Another Watt's Link Question
 

I installed a Watt's Link last week and I'm still getting used to it. One thing I noticed is that on high speed turns the car feels really stable. So much so that when I ran through my favorite on ramp today at much too high speed. The car felt so good that I said to my self that it didn't feel fast at all. My question is do I have more traction or does it just feel like it? And thus have I taken away some of the warnings that I may be getting close to the limit of traction?

what watts link do you have. Please tell me how it is on hard launches and power on out of corners.

After installing the FAYS2 Watt's link my car also felt more stable on the road course.

This meant that I felt more comfortable driving the car faster through the corners and so was running closer to the limit.

On a smooth race track I doubt if the maximum speed through any corner is increased by changing to a Watt's link but the more comfortable and stable the car feels the closer you will drive to the limit.

The watts link allows you to play with your rear roll center. If I locate my watts propeller to the top-most position (raise the roll center) my rear traction decreases and breaks loose very easily. If I lower it near the bottom position it bites hard into corners.

Where is yours adjusted to?

My roll center is below the center but not all the way down

That's where your traction is originating from. Mine is set about 1/2'' from the lowest point and that seems to be the sweet spot for my setup.

The difference in feel is surprising when moving it around.

There may well be a small improvement in grip, at least if you look at grip in terms of being an overall average amount of grip over the time that you're turning. The better lateral location ultimately translates to slightly less varaition on the amount of rear axle steer (if you look closely, the LCAs are not quite parallel to each other, so any lateral axle movement will cause a tiny bit of rear steering).

As to driver confidence, that should improve as axle steer is reduced. Since the suspension is still moving up and down a little nearly all of the time, there's nearly always a tiny bit of axle steering happening, and when it moves in and out of changing in the vehicle oversteer direction most people instinctively back off and leave a larger margin against looping it. It doesn't have to go all the way into vehicle oversteer; just a reduction in its understeer contribution will feel "loose" by comparison because overall the car IS looser at that point in time. This is probably part of the subconscious warnings mentioned.


Norm

Where I really noticed the improved stability and reduction in "Twitchiness" was in the places where there was a rapid transition from left to right or right to left,i.e. a chicane. With the Panhard it always felt like the rear end was trying to "jack up" but that effect is gone with the Watt's.

Thanks for the replies. I think the lack of twitchiness is what I have noticed. It's all good though. I'll have to be more careful since the increase in confidence could lead to driving closer to the limit without the warnings from the twitchiness.