Watts link
 

Figured you guys over here would like this. Just made it over the last week or so.

made a diff cover...
(2nd attempt- warped the hell outta the first ring)
http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/45...500x500Q85.jpg

made the rest...
http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/42...500x500Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/41...500x500Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/28...500x500Q85.jpg

Dont worry im gonna cut the center bolt down.

Re: Watts link
 

Well thats cool! Hope the diff cover is really strong...
Most have a brace from each axle tube

Re: Watts link
 

Its made out of 1/4 plate fully welded in and out.... its not goin anywhere

Re: Watts link
 

Cool, it looks real good :metal:

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I have a question about watts in general. What is on the diff to let the watts link rotate? Is it a bearing type thingy? I would love one of these, but they are pricey!

Re: Watts link
 

If you have access to a lathe and a mill you could get a piece of pipe and get a couple of sealed bearings and make the pivot pretty cheap actually. I started to make one but have decided to go another route. I bought 2 bearings for around $8ea. just some friendly info thats all..

Re: Watts link
 

Looks good!

I've been interested in a watts link ever since I saw the first one, seems like the most logical way to locate axle side to side. I don't know if it's something I should pursue though, I'm only bagging and doing a c-notch. Don't want to go through the bed at all. Seems like it would be "one more thing" to have to work around if a guy was trying to get the exhaust all the way out the back though.

Re: Watts link
 

The only down side to locating the center support to the differential, is when the diff cycles through the travel, you center of gravity changes, where as if the links are mounted to the diff you can adjust you ceter of gravity, to your liking by moving the pivot point up or down, regardless, i really like your design of it.

Re: Watts link
 

You would be surprised how little this whole thing cost. I think I managed to keep it right under 100 bucks. defiantly took some time though, prob 4-5 nights on it... not working fast at all though.

I used a big uniball at the center link. Im not 100% sure how that is gonna work out. But if it doesn't and I have to re-make the center its not the end of the world for me. The whole truck is a learning experience.

And you're right, its not the most tunable, or best way to set up a watts link, but the only reason I used it was to keep the axle centered and it does perfectly. If I didn't have to do something like this I wouldn't. I played with a track bar for a while before I just gave up and built it.

Im happy with it for now though.

Re: Watts link
 

How did you make the center S?

Re: Watts link
 

Plasma and a Tig- and just a little bit of grinding :lol:

Re: Watts link
 

How thick is the flange? It looks like the stock one?

Re: Watts link
 

Does anyone offer a Watts for a decent price? KP wants $459, and I realize they are a great company(I have their parallel on my truck) but it seems kinda expensive...

Dont mean to hijack, just wondering... :metal::metal:

Re: Watts link
 

The flange is the same 1/4' that the rest of the cover is made out of. I had to make two of them because I warped the first one (oops) this one is nice and flat though.

There used to be a company called Totally polished if i remember right that made a pretty nice one. idk what happened to them though.

Re: Watts link
 

Last time I built a diff cover I used 3/8" for the flange and had it blanchard ground afterward. The grinding was about your entire budget though.

Totally Polished is no longer around from what I can tell. I've been thinking about building a DIY style Watt's link, that you can cut the bars to length and weld in a threaded bung, with cut to fit frame tabs.

Re: Watts link
 

TP's site is still up and active, and they list their watts for 549 + ship. it is a nice unit but 549....wow.

Re: Watts link
 

Twisted you need to get on it and offer that kit. I'm not really sure that I could use a watts link anymore since I back halfed my frame and it doesn't come down anymore, When the notch goes up it stays the same height all the way back. Do yall think I could maybe still use a watts link?

Re: Watts link
 

I like it. I have been tossing watts & parallel 4 vs tri 4 around in my head for a bit.

Any reason you went with a whole cover vice just a ring like alot of folks do?

Also if you can you post some pics of the rest of your 4 link setup fletch?

Thanks

Re: Watts link
 

I'll try to rough something out next week with some stuff I have at the shop to see if anyone likes the idea. If so, maybe I can do a special to get the ball rolling and get a lot of pieces laser cut and get the cost lower.

With your frame and it not coming down after the axle, you would basically just have some different tabs to make it work. One set would likely be short, and on the side of the frame rail. One set would be long coming down off of the frame rail, and have to be built and braced well since they would be longer.

Re: Watts link
 

I dont want to step on anyones toes but heres a link for a watts link! http://www.dallashotrodparts.com/watts.html The price is really good and they have diffrent styles. about 300 cheaper then the KP watts

Re: Watts link
 

I am sending you a PM.

Re: Watts link
 

dont use that company guys, bad joo joo with them! heres my pic twisted

Re: Watts link
 

ruffrida2005, not standing up for that company at all but I remember when all the hooplah happened with BYC. However if you read the "about us" he has posted on the site you linked to, it at least looks like he's going to make good on old stuff and understands what he did wrong last time. The fact he is man enough to post that info out there instead of stay anonymous as he could should count for something. It also looks like he now understands supply & demand and has some constraints to avoid putting himself in the same position again.

Re: Watts link
 

Robin i fully understand what your saying about him making right. After i talked to Twisted I really looked at the Watts links that he had and found a lot of flaws in it. Most of the stuff is made good. But what i find wrong is the way that the Heim joints attach to the center pivot. If you had two of them and used a end link between it would work great!

Re: Watts link
 

Actually the latest design has a 2 piece center crank. one plate on each side of the heims. The plate is cut on a CNC out of AR500 armor plate. Thats armor like a SWAT truck is made out of. so you wont be bending it or drilling it.

I never had any issued from anyone about the original design either.


The best thing to do on a watts if you dont have the money to buy is is make one. they are simple to make and theres no secrets in them.

Re: Watts link
 

By the way, the one in the pics at the top, the crossbars are way short and if you have alot of lift you may max them out.

You can make the bars longer and go across the center with them. many stock vehicles that use a watts have the bars crossing the center.

Re: Watts link
 

Welcome over DHP.

Re: Watts link
 

thanks man. Ive already posted in some other threads as well. Man Ive done so many things to these GM trucks over the years.. hopefully I can help.

Re: Watts link
 

Just thought I should make a comment about the bars being too shot. Your right if I had too much lift they would max out. The bags are right over the axle, and with all the lift I can get outta them they don't get close to maxing out.

I designed it to have the bars level at ride height(ish) and still have all the travel they need.

Im not trying to be an expert or anything, but I would have defiantly been an idiot to weld everything up without at least cycling it through the suspension and making sure it actually works ;)

edit... and it was done that way all for looks if you were wondering, just happens to work as well

Re: Watts link
 

great, and ill add that a watts will let the axle go side to side if the bars go past the useable point. cycle any watts past the useable limit and you will see the axle go to one side.

also as I said, you can add travel by making the bars go across the centerline. like this...

http://www.dallashotrodparts.com/ima...86chevy002.jpg


im not dissing your project but rather adding tips to make ANY watts a better install. Ive made many many watts in kits and also many different variations in custom design form and there are little things that make them better.

Im also used to seeing bag setups with lots of lift and usually base bag opinions on that.

Re: Watts link
 

I hear ya- hell I was just copying pictures of what I had seen and reading some suspension articles. It was just luck that this all ended up working! lol. that and a lack of travel helps.

Re: Watts link
 

Ive seen some pretty short bars work on drag cars and such. trucks with bags need quite a bit of travel. post some more pics of your setup plz..

Re: Watts link
 

I wish I could right now, I think ive posted up all I have. I just moved to TN and the truck is still sitting in CT at my parents house.

I think I only have about 8 in of travel in rear from laying on the ground, to completely aired up.

when I get home (November) for a weekend ill get some pics and you can let me know what ya thing.

thanks for the help!

Re: Watts link
 

deffinitely post some pics as soon as you have some. anyone else with a watts please post some pics and tell us a little more about yours.

Re: Watts link
 

Bringing up an old thread but is this picture showing the links past center line (vertical line at least) at ride height?
it looks as though when the axle travels through its articulation, the center line of the three points on the watts link will travel closer to vertical? Is this right?

Re: Watts link
 

The watts stays in the middle like any other watts with the exception that it stays in the middle farther up and down the travel.

Yes the crank turns toward the vertical.

The difference here is that the bars have more length and that creates more up and down travel before the axle goes to one side.

Re: Watts link
 

mine is a KP one just thought i would throw some pics of it on for reference

Re: Watts link
 

That's a good lookin setup. I like the idea of mounting the watts using a separate ring on the diff rather then hard welding the pivot point.
Who makes that?
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Re: Watts link
 

That sounds like a good advantage to me. Why doesn't everyone do that? Is there a disadvantage to it?
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Re: Watts link
 

So I've heard that using a watts link is highly beneficial cause you can adjust instant center. I assume this is more for drag racing but what exactly IS instant center?
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