Re: Watts Linkage on Milanos and GTV6

["George Schweikle" <schweikg@domain.elided>]

Hi John,

The Watts link limits the De Dion tube (and wheels, etc.) side to side
movement, just like the "T-Bar" locator on solid axle Spider/GTV's and the
sliding block arrangement on GTA's. The training arms only locate front to
rear movement. A Panhard rod will accomplish the same sideways limiting
function, but with a slight side to side variation as the bar travels though
it's arc. A Watts link has no side movement through it's up and down travel,
and is a much more elegant device than a Panhard bar. It can be hard to see,
but your Milano does have a rear anti sway bar, so the entire setup is
similar to the Caterham Lotus 7 with the DeDion option. These anti sway bars
limit side to side body roll, but have no affect on axle locating.

Regards,

Lexington, KY
George Schweikle

----- Original Message -----
From: John Cecil <jcecil@domain.elided>
To: Alfa Digest <alfa@domain.elided>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2002 10:50 PM
Subject: Watts Linkage on Milanos and GTV6


> This may be a duh... question, but exactly what does the Watts linkage
> accomplish on the late model De Dion Alfas? If one looks at it, it would
> appear that it does something similar to that an anti-sway bar would do,
> i.e., maintains the rear axle more or less parallel with the road when
> assymetrical cornering cornering loads are experienced.  The
> semi-trailing arms locate the De Dion tube relative to the chassis and
> neither  Alfa Milano/GTV6  have an anti-sway bar. The Lancia Flaminia
> and Aurelia, which also used a De Dion rear suspension, but with
> semi-elliptic springs, did not use an anti sway bar either. So ...
> inquiring minds would like to know the real function of the Watts
> linkage of the Alfa Milano. Incidently, the Caterham version of the
> Lotus 7 use a De Dion, a Watts linkage AND an anti-sway bar. What
> (Watts) going on here?
> Regards,
> John Cecil
> <jcecil@domain.elided>
> <jcecil@domain.elided>
> <http://home.earthlink.net/~jcecil66/index.html>
>
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