Volkswagen Racing(VWR) Mounts for the MKV R32

[Jig]

I decided to purchase these from Ian @ Rennenhaus after my not so pleasant drive experience over at OPH. I was a little hesitant because I was worried about the effects of these mounts on daily driving. Ramspeed installed these mounts on my car.

Here is my review of the VWR Mounts for my MKV R32.

VWR mounts consists of:

1. Low Engine Mount
2. Side Engine Mount
3. Transmission Mount

These are a combination of solid state and polyurethane mounts.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jig69r/R32%20Journey/vwr-mounts.jpg

The Side and Transmission mounts installed with no issues at all. You just need to make sure that you support the engine before removing the OE mounts. This goes without saying, but needs to be said anyway otherwise your engine will drop off.

The Low Engine mount however was a challenge. It seems Australian delivered MKV R32 have different braces and have different engineered OE mounts compared to Europe where VWR racing is originally from.

You can see in the picture below the difference between the OE Low engine mount and the VWR mount.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jig69r/R32%20Journey/Low-Engine-Mount-1.jpg

You will notice that the OE mount has a cut out on the side, almost a U shape so that the OE front sway bars fits and does not interfere. The VWR mount is one solid circle piece. Naturally, this wont work because your front sway bar will clash with the VWR mount. You can also see there is evidence that my H&R front sway bar was touching the base of where the OE Low engine mount is installed.

Here are other photos to support this delimna.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jig69r/R32%20Journey/Low-Engine-Mount-5.jpg

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jig69r/R32%20Journey/Low-Engine-Mount-4.jpg

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jig69r/R32%20Journey/low-engine-mount-2.jpg

To solve this issue, Ramspeed decided to machine the VWR low engine mount to create the same U shape. VWR was consulted regarding this solution and VWR confirmed that the VWR mount is strong enough(alloy) that machining it wont be an issue.

Unfortunately, I have not had the time to take a pic of the finished VWR mount machined off.

VWR is aware of this idiosyncracy with our cars here in AU and have forwarded them all the information I am sharing here. VWR and Ian will be looking into this.

This should not desuade others to continue to purchase these mounts because its a simple machining job and a reputable workshop can easily do this without any problems.

[Bizi]

As mentioned in the Unibrace thread, Jig's car has a sporty OEM feel with these mounts. Not harsh, vibrating, noisy or metallic from the sense of th some passenger.

With so much grip and power available, the structural rigidity of the car was obviously an issue on some of the tightest corners in the hilltop turns toward Wollombi (as described in the Unibrace thread).

If you had driven in this car, the only indication of the increased rigidity of the car, from a passenger's perspective, is a slight occasional shake in the dashboard.

[Jig]

Now, onto the review.

Today, I went for a drive at OPH with Capercat, Onpole1 and Bizi. Have a read at the review I did on the Unibrace (http://www.vwgolf.net.au/showthread.php?1131-DIY-Review-MKIV-V-UNIbrace/page4) which compliments the VWR mounts perfectly.

As soon as you turn the engine on, you immediately feel there is a slight vibration. I emphasize slight because its not all that bad. Quite liveable really and almost insignificant. When you change gears, you immediately feel the absence of the gear "knocks" both in reverse and in Drive. The gear changes feels VERY, VERY Solid. When you drive off, you also hear the engine revs, the mechanical workings under the bonnet is felt inside the cabin. The engine sounds so good especially with the SC in the car. You can feel and hear it. Its intoxicating. As you accelerate, you feel there is less inertia, less struggle taking off. The engine movement when accelerating and stopping is gone, literally. The start and stops feels solid as well. Because the engine movement is now so locked down, your acceleration is faster. The cornering is more direct, more precise and you feel like the car and the driver are at one.

Its really hard to explain the sensation of what these mounts equates to in driving experience. I guess the simplest way to describe this is less engine and transmission movement, means better driving dynamics.

When I was driving at OPH today, the car felt nothing like it was at my last OPH run. Its chalk n cheese baby. The turns were so crisp and it cuts through the corners like a car on rails. I literally mean this. It reminded me of my 06 Lotus Exige minus the heavy engine. The cornering was so predictable. You knew how the car was going to behave when you drive it. You know its going to make that corner at 60-kms an hour. You feel confident. YOu feel at one with the car.

[Jig]

This is simply unbelievable. I should have done this a long time ago. I would give this a 10/10 mod. In fact, all you MKV'ers out there, I reckon this and the unibrace should be one of the top 5 mods you can do to your car. Sort out your chassis first, then focus on adding more power to your engine.

I would like to share the original questions I posted to VWR and their response. It says it all really. Hope this was valuable to ya'll.

1. Will the mounts introduce vibration into the car to the point that it becomes unbearable? If you were to rate it 1 - 10, 10 being the worse, where would you place the vibration @?


It’s of course all subjective about noise/vibrations. But I would strongly say that in our experience of fitting the mounts to road cars for enthusiastic drivers (many are road-only) that the vibration is absolutely nowhere near unbearable. If I put your 1-10 scale as 1 being the stock R32, and 10 being a race car on solid mounts, then I would put our road mounts at about 5/6. For sure you will get a different engine/gearbox tone with them fitted, which gives a slightly more ‘mechanical’ sound to the engine note, particularly at idle. I guess you’d say you feel more connected with the motor, a slight increase in ‘tingle’ through the wheel and pedals (this is hard to describe in words!). But really important to say that this is only a little bit more, and in our opinion, and all of the customers that we’ve fitted them to, it’s a really pleasing change – everyone who’s had them fitted has really loved the feeling and the change in sound quality in the car. There is a real feeling that modern VWs are so will insulated that it takes a bit of the driving experience away, and I guess it’s a good summary to say that the mounts help put that back. I really think that you’ll be pleased that you fitted them. I always say that it’s about the first mod that I would do to a Golf.

Aside from the noise quality, you’ll instantly feel the difference the first time you drive off – that’s where the real advantage is. There is so much movement in the stock mounts that removing this slack transforms the feeling when you pull away, change gear (is yours manual?), and the feeling when you come on and off the power. It almost shocks me when I get back into a Golf with standard mounts after driving the uprated ones!

The final thing that I’d say is about the reliability. I know you are not planning on track use, but the power increase with the Supercharger is significant, and will take the stock mounts well out of the operating range that they were designed for. We’ve seen many high-power cars with standard mounts have problems – in fact it was the problems we had on race cars that led us to develop these parts 5 years ago. The additional movement you get on your engine with the power increase will put extra loads on the exhaust manifold, the driveshafts and the stock mounts themselves as the engine shifts and twists under hard acceleration. This is especially bad on the 2wd cars where wheelspin comes into the equation, but nevertheless the uprated mounts will be a good addition for durability on yours.


2. How long would it take for the mounts to settle down after the car's been driven?


Not a great deal, around 1,000 miles or so will have them fully settled in.

3. Are there any modifications we need to do to fit these mounts or is it a simple, remove the OE mounts and put these ones on?

Yes, simple like for like replacement. As the lower subframe will need to be removed to press the lower mount in, make sure that your workshop makes sure it is properly aligned afterwards – that’s pretty critical in a Golf.

[nath_mk6]

nice write up Jig, sounds like you've fallen in love with the car all over again :)

[Pharkus]

Awww man, thought wheels were my last mod (not including tyre changes as a mod as they always require change), then the UNIbody UB brace, now coils are back on the cards. BUT now having read your review Jig I am becoming swayed again to get these as originally intended. That and the fact the OEM mounts looked like crap when you took them out.

[Jig]

Yes, the OE mounts John is so weak. Its obviously intended by VW to mask the vibration and more steered towards driving comfort. The mounts really make a huge difference. Its a different car and you get to hear the engine rev inside the cabin more. Its just so firm and very well connected. A must John. A must. When you come here in Sydney, I will take you for a drive and you can feel it yourself.

I have been told however that the GTI dont suffer the same issues as I have on the low engine mount. I guess the R32 is very different underneath.

[Bizi]

Jig, since we discussed sway bars yesterday - and most of us are aware that the front swaybar is a big job due to requiring the lowering of the subframe; the H&R Sway Bar / VW Racing mounts install could be worth combining as an install.

Onpole01 and other intending Golf R owners should really have a talk to Jig or Ian at Rennenhaus about doing both, if they want to get the handling dialled in to their exact preference.
Perhaps that as one job, then the unibrace, or the unibrace and then the big install of the sways & mounts.

This is where this forum is a great resource - when people like Justin Fox and Jig share new product reviews which can make a really major improvement to the car's limitations.

Well done!

[Jig]

Spot on Bizi. It would help to get the Front sways installed at the same time as the low engine mount given you have to take the front sways out anyway.

[Jig]

With JayC's help today, we revved up my R32 to show to ya'll the difference in the engine movement before and after the VW Racing mounts were installed.

Here is a video of an R32 with the ABT Sportsline Supercharger before the VW Racing mounts were installed. Check the fore and aft movement of the engine especially to the right.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIn5Ue6YJ0U

Now Here is the latest video with the VW Racing Engine mounts installed. Low and Side engine mounts and the transmission mount. Notice the difference in the engine movement. This translates to better response on take off, cornering and stopping.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AT1wLyyZtI

[Bizi]

I am sure you had fun making the vids, Jig (and JayC), the two ABT SC R32 twins. :)

It would be amazing to get some kind of recording of the two of you driving side by side, cranking up the SC!

[saad]

wow i never realised that changing mounts makes such a big diff. Good on you Jig for taking the step and being brave to try somethign which may have reduced comfort - however from all accounts it seems it doesnt reduce comfort at all. A must have mod I think then.

[Steve]

Nice write up. Great results by the sound of it.

How much does the mounting kit cost?

[Jig]

Hi Saad: A must mod indeed. Zero discomfort at all. You notice a hint of vibration on idle and a little bit past 100km/hr but is quite livable. The benefits outweigh this. I am very pedantic on my daily driver cars and for me to live with this is a huge win as far as I am concerned.

Hello Steve: It cost me just a little over 1K AUD landed for all 3 mounts from Ian @ Rennenhaus. Fitting would be more based on your mechanic's hourly rate.

[Pharkus]

Any feedback yet from VWR with respect to the engineering required to clear the sways?

[Jig]

Any feedback yet from VWR with respect to the engineering required to clear the sways?

Not yet Pharkus. Let me chase it up. I am also yet to forward them the completed machined mount. Need time to get my car on the hoist again.

[Pharkus]

Not yet Pharkus. Let me chase it up. I am also yet to forward them the completed machined mount. Need time to get my car on the hoist again.

Awesome Jig. After your review this is definitely something that I am keeping on my "list" (which never seems to get shorter). Can always just get a new car if the vibrations get too much.

[Islos]

nice jig you can tell the difference just from the clips...

Just a questions...

Do you think because of the supercharger it has put more strain on the OEM mounts and thus caused alot of the issues you are discussing above...

As I have no dout that even on a standard engine it would see huge improvements to the engine and movement I just wonder is the issue being applified by the supercharger in your car... as after riding in it for that short time in the Wharehouse meet I do get what you mean as i was evident the amount of movement that was occuring when you realy ask the engine to perform..

[Pharkus]

Muhahahah, actually missed seeing the two vids you posted up. I think someone left behind a powerdrill after installation of the two SC kits.

[Jig]

nice jig you can tell the difference just from the clips...

Just a questions...

Do you think because of the supercharger it has put more strain on the OEM mounts and thus caused alot of the issues you are discussing above...

As I have no dout that even on a standard engine it would see huge improvements to the engine and movement I just wonder is the issue being applified by the supercharger in your car... as after riding in it for that short time in the Wharehouse meet I do get what you mean as i was evident the amount of movement that was occuring when you realy ask the engine to perform..

Definitely! but I also think over time the OEM mounts will eventually get worn out and the dynamics of the car over time will also get from bad to worse. For people who really just "drive" the car from A to B, they will be none the wiser whether the car's dynamics is changing or has changed.

I dont track my car at all but I do drive it just like you and many others here, enthusiastically at times. When I saw my OE mounts, I noticed how worn out they were. Have to admit, I only saw it after the SC was installed. You can say yes, it puts more pressure on the OE mounts with the SC installed but ultimately I think its how you drive the car that puts pressure on these mounts. I mean, we are asking a simple rubber(its not even polyurethane) to do a lot of work inside an engine bay. The rubber mounts are well, rubbery. You can squeeze it with your hands and it moves. This is why the OE rubber mounts masks all the vibration in the engine and the transmission.

[Pharkus]

Definitely! but I also think over time the OEM mounts will eventually get worn out and the dynamics of the car over time will also get from bad to worse. For people who really just "drive" the car from A to B, they will be none the wiser whether the car's dynamics is changing or has changed.

I dont track my car at all but I do drive it just like you and many others here, enthusiastically at times. When I saw my OE mounts, I noticed how worn out they were. Have to admit, I only saw it after the SC was installed. You can say yes, it puts more pressure on the OE mounts with the SC installed but ultimately I think its how you drive the car that puts pressure on these mounts. I mean, we are asking a simple rubber(its not even polyurethane) to do a lot of work inside an engine bay. The rubber mounts are well, rubbery. You can squeeze it with your hands and it moves. This is why the OE rubber mounts masks all the vibration in the engine and the transmission.

Did you also get any feedback from VWR with respect to the additional load transitioned to the engine mounts (assuming this to be the case as there is no longer the rubber to "absorb" the flex as much). I'm pretty careful, but you would think that some of the enthusiastic driving would put strain on the places where the engine is mounted, do you think those need to be strengthened as well?

[Jig]

Did you also get any feedback from VWR with respect to the additional load transitioned to the engine mounts (assuming this to be the case as there is no longer the rubber to "absorb" the flex as much). I'm pretty careful, but you would think that some of the enthusiastic driving would put strain on the places where the engine is mounted, do you think those need to be strengthened as well?

There are basically 2 areas where the engine is bolted onto the chassis. On the left side of the engine, and at the bottom of the engine(where the sways are). The mounts provided simply replaces where the OE is at using the same OE Screws, holes and position. Its a like for like replacement really, well maybe some machining on the low engine mount as per the pic I have shared here. So the enthusiastic driving only keeps the engine intact. There are no other additional load to the engine. The only intelligent thought I can think of that "may be" a detriment to having these mounts fitted is the long term effects on the car's welded joints and other panel related contortions. A long shot I know but I think with most cars especially if you track it, the car will eventually have a different feeling(everything feels looser). So the mounts just stops it from that feeling. Just like plastic surgery really.

[Islos]

Definitely! but I also think over time the OEM mounts will eventually get worn out and the dynamics of the car over time will also get from bad to worse. For people who really just "drive" the car from A to B, they will be none the wiser whether the car's dynamics is changing or has changed.

I dont track my car at all but I do drive it just like you and many others here, enthusiastically at times. When I saw my OE mounts, I noticed how worn out they were. Have to admit, I only saw it after the SC was installed. You can say yes, it puts more pressure on the OE mounts with the SC installed but ultimately I think its how you drive the car that puts pressure on these mounts. I mean, we are asking a simple rubber(its not even polyurethane) to do a lot of work inside an engine bay. The rubber mounts are well, rubbery. You can squeeze it with your hands and it moves. This is why the OE rubber mounts masks all the vibration in the engine and the transmission.

Ok sweet. Answers the question. As u said I to don't track the car but I do like to giv it a bit of a run every now and again. I guess I will look at this option as part of a service down the track.

With regard to the vibrations. If u don't mind if I check out what u mean at the kk meet
.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jig]

Sure Aaron. No worries.

[Pharkus]

Thanks Jig. There's no issue with mine producing even near the powah of yours with the SC. With all intentions to keep it as a very long termer, I still want to make sure before I push the button on things that it won't decrease the life of the car. Pretty much with the current situation this shouldn't occur, but if you don't ask...

[mshl1979]

Apologize for bring up an old thread.

But I've got a question, does the car vibrate substantially more than stock when you are idling in reverse? (I know we don't stay in reverse often)

I've just done the HPA Mount after not being 100% happy with the APR TAI and the HPA is definetly but I'm still getting excessive vibrations on idle when the car is in reverse. Wanted to see how this compares.

[Jig]

No apologies required Michael. Zero vibrations on reverse or on idle. The only real vibration that YOU FEEL with these mounts is when the car travels more than 100kms but only then its a hint of vibration but no other vibration is felt on idle, on acceleration, slow take off or urgent take off's.

[mshl1979]

Hmm... I just spent $500 on the HPA one. Should have done more research.

[Pharkus]

I'm going to take Jose's word on his review and experience on these mounts. It's on my list of to do mods and probably next, but I have to wait to see what duties my car will be required to undertake in the next few years and if I get a second car first.

[Stalker]

Back from the dead.....

Planning my next mod and this looks like a contender!

Jig - Any ideas if the design issue has been sorted out?

[Jig]

Brad: I believe the design issues have been sorted out. I saw someone who fitted it and did not comment about the issue but I have to admit I have not seen it myself. Best speak to Ian and ask if VWR have fixed the design issues with AU delivered cars. I have sent them all the photos they need to redesign the part some time back.

[M4RK0]

:)

[Stalker]

Excellent, thanks Jig. Will continue saving my pennies and touch base with Ian soon. :cool:

Ps. Would I also need a pendulum mount?

[Nathan_b]

Ps. Would I also need a pendulum mount?

It comes in the kit :)

Lower engine / pendulum / dog bone / hockey puck = all the same thing

I still receive small vibrations with my setup - getting the workshop to double check it in a couple of weeks as they may have initially installed it to tight (interwebz claims)

[scotty1991]

Back from the dead.....

Planning my next mod and this looks like a contender!

Jig - Any ideas if the design issue has been sorted out?

Its worth it! Changed the way my GTI felt to drive, for the better. I would consider having front sway bar done at the same time as they need to drop subframe for both and its expensive to do it twice (or 3 times)

[Stalker]

Thanks Lads. :)