Watts link or panhard bar?

[jdwill13]

I see a lot more cars with a panhard bar than a Watts link setup. I keep reading great things about Watts link but have yet to see it on any cars. Does anyone have Watts on their car?

[wiedemab]

I know this company makes watts links for a fox body. I don't know much else about them.

http://www.evolutionmsport.com/

I know the typical arguments for one over the other involves the greater weight off the watts over the panhard. One advantage to a frame mounted watts link is that the rear roll center height is fixed relative to the chassis. With a panhard the roll center height changes with respect to suspension travel.

Oh and the watts link won't create any side movement in the rear axle with suspension movement - the panhard will.

I'm sure some of the suspension experts can discuss this in more detail.

With a Fox platform, I think either will help the "snap oversteer" created by the bind in the stock rear suspension. Adding either device to the stock suspension is redundant, but works. Probably the best solution is to either go to a 3-link w/ either panhard or watts, or a torque-arm with panhard or watts.

Later,

Brandon

[EvolutionMotorsport]

Here are some pics of one of our Watts links installed on a car. This is our Vintage watts....

http://web.mac.com/jbauder/iWeb/6970...-Watt%27s.html

Thanks....Mike

[James OLC]

The Lateral Dynamics 3-Link incorporates a Watts Link. There are several members on the board with this set up (myself included). Pictures of my install are on the OLC website at Lateral Dynamics Installation. The Watts Link is a much better alternative than a panhard bar.

[deuce_454]

the only timee you should considder a panhard is when 1) you are an OEM and want to save money on a mediocre handling car.. 2) if you are too mechanially inept to make/install a functioning watt 3) if you only turn left (circle track) otherwise a watt's link is the ticket.

[jdwill13]

Thanks everyone.

[Silver69Camaro]

Originally Posted by deuce_454

the only timee you should considder a panhard is when 1) you are an OEM and want to save money on a mediocre handling car.. 2) if you are too mechanially inept to make/install a functioning watt 3) if you only turn left (circle track) otherwise a watt's link is the ticket.

It sounds like I may be in the minority here, but you can have a very good handling car with a properly designed panhard bar. Doing so can make it somewhat difficult to package, to the point where the same amount of work it would take to install a watts.

Don't get me wrong, I like both, and each has their own place. But to say that it is totally inferior is disagreeable to me.

[EvolutionMotorsport]

Originally Posted by jdwill13

I see a lot more cars with a panhard bar than a Watts link setup. I keep reading great things about Watts link but have yet to see it on any cars. Does anyone have Watts on their car?

Here is some general info you might find useful.

Watts Link/Panhard Bar:

WL: Constant Roll Center Height While Cornering
PHB: Roll Center Rises in One Direction and Falls in the Opposite Direction

WL: True Vertical Motion of Axle Thru Jounce/Rebound
PHB: Axle Travels in an Arc defined by the Length of the Panhard Bar

WL: Lateral Loads Reacted @ Both Frame Rails
PHB: Lateral Load Reacted @ One Frame Rail

Note: The constant rear roll center height, of a Watts Link System, will give the vehicle consistent and equal handling on both left and right turns. The overall benefits to the performance enthusiast include improved steering response, linearity, turn-in and overall cornering response, making the vehicle more predictable and easier to drive on all road at track surfaces.

A Watts Linkage is a lateral control device which consists of (2) horizontal links, (1) vertical link and a structural cradle. The cradle is mounted to the vehicles rear sub-frame (sprung weight) and used as a mounting location for the Watts Linkage. The vertical link or “Crank” is mounted to the center of the cradle which is designed to be at the centerline of the vehicle cross-car. The horizontal links are both mounted to the crank; one at the top and the other at the bottom. The opposite end of each link is mounted to a tower that extends from the rear axle housing. When the vehicle is at ride height, the optimum (rear view) orientation for the links is parallel to ground, with the crank positioned vertically. The optimum (plan view) orientation for the links is parallel to the rear axle tube.

The Watts Link System positively locates the rear axle, preventing it from moving side to side while cornering. With the rear axle essentially fixed in the lateral direction, there is now more real estate for larger rear tires without the worry of tire interference with the inner wheel well while cornering. The rear roll center is also lowered to be approximately equal in height to the center of the crank pivot. The rear roll center is the point where the lateral force is being transferred from the sprung weight to the unsprung weight. Lowering the rear roll center will reduce the portion of lateral weight transfer due to roll center height (a parameter which is not easy to tune) and allow the customer more freedom to tune front and rear roll couple distribution. The geometry of a Watts Link System also produces a constant rear roll center height while cornering unlike a panhard bar which has varying roll center height depending on whether you turn right or left. The constant rear roll center height, of a Watts Link System, will give the vehicle consistent and equal handling on both left and right turns. The overall benefits to the performance enthusiast include improved steering response, linearity, turn-in and overall cornering response, making the vehicle more predictable and easier to drive on all road at track surfaces.

More Notes:
While a vehicle is cornering and producing lateral force, the axles natural tendency is to move in the cross-car/lateral direction. With a Watts Link installed, as the vehicle builds lateral force, the lateral force is transmitted through the links into the crank, then into both frame rails through the cradle. Since one link is in tension and the other link is in compression, the load in each link is equal and the crank will not rotate. Since there are two links and one crank the lateral load is distributed between each of the two links and both frame rails, unlike a panhard bar which relies on one link and one frame rail to react all the lateral force. When the vehicle is not cornering, as the suspension goes into jounce and rebound, the crank travels with the body and will rotate to compensate for the vertical rotation of each link. This geometry will produce true vertical motion without any lateral component, unlike a panhard bar that will travel on an arc defined by the length of the panhard bar link.

Thanks....Mike