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How to retro-fit the rear subframe harmonic damper from the Audi A3 Saloon (2013->)

absoluteczech

GolfMKV ADMlN
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
981 Cayman & GTI SE
In my case with a 2018 MK7.5GTI it really did make a noticeable difference. My wife was unaware I had fitted the damper and on a run a a few days later she made a comment that the car sounded quieter as she had always been critical of the cabin noise. The transition from one surface to another, particularly when going from smooth to coarse was very noticeable as the booming resonance was far less obvious. Considering the relatively small cost involve its worth fitting.
Funny the 2 people saying it did wonders are both from the UK, maybe something to do with your roads that causes some harmonic vibration/noise
 

RobertJG25

Go Kart Champion
Location
Niagara Falls, ON
Car(s)
2019 VW Golf 1.4 TSI
Funny the 2 people saying it did wonders are both from the UK, maybe something to do with your roads that causes some harmonic vibration/noise

I think it really just comes down to the type of asphalt that you're driving on...90% of the time I think this would be a waste of money but then once I'm on a very specific kind on asphalt, usually the lighter grey kind, I feel like I need this as well as new tires.
 
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npr

New member
Location
UK
Car(s)
Golf GTi mk7.5 man
I am pleased to read it had benefits for you. The benefit for me was very noticeable especially over rough road surfaces. Since fitting the damper I have fitted more sound insulation under the rear seat and under the spare wheel area and this really has made a marked improvement in cabin sound levels, particularly from fitting Dodo mat under the rear seat. I used Dodo Mat Pro Barrier MLV Sound Proofing Sheet in both areas and this was on top of previously fitting Dynamat a year or so ago. I also fitted Dynamat or similar ( I cant recall which) under all wheel arches and throughout the boot/spare wheel area. Really since fitting the damper and the addition of the Dodo mat I have a very quiet interior indeed. I don't think I could improve on that unless having the vehicle soundproofed professionally. In my view, taking the time to fit these products really does have benefits.
Dear Fuelboss,

I have bought dynamat extreme, dodo super liner (6m), and have 1 dodo pro barrier mlv. I've fitted some 15mm foam insulation under parcel shelf last week.
Next week, when it stops raining, I'm going to do under the back seat and in the boot. For under the back seat did you require more than 1 mlv mat? If so I'll just do dynamat and the super liner . Thank you.
 

fuelboss

Go Kart Newbie
Location
United Kingdom & Portugal
Car(s)
GTI MK7.5 DSG
Dear Fuelboss,

I have bought dynamat extreme, dodo super liner (6m), and have 1 dodo pro barrier mlv. I've fitted some 15mm foam insulation under parcel shelf last week.
Next week, when it stops raining, I'm going to do under the back seat and in the boot. For under the back seat did you require more than 1 mlv mat? If so I'll just do dynamat and the super liner . Thank you.
Hello,
I just used 1 mat under the back seat and one in the boot. Today for the first time in quite a long time I had a 30 mile trip to Bristol along rural and the A4 roads. The mat may not look pretty in the boot but then who sees it! On the way back from Bristol I went up the M4 and down the A46 toward Bath and so on to home. Without doubt the car is extremely quiet having fitted that additional sound proofing. It definitely is the rear of these cars that is responsible for road noise compared to the front. After two years of ownership I am more than satisfied with sound levels. I just wish I had taken the decibel levels before and after. Let me know how you get on after you have it fitted.
 

npr

New member
Location
UK
Car(s)
Golf GTi mk7.5 man
Hello,
I just used 1 mat under the back seat and one in the boot. Today for the first time in quite a long time I had a 30 mile trip to Bristol along rural and the A4 roads. The mat may not look pretty in the boot but then who sees it! On the way back from Bristol I went up the M4 and down the A46 toward Bath and so on to home. Without doubt the car is extremely quiet having fitted that additional sound proofing. It definitely is the rear of these cars that is responsible for road noise compared to the front. After two years of ownership I am more than satisfied with sound levels. I just wish I had taken the decibel levels before and after. Let me know how you get on after you have it fitted.
Hi, thanks for your reply. I worked on the car between Christmas and New year whilst I was off.
I fitted dynamat and dodo super liner under rear seat and in boot round spare wheel. I then added some spare super liner under moveable floor and under removable in rear seat footwells. And on the rear parcel shelf I added super liner and 15mm egg shaped foam. Took me quite a long time, maybe 5-6 hours.
Some of what I've done may have had no impact, I don't know. However, overall the noise has reduced quite significantly. When my wife went in the car after I'd finished the work, she commented is was like having a new car(and she wasn't complaining like me). And easier to have conversations, and can hear radio/ music better.
I'm still not completely happy so when the time comes to replace the tyres will get something quieter than the ps4 tyres I now have on the car. I've got it down to continental premium contact 6 (quietest in evo 2019 tyre test on Gti), or Dunlop rt maxx2. On the other forum someone advised he found cpc6 quieter than ps4. If anyone has experience of Dunlop v cpc on mk7 gti I'd welcome your thoughts.

To summarise, if anyone is not completely happy with the noise less on their Golf, I would definitely recommend the combination of the harmonic damper (about £60) and sound proofing (dynamat was about £75 - used 4 of the 5 sheets with almost full coverage; super liner was about £32 I think for 6m x 50cm- way more than I needed and so why I also used under mats and parcel shelf and moveable floor; and 2 pieces of foam for parcel shelf also from sound deadening shop £12 each). Final note, I'm happy with no smell from any of the products too.
 

fuelboss

Go Kart Newbie
Location
United Kingdom & Portugal
Car(s)
GTI MK7.5 DSG
Hi, thanks for your reply. I worked on the car between Christmas and New year whilst I was off.
I fitted dynamat and dodo super liner under rear seat and in boot round spare wheel. I then added some spare super liner under moveable floor and under removable in rear seat footwells. And on the rear parcel shelf I added super liner and 15mm egg shaped foam. Took me quite a long time, maybe 5-6 hours.
Some of what I've done may have had no impact, I don't know. However, overall the noise has reduced quite significantly. When my wife went in the car after I'd finished the work, she commented is was like having a new car(and she wasn't complaining like me). And easier to have conversations, and can hear radio/ music better.
I'm still not completely happy so when the time comes to replace the tyres will get something quieter than the ps4 tyres I now have on the car. I've got it down to continental premium contact 6 (quietest in evo 2019 tyre test on Gti), or Dunlop rt maxx2. On the other forum someone advised he found cpc6 quieter than ps4. If anyone has experience of Dunlop v cpc on mk7 gti I'd welcome your thoughts.

To summarise, if anyone is not completely happy with the noise less on their Golf, I would definitely recommend the combination of the harmonic damper (about £60) and sound proofing (dynamat was about £75 - used 4 of the 5 sheets with almost full coverage; super liner was about £32 I think for 6m x 50cm- way more than I needed and so why I also used under mats and parcel shelf and moveable floor; and 2 pieces of foam for parcel shelf also from sound deadening shop £12 each). Final note, I'm happy with no smell from any of the products too.
Good news, I am pleased to read you are benefitting from your efforts. Since I did very much the same I am extremely pleased with the outcome, and each time I use the car I realise what a difference it has made to my driving experience, and the fact that I no longer keep complaining, particularly now that the booming sound has been eliminated. I was in an area in Wiltshire a week ago and there was a particularly poor section of around 1.5 miles of the A4 that is really broken up. I recall driving this a few times prior to fitting the damper & additional insulation and so I thought I would give it a run over the section again. Well what a difference in how sound levels had been dramatically reduced. I am now more than happy to go on longer journeys in what is really a quiet car. Its just a shame that we have had to spend our money & time in making these improvements when VW should have given more attention to cabin noise intrusion during its design & manufacture.
 

Capt_Webb

New member
Location
NW UK
Car(s)
2017 MK7.5 Golf GTi
Just thought I would add a bit to this, all cars were driven on similar roads (lockdown FFS) at similar speeds etc. but the GTD had 19's, the 3 GTis were on 18's. All cars were fitted with different make tyres too. I found all 3 GTis were OK to be honest and not too noisy, the GTD not so good. There was a definite drone from the rear, like a beat frequency above 50 mph. The GTD went back under the VW 30 day replacement scheme as it was rubbish to be honest. Hated everything about the engine and particularly didn't like the DSG. I previously had a BMW 330D 8 speed auto so I guess that awesome engine/gearbox combination would taking some beating. The Mk7.5 manual GTi I have now is phenomenal!
 

dequardo

Autocross Newbie
Location
America’s Dairyland
Car(s)
‘21 GLI Autobahn GLI
Update for any GLI owners here. Put mine in today. Thanks so much for this Dave!
 

GPL

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
UK
Car(s)
2018 7.5 Golf 1.5
Hello Guys.
I have ordered one of these and should pick it up tomorrow.
I will fit it dry after cleaning so what torque setting should i tighten too.

Also what tires are you guys fitting my MK 7.5 2018 1.5tsi r line DSG came with Dunlop Sportmax RT on 225/40/ 18" as standard.
I replaced 2 tires a few months ago after a puncture with the newer Dunlop SMax RT2 but i have found these to be noiseir than
the RTs.
I am going back to the standard RTs unless someone advises a better quieter tire.

This is a very good thread, cheers guys.
 
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golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Hello Guys.
I have ordered one of these and should pick it up tomorrow.
I will fit it dry after cleaning so what torque setting should i tighten too.

Also what tires are you guys fitting my MK 7.5 2018 1.5tsi r line DSG came with Dunlop Sportmax RT on 225/40/ 18" as standard.
I replaced 2 tires a few months ago after a puncture with the newer Dunlop SMax RT2 but i have found these to be noiseir than
the RTs.
I am going back to the standard RTs unless someone advises a better quieter tire.

This is a very good thread, cheers guys.

From post no 3 of this thread:-

I do not know what Audi state for the specified torque settings, & VW state 20Nm (14.7lbft) plus 180deg turn when they use the same nut on the rear anti-roll bar drop link. The M8 screw studs are marked “8.8”, so M8 size, grade 8.8 steel on my torque tables state 18.2Nm (13.4lbft) for thorough lubrication, 23Nm (17lbft) for minimal lubrication, & 27Nm (20lbft) for no lubrication (dry). I decided to spray the threads thoroughly with WD-40 & torqued up to 18Nm (13.3lbft)

As for tyres plenty of other threads & info out there...

225/40 R18 Summer Tyres - Tyre Reviews and Tests

Tyre reviews, tests and ratings - Tyre Reviews and Tests
 
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