Daily Driving with Solid Mounts/Bushings?

[Black325e]

What do you guys think?

I have solid control arm bushings going on the car soon. I want the car to be a race/street car, but not stripped out. I was thinking of getting the CATuned packages for the mounts and bushings, but for a daily driver...?

Basically, if I were to put solid mounts (motor, tranny, diff, etc.), would those be way too hard for the street? I want it to be driveable but also very zippy and controlled. Thoughts?

[ELVA164]

I don't have any personal experience, but that sounds miserable. I'd think urethane at the most for a road car. Personally, I'd be fine with new rubber. I think they make different hardnesses of rubber, too.

[Ether-D]

I tend to agree with Elva on this. I also get the feeling he is of a more distinguished age like myself. We're too old for that kind of harshness in a DD. I reckon one could deal with all solid mounts and bushings until he or she was about 26 years old (or the onset of hemorrhoids, which ever comes first).

[R1dd1ck913]

I have soild motor and transmission mounts on m50 swaped DD. I have noticed a little bit more vibration. But.nothing to bad. I have control arm bushings and diff mount still to put on.

[ELVA164]

I tend to agree with Elva on this. I also get the feeling he is of a more distinguished age like myself. We're too old for that kind of harshness in a DD. I reckon one could deal with all solid mounts and bushings until he or she was about 26 years old (or the onset of hemorrhoids, which ever comes first).

I'm 25, but I do have vicious chronic hemmorhoids...









;D

[Black325e]

I'm 18 :D I may have back problems after, though. I was thinking of keeping it a weekend car and getting a 325e for a complete daily!

[efficient]

I daily my e30 with condor motor mounts and the rear trailing arm bushing with different bushing. I put in rubber motor mounts but didn't like that my meyle rubber oe mounts made my car vibe more than my solid bushings.
I'm 26 and sometimes i feel like going back to rubber but I just don't feel like changing everything back

[MPLFoster]

I'm planning on using solid condor motor mounts and offset FCABs with the GC coilover conversion kit. Shouldn't be too harsh for a daily. Having driven a slammed honda on solid bushings/mounts and ridiculous coilovers i think the Condor+GC combo will be fine. But im 26 and kinda used to shitty ride quality. If solid UHMW or delrin sounds like too much then go poly.

[efficient]

I actually think poly is worse then umhw. I felt more vibes from poly then the umhw.

[ButtJuice]

I'm 24 and I drive a 2002 Toyota Camry XLE, fully loaded with leather/heated seats, moonroof, cruise control, navigation, YOU NAME IT. So comfortable.


I'd rather drive a poly'd/solid bushing everything e30.

[JGee]

I have only ridden in one car with solid motor mounts. It felt like the car was going to rattle itself apart in about a week. The motor wasn't the smoothest to begin with so this was probably worst case scenario. Long story short the owner went back to rubber after 2 days. I would not have waited that long. :-)

disclaimer: I'm defiantly past 26.

[Ether-D]

I'm 25, but I do have vicious chronic hemmorhoids...



;D

Damn man, the quality of your posts suggests that you are much older than 25. I had you in your late thirties…

[Artful Dodger]

This is my experience.
I had solid aluminum engine mounts when I did my M50 swap. I drove it like this for 2 years. it was fine.
I had hard poly bushings everywhere on the suspension.
It was fine. I really enjoyed driving the car.

Now I have an S52 in the car and the solid engine mounts were totally too aggressive. The vibration at idle was not acceptable. I have since gone to AKG engine mounts. It still has some vibrations at idle, but not enough to "blur" your vision.

As for suspension. I still have hard poly in the rear sub, rear trailing arms, and diff. In the front I have gone to custom lollipops with delrin bushings. it is very stiff. But I still DD my car. It is totally acceptable.

I have done quite a few couple of hundred mile trips on Saturdays and the drive is enjoyable. never am I complaining that the ride is too harsh.

This is just my experience. I think each person has their level of tolerance. I like my car to handle better than the other guy, more than I care about comfort ride.

If you want comfort, get a 7 series... :)

[Black325e]

Thanks for the responses guys! What I've gotten is that it depends on personal preference. As long as I know I have a good handling car that's better than the average one, and I have a "normal" daily driver, it should be great!

[Klug]

I would get the set of mounts and swap in a few sets at a time, then go for a ride and see how it handles before you swap everything over.

I tried to keep mine mostly rubber, but I have solid polly on my diff (Condor), solid polly for my rear strut mounts (GC) and AKG TAB's and it didn't make things too rough- still a comfortable DD. I have Koni adjustables in the rear and on firm, with the solid mounts it is pretty rough- it'll skip a CD if I'm playing it. I usually dial them in about half way or all the way soft- and it still maintains its comfort.

From what I've heard upgrading the tranny mounts gives the most difference- most of the time too harsh for DD.