Watts link to rear of pumpkin
09-30-11, 11:50 AM
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Watts link to rear of pumpkin
I have an 83' RX-7 I run in ITA. Over the winter I am going to install a 3rd link. I was just going to go with a panhard bar, but after alot of research, many experts say an equal length watts link would be better than a panhard bar. One guy in Australia has done so on his RX. Looks like he made a custom diff cover that was heavy enough to accomodate a watts link. ITA says you can't move susp. conponents but you can add traction bars, therefore a panhard is ok. If I leave the old adjustable watts in place but loosen it so it has no effect do you think I could install a second watts legally? Not moving a component, just adding. I'm going to have to move my fuel cell back to accomodate either the watts or panhard. I'm also running this past the IT forum as well.
09-30-11, 02:39 PM
#2
With the limits of ITA a panhard will do just as good a job and be a lot simpler than creating a new Watts link location. The roll center height is most important and building a proper Watts with the roll center near the bottom of the pumpkin is not worth the weight of everything you need to add to the chassis to make it sturdy enough.
I was involved in building the first prototypes of the GForce suspension stuff. Jim used a couple different computer modeling programs to design the stuff within IT rules and the wheel loading differences between a hard to implement Watts and a panhard were so low that it quickly became evident which way to go.
I was involved in building the first prototypes of the GForce suspension stuff. Jim used a couple different computer modeling programs to design the stuff within IT rules and the wheel loading differences between a hard to implement Watts and a panhard were so low that it quickly became evident which way to go.
09-30-11, 05:13 PM
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you can do a really long and very horizontal panhard very easily, tough to beat that!
you can do a really long and very horizontal panhard very easily, tough to beat that!
10-01-11, 07:59 PM
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Thanks guys. I guess within the limits of the travel left in a very low suspension setup a watts may be slightly better if designed properly, but I'm no suspension guru and a panhard looks pretty straight forward as far as setting it up.
10-04-11, 12:03 PM
#6
Talk to Charlie at KC Raceware - he has done both on 1st Gen IT and EP cars. He can give you the plus/minus aspect of the panhard vs watts debate.
www.kcraceware.com
www.kcraceware.com
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