singing diff

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:28 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

Dick, Rodney's in CAM (heretofore known as Classic American Mullet, thanks to Mr Westerfield) where that stuff is completely open, regardless of mounting points. Blingy parts for ancient rear suspension designs make you fastererer, no one has to know why! :thumbsup:

Rodney, if you're adding a swanky diff cover and a rebuilt diff, it's only a little bit more for the Watts kit. You know you are already down the rabbit hole....go ahead, embrace the Dark Side of "Parts Creep." :lol:

I'm all TOOO familiar w/ the parts creep and the money burn path. I've already spent more than I had planned this year, so the diff cover is the final toy. (please note that statement in your calendars =0 ) The rear diff repair is a sunk cost, has to be done and not really an option. A nice panhard is ~120 and the watts link goes from ~550 to 900. If I were in this for money or a national championship, sure, no issues, but since I'm a halfassed driver to begin w/, that's like champagne at a pig pick'n, just doesn't belong....

Like I mentioned before, the only person I'm driving against this year is Jordan. I SOOOO want him to beat me at an autocross. Need to start fine tuning his skills.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:00 pm

so a little digging on the interweb and this makes more sense now in regard to a watts link. The biggest "doh" moment was the mention that the up and down travel of the axle w/ the panhard results in an ark motion where the panhard keeps the axle centered regardless of the position of the axle to the body. Still doesn't justify the cost. If I were considering a true IRS for the car at ~8k, then yeah, the grand for the wattslink would make sense then.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:19 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

If I were considering a true IRS for the car at ~8k, then yeah, the grand for the wattslink would make sense then.

This doesn't make sense...if you had IRS, then a watts link is no longer relevant since the diff is attached to the subframe and has nothing to do with the suspension.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:25 pm

I think he is talking about a complete conversion to IRS from LRA? Then it would be an either/or scenario.

http://mustangirs.com/products.php

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:29 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

I think he is talking about a complete conversion to IRS from LRA? Then it would be an either/or scenario.

http://mustangirs.com/products.php

Sure, I understand that, but if you spend $8k for an IRS conversion, then buying a watts link is no longer an option since you need not be concerned about laterally locating the differential to the chassis since it's already attached via the subframe and bushings. Panhard bars and watt's links are only pertinent to a live rear axle.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:34 am

By the time you spend the $$$ for converting a Mustang to an IRS you would be $$$ and development ahead to simply trade on a 2015 (if it turns out well) or a good used Corvette or BMW in my opinion . . . :lol:

Easy for me to say since I have a "Ford" with a really good IRS in my garage . . . not too practical especially on cold nights. :sing:

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:12 am

Steven Carter wrote:

I think he is talking about a complete conversion to IRS from LRA? Then it would be an either/or scenario.

http://mustangirs.com/products.php

^^^this^^^

the IRS OR the wattslink. James you're right, the watts link wouldn't fit on the IRS, but there is the after market kit to convert the live axle to an IRS, spendy.... As for the 2015, I'll get my chance to go over the car in April up at the show. We'll see what happens after that.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:49 am

RodneyWright wrote:

As for the 2015, I'll get my chance to go over the car in April up at the show. We'll see what happens after that.

What show?

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:16 am

DickRasmussen wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

As for the 2015, I'll get my chance to go over the car in April up at the show. We'll see what happens after that.

What show?

the big, grand and glorious 50th anniversary of the 'stang. One show in Charlotte and one in Vegas. I think registration is still open... This will include showing off the new 2015.

http://www.mustang50thbirthdaycelebrati ... ation.html

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Rodney, If you're going for a fancy diff cover, it would be a shame to hide it under the car. Jack the back end up about 8" so that everybody can admire it!

Your choice:
* air shocks
* convert to leaf springs with tall shackles
* or

michaelsmiller · **Posted:** Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:25 pm

When James said ancient suspension, he wasn't talking about the Mustang suspension but the Watts link suspension. It was patented in1784 by James Watt, the guy whose name is on every light bulb. The concept is that the center of the watts linkage travels a perfectly vertical path. That means that the differential that it is attached to also travels a perfectly vertical path. It also means that when you are cornering, the tires rotate about the centerline of your car maintaining suspension geometry. In engineering school I was told that it was used on carriages to prevent side to side wallowing that resulted in motion sickness. I think that it should work all right on a Mustang. Go for it.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:58 pm

I'm pretty much done spending money on the mustang. If I was serious about autox'g the mustang and going to nationals I might drop more coinage on it, but it doesn't make sense. I've pretty much done everything I want to do. Dropping $800 on a watts link is not in the near future.

As for the diff, I think a lot of my issue is from the poly bushings I've added. They are transmitting a ton of noise into the car. I have some left over dynamat, so I think adding some to the upper control arm might kill some of the noise.

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:14 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

I'm pretty much done spending money on the mustang. If I was serious about autox'g the mustang and going to nationals I might drop more coinage on it, but it doesn't make sense. I've pretty much done everything I want to do. Dropping $800 on a watts link is not in the near future.

As for the diff, I think a lot of my issue is from the poly bushings I've added. They are transmitting a ton of noise into the car. I have some left over dynamat, so I think adding some to the upper control arm might kill some of the noise.

This reminds me of a lifetime ago...back in the late 70s I bought some lowering springs for my Capri II, and the rear springs were mono-leaf with solid Delrin bushings replacing the rubber bushings where the springs mount to the chassis. About two months later I started getting a lot of whine that grew in magnitude fairly quickly to the point it was crazy loud. I ended up getting rear end rebuilt -- solved the noise issue.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

RodneyWright wrote:

I'm pretty much done spending money on the mustang.

Did I mention that Crown Vics starting with the 2000 model year were equipped a Watts link? More credence to the "ancient technology" accusation. Maybe you can narrow the rear end from a used taxi cab to solve your Bullitt's handling woes.

Are you allowed to alter the mounting points of the Panhard rod in CAM class? Might be something to be gained there, but you will need to enlist someone like Dick to do the math.

How did the diff repair go? Is the whine gone?

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:21 pm

Arthur McDonald wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

I'm pretty much done spending money on the mustang.

Did I mention that Crown Vics starting with the 2000 model year were equipped a Watts link?

I was going to point that out since I have one on my Marauder. (Did I mention I have a Marauder?).

THSCC Forums

singing diff

Who is online