Blacksheep Hates Watts Linkages

[docs302]

The UCAs, UCA mount, A-Arms, A-Arm support, K-Member, Radiator Support, Watts Link and the LCA relos I have are all red. The only thing I couldn't get in red were the LCAs themselves.

I to would like some feedback on this. I believe another member on this site (Fabman) has been running the A-arms, radiator support and K-member. He had issues with the rad support but BMR addressed it and he has been good ever since. I am getting ready to pull the trigger on the K-member since I was going to do LT headers. Some weight savings is also a good thing but not if they fail on the track.

 

[Mad Hatter]

By the way, the lower BMR rear LCA bracket is very handy if your rear wheel comes off. Car sits almost level as you watch your rear wheel go by....... Cool

 

[TymeSlayer]

I don't put the car to a beating like some of the guys on here but for the 2-4 track days a year and throw in an AutoX here or there and there working out just fine. Not too much rolling or diving going on here.

Sorry to hijack, but are the A-Arms, k-member, and rad support holding up well for road courses?

 

[ajaquilante]

We liked using the Ford Racing stuff. yes it was mandated in club racing and pro racing, but it was also proven, and the adjustments allowed(like the panhard bar) didn't get you in trouble.

 

[Grant 302]

Oldie but goodie post...food for thought @Mad Hatter:

A lot of guys run a lot of star wars stuff on the car, but we use the panhard bar and stock attachment points, (we do however spend around $10K on the Penske shocks.) but that's not a necessity for a street/track car.

From my drag racing days, my thoughts are that dampers are the best place to spend money for a drag suspension...especially once you start lifting front tires.

With regard to road racers, I'd still put more money and adjustability in the REAR dampers. Comfort and fine tuning are best done there...just like all the fine tuning we do with rear sway bars.

.......

And LOL @blacksheep-1 for the "star wars stuff" you were talking about!

 

[Grant 302]

One of *my* favorites:

 

[Mad Hatter]

I remember that thread as well as the photo!! I think I have being leaving my rear behind.....

mean time,...been studying my instant center etc and hope to have everything measured this weekend.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Well the car is pretty much built around the Penskes..from what I know..they are vital, but if I say that, then everyone jumps on the "that's too expensive bandwagon" or if I say they're eprobably not necessary for the normal HPDE guy, then I get the opposite..so I give. The fact is, it just depends on how far you want to change your car, you have the Sal/ Grant hardcore guys in which Penskes would seem to make sense, then you have 70% of the rest which could probably bolt on the Ford Performance kit and be happy, those guys will never take hole saws to their shock towers, seem weld the car or put an IMSA style cage in it, so the car will never perform to it's max, so why even mess with coil overs at all? Go the FP route and have fun.

 

[Fabman]

Hard core....me? Naw, this is just an old Mustang with some big tires on it.

 

[Grant 302]

Ha! Hardcore nerd is all!

I'm working on 'correcting' one of the youtube video's from Engineering Explained...

 

[AboveAvgJoe5]

Awesome thread! I'm a bit of a noob so I apologize but when you guys refer to the Ford Performance or Ford Racing stuff, are you referring to the "all-in-one" handling packs?

 

[blacksheep-1]

Awesome thread! I'm a bit of a noob so I apologize but when you guys refer to the Ford Performance or Ford Racing stuff, are you referring to the "all-in-one" handling packs?

Pretty much yes

 

[ChrisM]

Awesome thread! I'm a bit of a noob so I apologize but when you guys refer to the Ford Performance or Ford Racing stuff, are you referring to the "all-in-one" handling packs?

Not just the packages, no. There's also all the items from the Boss 302S/Rs and FR500 racecars that are good stuff too.

 

[blacksheep-1]

These are great packages, they are thought out and all the parts work with the others so there's no cut and paste.
https://performanceparts.ford.com/performance-packs/#m2011

 

[PhoenixBoss302]

wow Rob.... Hate is such a strong word.... Perhaps we just don't need it.. AJ has the final word though, he goes out and does his talking on the track...

 

[AboveAvgJoe5]

Thanks Rob and everyone contributing to this thread! Really great stuff.

 

[Grant 302]

wow Rob.... Hate is such a strong word.... Perhaps we just don't need it.. AJ has the final word though, he goes out and does his talking on the track...

Quoting Rob on this was *mostly* a joke! I'm glad it got some great discussion and info to shake out from it! Thanks to ALL for the questions and answers.

 

[RES_22]

Smart, patient people...not afraid to share the knowledge and take the questions/sometimes criticisms. And keep smilin’ through it all.

Best forum.

 

[PhoenixBoss302]

That is a great picture... The Mustang Boss 302 is such a versatile car and we have had a lot of fun making it do stuff it was not supposed to do... like run right there with the new GT4 Chevy Camaro...

 

[Bill Pemberton]

In reading through all the technical suspension thoughts in this thread I have come to the conclusion that Rob likes ;
a) Sausage Links
b) cufflinks
c) golflinks
d) Watts links
e) None of the above.

A) is the correct answer, and that is simple to deduce. Rob is busy working on fast machines and cuff links could get caught in machinery. He is too busy with the race team so no time , especially over the weekends, for golf. We all know he hates Watts Links, hence A) is correct.

End result is I wasn't convinced I needed to link up , and Rob convinced me I was on the right track ----good enough for Tom, Joe and Andrew Aquilante, good enough for me! So, Rob, hate is a strong word , but you needed to use it to save many of us money and frustration, and for that I say thank you.