Installed Polyurethane Dogbone Mount on my Focus

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Every torsional bushing I've had SINCE the ones in my Cutlass have been quiet, too. I suspect that part of the problem was either old technology (maybe they didn't have polygraphite nailed down yet; this was about 1996), or bad installation.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Even a few days in it is still quieting down. And it's colder than normal, so that makes it bad.

It's really only obnixous or noticeable when lugging the engine < 1500 RPM and pulling hard.

It's getting traded with the car, that's for sure. My shoulders still hurt from changing it!


The bushings do smooth out a bit over the first 1,000 miles or so. The RMM install on the Mazda was dead easy- it was the rear anti-roll bar install that had my muscles aching...
 
I've always liked the poly for the sway bars-a nice add for little cost/downside. You want the bar to flex, but with the old rubber OE, much was used up deflecting/crushing the rubber. Most noticable on freeway cloverleafs as the cars stay flatter
 
Well I just order the 76A mount, so hopefully it will be in next week sometime. I think I'll let my regular mechanic put it in though. I'll report how it drives after.
 
Miller88 what symptoms did you have with the passenger mount? Trying to determine what's causing mine to vibrate so much. By how much the engine twist may need to look at the trans mount also. It's an automatic don't think the poly would work well!
 
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Miller88 what symptoms did you have with the passenger mount? Trying to determine what's causing mine to vibrate so much. By how much the engine twist may need to look at the trans mount also. It's an automatic don't think the poly would work well!

I put a poly insert into the trans mount(the one that stops rocking) on my automatic Neon. At idle in D at a light it was a bit buzzy, and at full throttle, but otherwise it was normal and I just popped it in N if I was going to sit for a while. It did make a big difference in autocross though, much less delay and slop when you get on and off the throttle, making it easier to rotate the car when you wanted to.

The passenger side mount on my Focus is fluid filled and when it went, the car was buzzy all the time, on off the throttle or at idle or 2500rpm. It wasn't hard to change, just moved the overflow tank and put a jack under the motor to keep it still. All the work was done from under the hood, 4 bolts. I got another ford one as I've read the aftermarket ones seem to be terrible.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
I was a bit surprised to find that my OEM mount was still in pretty good shape- even after nearly 145,000 miles:


I am not, my findings with owning domestic designed vehicles are parts do not last and rattles come out earlier. There is a reason typically why vehicles cost more for seemingly equivalents.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Miller88 what symptoms did you have with the passenger mount? Trying to determine what's causing mine to vibrate so much. By how much the engine twist may need to look at the trans mount also. It's an automatic don't think the poly would work well!

I put a poly insert into the trans mount(the one that stops rocking) on my automatic Neon. At idle in D at a light it was a bit buzzy, and at full throttle, but otherwise it was normal and I just popped it in N if I was going to sit for a while. It did make a big difference in autocross though, much less delay and slop when you get on and off the throttle, making it easier to rotate the car when you wanted to.

The passenger side mount on my Focus is fluid filled and when it went, the car was buzzy all the time, on off the throttle or at idle or 2500rpm. It wasn't hard to change, just moved the overflow tank and put a jack under the motor to keep it still. All the work was done from under the hood, 4 bolts. I got another ford one as I've read the aftermarket ones seem to be terrible.


Sounds familiar.. $120 for a oem though ouch! Think I'll try my luck with the aftermarket first. From reading it sounds like most may blow out due to the engine being in a bind.
 
I have about 300 miles on the poly dogbone. It's really quieting itself down. I am still loving it, though. Even with a temperature drop it is quieter - my guess is once it warms up it will get even more quiet.

Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Miller88 what symptoms did you have with the passenger mount? Trying to determine what's causing mine to vibrate so much. By how much the engine twist may need to look at the trans mount also. It's an automatic don't think the poly would work well!


With the passenger side mount the car would "growl" a lot at lower RPMs, I could feel the engine flop around, and the dash, steering wheel, stuff in doors would vibrate all the time.
 
Wonder why no one offers a solid mount? The 98 Escort I had years ago had a identical engine but with solid mounts. Don't remember any harshness.
 
Well I put in my 76A polyurethane dog bone mount a couple days ago.
The good is that it does stop most of the engine rotation, which makes the car much nicer to shift, both in hard acceleration and rev matched down shifts. No engine flopping either when you get on and off the gas in lower gears.
The bad is the extra noise and vibration in certain situations. Fortunately its almost unnoticeable in top gear, just cruising to work. But starting the engine and taking off in 1st below 1500rpm is a bit loud, and WO is noisier too.
Maybe it will "break in" a bit, but I doubt it will change much even in warmer weather as polyurethane doesn't change too much in hardness over ambient temperatures.
I may play around with it and drill some holes to soften it, but for now I'll leave it and see what happens.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Well I put in my 76A polyurethane dog bone mount a couple days ago.
The good is that it does stop most of the engine rotation, which makes the car much nicer to shift, both in hard acceleration and rev matched down shifts. No engine flopping either when you get on and off the gas in lower gears.
The bad is the extra noise and vibration in certain situations. Fortunately its almost unnoticeable in top gear, just cruising to work. But starting the engine and taking off in 1st below 1500rpm is a bit loud, and WO is noisier too.
Maybe it will "break in" a bit, but I doubt it will change much even in warmer weather as polyurethane doesn't change too much in hardness over ambient temperatures.
I may play around with it and drill some holes to soften it, but for now I'll leave it and see what happens.


Maybe I have got the 76A one?

Mine has quieted down significantly.

The dash rattles a bit more on the cold mornings from the dash plastic being so hard ... It's always done that, but seems to be a bit more with the poly mount. The only time it really annoys me is if I'm cruising along at 30 or 35 in 4th gear and come to a big hill. Then I just drop down to 3rd to raise the revs above 2000 and it's good.

Do you notice that clutch modulation seems to be easier since you can now "feel" clutch engagement? I barely have to give it any gas to take off now. Maybe enough to get the engine to 900RPM and that's it! Definitely feel it, though, when the clutch bites at 900RPM.

It REALLY makes a difference in the performance of the car. Even increase in noise, it's a change for the better.
 
We hopefully mine quiets down a bit too. Perhaps your car has some extra stiffening in the chassis that mine doesn't? Anyways, its not that obnoxious now and if it gets quieter, all the better.
 
After the first thousand miles it got real quiet. Or I got used to it.

I have studded snow tires on mine for winter, there isn't much I *can* hear. Couldn't really hear it or feel it when driving on packed snow this morning -so that's good.
 
This is the top passenger side mount I recently replaced on my 2007 Focus. It had been a problem with vibration for 3+ years. All vibration is now gone.
 
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