I got a call from my shipping department that a box showed up My Watts Link is ready for install. Now I just need the car!

 

C9, are you going to track the car before installing the Watts link so you can get a comparison before adding it? Do you run one on your GT500 and if so how did installing it impact your lap times? How about overall handling improvements?

 

All good questions. I'll answer best as I can.

As far as a Watts link on my GT500, yes I have one. From a handling stanpoint it really helped plant the rear end during corner exit. I would liken the feeling before to the feeling you get on a waterbed. Things just kind of squish around underneath you from the rear of the car. That feeling went away after installing the Watts link. Now, the issue is I made several suspension changes when I installed the Watts link :

Before:
FRPP Handling Pack with adj Tokicos and lowering springs.
BMR adj UCA
Steeda LCAs and relo brackets

After:
Koni adj coilovers
Torque Arm
Adj LCAs and relo brackets
Watts Link

So some will argue the torque arm helps plant the rear end while others say it's the Watts link. I probably lowered the car slightly with the adj coilovers, but you can only drop so much in the rear before starting to hit the bump stops all the time, so I'm not sure how much and I didn't measure before/after.

As far as lap times. Well I only ran the same track before/after susp changes early in 2009 versus late in 2010. I ran several other tracks in between but they were new tracks to me so I didn't have lap time comparisons. I also put on an interchangable upper pulley (3" vs. 2.6") for use on the road course. This dropped my rwhp/rwtq from 640/625 to 575/545 on track. I was having overheating issues with the smaller pulley when ambient temps were over 80 degrees. Before the suspension change and with higher hp/tq my best lap time at that track was 1:46:97. After changing the suspension and reducing hp/tq my best lap time was 1:44:10.

As far as whether I'll run the Boss without the Watts link, I don't know. I'm impatient so it will be interesting to see. Since it's just a bolt-on, changing it should be relatively easy. I probably should wait, but the first track day isn't until the first week of April, so I have a lot of time to think about it.

 

I will be curious to see the interplay between the adjustable rear shocks, the larger rear anti-roll bar, and the larger tires in stock configuration with the Panhard set-up vs. a Watts linkage.

Any thoughts as to how the Watts will "reduce the squishiness", given all of the other components being the same?

 

I guess it's hard to say. I just know the rear end felt more predictable under acceleration. One other factor with the GT500 was the ridiculous amount of torque it's putting out compared to the Boss. The stress on the rear end with the Boss N/A motor won't be as severe. That alone will reduce that pumpkin pitching around I would think. It was interesting to note in this video of the Laguna Seca that the rear end "sits" and goes pretty well in stock form. It does fishtail a fair amount but that was probably intended by the driver. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjHhxARzYvY&feature=fvw

 

Nice video. Anyone else think the LS wheels look really cool rolling down the road?

 

I think some of the "magic" will be in the adjustable shock settings, of course. And my statements above assumed the GT 5.0 as the starting point. I also assume that the R-compound tires on the LS help quite a bit.

And yeah, there is some SERIOUS torque coming out of that GT500 engine!

 

awesome

 

No doubt you're right about that. I really wish I wasn't so skeptical of how the Boss will handle under severe track conditions, but it's just that having transformed my GT500 I know how lacking the stock setup was from Ford. The Boss having adjustable dampers stiffer springs and bigger sway bar out of the box will be a big improvement over the 07 GT500s. Time will tell whether they'll be "good enough" or if upgrades to shocks, springs, LCAs and UCA will be desired. A lot of this becomes subjective as everyone has different expectations and will drive differently. Some people will track their cars on a road course while others will autox. Some will be only street driven. All those variables coupled with how aggressively each owner chooses to participate in those venues all impact perception of performance.

 

So the GT500 has the Griggs T/A and Watts but for the Boss you're simply going with the Fays2?

Any reason not doing Griggs again?

 

The GT500 is a heavier higher HP/TQ car with much more torque on the differential for one. Plus the torque arm weighs quite a bit and my goal is to keep the Boss as light as possible. I'm hoping the Boss is "right" out of the box. The Fays2 is just a bolt-on and works with the heat-sink diff cover on the Boss. I am hoping not to mod the Boss as much as I did my GT500 but I can't know that until I get it on the road and track to see how it performs. Since the Fays2 just bolts on, it's easily reversible and will take minimal installation and setup time.

I have no complaints about my Griggs setup, just trying this approach on the Boss. Unfortunately, I'm a guinea pig since there are no cars out yet. I'm sure we'll all know a lot more by mid-summer.

 

Sounds good. I am looking at the Fays2 for my 07 GT500, currently has FRPP pack and upper/lower arms.

Mainly wanting to have 'ideal' tire clearance vs. messing with the panhard, plus extra handling.

I'd love the Griggs gear but my other car sees the track a lot more than this one.

 

Cloud9, I'm right there with you. I'm changing from a 95 Cobra R track car to the Boss (and also have a high hp 2010 GT500) and am very curious to see what the Boss will need. Thinking that the only mod prior to tracking it is tires...and see what happens. Would like to get it about 400 pounds lighter too, but that won't happen without serious surgery that I'm not going to do....

 

Have you picked out wheels/tires yet? I'm leaning toward the Enkei PF01s in black 18 x 9.5 with 45mm offset and a set of NT01s 275/40/18. I have the PF01s in silver for my GT500. Also considering the 35mm offset to widen the track but need to make sure they will fit ok.