Consensus 1.8T AT Best Tune for Daily Driver?

[ZuMBLe]

My car got much more NVH with the power flex hybrid than with the 034 metals. It's the worst with the AC on.

 

[odessa.filez]

For me, BFI stage 1 was noticeably worse than my cts metal. Got the 'what ia wrong with your car?' from the passenger seat. Definely improved shifting but I reverted back to no inserts.

 

[danbfree]

There are multiple other forums on here that state an aluminum billet is better for NVH on the dogbone than plastic or rubber so I'm confused by this claim.

I'm kinda confused by their claims, just can't see how metal is softer than rubber? I mean metal will transmit more vibes, period, I really can't understand how their is any possible variation of thought here at all. I *literally personally* tried a solid aluminum piece that rattled my brains out, switched to a rubber piece and haven't looked back. If people have used complete *replacement* mounts, that could be different, otherwise I can't argue against basic science, lol

Edit: Sounds like some of the metal ones, just not the one I tried, have a tiny bit of tolerance clearance so vibes aren't directly transmitted at idle, whereas the rubber ones you have to kind of force up there so there is no gap at all for vibe tolerance.

 

[jimlloyd40]

I'm kinda confused by their claims, just can't see how metal is softer than rubber? I mean metal will transmit more vibes, period, I really can't understand how their is any possible variation of thought here at all. I *literally personally* tried a solid aluminum piece that rattled my brains out, switched to a rubber piece and haven't looked back. If people have used complete *replacement* mounts, that could be different, otherwise I can't argue against basic science, lol

Confusing to me also because it's illogical.

 

[danbfree]

Confusing to me also because it's illogical.

But I'm also not going to dismiss their claims either. I'm thinking *some* of the metal mounts use slightly thinner amount of material to leave just the tiniest amount of "play" so there is a tiny gap and there isn't much direct vibes transmitted on idle but hold nice and stiff once there are g forces applied when taking off, whereas the rubber ones have no play/tolerance so they directly transmit more vibes at idle. It likely varies by brand on the metal ones, so it's good the guys above who claim this do mention the brand names at least, sounds like a good design to have a tiny bit of tolerance actually!

 

[danbfree]

So sounds like 034 and CTS metal ones have a touch of clearance to avoid direct contact and excess vibes at idle whereas my generic one I tried not so much. This is good specific info to know on which brands of metal ones do this, good input!

 

[ZuMBLe]

The metal ones beat the OEM rubber in to submission. They "break in". The poly stuff never seem to break in or wear out and there are no voids. I think that's the issue. The 034s I had were noisy for the first 500 miles or so.

 

[odessa.filez]

Polys fill different areas, including more of the upper bushing. Per @ZuMBLe , my metal version broke in (probably starting to bend) and was still an improvement for shifting.

 

[tigeo]

I think the metal ones just don't sit as tightly and the "wings" portion only extends a short way into the mount. I've had both the 034 and APR metal inserts - 034 wings bent as is the normal outcome without running an upper insert. APR seems more stout but I'm sure will/has bent too.

 

[danbfree]

I don't think the metal ones bend or break in themselves, pretty sure it's the pressure on the rubber caused by the sold metal ones that deforms the stock rubber like Zumble says... and it's them sitting slightly looser instead of the poly ones having to be pounded in that lets them not transit every tiny vibe... But again, though, this is not every metal one, the one I tried gave horrific vibes, I even gave it a good 1000 miles to get better but it didn't, that's just that one though, but that's why it's good to hear from you guys on which specific brands to use.

 

[tigeo]

I don't think the metal ones bend or break in themselves, pretty sure it's the pressure on the rubber caused by the sold metal ones that deforms the stock rubber like Zumble says... and it's them sitting slightly looser instead of the poly ones having to be pounded in that lets them not transit every tiny vibe... But again, though, this is not every metal one, the one I tried gave horrific vibes, I even gave it a good 1000 miles to get better but it didn't, that's just that one though, but that's why it's good to hear from you guys on which specific brands to use.

I think all the poly ones just extend much further up into the mount than any of the metal ones. I can confirm the 034 and APR ones both sat with a little wiggle room when new/installed.

 

[danbfree]

I think all the poly ones just extend much further up into the mount than any of the metal ones. I can confirm the 034 and APR ones both sat with a little wiggle room when new/installed.

Heh, man, I love how we can all discuss this stuff and learn off each other, but I swear I had the opposite, my metal one was shorter than my rubber one (yes, I think mine cheapie orange/red thing is rubber, not poly) but the metal one was really harsh... But now, 15k miles later, I wonder if the metal would be better again, hmmm. But also, since I'm AT without hard launches or harsh driveline whiplash from very aggressive manual driving, I also use a pendulum arm with a big poly bushing and that helps tame the vibes too. The stock one and most brand name aftermarket pendulums just have a thin rubber sleeve bushing, I swear the cheap big bushing one truly helps absorb drivetrain forces to start with before it even hits the main dog bone. But hey, nobody likes to hear that something cheap works well around here unless it's an intercooler, LOL.

 

[tigeo]

Heh, man, I love how we can all discuss this stuff and learn off each other, but I swear I had the opposite, my metal one was shorter than my rubber one (yes, I think mine cheapie orange/red thing is rubber, not poly) but the metal one was really harsh... But now, 15k miles later, I wonder if the metal would be better again, hmmm. But also, since I'm AT without hard launches or harsh driveline whiplash from very aggressive manual driving, I also use a pendulum arm with a big poly bushing and that helps tame the vibes too. The stock one and most brand name aftermarket pendulums just have a thin rubber sleeve bushing, I swear the cheap big bushing one truly helps absorb drivetrain forces to start with before it even hits the main dog bone. But hey, nobody likes to hear that something cheap works well around here unless it's an intercooler, LOL.

I have also read/heard that the install process and how that bolt is tightened etc. of these inserts can be related to the NVH....who knows. The real thing here is NVH is 100% subjective and without full-nerd vibration analysis etc., hard to actually say when you compare online comments...one man's "tons of NVH" is another's "what NVH"..hahahaha. My APR one certainly causes some (it has to) but mainly that is in reverse (DSG).

Which pendulum arm are you using?

 

[danbfree]

I have also read/heard that the install process and how that bolt is tightened etc. of these inserts can be related to the NVH....who knows. The real thing here is NVH is 100% subjective and without full-nerd vibration analysis etc., hard to actually say when you compare online comments...one man's "tons of NVH" is another's "what NVH"..hahahaha. My APR one certainly causes some (it has to) but mainly that is in reverse (DSG).

Which pendulum arm are you using?

Don't beat me up too hard, but some $55 eBay special... I saw only the cheapies had this big poly bushing and I thought "huh, maybe that with my automatic wouldn't be bad" and honestly I've been shocked with how much it's helped firmness but also vibrations at the same time. I just wish there was a brand name one to compare it to, but didn't find any brand name with the big bushing... Now, since it's aluminum I wouldn't trust it on 450lb/ft+ IS38 e85 builds, but for a 1.8 AT with up to IS20 I think it can be trusted. I've seen pics on here of stock and expensive aftermarket ones that have been broken too, so nothing is certain anyway. But honestly, for a $25 insert and $55 arm I'm happy!

 

[tigeo]

Don't beat me up too hard, but some $55 eBay special... I saw only the cheapies had this big poly bushing and I thought "huh, maybe that with my automatic wouldn't be bad" and honestly I've been shocked with how much it's helped firmness but also vibrations at the same time. I just wish there was a brand name one to compare it to, but didn't find any brand name with the big bushing... Now, since it's aluminum I wouldn't trust it on 450lb/ft+ IS38 e85 builds, but for a 1.8 AT with up to IS20 I think it can be trusted. I've seen pics on here of stock and expensive aftermarket ones that have been broken too, so nothing is certain anyway. But honestly, for a $25 insert and $55 arm I'm happy!

No beating up from me - your money! I have no issue with stuff like that and it seems to work for you. So this one has a poly bushing - that makes more sense to me than the ones that have a spherical bearing - holy NVH batman!