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HPA Dogbone insert installed review and Pic's

Trade-n-games

Ready to race!
Location
St. Louis, MO
A few days ago I installed my Dogbone motor mount made by HPA. I have not seen anyone review it or even talk about it in the forums so I took a few pics. The first pic is the Stock on the left and the new HPA Machined aluminum mounting point imbedded in tuned durometer urethane bushing on the right. Stock one was drilled and messed up removing it.

Second pic is the new HPA mount installed

This was a super easy install with only a little more work than the other inserts that are on the market since the original one needs to be removed. After rolling the car on some ramps I removed all three bolts that hold the dogbone arm. Since you can’t press the old one out or pry it out I decided to drill it on one side and then use a screw driver to pry it out. Once it was drilled it fell out real easy. The factory mount is only supported in 2 places and I could bend it with only my fingers so I knew the new HPA mount would make a huge change. I sprayed the new HPA mount with a little WD-40 and it pressed in with a little force and then I used a rubber mallet to seat it all the way up and in. Reinstalled the factory dogbone arm and reused all the bolts with a little locktight on them
So from start to finish with ramps and all was around 45 min.
So my first impression on start up was really the same. Rev It up a little and it was easy to tell the engine was not moving nowhere near as much. In park I could not tell or feel any difference no shakes or vibes in the cabin. Now in D & S not moving like at a stop light I could feel a slight vibe in the cabin and it was a very low pitched sound resonating inside the car. Not loud just a presence. Under throttle WOW this was a huge improvement right off the bat. And the shifts were way better and even faster. I have the HPA DSG tune done and this really was a needed item. After a few days now and its was warmer out today when at a stop the sound and vibes from it have calmed down to the point I almost can’t tell.

HPA’s info from their site on it-
“HPA Performance Motor Mounts are designed for comfort without compromise.

Our upgraded mounts reduce motor flex to improve torque transfer to the drivetrain, and prevent excessive movement under hard accelleration.


Shifter engagement is faster and easier and stability is improved.

By carefully studying the dynamics of various durometers of urethane, and putting them through long term real world testing, we have chosen the best combinations of mateirals to achieve a comfortable yet firm result.

These mounts will solidfy the engine's connection to the chassis while still isolating its vibrations from the cabin.”
I am super happy with this. It hits the pocket book at $189 plus shipping. I looked into everything out there like the inserts for real cheap “under $40” and I have nothing against them at all if your budjet is tight. I am against replacing the other 2 mounts since they can rattle your brains out and since they were designed around super high power applications like superchargers and upgraded turbos so the engine does not flex so much and risk bending pipes and hoses.
This one very simple upgrade makes a huge difference on my R32 and I am super happy with the results. Thanks for reading just trying to contribute a little:thumbsup:
 

notkool59

Go Kart Champion
Location
Chicago
nice looking .:R! Glad you like the upgrade, I currently have the one that you just press in and bolt to strengthen the stock mount and I love it. Maybe sometime down the line I will go with the HPA one, but for now the price is a little steep.
 

L4rry_B1rd

4021/5000
Location
Boston MA
Car(s)
2008 R32
The piece looks great... just too much money for what it does. I wish I had arab money to throw at HPA, but sadly I will prob always settle for the alternative.
 

willlangford

Hamster
Location
Olympia, WA
Car(s)
08 MKV :R32
Great write up. I can't wait to get mine installed.

I like this mount because it's not a $40 dollar band aid that was said above, it is a new mount. No one else does this everyone else just does the band aid and then ads some other crap that sends useless vibrations through the car. The only reason VF has 3 mounts, 2 engine, 1 gearbox is for their MKIV SC kits because they had about a quarter of an inch if I remember right between the blower and the headlight. So therefore they had to keep the engine from not moving.
 

L4rry_B1rd

4021/5000
Location
Boston MA
Car(s)
2008 R32
Great write up. I can't wait to get mine installed.

I like this mount because it's not a $40 dollar band aid that was said above, it is a new mount. No one else does this everyone else just does the band aid and then ads some other crap that sends useless vibrations through the car. The only reason VF has 3 mounts, 2 engine, 1 gearbox is for their MKIV SC kits because they had about a quarter of an inch if I remember right between the blower and the headlight. So therefore they had to keep the engine from not moving.

I don't see how it is "$40 band-aid" at all... nothing is wrong with the stock mount so we are technically not fixing anything. It is just an improvement over stock.
 

telaio

Ready to race!
Location
Italy
Interesting mod, how does it affect driving over bumps etc.? Is slightly increased vibration the only downside?
 

Trade-n-games

Ready to race!
Location
St. Louis, MO
NO real diff over bump so far. So ya just a little added vibes in the car but really each day now its getting less as the mount settles in. Really its not to bad of a trade off for the gains you get so i really dont see much of a downside.
I was well aware of the cost of the insert as I siad in my first post around $40 and I said it will do. With my R32 mods so far and future plans the HPA was the only way to go for me.
I have had a few cars over the last years with some miles on them and all had their original mount fail and received an upgrade like the HPA one. Most just tore the 2 mount points and it was just floping around inside the circle. A bunch of cars have almost the same stock or close to it dogbone mount rubber insert, so not very much goes into research of them. So really the stock one is not very good for our higher powered engines. My 100hp mazda I had was almost dead the same as my VW stock one and it broke at 40,000 miles. My MK3 golf 4cyl had a rubber puck that tore also and was replaced with something almost like the HPA one. The HPA insert was designed for our cars with our DSG and HP in mind.
Thanks for the comments so far on the car and keeping it on topic.
 

telaio

Ready to race!
Location
Italy
Can you describe a bit more how this mount makes a big improvement? Why/how are the shifts better? Does the mod improve cornering? Thanks.
 

willlangford

Hamster
Location
Olympia, WA
Car(s)
08 MKV :R32
I don't see how it is "$40 band-aid" at all... nothing is wrong with the stock mount so we are technically not fixing anything. It is just an improvement over stock.

Easy, There was something wrong in your mind because you modded it to make it how you wanted it.

Anyway back on track.
 

telaio

Ready to race!
Location
Italy
Can you describe a bit more how this mount makes a big improvement? Why/how are the shifts better? Does the mod improve cornering? Thanks.

Bump. Could someone with this mod explain how it improves the car? It really improves DSG shifts?
 

Trade-n-games

Ready to race!
Location
St. Louis, MO
It keeps the engine more stiff and locked in position. When your under load the engine will twist up and down and that stiffer mount will hold it in place better. And on front wheel drive cars it helps a lot to calm wheel hop and then it shifts way fast since the engine wont buck around between shifts. Very simple idea. from the factory its super soft so vibes and sound are way less inside the car.
 

telaio

Ready to race!
Location
Italy
It keeps the engine more stiff and locked in position. When your under load the engine will twist up and down and that stiffer mount will hold it in place better. And on front wheel drive cars it helps a lot to calm wheel hop and then it shifts way fast since the engine wont buck around between shifts. Very simple idea. from the factory its super soft so vibes and sound are way less inside the car.
I understand that the motor will move less but how is that affecting the movement of the R32, which is all that matters? Is the sound and vibration inside now really way more that previously? Are you still happy with the mod?
 
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