other side, jack stand in. Safest way to do it, too.

Just be careful with it on jack stands about yanking on stuff under there. You CAN, just be real cautious you don't pull it down off the stand(s). I would think that it wouldn't take a lot of force to see what you need to see.

If it were me, I'd plan on replacing the bushings no matter what. How old are the ones in there now? Rubber doesn't last forever
I would also put some kind of penetrating oil on the bolts and nuts involved, well in advance of when you plan on actually replacing the bushings. That way, once they arrive, you can replace them immediately. WD-40, PB Blaster, 3-in-1 oil, just some kind of penetrating oil. They may not even need it, but better safe than sorry, IMHO.

Good luck to you!
Pat☺

 

PHB ideally should be parallel to the axle in neutral position.
A good way to check is to rock the vehicle side to side.
driver side push should cause it to compress and passenger side should stretch.

You'll be fighting the sway bar, but this is how i would check them when i worked as an alignment tech for a local shop.

also check you axle links. if those bushings are wearing out it will allow the axle to roll and shift front to rear and can put the pan bar in a bind.