Just a heads up!

Make : SALEEN Model : PJ SALEEN MUSTANG Year : 2007
Manufacturer : SALEEN, INC.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 07V502000 Mfr's Report Date : OCT 08, 2007
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 500
Summary:
ON CERTAIN PARNELLI JONES EDITION VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH WATT'S LINK REAR SUSPENSIONS, THE WATT'S LINK HAS BEEN FOUND TO STRESS THE CHASSIS AND LINKAGE UNDER EXTREME USE TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN FAIL.
Consequence:
A FAILURE CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BECOMING UNSTABLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
SALEEN WILL SUPPLY NEW UP-GRADED PARTS, INCLUDING COMPLETE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT. SALEEN WILL COVER ALL LABOR COSTS. THE UP-GRADE WILL BE COMPLETED BY AUTHORIZED FORD DEALERS. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING LATE OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SALEEN AT 1-800-888-8945.
Notes:
SALEEN RECALL NO. TSB07-006. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

 

more recall information
http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.go...7V502-6486.pdf

 

Looks like I may be going with the Fays2 setup after reading this.

 

I sent an email to JDM to ask what they are doing about this. I will let you know what they say.

 

The Saleen Watts link is probally the best bolt on handling improvment that you can make to your car. I had mine installed after buying it from JDM at the Fun Ford Week-end at Norwalk Ohio. Talking with Carlos Duran from Saleen and he described it as "What you use to a corner at in 2nd gear.....you'll now be able to take it in 3rd". He's awefully close to that. I have taken some fairly tight corners at a speed I would not normally consider trying to do it at. The other thing I love about my link is how it took those little kicks out of the back-end that I expierance when driving the highway and going over an expanstion joint....That kick is cause by the panhard bar and the radius that they work off of. What affects it is the weight ( people...fuel..spare tire etc.) that either lower or raises the height of the back end (body) and since the panhard bar works off of a radius , where the body is in relation to the rear-end. The Watts link takes the radius out of the equation but centering itself to the rear-end....my car right now and will stay where its at pretty much for ever is .015" off center.Thats from each side. So in reality just one side is either +/- .0075. I have a friend who had a Fays2 link on his 07 Shelby Gt500...He loved it but the noise it made bothered the hell out of him, he bought a Saleen link from JDM also and totally loves how it performs and how quiet it is.

 

any info on the jdm kits? recall wise?

 

Just sent JDM an email on Saturday, have not heard back yet. I am interested in an explanation as to why they were selling the kits without the new parts after October 4, 2007, when as of that date Saleen decided there was a defect and issued a recall. Aside from a possible problem with forthrightness by JDM, I still think it is a great modification for a Mustang unless you are purely a straight line drag racer.

 

i am considering the jdm kit,along with the saleen spring/shock/swaybar kit.the car might see the 1/4 mile 2-3 times a year.i just want mainly a good riding/handling car,that i can travel cross the country in without hesitation.

 

the recall is only on the 500 units (PJ's) sold on cars built by Saleen. The units sold aftermarket to non-Saleen vehicles are a different story.

The Saleen unit is not adjustable for roll center. People seem to be confusing this with ride height....................

There are many other areas of the car that need improvement long before you add a $1000 watts link with urethane bushings and no adjustment. They happen to cost considerably less also.

 

found this on mf...http://www.modularfords.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=97333

jdm says all there kits that where gen 1 style sustems are being taken care of. the current instock kits are the gen 2 systems and have the brace needed.

 

rodeo,i am sorry you dislike the saleen setup,but after riding/driving a pj car it is exactly what i m lookin for.i doubt i will ever road race my stang,but the ride and handling is just what i was lookin for.

 

If you have the money and you HAVE to have it - suit yourself of course, however consider a couple things here -

1. The PJ has MANY other mods aside from the watts link. Ask Dumbo about magic feathers...........

2. You wont find a watts on S197 Grand Am Cup cars or AI cars. Care to guess why? (In Grand Am it's rules, in AI it's cost and effectiveness)

It will provide a marginal improvement - but at over $1000, there are many other things to spend money on. If you have another $1000 to throw away I can always use an extra set of NT-01's

 

why would i buy a set of nt-01s for a street driven vehicle?you really aren t getting my side of it.i want a primarly daily driven, all wheather, good handling vehicle. i plan on the saleen suspension package,heavy duty steeda upper strut mounts, and the watts link.if you have some other advise i am all ears, but i don t want race parts,or adjustable stuff that i will never adjust.

 

Matt, I think this is effective. I don't think Bud Moore or Steve Saleen/Parnelli Jones would arbitrarily just chose this setup for a live axel...



Have you had this on your car and then taken it off? Have you had friends whom have done so?

What would you chose to do to the suspension for a street car? An adjustable panhard bar?

 

You will find a Watts Link on a Griggs racing GR40RT.

http://gr40cars.com/models/gr40rt.php

Some of advantages they list would also be true for the Saleen Watts Link.

http://www.griggsracing.com/product_...roducts_id=575

 

I heard from JDM today. They indicated the upgrade/brace kit would be sent to me direct from Saleen or via JDM, and I should expect to see it within two weeks. No charge. I'll let you know how it comes out. Gotta find a heated garage here in Iowa where I can do the install, unless we have a warm spell. Otherwise, I will have to wait for spring.

 

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/sho...light=lakewood

 

HI,

New to this forum. I just bought the Saleen Watts Link and am in the process of installing it. I got it from JDM, though the free shipping just ended they gave it to me. Comes with spacers for retaining the convertible braces for $100 more. The only complaint so far is that they did not consolidate the directions with the new recall brace, though it's not a big deal. (Kit comes with two direction sheets, pre-recall brace and recall brace directions.)

From what I have read (Fred Puhn and elsewhere) the Watts Link will give a road car a high level of benefit due to the amount of suspension movement a road car experiences compared to a race car and the resulting undesirable suspension steering effect of a panhard bar in this situation.. This may be why Ford race cars are sticking with the panhard bar (or simply towing the company line ie using stock suspension design).

 

I'm afraid after approximately 6 months of using the Lakewodd watts link. I cannot recommend it to anyone. Very noisy during the entire time. And it is now broken. Bend in 1 bracket. Broke out the bolt hole in the other bracket. May try to rebuild for most strength. But not sure it is worth the effort. I have a picture of the broken bracket. Hope I got it to work right.

 

...I'd say you cured my curiosity about this whole Watts Link thing for me...sorry about your misfortune..but i thank you for trying it out and giving people real world scenario!