[Sam Strano]

I'm now happy to announce we can take pre-orders on a Watts Link for all 82-02 F-bodies with stock diamter axle tubes. There is a version for bigger axle tubes (suck as 12-bolts, etc.) in the works.

They should be ready to ship in approximately 2-3 weeks. The unit is made by Fays2 who has been doing these for Mustangs for more than a few years. I not only trust the unit and have had all my questions answered, but will be putting one on my car as soon as possible. Jim and I have had a few discussions about the design and I'm happy to say he addressed my main concerns regarding approximate roll-center height. I wanted to make sure we could start @ stock height and adjust down as the owner sees fit. That has been done and implimented in this unit.

Details, specs and a photo on a 4th gen can be seen here:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetails.php...7&ModelID=7

(IMG:http://www.stranoparts.com/data/images/p30617181655.jpg)


Price is $650 Plus shipping. Shipping costs will normally not exceed $30 in most cases.

Fays2 own website has the pricing set lower, but after a discussion with Jim Fay, he informed me the prices are incorrect and will be changed.

[Sam Strano]

Let's see if I can answer all 3 in one post...

What are we "trying to fix"? The arc the PHB swing on as the suspension and body move up and down. Long PHB's have a lesser amount of arc than short ones, but it's still there. In fact on my car the PHB is set so that when viewed on 315's the LR body is actually not 100% centered. If I center the body the LR tire will rub the inner fender and the RR will rub the quarter panel due to the arc the PHB moves in as the car moves. And because of the way a PHB mounts, the roll center moves up and down depending on which way you are turning. The PHB acutally pushes up and pulls down on the body when you are going in different directions. A Watts link does not do this, there is no jacking up or down, and the axle moves truly veritically up and down but still has all the lateral control (and maybe even a bit more since the arms are shorter and stiffer than a roughly 4' long PHB that is more subject to flexing (which is why I don't use tubular aluminum PHB's).

Ever notice, if you have a data logger, or have seen logs that PHB don't pull the same G load though left and right hand corners? Even if you corner balance it perfectly, the dynamic change in the roll center height effects the balance of the car. To this point nobody has had a Watts for this car. I've been trying to do one, but I'm not a machinist and don't have the ability. This is something that has been long overdue for the truly serious, but for one reason or another nobody acutally got made. Been talked about for a long time for this car, and have been around for a LONG time for other cars. In fact the 1st generation Mazda RX7 had one stock (in 1978). Australian V8 Supercars use them (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V8_Supercars). Trans-Am/GT1 cars use them (though I don't know they all do).

What classes are they legal for? ESP, SM... maybe in STX and STU too, but I'd have to read up on their rules. It is 100% ESP legal.

Shock and spring change needed? Nope. The upper most adjustment is at stock static roll center height (it moves up and down in action as stated before). You can drop it if you like (and some of you do). You can drop the roll center height in very small increments, .5" at a time if you see fit.

This post has been edited by Sam Strano: Jul 18 2008, 12:28 AM