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First, some clarification: I think that these should be referred to as “Transmission Mounts” not Motor Mounts. They connect the bottom of the transmission to the front subframe, near the base of the firewall. Enough of that.
Overview:
The installation was very simple:
1. Remove bracket from car
2. Press out old bushings
3. Press in new bushings
4. Re-install bracket
5. Drive
6. Re-tighten
The Details:
1. Removal of the bracket. This step requires a 13mm socket or wrench. I removed the two bolts that obviously go through the bushings first. I then realized that to remove the bracket from the car, another bracket attached to the transmission would have to be removed. The bracket on the transmission has three bolts. Remove them all. Once the bracket with the bushings in it was out of the car, I immediately marked which side was the top. I don’t know if the orientation is critical, but it can’t hurt.
2. Press out old bushings. My first attempt consisted of a hammer and some blocks of wood. This method DOES NOT WORK! My second attempt consisted of a 50-ton hydraulic press. Easy! Proper support is required, but the factory bushings slide right out, undamaged.
3. Press in new bushings. Although no lube was supplied with the bushings, I was recommended to use lube for the insertion. I found some urethane specific lube in my bike toolbox, left over from urethane sprung forks. Make sure that whatever lube you use, it does not attack the urethane. This is important! I was going to use the press, but my hands pushing down on the table were enough to get the new bushings in. Using your hands allows for more control, too. Make sure that the metal core of the bushing is removed while pushing it in to the bracket. This makes the bushing suppler.
4. Re-installation of the brackets. The reverse of the removal. When I removed my bolts, it looked like Loc-Tite, or something similar, was used at the factory. I applied a moderate amount of Loc-Tite and reinstalled the brackets. I don’t know the factory recommended torque, and I don’t have a torque wrench. Mine are tight.
5. Drive. I drove very gently at first, progressing to a fair bit of aggression. No problems.
6. Re-tighten. After my test drive I checked all the bolts for tightness. No problems.
Impressions:
The moment the engine is turned over, you’ll know that things are different now. The car shakes a bit. It’s no big deal, but it’s noticeable. Once the car is warm and idling, the car shakes below about 900rpm. Again, it’s no big deal, but it’s noticeable. During gentle driving, the new bushings are completely transparent. With aggressive shifting, particularly the first to second shift, the car feels much more solid. On wet roads the wheel hop is substantially reduced, although certainly not removed. My unlimited slip differential probably doesn’t help this situation much. On gravel and snow the wheel hop is also reduced.
Conclusion:
The mounts are a great addition to your Focus. For me they were a fun mod, and I’m happy with the results. This summer I’ll see how they cope with some gravel rallying. Tony D at NewEdge provided excellent service, too.
Can you tell I'm in engineering?
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Rex
Overview:
The installation was very simple:
1. Remove bracket from car
2. Press out old bushings
3. Press in new bushings
4. Re-install bracket
5. Drive
6. Re-tighten
The Details:
1. Removal of the bracket. This step requires a 13mm socket or wrench. I removed the two bolts that obviously go through the bushings first. I then realized that to remove the bracket from the car, another bracket attached to the transmission would have to be removed. The bracket on the transmission has three bolts. Remove them all. Once the bracket with the bushings in it was out of the car, I immediately marked which side was the top. I don’t know if the orientation is critical, but it can’t hurt.
2. Press out old bushings. My first attempt consisted of a hammer and some blocks of wood. This method DOES NOT WORK! My second attempt consisted of a 50-ton hydraulic press. Easy! Proper support is required, but the factory bushings slide right out, undamaged.
3. Press in new bushings. Although no lube was supplied with the bushings, I was recommended to use lube for the insertion. I found some urethane specific lube in my bike toolbox, left over from urethane sprung forks. Make sure that whatever lube you use, it does not attack the urethane. This is important! I was going to use the press, but my hands pushing down on the table were enough to get the new bushings in. Using your hands allows for more control, too. Make sure that the metal core of the bushing is removed while pushing it in to the bracket. This makes the bushing suppler.
4. Re-installation of the brackets. The reverse of the removal. When I removed my bolts, it looked like Loc-Tite, or something similar, was used at the factory. I applied a moderate amount of Loc-Tite and reinstalled the brackets. I don’t know the factory recommended torque, and I don’t have a torque wrench. Mine are tight.
5. Drive. I drove very gently at first, progressing to a fair bit of aggression. No problems.
6. Re-tighten. After my test drive I checked all the bolts for tightness. No problems.
Impressions:
The moment the engine is turned over, you’ll know that things are different now. The car shakes a bit. It’s no big deal, but it’s noticeable. Once the car is warm and idling, the car shakes below about 900rpm. Again, it’s no big deal, but it’s noticeable. During gentle driving, the new bushings are completely transparent. With aggressive shifting, particularly the first to second shift, the car feels much more solid. On wet roads the wheel hop is substantially reduced, although certainly not removed. My unlimited slip differential probably doesn’t help this situation much. On gravel and snow the wheel hop is also reduced.
Conclusion:
The mounts are a great addition to your Focus. For me they were a fun mod, and I’m happy with the results. This summer I’ll see how they cope with some gravel rallying. Tony D at NewEdge provided excellent service, too.
Can you tell I'm in engineering?
Rex
