As most of you already know, I have the Prothane red race motor mount inserts and have installed the upper insert already. Well, I finally got off my butt and installed the lower insert sunday. It's an easy install just like the upper, but you have to screw around with a pain in the *** splash shield that has both bolts and push through clips holding it in place. The upper insert made a difference right off and so did the lower, it firmed it up quite a bit more. It has also made a difference in the feel as well as the sound that gets transfered. These inserts are the cheapest and easy to install performance enhancers. I still have yet to really put the new insert to the test, but I can already tell that it's gonna be a nice improvement.

Now all I need to do is get around to installing my new pressure pipe, booger bushings, Alpine CD and my triple gauge pillar (which I did finally get the wiring on the gauges, now I just need to install all of it).

 

I would like to see some pics of the gauges

 

How much worse is the vibration?

Danny

 

I'll pass on the motor mount inserts. Like it has been pointed out here several times before, the vibrations/torque are just transmitted to other parts of the car which are not designed for it. And as few times as I'm at a real track, it just isn't cost effective. I plan to hold on to this car for many years, so changing DXC's design basics isn't in the cards for me. For others, GO FOR IT!!!

 

Actually, I have noticed a great deal of vibration reduction by installing the lower one. When I only had the upper one in, I noticed a bit of shake while starting, but since I have the lower in place as well, the shake has been all but eliminated. It feels far nicer, almost like it did before I put the upper insert in.

The vibration and torque isn't getting applied to any parts that it wasn't already. All the inserts do is transmit more of what already exists to parts that already get it. It is no different than modifying your car to gain more power, by doing this you are adding more vibration, torque and stress to all of the exact same parts that are effected by the motor mount inserts, which is mainly the torque struts. Stage 1 alone will cause as much if not more added stress to these parts than the inserts. My R/T had stiffer Mopar mounts and Rex inserts on it even before I bought it and there were no problems related to them at all, just a better, longer lasting and more responsive car. My inserts for the SRT-4 only cost $23.99, it's the cheapest mod I can think of besides the OCC.

Besides, a high power FWD such as this is known for chewing up these mounts rubber. My Shelby Z had to have all it's mounts replaced and even the first generation Neons were known for the rubber parts of their mounts getting torn up and they were only 150 horsepower at best. I cannot imagine how badly an SRT-4 can tear up the rubber in it's mounts/torque struts over a little bit of time, especially if it is driven hard. I highly recommend that everyone get the inserts or at the very least get some Permatex black silicone and use it to fill in the gaps if your worried about causing more vibration or stress (you might need to have the car out of use for a day or two to let the silicone set up though), it can also help support the rubber and help prevent it from tearing.

 

i did my last night!
but impossible to unscrew the lower one
try everything[&:]
i need to find a biger hammer i guess

 

That's what I had to use to get the lower bolt loose, whack the ratchet handle with the hammer a few times. Everything after that was easy.

 

Time for an update on having both inserts in. The wheel hop has been reduced, I only broke the tires loose because it has been both wet and cold lately. Having both inserts in really makes the cars engine/exhaust sound much louder on the inside. At an idle it's roughly the same as before, but when you accelerate or simply have the RPM's up you can really here it inside the car now. I love to hear my car and this made it much more audible.[sm=smiley27.gif][sm=smiley31.gif][sm=smiley20.gif][sm=exactly.gif][sm=icon_rock.gif] Both inserts in will make the car quite a bit louder on the inside, so if you like your cars quiet on the inside don't put both inserts in, but then again if you like your cars quiet on the inside (or the outside for that matter) then why in the hell do you have an SRT-4.[sm=forgetit.gif][sm=badidea.gif]

 

Or you could go with the street version prothane makes. I think that makes sense for like a stage one car. If you'll spend the money for stage two, or three, you dont care about the vibration. Ask PSIChick, I think she has solid mounts. She says there not that bad unless the AC is on.

 

The inserts are the way to go...if you can handle alittle bit more noise as RR pointed out...and others that have done this mod...when you want to go balastic...try a set of AGP's solid motor mounts.....talking about "feeling" your engine.....nice.