BMR Watts Link - Teaser

[chrisFIVEoh]

Do we know which aftermarket sway bars work with this? I was thinking of picking up a set of Steeda sway bars. Is it even worth buying sway bars after installing this?

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[Gabe]

Do we know which aftermarket sway bars work with this? I was thinking of picking up a set of Steeda sway bars. Is it even worth buying sway bars after installing this?

Probably BMR ones

 

[csamsh]

A watts and sway bars do different jobs- depending on the rest of your setup, yes you probably still need a rear swaybar.

 

[cbass]

A watts and sway bars do different jobs- depending on the rest of your setup, yes you probably still need a rear swaybar.

Adjusting the roll center of the car has a similar effect as adjusting the sway bar: decrease or increase body roll. I'm not planning on making a decision about sway bars until I get the watts link in and drive with it for a while.

 

[Mark Aubele]

My Strano bar fits. Might need to change it for tire clearance. Tires have a slight rub on it now, interested to see which bars fit.

 

[nelsonbullitt]

Since the sway bar uses spring steel to "pull" the opposing side down via a pivot point, but cannot keep the axle from left to right movement we need a panhard bar.

Since the watts keeps the axle centered and stops roll both, why do we need that anti-sway bar?

Then again perhaps one benefit of the a/s bar might be to help reduce f/r movement.

I went to the dragstrip last summer with the Fays2 I had on. No real difference between the times of the summer of '14 without.

I realize the purpose of a watts is handling, not 60' times

I will post my results along hopefully with others.

I wouldn't mind less nvh from my stiffer bushings and rear bar.

 

[00blkvert]

Well i know the steeda rear bars don't work. I was running a steeda bar and it had clearance issues with watts. When i talked to dylan he was saying the boss bar and of course the one BMR bar does.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Since the sway bar uses spring steel to "pull" the opposing side down via a pivot point, but cannot keep the axle from left to right movement we need a panhard bar.

Since the watts keeps the axle centered and stops roll both, why do we need that anti-sway bar?

Yes, you need some sort of positive lateral location for the axle, which cannot be provided by any reasonable stabilizer bar design. But controlling roll needs more than just a PHB or a Watts link setting. It just isn't that simple. Springs, bars, PHB/Watts, and LCAs are all involved in limiting roll and determining how rapidly rear roll stiffness develops (goes to how the car feels when you put it into a turn)

Then again perhaps one benefit of the a/s bar might be to help reduce f/r movement.

Not by any means that I can see. There isn't enough stiffness in the fore/aft direction to do anything harmful (other than maybe cause a little NVH), and since the arcs at the sta-bar ends aren't going to be working in the same direction as the LCA arcs they aren't going to help at all.


Norm

 

[Mark Aubele]

Since the sway bar uses spring steel to "pull" the opposing side down via a pivot point, but cannot keep the axle from left to right movement we need a panhard bar.

Since the watts keeps the axle centered and stops roll both, why do we need that anti-sway bar?

Then again perhaps one benefit of the a/s bar might be to help reduce f/r movement.

I went to the dragstrip last summer with the Fays2 I had on. No real difference between the times of the summer of '14 without.

I realize the purpose of a watts is handling, not 60' times

I will post my results along hopefully with others.

I wouldn't mind less nvh from my stiffer bushings and rear bar.

Watts links and Panhard bars serve the exact same purpose; lateral axle location. The ability to tune handling balance to some extent comes from the ability to adjust the roll center height, which can be accomplished with either device. The S197 happens to have a non adjustable roll center from the factory (without modification), and the available Watts links do, for the most part.

Edit: sorry Norm, didn't realize you had posted already.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Nothing to be sorry about, Mark. I wasn't intending to go anywhere with the differences between a PHB and a Watts here.


Nelson - with most (but not all) stick axle suspensions used in drag racing, there is benefit to be had with a rear stabilizer bar. And for that activity, as stiff as you can find is as good a place as any to start. The reasoning involves putting as much spring + bar roll stiffness out back as possible, because that works to "re-plant" the RR tire that driveshaft torque is always trying to UNload. Since you probably don't want too much spring for other reasons, that leaves the rear bar as the better method for equalizing rear tire loading (and thereby maximizing total acceleration grip). Technically, it's all just a different kind of roll stiffness distribution tweaking, and it's more or less related to disconnecting or removing the front sta-bar on a drag car.


Norm

 

[nelsonbullitt]

I found that adjusting my Tokico dampers to almost full soft in front and rear gave me the best times with my stock summer tires.

This summer I am hoping to get in to the 10s with a set of drag radials. I will try all different permutations at that time and, Lord willing, will post my results.

But... it's all an adventure, for sure.

 

[nelsonbullitt]

And, Norm, I think I'll leave the rear anti-sway bars on the rear when I go to the strip. Plus I'm a bit shy on taking them off for racing.

 

[Scott]

Do we know which aftermarket sway bars work with this? I was thinking of picking up a set of Steeda sway bars. Is it even worth buying sway bars after installing this?

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I know this Steeda bar does not work, middle "kick" is in the way and I had to remove it for my install.

 

[Speedboosted]

Do we know which aftermarket sway bars work with this? I was thinking of picking up a set of Steeda sway bars. Is it even worth buying sway bars after installing this?

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Not many sway bars work with it, other then most of the factory rear bars and the two BMR bars.

Ford Racing, Eibach, Whiteline, Steeda won't work. It really doesn't leave you with any options for an adjustable rear bar.

 

[Scott]

Not many sway bars work with it, other then most of the factory rear bars and the two BMR bars.

Ford Racing, Eibach, Whiteline, Steeda won't work. It really doesn't leave you with any options for an adjustable rear bar.

I have had a BMR SB042 on order since April 1st. I know it works.

 

[TGR96]

Not many sway bars work with it, other then most of the factory rear bars and the two BMR bars.

Ford Racing, Eibach, Whiteline, Steeda won't work. It really doesn't leave you with any options for an adjustable rear bar.

Not entirely true. I have Ford Racing sway bars and the BMR WL, and there are no fitment issues.

 

[BMR Tech 2]

I have a few customers running FRPP bars. I believe they had to find some long end links to make it work. I also know of someone running the Roush rear bar. The watts link will definitely work with OEM bars and our SB042 kit. For those of you trying to install other sway bars with the watts, you may be able to flip the bar to gain additional clearance.

 

[Mark Aubele]

Strano's rear bar works.

 

[BMR Tech]

See?

We didn't leave everyone out!

 

[Mark Aubele]

I may need to switch it out soon. May be going to 12" rear wheels and it is very close with a 315 on a 10.5. Not sure what can work as the whiteline seemed to be the one design that provided a bunch more tire clearance. Can't tell if the BMR bar does or not. I want a very soft bar too. #1stworldproblems