....
In production cars, engine mounts have to be hard enough to restrict the drivetrain from too much movement but soft enough to be comfortable for Mr & Mrs Joe Average who usually seek a car which is as close as possible to being their living room armchair on wheels and complete with as many home comforts as possible. So inevitably there is a compromise.
Personally I don't feel safe driving any vehicle that feels like and handles like a marshmallow. I don't want a bone shaker but I do want a taut and tactile ride and I have the selfish luxury of not having to consider what anyone else wants from my chosen personal transport. So, ladies, if your arse is too fat to fit in my Recaros, tough titty! You ain't getting a ride!
CHOICES:VWRacing offer 'Fast Road' hard bushed mounts or 'Race' solid mounts. The Race mounts will transfer more sound and vibration from the engine bay but will firm up the drivetrain to the maximum. I know friends who use VWR Race mounts in their road car and are happy with them but they also regularly do track days.
There is also the choice of whether to change all three engine mounts or just the dogbone one. Mark Farmer at VWR advised me that the dogbone one was the mount which would give the most advantage and to leave doing the other two at least to begin with. The 2.0T FSI engine is well known for having a fair amount of movement and twist under power in the GTI chassis. It's typical of Mark to advise what's best for the car and most appropriate for the driver rather than sell you the maximum.
^ Race mount on the left, Fast Road on the right ^ The VWR mounts have an additional three bolts fixing.
^ VWR Fast Road mount compared with stock mount ^ Note the difference in rubber bush extent.
WHY?- To firm up the drivetrain and help power be more efficiently delivered. This is more desirable on a remapped car.
- To reduce engine movement and subsequent breakages - exhaust brackets being the most common. Milltek now include a free torque arm insert with their new exhausts.
^ Broken exhaust mount as a result of too much engine movement ^
SOURCING:As I have a huge amount of trust and nothing but good experiences with VWRacing/RacingLine, I knew I would be expertly advised by Mark Farmer and so a VWR engine mount was a no-brainer. There are other engine mount manufacturers and VF have a good reputation.
Web:
VWRacing / RacingLinePhone: 01908 210088 Matt Walker
Please note that VWR's first priority is to their racing schedule but rest assured that when it's your turn you will be given 100% of their expert attention. Being flexible and patient is worth it!
Cost: £250.49 inc vat and labour for VWR's Fast Road dogbone engine mount.
INSTALLATION:Straightforward for any experienced mechanic who has the right lift equipment and tools (not me!).
PLUS POINTS:- Greatly reduces engine movement and delivers more of the available power in a way which also feels more direct when driving.
- Results in less breakages of other components stressed by engine movement and twist.
- Consequently extends the life of your car.
MINUS POINTS: - Using the VWR Fast Road mount, there aren't any minus points I can think of. Race mounts, being solid without any rubber bushes, will transfer more sound and vibration from the engine bay.
^ Installed ^
SUMMARY:I have found that the VWR Fast Road dogbone mount doesn't increase any vibration or noise in the cabin. In fact I'd prefer a little more 'noise'! I wondered at first if it was a placebo effect that I felt a slightly more direct take up of power when on the throttle, but it is in reality more direct and I now realise how much engine movement there must have been. There is no doubt that any high powered engine needs mounts which can handle the increased stresses. I read somewhere: "Put some spunk into your vehicle by adding an engine mount to it".
For anyone who wants to improve their GTI in a way which increases its taut and tactile feel and who seeks a more directly delivered power to the road, I can strongly recommend this modification. But the same goes for most of the other mods on my car!
