Contemporary Cobra Watts Linkage - Page 3

mickmate · #41 (**permalink**) 07-09-2010, 05:45 PM

Sway bar ties the left and right sides together. When you corner hard and the outside wheel gets pushed up into the car the swaybar pulls the other side down to try and keep the car level.

mickmate · #42 (**permalink**) 07-09-2010, 05:47 PM

I have a fixture made up to install the watts thanks I'm quite tickled with how well it works and how much (vertical only) travel there is.

mickmate · #43 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 06:20 PM

This is a shot of what it had. It only holds the front rear movement at the bottom and runs into the underneath of the outriggers or frame extensions. Kind makes for a hard ride.
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mickmate · #44 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 06:22 PM

Front end
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mickmate · #45 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 06:24 PM

The bracket looks like this
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mickmate · #46 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 06:32 PM

To attach the bracket to the Jag hub carrier it needs to be clamped and centred on the top of the carrier against the inner edge. Transfer through from the 3/8" holes on the bracket bottom. Remove the bracket. Drill the 4 mounting holes radially through the carrier with a 7/16" drill and put the tee nuts behind them. Replace the bracket and clamp it. Use the bolts to pull the tee nuts into the carrier and tighten them all evenly and flush.
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Mounting brackets on the chassis are located by the fixture
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The whole thing works great and looks pretty decent in there.
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I'll unhook the shocks and get a video of it running through it's travel.

lal Naja · #47 (**permalink**) 07-24-2010, 10:56 AM

What are the advantates/disadvantages between the Watts design versus the design shown in the photos below?

Arthur

lal Naja · #48 (**permalink**) 07-24-2010, 11:04 AM

Another question. Should bot both systems Watts and the linkage shown in the photos be used?

Arthur

mickmate · #49 (**permalink**) 07-25-2010, 06:44 PM

The watts stops the carrier trying to twist around the axle. The lower radius rods stop the forward back movement down at the bottom by the lower arm. You have a good point, if both were on the car it would be about the ultimate set up on these rear ends.

lal Naja · #50 (**permalink**) 07-26-2010, 10:37 PM

Mickmate, Are you going to be producing & selling the components. I would consider installing Watts to my setup but seems like the only component that would fit readily would be the section that would bolt to the Jag hub carrier. My frame is different so I do not know if the heim joint rods would have to be made a different length. For sure the brackets that weld to my frame would be different.

Do you have prices?

Arthur

badrich · #51 (**permalink**) 07-26-2010, 11:48 PM

Nick, if you're planning on producing the Watts linkage, why don't you use the billet hub carrier? Much stronger... Rich

mickmate · #52 (**permalink**) 07-27-2010, 07:36 AM

The parts are being made to adapt to any frame with the Jag rear end in it. If you look at the chassis mounts they are simply threaded sleeves and gussets for bracing forward/rear. They could be reversed to mount higher at front and lower at rear and they could be easily made shorter or longer to fit about any application. I have looked at the billet hubs but I don't make parts like that in house hence a good price hike plus the additional expense and hassle of changing over and shimming your bearings and hubs to new carriers. The other goal for these was to be a simple retrofit most guys could do in their own shop. I will have the parts available shortly and will be keen to work with guys like the Arntz/Butler and Unique owners so they will fit them also.

mickmate · #53 (**permalink**) 08-02-2010, 08:14 PM

New territory for me, trying to upload the video of the watts in place and the suspension going through (alot) more than its travel.
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/434/picture001.mp4

azfordman · #54 (**permalink**) 08-03-2010, 08:10 PM

Looking good Nick! Less than a week till my butt's in the drivers seat! Let me know how the test drive goes. Looking forward to it, Mark

mickmate · #55 (**permalink**) 08-03-2010, 08:39 PM

Hey Mark, I'm real pleased with the way it's working out. Here's with the swaybar hooked up.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8092/picture003.mp4

RICK LAKE · #56 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 03:07 AM

lal Naja Art the setup or showed pictures of help keep the rearend under the car from moving BUT don't stop the rotation of the hubs and twisting. This is why the watts is bolted to the hat or upper hub. Another car company has done the same radius rod setup as you to try and stop rearend movement. I have seen Jag housing crack at the top 4 bolt mounts. This is the reason ERA has their rearend in a cradle. It has free movement without twisting. It also has support of the mounting areas. I added a watts system from contemp cobras and removed it because of no room to fit the frame mounting points. I worked on the suspension to stop wheel hop and just cut out the burnouts to impress friends. I have also seen the pivot bolts break on the Watts setup from Contemp. A small shoulde bolt holds the pivot bar in location. It's not big enough. Installing rods on the front of the rearend IMO would do more to control the rear from moving than rear bars also. The other question is if you put too much control on the rearend, it could cause binding and break something also. The watts on top of the hub housing is the better idea. Rick L.

azfordman · #57 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 01:13 PM

So Nick...any follow up to RICK LAKE's post? This is the first negative I have heard about the watts set up and am hoping to hear your reply. Thanks.

mickmate · #58 (**permalink**) 08-04-2010, 07:45 PM

His last line says it's a better idea. He was questioning the radius rod set up and the CCX design I believe. I made a fixture from a Watts in a CCX. I took the dimensions and put them into CAD and moved the suspension up and down and could not get it to work. This is an Acton Custom Watts and you see how well it works in the video.

RICK LAKE · #59 (**permalink**) 08-05-2010, 03:01 AM

azfordman What Mic Has redesigned may work very well. The problem is what are the limits of the setup. 10 years ago ONLY a few cars where making real 400 HP at the rear wheels. Today I have to include myself in this group. The vette people had the same rap up problem in the vettes. Gulstrand ( I have the name spelled wrong and can't find the article at this time) designed a 4 link with high low bars to the outter support housing. It kept the wheels in location but had a binding issue around turns at high "g". Wheel hop seams to be the biggest problem with cobras and IRS setups. Rick L. Ps the failures of the contemp system was the pivot bolt snapping off at the pivot arm and in the middle of an event at 100 mph in turns. All that was needed was a larger shoulder bolt or a high grade.

badrich · #60 (**permalink**) 08-05-2010, 12:29 PM

When I first purchased my machine, I started replacing key fasteners. Now, all my suspension fasteners are at least grade 8, many are from ARP. Cheap insurance. Rich