Having been driving my new Mustang for a while now, I've noticed the rear end getting a little loose on very bumpy roads. Is this something a watt's link will fix? I admittedly know very little about modern solid rear axle setups...all my previous vehicles have been independent at all four corners.

I plan on lowering the car sometime next year (maybe even late this year), should I opt for a watt's link to cure this instead of a different panhard bar? Or is it something else causing it?

Also, does a watt's link require any adjustment after install? I'm fairly certain I can install it myself, but not sure what sort of adjustments need to be done, and if I'm able to do that or if a pro should handle it.

 

I changed the springs and the shock absorbers, to cure that specific problem.

 

Hey Joey, the Watts Link will indeed help with those issues. I honestly didn't believe all the hype on the watts links until I installed one on the Boss, completely changes the characteristics.... for the better. Allows you to enjoy a lot of the benefits of an IRS while maintaining the strength of an SRA.


With all that being said, it plants the rear end down very well making it more stable. Due to this, I typically recommend getting a front sway bar to help your front lead the rear. I found on the course that with a stock sway and watts link, when pushed, the rear end will push the front end around (like a snow plow). Hope this helps some, its a fantastic piece and once you install it and go for that first ride, you'll understand why you got one

 

I do have the performance package, which has bigger sway bars... Not sure if those are good enough.

 

Not really, I had the issue with my boss. However, you could be a little different, my driving style on a road course could be different than yours. I'd say try the Watts link then determine later on if you need a front sway bar.

 

Yeah, I'll probably wait and see how it drives. Or maybe I'll just look into doing it when I lower it....I dunno.

 

Right on, let us know if you need any help or have any questions at all.

 

Is it difficult to set the roll center height so it handles like you want as far as understeer/oversteer?

 

Not at all, you have two separate locations where you can place the roll center on the Whiteline. Then with the adjustable arms it allows you to center the axle, you can also center the axle in a manner if you want your back end of the car a little stiff or not.

 

My Fays2 watts link has impressed the heck out of me. Bad roads here in Northern NH with lots of frost damage and the car is amazing since I put in the Fays2.
Just did my first track day at NHMS which is a notoriously poor surface and the car was poised and terrific. Almost feels like it has IRS. Fays2 has seven different setting for roll center and I am using one below middle for my 1.4 inch lower rear car.
This is what ford should have done.
Personally I just felt really uncomfortable with the idea of attaching the axle to the differential cover. And also I like my finned Track Pack differential cover so did not want to replace it. So a Fays2 or Steeda Watts Link were the only two I considered.
I also have Koni Yellow with Steeda Boss 302 springs.

 

Todcp,where did you get your Fays2 Watts link?

 

I bought mine from Sam Stano at stranoparts.com. Sam can set you up with everything you need and will be honest about what you don't need. Sam is a top autocross guy and knows this car very well. Sam seems a fan of the Fays2, Steeda and Koni from his experience.
Just a few days ago Sam advised my older brother. He just bought a 2014 base Shelby and did not like the harsh suspension. Sam asked him how he will use the car and what he wanted to fix and then recommended a switch to Koni Yellow shocks only. Sam said the non adjustable SR.T koni would not perform well with the stiffer springs of the Shelby. More importantly he told my brother that based on his street only use the Koni's were all he should do. Plenty of people buy way more mods than they need for the intended use of their Mustang. In fact I know that my brother was planning more mods until Sam told him additional upgrades would not add value to his use of the car.

 

Thanks todcp
I'll contact your guy and see what he says.
I have a Brembo pkg. and I'm happy with the stiffness of the springs and shocks, but it gets a little more exciting than I like when I hit a bump in a curve. It sounds like a Watts link might be the answer, instead of new springs, struts, shocks, etc.. I would like to keep the ride height the same (not really, but my driveway says I have to) if I can.

 

I have the track pack so same dampers and springs as you? Glad you like them but I found them to be terrible. The rear squat and the front end lift on hard acceleration made me feel like I was driving a boat not a car. This led to wheel hop due to the poorly controlled damping. Same with hard braking's impact on nose dive. I would try a set of Koni shocks first. But Sam will have the answers for your needs.

 

Thanks again todcp
You have given me something to think about. While I haven't had the same issues as you in acceleration or braking, I also haven't tried all out acceleration or braking. I don't even have 3,000 miles on the car yet, so I still need to feel the car out some more.
I e-mailed Sam and haven't heard back yet, was just wondering if it would be better to call him (not that I'm in a hurry)?
What do you think of the Ford Racing adjustable suspension kit with say a Fays2 Watts link?

 

Same here like todcp (and many others) experienced. After I traded my '02 911 carrera for my new '11 5.0 Brembo packaged mustang, the first thing I noticed was the crazy ups and downs of the suspension, after I contacted the "Mustang horse whisperer" Sam Strano, he recommended KONI shocks and I also combined it with STEEDA Sport springs from his shop. Problem solved, now I love my Mustang.
I just received his adjustable swaybars, I' m just waiting for the weekend to install the new toys to play.

 

Sam can be difficult to get on the phone. From all I have read the Tokico D double adjustables can be harsh and the Konis single adjustables are not. FRRP uses Tokico. In my opinion the Koni's are superb and with the lifetime warranty a slam dunk.
Further thoughts.....My brother purchased a base 2014 Shelby Mustang two weeks ago and was extremely disappointed with the harsh dampers and said "the steering dances in my hands over bad pavement", and was ready to sell his new car. Sam recommended he just add Koni Yellow and not change anything else as my brother will never be on the track. Two days after install my brother travelled over the Cross Bronx Parkway, a notoriously bad road surface. His comment "with the Koni's this car now reminds me of my prior 2010 BMW M6 and I am loving it. Why didn't Ford use Koni"? Good question. i believe Tokico makes the base shocks for the Shelby?

 

Todcp, just looking over your suspension upgrade and I was wondering if you still have the same sway bars? Also is there anything else you replaced in the suspension?

 

14 Shelby's come with the Bilsteins which leave some to be desired. The koni's are great, we're actually one of the largest Koni Dealers for Mustangs. With that being said, in their price field they're one of the best however, there are better out there.
We've tested our cars on various tracks, to include Hockenheim, VIR, Nurburgring, NCCAR, Road Atlanta and many others. We don't autocross so we offer no insight to that, great sport but not really our thing, which Sam can offer good info there.
Either way, dampers really won't cure the "dancing" issue but it will help. Its also extremely hard to compare the Shelby with a BMW, the suspension geometry and overall ability of each car are vastly different... the one major factor being one is an IRS and one is not.
Tokico makes the dampers for the Boss, they're pretty bad, actually a knockoff of the D-specs which are pretty lousy themselves but some swear by them.
In the end, it really depends on what you want to do. OP, there are many shops out there that go by one brand, mainly because that's all they have access to. We've been fortunate enough to test on road course and street, we've also put a lot of these suspension systems we put together to test on many closed courses that we have access to. Just food for thought, just trying to vary some of the opinions in here.