This is a long write-up, but may be helpful to somebody else who is considering upgrading their motor and transmission mounts. I’ve seen quite a few threads regarding pendulum mount upgrades along with inserts to reduce driveline movement, but have seen very little mention of these important items, likely due to the prior limited availability of aftermarket parts. When 034 dropped their ‘Billet Track’ mounts, I knew I had to upgrade. These have had mixed feedback, due to their propensity to significantly increase noise and vibration inside of the cab.
For reference, 2018 8V, APR stage 2 on E85 , TCU tune, likes to beat up on v8’s at the local drag strip during the summer months.
I decided to upgrade due to the following:
Reason 1 - My engine was moving so much that it knocked my downpipe support bracket out it’s mounting holes, causing a mechanical rattling / buzzing noise under the car. My engine cover didn’t like to stay on after launches either.
Reason 2 - My engine was moving so much that my open air filter element was getting knocked loose during shifts (have since changed to a full enclosed setup).
Reason 3 - Shifts were harsh - even with upgraded pendulum mount, upper and lower inserts. It felt too harsh, like I was hurting the car on a 1-2 shift on a 3 second flat 0-60 run.
Reason 4 - It seemed to me that relying exclusively on the pendulum mount to absorb the bulk of the 2.5’s power was like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. The motor essentially ‘pivots’ around the two primary mounts up top, the pendulum takes the impact of the slop in the primary mounts by hammering straight back into the doggone mount. If you look back in forums far enough, many began upgrading the pendulums on MQB platforms because the front section (cast aluminum piece) of the pendulum mount could snap, or strip the two trans mounting holes. Not sure if this has happened to RS3’s or not, but that seemed to be a driver in the prevalence of the pendulum upgrades.
Reason 5 - I like new stuff, especially of the shiny car part variety.
The install & parts needed:
-New motor mount - your choice (BFI now has options as well)
-New trans mount - your choice (BFI now has options as well)
-Motor to Motor mount bolts x 3 # N-107-069-01
-Motor mount to frame bolt x 1 # N-910-296-02
-Motor mount to frame bolt x 1 # N-107-069-01
-Motor mount to frame bolt x 1 # N-912-040-01
-Trans mount to trans bolt x 3 # N-105-524-04
-Trans mount to frame bolt x 4 # N-106-997-01
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I was worried about this project - I’m a weekend / hobby mechanic with good tool ownership, but everything on this car is still new to me. I watched George’s video on youtube, and allocated a full day to the project. With the car on jack-stands, I started on the transmission mount on the driver side of the engine bay. I used a floor jack to support the transmission side to ease any strain, and moved the ECU up and out of the way. The 4 bolts under the ECU are a PITA due to the wire shroud that’s there, but the three on the trans-side are a piece of cake. If using factory new stretch bolts, the trans-side are torqued to 60NM + 90 degrees. The four on the frame side are 50NM + 90 degrees.
I did the passenger-side engine mount second, moving the floor jack and block of wood to support the motor. Most of the engine mount bolts are easily accessible after flipping the coolant reservoir up and out of the way (no hoses need to be disconnected). There is a hard to reach bolt on the rear of the engine that can only be accessed by pulling the passenger front wheel, and pulling back the inner fender liner. If using new TTY bolts, all motor side hardware is torqued to 40NM + 90 degrees, with the exception of the upper-most bolt that secures the motor mount ‘hook’ to the frame - it is torqued to 20NM + 90 degrees.
All in - this job was easier than expected, and took about 4 1/2 hours from start to finish - my only error was not having all new factory stretch bolts on the first go-round (I’ve since replaced them). Apparently, not replacing stretch or torque-to-yield bolts on high impact items is a no-no, and nobody wants a tow home because your engine fell to the ground.
The result:
When i first started the car when complete, my heart sunk a little The NVH was SUBSTANTIAL. I was warned up front, but didn’t have an accurate gauge of how significant it would be. The steering wheel shook, my water bottle was rattling in the driver door. When driving, the noise in the car caused me to turn the radio up a few more notches. I really wasn’t sure if I could live with the product after the first week or so. With that said, ALL driveline slop was essentially eliminated from the car. Press on the gas, there is an immediate result - this is especially helpful in corners, where feathering the throttle is a little more important. I came to realize that it’s not the engine mount that creates the bulk of the vibration - it’s the trans. As soon as the clutches engage, you can feel every bit of slip or grip as it does it’s thing.
500 miles later, things have softened out. I didn’t think it would happen, but the minimal rubber in the mounts has given just enough to round this product out into something that I now wouldn’t consider giving up, I just like the benefit too much. There’s now minimal vibration in the wheel at an idle or with the clutches disengaged, and I’ve actually come to like the feedback you get from the DSG. Turns are more predictable, which i didn’t expect, and there is no ‘smacking’ into 2nd gear on a launch. My engine cover doesn’t pop off. No torque steer, no bs, it just all feels tight and predictable. I took an afternoon to use some sound deadener beneath the rear seats (after scraping out the OEM junk), and some in the driver / passenger doors. There are no more rattles from my water bottle or other items riding in the door. All in- these have become a bullet-proof foundation for the future power I want to make, and I’m not worried about ripping apart the transmission aluminum bits.
Hindsight / Conclusion:
Rumor has it that 034 may drop a set of softer ‘street’ mounts in the near future. I won’t go back, but if they had been available at the time, it may have changed my direction. BFI also just dropped new mounts - I don’t have experience with their products, but they now make a ‘street’ and a ‘track’ version for the 8v, you can look them up.
It took a bit of acclimating, break-in, and exactly 8lbs of sound deadener, but I now enjoy my new mounts. If you’re looking for a foundation-level improvement to your car, and don’t mind a little vibration, these are an often-overlooked upgrade.
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Originally Posted by jl87
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