A Watts Link like mine on the market for $600 - Nice stuff
- Thread starter Opentracker
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jerry S
New Member
what is the difference in function/application between that Watts pivot and this Maier Racing panhard bar? Don't they both control lateral roll?
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ozstang65
Founding Member
I've always considered one of these type of setups for my '65, but i'd use a system the same as my current Falcon has, with the pivot (propellor?) welded to the diff centre and brackets welded or bolted to the chassis rails.
Is there really any benefit for a Watts Link on a Leaf Spring rear end anyway? With modern poly bushes there's not much room for sideways flex, is there
From my understanding, panhard bars are a big compromise with noticable handling differences between turning one way or the other.
Is there really any benefit for a Watts Link on a Leaf Spring rear end anyway? With modern poly bushes there's not much room for sideways flex, is there
From my understanding, panhard bars are a big compromise with noticable handling differences between turning one way or the other.
The panhard bar does hold the rear end under the car but works best in drag or oval racing. A Watts Link is for a road cours car. I plan on building one for my '65 Falcon project. Some folks have asked me to make one for them and I don't have the time, this kit looks good for the price.
I have poly bushings on one of our cars and the rear end still floats under the car in hard turns, as it did with the rubber bushings. The leaf is a long piece of spring steel, it's made to flex. The Watts Link or panhard bar take the side load off of the springs, so they can do there job without the rear end trying to twist them, and on our car the tire won't hit the fender anymore in the turns.
John
I have poly bushings on one of our cars and the rear end still floats under the car in hard turns, as it did with the rubber bushings. The leaf is a long piece of spring steel, it's made to flex. The Watts Link or panhard bar take the side load off of the springs, so they can do there job without the rear end trying to twist them, and on our car the tire won't hit the fender anymore in the turns.
John
has anyone seen the new rear suspension by fat man ? if i remember correctly it consists of 2 half leaf springs (front half like control arm), a panhard rod, and a torque arm. this being said i would also like some opinions on the tcp catilever rear, i have been looking at trying to make one for a while
Hack
15 Year Member
If you drive on the street and use regular street tires and obey traffic laws...ozstang65 said:I've always considered one of these type of setups for my '65, but i'd use a system the same as my current Falcon has, with the pivot (propellor?) welded to the diff centre and brackets welded or bolted to the chassis rails.
Is there really any benefit for a Watts Link on a Leaf Spring rear end anyway? With modern poly bushes there's not much room for sideways flex, is there
From my understanding, panhard bars are a big compromise with noticable handling differences between turning one way or the other.
.. the rear leafs have plenty of resistance to sideways flex and they will work fine. Rear leafs are quite a bit superior to the quadra bind four link set up in fox Mustangs. You can feel a definite shift as the rear axle finds its steady state position in a Fox.I think where the Watts and panhard come in are in serious racing applications. They have very good predictability. With racing tires and a performance suspension set up, the suspension gets much higher loads. At high speeds and cornering at the limit the driver can't afford any surprises.
jerry S
New Member
GT2K said:
there is this little snippet from Fay's website
I am guessing that the exhaust doesn't feed through the frame.
GT2K said:
The car is a pig, I know. I'm using it to mock up the Watts Linkage before the car gets re-done for the track. I made the tail pipes from 2 1/2" pipe. There wasn't enouph room to turn the pipe after the muffler, so I had the pipe dive into the top of the outlet of the muffler. The end of the muffler will get a cap welded on. The pipe will have a turn welded to it, inside the muffler, to help direct flow. These are 10" X 17" Flowmaster 30's. They are longer than a 3 chamber Flowmaster.
We have to run full tail pipes to make sound at Laguna Seca, where the cars have to be under 90db @ 50' from the track. I needed room for brake coolers and a sway bar too, so I built my own pipes. This is my first try at tail pipes. And my first try at a Watts linkage.
These look a lot alike. I think a stationary pivot is a better way to go and use the arms/tubes to adj. The Watts roll center should stay in line with the roll center of the leaf springs.
John
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Pathfinder65
New Member
Yours and the "other" look very slick and I want one! Problem is there are too many other priorities before one of those. I've done all the front end mods and my rear is now in need of a tweaking One of these days.
Dave
One of these days.Dave
Hey Opentracker, what did you use for a bearing on the watts setup? I like it, looks simple and effective.
Oh yeah, one other ? how the H*!! did you get the shafts out of all the spring perches you built? I got a set out of a junk yard and ended up destroying the shafts and they still aren't out
Oh yeah, one other ? how the H*!! did you get the shafts out of all the spring perches you built? I got a set out of a junk yard and ended up destroying the shafts and they still aren't out
tweet66 said:Hey Opentracker, what did you use for a bearing on the watts setup? I like it, looks simple and effective.
Oh yeah, one other ? how the H*!! did you get the shafts out of all the spring perches you built? I got a set out of a junk yard and ended up destroying the shafts and they still aren't out
I used a sealed 3/4" bearing for the pivot.
Getting the shaft out of the spring perch, without messing it up is not easy. The shaft has to be smooth and clean, or the bearing won't slide on. I take the bushing out of the perch and make a slice in the outside case, put it in the vice and peal the metal off like a Banana. It's a lot of fun.
John
LMan
Founding Member
reenmachine
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
I've seen the Fatman setup in person & it's OK. It's the front half of two single leaf springs acting as trailing arms and a Panhard bar. There are coilovers going from a beefed-up version of the original lower shock mount up to the original upper shock mounts (with a tiny bit of reinforcement). He says it rides great, which it probably does, but I'd make a lot of structural mods to it for more than just boulevard cruising.wannabegt66 said:
Thought I'd add a little watt watt.
http://www.brockeng.com/mechanism/Watt.htm
The gears are turning John.
http://www.brockeng.com/mechanism/Watt.htm
The gears are turning John.
