4-link setup for towing

[Fluffyfreak505]

Redoing the setup on my 93 Suburban, planning to use it to tow my S-10 on a 18 ft open trailer. currently it has a triangulated 4 link setup, bag on axle setup, would i see any benefits of swithcing to a parallel 4 link setup with a watts link?

 

[Erik the Awful]

No. What are you trying to gain by swapping?

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

No. What are you trying to gain by swapping?

A watts link

 

[GoToGuy]

Why?

 

[Hipster]

personally I like a watts link set up, because it keeps the rear centered where a panhard bar does not. whether you're having sway issues as the suspension cyles through compression and rebound with a panhard bar(if that's the current set-up) hasn't entered the convo yet.

 

[Fluffyfreak505]

current set up is a triangulated 4 link. personally would never use a panhard bar with bags or juice, and the axle shift through range of motion bothers me. im just trying to figure out if its worth the extra cost and time to switch to parallel bars and a watts link, or if im good to keep the triangulated and beef up the bars.

 

[Hipster]

current set up is a triangulated 4 link. personally would never use a panhard bar with bags or juice, and the axle shift through range of motion bothers me. im just trying to figure out if its worth the extra cost and time to switch to parallel bars and a watts link, or if im good to keep the triangulated and beef up the bars.

triangulated 4 link can pitch and yaw depending on how it's built, some suck, only you know what your suspension travel is and if it's worthwhile to switch or fab. You want an answer to a complex question while providing limited input/info

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

You're overthinking this. The amount of rear-end drop when you're loaded versus unloaded will move the rear end what? 1/4 of an inch laterally? That's not gonna change how the truck tows a trailer. If the body drops more than 2 inches, you need readjust your ride height sensors (you said "bag"), or tighten up your weight distribution bars a link or 2.

 

[Erik the Awful]

+1

I daily drive an '06 Mustang with a panhard. None of us are good enough drivers to feel the difference. It doesn't stop a thousand independent shops from building and selling Watts Link kits that promise handling gains. A Watts link is a heavy solution to something that's not really a problem.

Also, a Watts link doesn't keep the rear centered, it keeps it "more centered" than a panhard. The Watts link moves in a narrow figure 8. If you go too stiff with your bushings it can also cause binding and snap oversteer.

And all this is on a tow pig? Spend your money on something that will make it more effective at towing.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

+1

I daily drive an '06 Mustang with a panhard. None of us are good enough drivers to feel the difference. It doesn't stop a thousand independent shops from building and selling Watts Link kits that promise handling gains. A Watts link is a heavy solution to something that's not really a problem.

Also, a Watts link doesn't keep the rear centered, it keeps it "more centered" than a panhard. The Watts link moves in a narrow figure 8. If you go too stiff with your bushings it can also cause binding and snap oversteer.

And all this is on a tow pig? Spend your money on something that will make it more effective at towing.

I would argue that a correctly designed Watts is superior, but not because of how well it centers the axle. A Panhard has different behaviors for turning one direction vs the other. It worked well in NASCAR where they only turn left. A Watts is really just two Panhards that cancel each other out.

Does it matter on a Suburban on street tires and airbags? Nope.