Polyurethane subframe bushes

[TVR Sagaris]

Anybody used these? I'm considering them when I replace my front subframe; I'm going to be trying to get the engine as stable as is possible and don't want the subframe mounts to then be the weakpoint.

Anybody have anything against them?

[GingerWizard]

never used them my self, but the mag's seem to report nowt but good news. Let us kmnow what you find out, i have the difficult job of restraining 848 cc's of rampant english power shortly. In my limited exprience you can only benefit a car by engine dampening.

Gwiz

[minivanman]

In my experience solid top and bottom mounts are very noisy, never had an issue with floors cracking though. The last car I did a suspension build on we used solid tops and standard rears - not too noisy, but the frame moves a lot less. I think I'd go for that over poly ones. The one to watch is poly bushes in the bottom arms - I put them in my van and they'd split before it even had the engine put in it! Use the minispares angled ones.

[DanGT]

Worked well on my mini. Solid bottom back, top bulck head ally, rest polly bush. The feel was rearly good but more noise, but the car was rearly load any way (mainly used for sprints etc).

[cone]

I wouldn't bother , they'll still split . Renew with alloy front pears and tower ones (4) , leave the rear lowers original rubber . Steering preciseness far outrules any noise gain .

[nick1275]

cone said:

I wouldn't bother , they'll still split . Renew with alloy front pears and tower ones (4) , leave the rear lowers original rubber . Steering preciseness far outrules any noise gain .

done this on 3 cars now, cant fault it

[DanGT]

Never had them split in 3 years of sprinting and test days.

[TVR Sagaris]

I was probably being optimistic but I was hoping for clearer agreement. This is one problem with the Mini: there's so many options on offer for modifying them that it's difficult to decide what to go with!

This is a 998 with a Minispares stage one and a nice head. It will only be used on the road, but will be driven like a Mini should be driven. I've had the subframe come through both footwells and would like to avoid that in the future. It seems likely that the current bushes are all shagged so I would probably notice a significant improvement just from putting new rubber ones in, but I'm trying to do the job once and well.

So, this is not a crazy fast track Mini, but at the same time it needn't be comfortable granny transport. How much extra noise/vibrations is there really from the alloy mounts? Are they worth it on a road car? And how much stiffer would it be on poly bushes than standard rubbers?

I also need to factor cost in to all this, but that can come later.

[Cooperman]

I always use the solid metal ones and love the way they make the car feel, handle and steer. Remember, the Mk 1 and 2 cars and earlier Mk 3 all had solidly mounted front sub-frames.
The advantage outweighs any slight increase in NHV.
If the floor is split, weld a doubler plate inside the floor.

[Jon Brown]

Ive got solid top mounts and front pears, was told not to use the floor ones as they can split the floor. Apart from Gaz Shocks this is the only suspension mod I have but the turn-in is instant like a go kart.

Cant really comment on the noise as I didn't really drive it before fitting them, but my mini is noisy but its all relitive (its not a bmw).

Jon