Fays 2, Watts Link
#1
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Miles City Mt
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fays 2, Watts Link
Well, shitty. I just ordered an Adj, PHB and I have been looking at the watts link. I am really thinking I should have waited.....can someone please tell me why I shouldn't just fork over more cash and get the watts? People who have had both, please tell me the pros and cons of driving with them
#8
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MA
Posts: 3,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, shitty. I just ordered an Adj, PHB and I have been looking at the watts link. I am really thinking I should have waited.....can someone please tell me why I shouldn't just fork over more cash and get the watts? People who have had both, please tell me the pros and cons of driving with them
But the watts link is doing at least one thing different from a PHB. It keeps the rear axle centered under turns and when the car rolls left or right. The PHB since it attaches one side to the axle and one side to the body has more of a swing action. So depending on the turn and the suspension geometry at certain points, it can cause the axle to shift left or right slightly. I kind of notice this when autocrossing through large fast offset slaloms.. turning one way bites quite differently from turning the other way. The roll center is higher turning one way than the other.
If your just street driving... maybe you can feel a significant difference the way the rear stays centered. But even for spirited unsafe a-hole street driving.. I really don't think you'd really need it. Though how much mods you put on a street car I probably have a huge difference of opinion on compared to most here. I don't see a point of modifying a car unless its going to give you some sort of an advantage for what you drive it for. I can drive like an idiot on the street with stock springs, sways, phb, and pep boys tires personally having better tires won't matter because no one's competing with me.. just laughing at me
So my simple answer is gets a watts link if you plan to do some driving events or more.. stick with PHBs if your pretty much just a daily driver.
#9
TECH Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SoCal
Posts: 457
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, shitty. I just ordered an Adj, PHB and I have been looking at the watts link. I am really thinking I should have waited.....can someone please tell me why I shouldn't just fork over more cash and get the watts? People who have had both, please tell me the pros and cons of driving with them
It's tough to answer questions like this, they're open ended and ask about spending other peoples money. Should I spend the money and is it worth it...makes it very very subjective as for some it is and some it isn't. To answer the question...there is no cons in driving with a WattsLink it will only help. Will you get the most out of it vs a PHB is up to how you drive your car. Do I have one now, no, will i get one, yes, why, cause I want the best and only the best will do and that is the deciding factor to me vs a PHB.
#10
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (35)
With a Watts link the rear of the car just seems more predictable and very well planted to the road, which means I can safely take corners at a higher speed then I could with a PHB .
IMO, it's worth the cost even for street driving. The only down side I could possible see is the cost, and the initial install/setup isn't a quick plug/play like with a Adjustable PHB.
IMO, it's worth the cost even for street driving. The only down side I could possible see is the cost, and the initial install/setup isn't a quick plug/play like with a Adjustable PHB.
#11
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (11)
Question for you... what are you doing with your car? I've never owned one or tried one myself, so don't count me as someone with experience. I do have 6 years of autocross experience on my PHB though.
But the watts link is doing at least one thing different from a PHB. It keeps the rear axle centered under turns and when the car rolls left or right. The PHB since it attaches one side to the axle and one side to the body has more of a swing action. So depending on the turn and the suspension geometry at certain points, it can cause the axle to shift left or right slightly. I kind of notice this when autocrossing through large fast offset slaloms.. turning one way bites quite differently from turning the other way. The roll center is higher turning one way than the other.
If your just street driving... maybe you can feel a significant difference the way the rear stays centered. But even for spirited unsafe a-hole street driving.. I really don't think you'd really need it. Though how much mods you put on a street car I probably have a huge difference of opinion on compared to most here. I don't see a point of modifying a car unless its going to give you some sort of an advantage for what you drive it for. I can drive like an idiot on the street with stock springs, sways, phb, and pep boys tires personally having better tires won't matter because no one's competing with me.. just laughing at me
So my simple answer is gets a watts link if you plan to do some driving events or more.. stick with PHBs if your pretty much just a daily driver.
But the watts link is doing at least one thing different from a PHB. It keeps the rear axle centered under turns and when the car rolls left or right. The PHB since it attaches one side to the axle and one side to the body has more of a swing action. So depending on the turn and the suspension geometry at certain points, it can cause the axle to shift left or right slightly. I kind of notice this when autocrossing through large fast offset slaloms.. turning one way bites quite differently from turning the other way. The roll center is higher turning one way than the other.
If your just street driving... maybe you can feel a significant difference the way the rear stays centered. But even for spirited unsafe a-hole street driving.. I really don't think you'd really need it. Though how much mods you put on a street car I probably have a huge difference of opinion on compared to most here. I don't see a point of modifying a car unless its going to give you some sort of an advantage for what you drive it for. I can drive like an idiot on the street with stock springs, sways, phb, and pep boys tires personally having better tires won't matter because no one's competing with me.. just laughing at me
So my simple answer is gets a watts link if you plan to do some driving events or more.. stick with PHBs if your pretty much just a daily driver.
I've already planned out several components I'm going to get. I don't even have the car to put them on but I've got half my suspension planned already
#12
The Watts def allows the rear to stay more planted. The rear ONLY moves up and down on bumps and under load, instead of up and down AND side to side (slightly) allowing the rear to take a set and feel more planted. Perhaps, better shocks (Koni) with an adj. PHB with rod ends would be the next best thing. I went from SLP/Eibach with BMR PHB to the Watts and the improvement was noticable. The Konis (most recent mod) really settled the rear -less bobbing up and down, more control- which could alleviate some of the excessive up and down and therefore side to side movement with the PHB.
#14
wrencher
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 4,762
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I love it for racing. I've run it @ road america, the difference was pretty big before & after.
For the street, I dont put many miles on it. But I noticed a big difference with the street tires.
I'm pushing 420 + RWTQ & the car would 'skate' around quite a bit on a hard accell.
That hasn't change cept the fact now it seems I can controll it much better.
The install for me was a big job though. I have a strange 12 bolt with a LPW diff/support cover. So lots of mod's to get it to fit.
Then I spent alot of time playing with the adjustments to see where I liked it.
I am definately happy with the watts.
For the street, I dont put many miles on it. But I noticed a big difference with the street tires.
I'm pushing 420 + RWTQ & the car would 'skate' around quite a bit on a hard accell.
That hasn't change cept the fact now it seems I can controll it much better.
The install for me was a big job though. I have a strange 12 bolt with a LPW diff/support cover. So lots of mod's to get it to fit.
Then I spent alot of time playing with the adjustments to see where I liked it.
I am definately happy with the watts.
#18
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (6)
Hey:
As its been typed and said many times, You can only mod what you can afford. If you can swing it why not a Watts Link? If you can't, don't hate on those that can. If you can't drive all the mods and money in world can't help. If you can drive good, you probably don't need any mods, to pass/beat those that can't drive as good as you. Thats why the car is about 30%, the Driver 50% and Luck/prep 20%. The same car with different drivers, turn different times. This mod only has 1 down side that I can see, and thats initial cost only. But compared to what people spend on other things, if this makes your car more enjoyable to you, then it is a great mod for any price.
Dub
As its been typed and said many times, You can only mod what you can afford. If you can swing it why not a Watts Link? If you can't, don't hate on those that can. If you can't drive all the mods and money in world can't help. If you can drive good, you probably don't need any mods, to pass/beat those that can't drive as good as you. Thats why the car is about 30%, the Driver 50% and Luck/prep 20%. The same car with different drivers, turn different times. This mod only has 1 down side that I can see, and thats initial cost only. But compared to what people spend on other things, if this makes your car more enjoyable to you, then it is a great mod for any price.
Dub
#19
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milford , Ohio
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok here is my two cents, I built a Watts Link for my car and I am running it right now. My car is lowered and that changes the Roll Center of your car, I was told that the Watts Link can re-establish the car Roll Center. My car will go faster then I can drive it, it does handle like dream. I'm not sure if I would dump that kind of money in to a DD.
#20
TECH Addict
iTrader: (2)
Check out the Watts Link Gen 3/4 Install instructions, a nice guide compared to what some companies include (some include zip):
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2014/06/3...ns-low-res.pdf
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2014/06/3...ns-low-res.pdf
Last edited by libertyforall1776; 06-29-2014 at 06:46 PM. Reason: updated link