Group-N transmission mount post install ?s

Hello..

I installed the GroupN transmission mount and upgraded cross member bushing last night. I drove my GT Wagon to work today. I have a few questions for those with upgraded transmission mounts

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1. Taking off from a slight incline.. the car pulled a bit to the right. It almost felt like torque steer. I will say that I had to jimmy the transmission to get the bolt holes lined up when putting the cross member back in. Anyone experience this?

2. The car kinda sounds like.. umm.. a tank now. I expected some NVH.. but I sorta feel like I'm in a diesel now. Wondering if this is normal or if I f'ed up the install somehow (I had to jack the transmission around several times to get the cross member re-installed). I know I was supposed to support the tranny with the jack the whole time.. and I thought I was.. but the jack had come loose between the time I removed the crossmember and when i first started to put it back.

I will say that clutch response is great now. No more slop outta first. It sorta feels like when I added a torque dampener to my departed RSX-S.

If anyone else wants to add their impressions of the GroupN trans mount.. please do. I'm interested in first and long term impressions.

Cheers!

I have the mount only. Driveability is 100% better. NVH increase was alarming, the whole car is noisier. I just crank my radio up.

Alarming! That is a great way to describe my experience. I turned the car on and it sounded sorta like a NASCAR stock car. Not that I've ever been in one.. but compared to the very quiet.. not sure the engine is on.. Legacy it was a real surprise.

Anyone else have any issues... how about more impressions? Yes I am car hypochondriac.

Thanks

Wow. I was just about to order the same parts when I saw this, I'd like to get the shifting a little crisper, but with some of these NVH comments, not sure if I'm willing to sacrifice things that much.

I was under the impression that NVH would go up, but that it wasn't very drastic.

Correct the GroupN mount is stiffer than a STi mount.

Call me crazy but I think the mounts are breaking in a bit. Temps were in the 50's yesterday and I barely noticed the NVH with the stereo off.

Now that it has been a few days... I am really digging the upgraded tranny mount and bushings. They have quieted down a bit (or I'm used to the new sound) and I barely get any vibes at idle. I love the directness to the shifting.. and downshifting is actually fun now instead of a chore. Here are some install tips when doing the mount:

1. Wear mechanics gloves. I turned my hands to burger on the crossmember. That thing was sharp!

2. Keep your tranny supported. Not having it properly supported killed my install time.

3. PB Blaster on all the nuts/bolts you are taking off. Made it real easy to get those 17mm bolts off.

4. Eye protection for all the dirt and crap that will be falling in your face.

Have fun!

revival time, what would any of your thoughts be on taking the group N mount and drilling a few holes through the middle of the rubber to soften it up a bit and give it a little flex.

I want to go stiffer but I hate the thought of making my legacy vibrate and rattle like my impreza

It would be better for a vibration standpoint but I wouldn't. Putting holes in any structure, especially one that is an integral part of your car's structure is a bad idea as it introduces localized stress concentrations that could cause it to fail prematurely. If you're concerned with the added NVH I would just stay away from the Group N and get an STI mount.

P.S.- If anyone's got cold feet, I'd be willing to snatch a group n mount off your hands!

Did you replace the dogbone as well? I've heard that's what causes the extra NVH.

I replaced both engine and tranny with GroupN and didn't notice any extra NVH. I have stock mufflers so any extra NVH would really stand out.

revival time, what would any of your thoughts be on taking the group N mount and drilling a few holes through the middle of the rubber to soften it up a bit and give it a little flex.

What rubber?

I have a GroupN tranny mount sitting in a box for install, been a bit concerned about NVH myself.

I have a group-n mount sitting in a box waiting to go in. I'm not too concerned about the NVH increase, and less so because I hope to fully sound-insulate the car in the summer.

Pffffft... doooo eeeeeeeeeeet!! I think it's an undervalued mod.

Did you replace the dogbone as well? I've heard that's what causes the extra NVH.

I have heard that too, and I have not replaced it. I have a Cobb STS/bushings, plus the Group N tranny mount & crossmember bushings. It made a tremendous difference.

Nothing could compare to my 4g63 galant with a balance shaft delete and prothane motor mounts.

Even then, it was always harsher in the winter than the summer. The poly gets harder when it gets cold. In the summer it always felt great!

I have every plan to install the megan mounts(full set of group n) and group n transmission cross-member bushings. Probably carrier bearing bushings as well.

Post from a member on a local forum with his 06 5speed specB:

So after upgrading my pitch stop, trans mount and finally adding diff inserts, my car was having so many promenant vibrations and disturbances that I thought I had effectively ruined my car... The only thing left stock in the drivetrain were my engine mounts. So many people on LGT would say that it ups the NHV so much that they paid to have the stock ones put back in. I had a hell of a discount built up at an online retailer, as well as a sale going on, so I decided to just put the nail in the coffin for my car, and purchase the Group N mounts back in Nov.

 

Finally got the chance to have them installed last night at John's place. I was going to attempt it with jacks, but after what it took, I'm so glad I didn't try to do it myself. Chad made it look like cake, and only took him ~45min, but I can't image how you could easily do it without a lift...

 

New vs old. I'm sure you can tell which is which... And Chad trying to smash my camera with wrench.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8353/8421011941_fce43a180c_b.jpg

 

Side by side

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8215/8422109444_ce95e4226c_b.jpg

 

First thing I noticed was that my car starts up faster, oddly. Secondly, no NHV at idle. I took it for a spin, and immediately noticed that all of the odd feelings and vibrations have almost vanished. When my car bogs down in too high of a gear, the whole car would vibrate violently because of the diff inserts. Now, its almost completely gone. I have no idea how stiffer mounts could have made everything so perfect, but I can only guess that now everything is working together, as opposed to having lots of stiff mounts up against mushy engine mounts. I honestly believe that passengers will now not even notice that my car's suspension has been modified (or care :Disagree: ) with all the mounts combined with the Swift springs. Papa happy, if you can't tell. I highly suggest these mounts to everyone, but believe they should be done all at once, after my experience...

^ after reading his review.... I was sold. I'll be ordering my mounts this weekend. If you order the megan mounts you can save money by getting them all at once. They are the same as groupN. Again, he just wrote this review a few weeks ago in the dead of winter. If they are that satisfactory in the winter, then the summer and fall should be quite delightful.