was about to let you now that those taipipe will be in the way of the movement....exitin front of tire now??

 

Yeah, I like the Watts link but is it necessary with leafe springs?
All '98 and up Ford Crown Vics, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Cars have Watts Link located rear axles .... but they also usec 4 link control arms and coils or air bags. Rock steady in a CVPI police car at 100-130 where as the '97 and older CVs got squirrely.

 

With the flip kit, I'm seeing a lot of rearend movement. I have a GoPro that I'm sticking under there today to see what's happening. I'm still seeing movement with the Watts.

 

Isn't the center of the watts link supposed to be perfectly vertical at normal ride height?

pitstain's build http://www.flickr.com/photos/3742336...7629556177249/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3742336...7629556177249/

and more importantly, the side bars should be horizontal (level)

 

That's not what the manufacturer is telling me, he says it looks perfect.

BTW, the rear "movement" I THINK I'm seeing may actually be an optical illusion. I had the GoPro under there today, everything looks good. I'm going to video the wheel/tire in the well tomorrow.

 

This was the way I originally set it up



This is the way it is now, manufacturer approved

 

looks better, but i think the bars should be a little longer.

it ride tighter with the 2nd version?

 

Note that in the picture above, the two control arms .... assume compression like you hit a bump .... the left side arm will arc so that the axle center end will swing to left.
Note that the right side arm will arc upward so that likewise, it's axle end will arc .... left until it passes level and then it starts arcing back right but before then the axle will be bottomed on the frame. In short, in that picture up there .... when you hit a bump the frame will go right as the arms try to both take the axle left. Not good.



In that picture above this, .... looks better as both arms arc upwards they both swing out .... but that left side arm is more near level now than the rioght side, so under compression on that bump the left side arm wil pas level and start arcing back left while the right one is still arcing left before becoming level. I think you need to raise the pivot end heim joint of the left arm at the frame mount another hole to increase the angle at rest so that it more correctly mirrors movement of the right side arm (which can't be lowered on it's frame end).

Check the angles of both arms at rest with a "angle finder" that has a level in it, both arms should have same angle in relation to level, just opposite.

Watch this closely again:



Properly set up, when one control arm reaches level the other sill also be level. .... like a long "Z" if you can see my meaning. Doesn't mean that's how it has to be at rest, but that level "sweeet spot" is when the watts link is midway in travel.

 

This may help ..... it's at : http://www.streetsource.com/forum/10...Questions.html

 

GREAT info. tbear, thanks!!!

I do agree, the left arm needs to go up, but unfortunately it's up as far as I can go due to the exhaust.

Thanks again for the info. and links.

 

Here are three videos made into one, one of each rear wheel and the actual rear end, it's a little long at 13 min., but shows what's happening (body roll) and the rear staying put.

Thanks for all who posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwbpA...ature=youtu.be

 

so did you also have a rear sway bar you removed when you added the watts? I mean the watts link isnt really supposed to fix body roll, it just keeps the axle cenetered, and eliminates body swaying sideways over the axle

 

No, there was no swaybar before, and you are correct, the Watts does nothing for "roll".

I do need a Helwig, but the pics of the one I have seen look likes my exhaust will be in the way and have to moved in order to install. I'll be looking into it later.

 

sounds like you need to move your exhaust, setup watts correctly, and add a rear sway

 

I hear you and you are right, but it's low priority at the moment!!