Anyone using the Powerflex hybrid dogbone puck?

[Diggs24]

I just want to confirm my stupid question:

When installing the PF Hybrid puck, the stock one has to come out, correct? Similar to HPA and Revo...

Yes, you have to cut the whole thing out. Plastic sleeve and all.

 

[CarlosCanizares]

Yes, you have to cut the whole thing out. Plastic sleeve and all.

Thanksir!

 

[austexrocker]

Also, I don't see PFF85-833 listed on UroTuning's website. If it turns out that's the one you need, I'd just order it straight from PowerFlex. https://www.powerflexusa.com/shop/p...ower-engine-mount-hybrid-bushing-large-b-2437

Another option if you're unable figure out which one to buy (depending on their return policy and if you don't mind tying up ~$75 temporarily, and losing out on some shipping costs) - just order both and return the one you don't need.

Brilliant idea about reaching under with my phone to snap a pic Hotfart. Turns out the newer B version is correct for my car too. I wonder why UroTune says it won't fit!? What a mistake. Oh, and if you have your car saved on the website it won't show the PFF85-833 because "it doesn't fit". LOL, clear or search for all and this item does show up. I went through UroTune for the free shipping that Powerflex did not offer. Can't wait wait for the new bits to arrive (new AFE Magnum flow dry air filter and ECS pendulum arm too). Now if I can find some lift time that would be sweet. I'm too old to be crawling underneath jackstands unless it's the only option.

 

[austexrocker]

Has anyone tried to remove the OEM puck with a slide hammer/bearing puller? Is there anything on the top side of the OEM puck for this tool to grab hold of? If that works you wouldn't have to destroy the part if you ever needed to go back to stock.

 

[Diggs24]

Has anyone tried to remove the OEM puck with a slide hammer/bearing puller? Is there anything on the top side of the OEM puck for this tool to grab hold of? If that works you wouldn't have to destroy the part if you ever needed to go back to stock.

You can remove it intact. It's just really hard.

You can watch DAP try and give up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vNRLt2pZAM

 

[austexrocker]

I've watched that DAP video several times. I'm just going to follow the cut a notch method and be done with it.

 

[civicdrivr]

The notch is the best method. I have a small air powered reciprocating saw that I used to buzz a notch in the plastic. After a few minutes, the puck slid out on its own.

 

[PLF8593]

You can remove it intact. It's just really hard.

You can watch DAP try and give up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vNRLt2pZAM

Having seen my horror stories, you might be relieved to hear that my new mechanic had *multiple* fully-intact dogbone bushes lying around from customers coming and having them removed for full replacement pucks.

So not only is he good enough to get it out perfectly, but he gave me one for free to replace my old one before installing my powerflex insert.

I'm 100% happy with my car finally.

 

[Cemetery]

Just installed mine last night. Took about an hour, most of which was pulling my 034 insert which was bent to shit, and getting the stock puck out. I pried the 034 out to give me room and then drilled through the plastic ring of the stock puck to get it out.

First impressions are great. It's giving me a ton more clutch feedback and 0 wheel hop (I have 034 upper mounts). The car does vibrate at idle, but it's not bad and should calm down with milage.

I can say the design of this puck is far superior to any of the other ones I've seen. Lower inserts are just bandaids and the way this incorperates an upper insert into the lower puck is pretty awesome. I have confidence in this one, and lost all confidence in 034 motorsport. Upper mounts were the last thing i will buy from them, and I should have went with BFI there to begin with.

 

[Diggs24]

Just installed mine last night. Took about an hour, most of which was pulling my 034 insert which was bent to shit, and getting the stock puck out. I pried the 034 out to give me room and then drilled through the plastic ring of the stock puck to get it out.

First impressions are great. It's giving me a ton more clutch feedback and 0 wheel hop (I have 034 upper mounts). The car does vibrate at idle, but it's not bad and should calm down with milage.

I can say the design of this puck is far superior to any of the other ones I've seen. Lower inserts are just bandaids and the way this incorperates an upper insert into the lower puck is pretty awesome. I have confidence in this one, and lost all confidence in 034 motorsport. Upper mounts were the last thing i will buy from them, and I should have went with BFI there to begin with.

By upper mounts I presume you mean motor and tranny mounts?

My hybrid puck has been solid for over a year. Would never recommend anyone buy a lower insert. They all fail. Vibes will get better but never go away completely. Reverse will always be worst.

 

[Cemetery]

By upper mounts I presume you mean motor and tranny mounts?

My hybrid puck has been solid for over a year. Would never recommend anyone buy a lower insert. They all fail. Vibes will get better but never go away completely. Reverse will always be worst.

Yeah motor and tranny. I agree that I could never recommend an insert. 034 really put me off by selling a lower insert by itself for years, then coming back and releasing a new product to use in conjunction with the lower to prevent bending. I know they would have sent me a new insert if I bought the upper, but this powerflex design is way better. I should have known sticking a flimsy piece of aluminum was only a temporary bandaid.

 

[Khanmots]

I installed the powerflex hybrid bushing/insert this last Friday. Had a 034 lower insert I'd installed a year ago and it in that year it had damaged the bushing. Damage turned out to be minor, almost cosmetic, but couldn't tell extent until I'd (destructively) removed it... so instead of new OEM bushing and insert, I went with the powerflex.

I rented a garage bay with lift, tools, etc, and took just at an hour for this non-mechanically talented guy to install. Pliers and yanking got the 034 insert out, then used a reciprocating saw to make one cut in the side of the puck (almost all the way through... stopped as soon as I heard I'd touched metal). That provided enough strain relief to let me pry the old bushing out. Torqued the new bolt to 130 Nm + ~70 degrees (not enough traction with my shoes on dusty slick concrete to get to 90 )

Initial impression was that I'd made a mistake due to the strong vibration at idle (esp. with AC on!).

That said, I haven't done that much driving yet, but it does seem to be breaking in. I can still notice vibration at idle if looking for it, but it's definitely lessened and becoming quite tolerable. Hoping as I get more miles on it that it loosens up a bit more.

When the 034 insert broke-in (i.e., bent ) it allowed my pretty much stock mk7 a small amount of wheel hop in some conditions. I've noticed zero wheelhop with the powerflex. Here's hoping that stays the same!

 

[TheRealStanki]

I installed the powerflex hybrid bushing/insert this last Friday. Had a 034 lower insert I'd installed a year ago and it in that year it had damaged the bushing. Damage turned out to be minor, almost cosmetic, but couldn't tell extent until I'd (destructively) removed it... so instead of new OEM bushing and insert, I went with the powerflex.



I rented a garage bay with lift, tools, etc, and took just at an hour for this non-mechanically talented guy to install. Pliers and yanking got the 034 insert out, then used a reciprocating saw to make one cut in the side of the puck (almost all the way through... stopped as soon as I heard I'd touched metal). That provided enough strain relief to let me pry the old bushing out. Torqued the new bolt to 130 Nm + ~70 degrees (not enough traction with my shoes on dusty slick concrete to get to 90 )



Initial impression was that I'd made a mistake due to the strong vibration at idle (esp. with AC on!).



That said, I haven't done that much driving yet, but it does seem to be breaking in. I can still notice vibration at idle if looking for it, but it's definitely lessened and becoming quite tolerable. Hoping as I get more miles on it that it loosens up a bit more.



When the 034 insert broke-in (i.e., bent ) it allowed my pretty much stock mk7 a small amount of wheel hop in some conditions. I've noticed zero wheelhop with the powerflex. Here's hoping that stays the same!

I also installed one within the last 2 weeks and the NVH is awful!!!! Just being honest. I read all through this post that it wasn’t too bad and mine is nearly unbearable. I have put about 350 miles on it already and it has definitely gotten better, but if it’s not significantly better by 1000-1500 miles I’m going to either buy a stock one (destroyed mine getting it out) or search elsewhere.

It has the desired effect of tightening up engine movement, but NVH is currently brutal.

P.S. I live in Texas where it’s already very hot and the AC is running 100% of the time. I understand this makes the problem roughly 50% worse.

Just another opinion.


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[Diggs24]

I also installed one within the last 2 weeks and the NVH is awful!!!! Just being honest. I read all through this post that it wasn’t too bad and mine is nearly unbearable. I have put about 350 miles on it already and it has definitely gotten better, but if it’s not significantly better by 1000-1500 miles I’m going to either buy a stock one (destroyed mine getting it out) or search elsewhere.

It has the desired effect of tightening up engine movement, but NVH is currently brutal.

P.S. I live in Texas where it’s already very hot and the AC is running 100% of the time. I understand this makes the problem roughly 50% worse.

Just another opinion.


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Yup. This is a recekar mod. You don't like NVH you won't like it. It will get a bit better as you put on more miles but it will never have n NVH, especially with AC on.

 

[Khanmots]

I also installed one within the last 2 weeks and the NVH is awful!!!! Just being honest. I read all through this post that it wasn’t too bad and mine is nearly unbearable. I have put about 350 miles on it already and it has definitely gotten better, but if it’s not significantly better by 1000-1500 miles I’m going to either buy a stock one (destroyed mine getting it out) or search elsewhere.

It has the desired effect of tightening up engine movement, but NVH is currently brutal.

P.S. I live in Texas where it’s already very hot and the AC is running 100% of the time. I understand this makes the problem roughly 50% worse.

Just another opinion.


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Just moved from Texas! Completely understand about the AC there! Born and raised, just got too tired of both hot and humid.

Dunno what's going on with yours, mine seems to be settling in pretty well. Don't really notice a difference in NVH from the 034 insert when moving, and the vibration at idle has gotten better, no longer bugging the hell outta me at stop lights. Didn't think about it at all on the drive to work this morning in fact.

I don't have the miles you have though, maybe 100 total, but a lot of that is city and me pushing it with hard starts to see if I get any wheel hop. If you've been babying it, maybe it's not breaking in as quickly?

Other thought, maybe double-check that it's evenly seated? I know I blew/scraped some dirt off of the upper bushing... I'd imagine that a bit of debris in there could keep it from fully seating on one side, and it being wedged at a tiny angle could cause NVH issues.

Hope yours breaks in and becomes livable!