BMR Watts Link - Teaser

[CobraRed]

I believe they made a note on the website or maybe instructions as well that if your car is lower around 1.5" or more that the top of the passenger side bracket needs to be trimmed to prevent it from doing what it did on your car.

I thought it was driver's side

 

[drq2q]

I thought it was driver's side

That's what I thought too but I don't see anything in the instructions that came with my watts. I'm putting ST XTAs on first, then the watts after I get the coilovers sorted. Curious as to whether or not you've had anything hitting in the back since you're on the same shocks/springs.

 

[Mark Aubele]

It is very close to my Kooks axle backs on my car. Lowered about 1.7. Swaybar also is going to contact exhaust (not watts' fault always been an issue with this bar). Probably just going to put turndowns on it tired of having to run the car high.

 

[CobraRed]

That's what I thought too but I don't see anything in the instructions that came with my watts. I'm putting ST XTAs on first, then the watts after I get the coilovers sorted. Curious as to whether or not you've had anything hitting in the back since you're on the same shocks/springs.

I made the first Watts thread on here (and most anywhere). I'm lowered around 1.7" as well and had all kinds of contact, passenger bracket to wheel-well/underbody.

But I had the first round of sets that went out. Needed 2-3 new revised parts, and made a further revision myself.

The rear springs on the XTA coilovers are progressive, so we may be getting more travel than others. I think I can feel/hear contact once a month or so, of everytime I go on a hr+ trip it'll run into it.

 

[Speedboosted]

I thought it was driver's side

That's what I thought too but I don't see anything in the instructions that came with my watts. I'm putting ST XTAs on first, then the watts after I get the coilovers sorted. Curious as to whether or not you've had anything hitting in the back since you're on the same shocks/springs.

That's what I meant...driver side. I was tired. Lol

 

[drq2q]

I made the first Watts thread on here (and most anywhere). I'm lowered around 1.7" as well and had all kinds of contact, passenger bracket to wheel-well/underbody.

But I had the first round of sets that went out. Needed 2-3 new revised parts, and made a further revision myself.

The rear springs on the XTA coilovers are progressive, so we may be getting more travel than others. I think I can feel/hear contact once a month or so, of everytime I go on a hr+ trip it'll run into it.

Yeah, I saw your thread and thanks for the install videos, they'll really help. I just wondered where things ended up for you on the contact thing. This is my DD as well as my track car so I just hope the impact noise doesn't drive me nuts. I have an hour commute, each way so.....

 

[Mark Aubele]

Just took the car out and went on some pretty rough roads and no real contact with exhaust. Lethal OAPs.

 

[BMR Tech 2]

Update on the BMR watts link.
As reported by myself and others earlier on bumps you can get a "thump" back near the axle. It was/is the drivers side exhaust pipe.
When I raised my car back to stock ride height even on bumps the noise was not there.
Good job by BMR to make it silent on the stock ride height.
BTW, with a watts, tokicos and good anti sway bars, the car handles excellent (not as good as lowered) and is much quieter.

Sometimes all it takes is a slight rotation of the over-axle pipes or a shift fore/aft to get rid of a clunk. I'm not sure what springs you have on the car, but there are no clunks or thumps from the exhaust on my car, which is lowered 1.5".

 

[Mark Aubele]

Lowering the roll center got the bracket more out of the way for me as well. Currently on second hole from bottom.

 

[nelsonbullitt]

OK. Here is my experience with no bias to anyone. I am not beholden to any company BMR, Fays, J&M, etc, etc.
I have had many s197 Mustangs (4).
I have lowered 2 with P springs.
I have used 3 different relocation brackets
Adjustable panhard bars,
Koni adjustables, Tokico adjustables,
Steeda, Saleen, SR Anti sway bars.
Many different wheel/tire combinations.

My experience, as would be expected, is that a lowered car handles better. Lower center of gravity, etc. It must.
Lowered cars have a poorer ride from the standpoint that there is less spring travel. Whether progressive rate or constant rate, there is less allowable movement and therefore poorer ride quality the rest of the suspension being equal.
The watts on a stock ride height Mustang is better, IMO, than ANY lowered car that uses a panhard bar. You cannot change the fact that the PB pushes the axle sideways. The watts does not. The watts gives the car "tied down" feeling and moves through curves, especially if bumpy, i.e. potholes much better than the PB. Though lowered, the PB does not move as much and as such you could say it matters less as there is less possible movement of the body up/down and therefore less movement of the axle side to side.
I've had both Fays2 and BMR. The BMR has made no noise other than the exhaust pipe which will make contact with the watts unless adjusted JUST right. The Fays2 was the same exhaust wise, but the constant squeaking no matter how many weeks you spend under the car is simply not acceptable.
The Fays adjustment is a miserable, finicky deal and not worth another week of anyone's life unless they are absolutely a masochist.
Yes, my car now looks like a 4x4 which is not as eye pleasing to must folks. The ride is MUCH better. Ford did the setup because people want both comfort and handling. I would put my car up against any lowered S197 any day. The combination of Tokicos, bars and watts are just great!
I am also done with summer uhp only tires. I don't have 80+ degrees for the tires to work properly very often. Plus bumpier and transmit noise to the cabin.
All just my 2 cents.

 

[BMR Tech]

Since we have released this system, we have shipped a very large amount of these units out of our doors. Hell, I would say more than all other brand Watts systems combined if I had to guess.

Other than the first batches of them that had minor issues, I am happy to state that all of the feedback has just been AWESOME. I am very happy with how this has turned out for our customers.

As you can gather from this thread, our team and myself have an insane amount of time wrapped up in this - it is just down right crazy. But I wanted to make sure that the customer receives what they pay for, and then some.

Revision after revision, argument after argument (in house) and testing upon testing - I believe we nailed it with this kit. We set out to make a Chassis Mount Kit that works, provides more RC adjustment, offers innovation and is suitable for daily drivers AND racers all over the world - mission accomplished.

.....now onto that axle brace. Errr...nah?

 

[Gabe]

Since we have released this system, we have shipped a very large amount of these units out of our doors. Hell, I would say more than all other brand Watts systems combined if I had to guess.

Other than the first batches of them that had minor issues, I am happy to state that all of the feedback has just been AWESOME. I am very happy with how this has turned out for our customers.

As you can gather from this thread, our team and myself have an insane amount of time wrapped up in this - it is just down right crazy. But I wanted to make sure that the customer receives what they pay for, and then some.

Revision after revision, argument after argument (in house) and testing upon testing - I believe we nailed it with this kit. We set out to make a Chassis Mount Kit that works, provides more RC adjustment, offers innovation and is suitable for daily drivers AND racers all over the world - mission accomplished.

....

The GF and I are looking forward to our cars having the BMR Watts link installed ... getting rid of the extra axle whine the axle brace is bringing into the cabin = an added bonus.

 

[00blkvert]

I have BMR watts on my car and I love it. I do have contact on the driver's side even after the revised axle mount. The contact issueb I have is the axle mount on the watts hitting essentially the frame rail next to tge spring. Im also lowered around 2" so I kind of expected it to have some contact. Overall its nice piece, easy install and eas easy to adjust.

 

[Norm Peterson]

My experience, as would be expected, is that a lowered car handles better. Lower center of gravity, etc. It must.

Be a little careful here. You need to be able to separate the effects of lowering from the effects of the higher spring rates (hopefully higher enough) involved.

Lowering might become absolutely necessary with tires that are grippy enough to pull ~1.5 lateral g's in a flat corner just from the cornering grip, but you probably aren't going to get there on true street tires. Or go there in a street setting even if you could.

You might like lowering spring rates at roughly stock ride height better than any springs you've yet tried at whatever lowered ride height they gave you . . . assuming that the appearance thing doesn't bother you so you can focus only on the performance and feel.


Norm

 

[csamsh]

Lowered cars have a poorer ride from the standpoint that there is less spring travel. Whether progressive rate or constant rate, there is less allowable movement and therefore poorer ride quality the rest of the suspension being equal.
The watts on a stock ride height Mustang is better, IMO, than ANY lowered car that uses a panhard bar.

Be careful here too. With good springs and dampers and other components, the PHB car can put it on a stock ride height Watt's car, and have a better ride than stock. Not all aftermarket dampers will kill your suspension travel.

 

[Speedboosted]

Be careful here too. With good springs and dampers and other components, the PHB car can put it on a stock ride height Watt's car, and have a better ride than stock. Not all aftermarket dampers will kill your suspension travel.

I just did Bilstein's on all four corners and I have to agree with this as well. The ride is so amazing compared to the Steeda Pro Actions I had previously. I'm assuming that is because of the shortened housings and just plain beefy mono tubes. It's a wonderful experience to see what those thing are able to do.

 

[Mark Aubele]

No one is going to disagree. To say a stock height watts car will "outhandle" any lowered Panhard bar equipped car doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

 

[CobraRed]

This thread took a quick turn to sweeping, unsupported, anecdotal, seat of your pants gauged hibber jabber.

I like my BMR watts, that's about it. It didn't solve some huge issue with my car, it doesn't alone become the solve all for suspension. It isn't the must buy mod for mustangs.

But when paired with a bunch of other aftermarket parts that compliment it, seems to be a good set-up. I like it

 

[Norm Peterson]

No one is going to disagree. To say a stock height watts car will "outhandle" any lowered Panhard bar equipped car doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

Until somebody makes OE-height springs at least in typical "lowering spring" rates - or better yet in rates a little closer to what the available shocks and struts can still reasonably well control - this is going to be an apples to oranges comparison with a very real risk of erroneous conclusions. Or at least conclusions that get poorly stated to the point of being misleading.


Norm

 

[nelsonbullitt]

No one is going to disagree. To say a stock height watts car will "outhandle" any lowered Panhard bar equipped car doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

With similar dampers and anti sway bars, I firmly disagree. The PB moves the axle sideways. Cant change that.

My opinion. I've had them both. When the potholes/bumps come the PB is a real drag. Moves that axle all around.