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Cortex Watts Link - 2012 Boss 302 Rear Suspension Remake

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302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
This morning, the UPS van delivered my Cortex Watts Link. This is the new center piece of my 2012 Boss 302 rear suspension overhaul.

The WL arrived nicely packaged and protected against shipping damage, much better than other component arrivals this month! Nice.

Upon unpacking and inspection of the parts, I found the manufacturing quality of each part exceeded my expectations. The finish of all parts and in particular the welds, (looks like Tig), are excellent quality.

Very nice job Cortex Racing!

I look forward to the install and rear suspension setup sometime in March early April 2016, if not sooner.

302 Hi Pro
 
Based on experience, be careful torquing the two small bolts that go around the pivot bearing bolt on the diff cover. My torque wrench never clicked at the recommended torque setting and I ended up over tightening, crushing the aluminum spacer, and slightly bending the bracket that goes across all three bolts. No big deal, but do it the old fashioned way... snug!
Other than that, it's the best modification I've done to this day!
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
RR2334 said:
Please post pics of the install. One of my friends is getting a Watts link installed on his 2012 Black LS and he is excited as well.

Yes I will. When I schedule time for the install, I will post pics with step by step procedures for installing the WL in your garage using jack stands and hand tools. From a DIY perspective.

302 Hi Pro
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
F.D. Sako said:
Based on experience, be careful torquing the two small bolts that go around the pivot bearing bolt on the diff cover. My torque wrench never clicked at the recommended torque setting and I ended up over tightening, crushing the aluminum spacer, and slightly bending the bracket that goes across all three bolts. No big deal, but do it the old fashioned way... snug!
Other than that, it's the best modification I've done to this day!

FDS:

Thank you for the excellent Shop Tip. It will be most mindful of this info upon install. This is why TMO is a not just a good Forum, but Members like you make TMO a great Forum!

All the best, and rest assured I'll be looking for Adjustment/Setup tips when the time comes.

Kind Regards,
302 Hi Pro
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
Good information. I was thinking about rear sway bars that would complement the CRWL. I thought I remembered reading something, somewhere about using an 18mm RSW from a Mustang convertible. But in searching, I came across this thread from October 2015. (Apparently it takes me a while thinking about this stuff!)

https://trackmustangsonline.com/index.php?topic=10200.msg151960#new

So for now, I will reinstall my OEM Boss 302 rear SB. Mine is a non LS, so I'm thinking it might be 25mm and the LS application is larger, 26mm?

Now I will shop for front SB adjustable end links. Now, in bring the car back to neutral, I would think you would reduce the front SB tension?

Thank you all,
Dave
2HP
 
The CorteX watts link is a work of art. Top quality materials and workmanship throughout like all of CorteX's products. Filip told me that the first suspension mod he'd make to any Boss or S197 was to add the watts link. I was a little slow adding one but was pleasantly surprised when I did. I think you'll be pleased with the improvement not only in traction but in how the rear of the car behaves when hitting large bumps, expansion joints and curbing on track. The car will no longer feel like it's jumping to the left and will instead track straight and remain settled. The improvement was just as noticeable on the street as it was the track. My car felt neutral on stock sway bars with the watts link. BTW you only need one front end link to remove the tension off of the front SB. @CorteX Racing
 
Thanks Dave 8) Same can be said about you!

Do you have stock suspension, or upgraded shocks/coils?

I used to run 18mm rear bar with the stock suspension. Once I added the wattslink, I had to go back to the stock rear bar (per Filip's recommendation) to get a neutral handling again - with square setup. I ended up fine tuning the rotation of the car, using the watts pivot point.
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
The current plan.

Springs, FRPP T Springs currently installed. Have a set of Steeda Boss 302 Springs as an option.

Dampeners, Koni Sports, (Yellows)

LCA's, HD adjustable double Heim joint race spec arms. Have a set of Steeda billet, (non-adj.), poly/heim joint arms as an option.

Relo Brackets, Kenny Brown HD installed. Note: Now that I have seen the quality of the Cortex Racing suspension parts, I can now justify the $600.USD price of their LCA's & Relo Brackets. On mod list.

UCA: Steeda adjustable Poly unit, (fairly new), or can up grade to Steeda Heim joint end.

Sway Bar, Reinstall OEM 25mm bar.

Future plans to build out a nice Cortex Racing coil over system, with their Rear LCA's & Relo Brkts and HD Rouch UCA Assy.

But for now, I'm open to suggestions and invite your comments. Please know that I appreciate your replies to this thread.

302 Hi Pro
 

Dig-It

Kevin
238
8
VA
I recently installed a BMR Watts link as my last planned suspension mod. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had made it my first. The ride is much more compliant, noise from the back of the car is reduced, this is the best my LRA Mustang is going to drive. I have Maximum Motorsports springs and adjustable front swaybar, Koni yellows, an 18-mm rear swaybar, and now the BMR Watts link instead of an adjustable PHB.

I don't understand the theory behind running a large swaybar with the adjustability of the Watts link. The BMR and the Cortex versions are both adjustable with respect to where the roll-center is in relation to the car, so why not adjust the roll-center higher for your car and therefor reduce the size of the swaybar if not eliminate it? There are quite a few Watts links threads on the different Mustang boards that describe the effects of the different adjustments you can make to the pivot point.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the larger swaybar will reduce body roll and tighten up the suspension feel of the car but at the expense of traction on the outside tire while turning. The opposite is true then that a smaller swaybar will allow more body roll while increasing traction on the outside tire.

I'm not trying to start an argument, just sharing some thoughts and trying to learn.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
2,734
Arizona, USA
The watts controls the axle motion and roll center but not the roll stiffness (the bar does this).

You also use the bar to balance grip front to rear on the car. It's another knob to turn for tuning and I'm not in the camp that says "run no rear bar".
 

Dig-It

Kevin
238
8
VA
Sure - got it. But depending on where you set your Watt's link pivot point, you set the radius of the roll center which can thereby affect the rear suspension roll stiffness (along with other variables). It's also another method to be used to balance the total grip of the car.

A couple of years ago I used Kenny Brown's Roll Center Relocation Kit without a rear bar. It worked really well.
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
Dig-It said:
Sure - got it. But depending on where you set your Watt's link pivot point, you set the radius of the roll center which can thereby affect the rear suspension roll stiffness (along with other variables). It's also another method to be used to balance the total grip of the car.

A couple of years ago I used Kenny Brown's Roll Center Relocation Kit without a rear bar. It worked really well.

This is what I have now. The S197 chassis responded real well to his Roll Center Relo Kit. But after 3 years, I thought I would roll the dice and upgrade to the Cortex WL. My original understanding was to use the 18mm bar as well.

For testing and tuning, it will go back on the mod list. I want to have everything on hand weither I used it or not. At least I'll have if I need it. Looking forward to this install.

20160208_132501_zpstnrwhm38.jpg

20160208_131935_zpsd8bojuvu.jpg

302 Hi Pro
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,530
5,247
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Illinois
302 Hi Pro said:
This is what I have now. The S197 chassis responded real well to his Roll Center Relo Kit. But after 3 years, I thought I would roll the dice and upgrade to the Cortex WL. My original understanding was to use the 18mm bar as well.

For testing and tuning, it will go back on the mod list. I want to have everything on hand weither I used it or not. At least I'll have if I need it. Looking forward to this install.

20160208_132501_zpstnrwhm38.jpg

20160208_131935_zpsd8bojuvu.jpg

302 Hi Pro

Changing the rear axel seals may be a good idea when you have her apart. Seals cost less than the lube and is cheap insurance against a leak at the wheels.

Ask me how I know??
 

Tucson 302

2013 Black LS #439
TMSBOSS said:
Changing the rear axel seals may be a good idea when you have her apart. Seals cost less than the lube and is cheap insurance against a leak at the wheels.

Ask me how I know??

The rear axle seals were a TSB on the 13's Had pretty serious leak on my drivers side
 
680
215
TMSBOSS said:
Changing the rear axel seals may be a good idea when you have her apart. Seals cost less than the lube and is cheap insurance against a leak at the wheels.

Ask me how I know??

Filip actually recommends doing just that(seals) anytime the axles are pulled out. Ford Racing Part Number M-1225-B1.
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
Rear axle seal replacement. Well I wasn't going to pull the axels, but now that you mention this, I believe it's a great Preventitive Maintenance move. I'll order up a set.

One other item, does anyone have the PN for the Mustang convertible rear sway bar? I have a line on one, and it's a take off from a Breaker's yard. Advertised as as 2012 Mustang GT convertible rear sway bar. Is the GT Vert an 18mm unit or do I need a V6 Mustang Vert bar?

Thanks so much,
302 Hi Pro
 

302 Hi Pro

Boss 302 - Racing Legend to Modern Muscle Car
2,009
441
Southeast
More pics of "What's in the Box" Cortex Racing Watts Link. As I stated in my OP, the manufacturing quality is excellent, especially for rear suspension parts. Here are some brackets showing weld and finish quality:

38bae180-ac92-4bd4-bded-a3861caf090c_zps8e9sn6ya.jpg

Same bracket showing continuous weld around the base:

20160208_132216_zpsc11kqvfq.jpg

Smaller bracket:

28f037bf-e7af-4975-9db9-2e9139446d53_zps34jnntvf.jpg

Rods and Rod ends, this is the Street application showing both end links, (heim & bushing):

20160208_132024_zpsw8fzjwke.jpg

The rods are much lighter than expected, looks like high quality thick wall seemless aluminum pipe, very light:

20160208_132024_zpsw8fzjwke.jpg

Another pic:

20160208_132007_zpsjppdi34e.jpg

Once I order up a few more parts and get some a few days off, the Boss will go up on stands! Might be a while though.

302 Hi Pro
 

Tucson 302

2013 Black LS #439
I have the Cortex Extreme grip track setup which includes the watts link and it is an incredible piece that will make a big difference in your suspension setup
 

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