Top mounts...

3rd May 2011, 23:36

Hi guys. Everyone seems to use the AST top suspension mounts. They look very good, but not so affordable. I want to change my mounts whilst my car is in pieces. Is it best to just replace the existing mounts with some fresh origional mounts or is their a cheaper alternative rather than the AST's?! Ive seen some compbrake mounts, but ive read a fair amount of bad feedback on those. Any suggestions?

I will be using my car for fast road. It's very unlikely it will ever see the track'.

Thanks, Jamie.

4th May 2011, 07:59

just get some brand new ones if yours are shot. uprated ones are overkill if its never going on track

4th May 2011, 08:11

I really would recommend against the solid AST top mounts or anything similar for a road car or even a track toy. As LeeM says new standard ones is always good or group N if you wish to get stiffer ones.

4th May 2011, 08:14

Dont go solid top mounts for a road car. The yellow lines they paint across the road to slow you down feel like youre driving over bricks in mine. I'm running Compbrake solid topmounts and 300lb springs though.

4th May 2011, 09:57

Nothing wrong with the newer Compbrake top mounts, the older ones used to have poor fitting. The newer ones line up perfectly.

4th May 2011, 10:19

Also Ast take about 2 months to get them!!! I am still waiting for my top mounts and he had my stuff since march 20th!!!

4th May 2011, 10:46

What are you using for the rest of your suspension? If your just using springs or have a budget based kit you may aswel just get new replacements. A brand new top mount and bearing kit is £35 from eurocarparts.

The pugsport group n's and comp brakes are still over £100 and with a basic suspension kit for road use they're really not worth investing in, you won't feel £70+ worth of difference.

Certainly no point what so ever in the AST top mounts.

If you've got the money spare that you were prepared to put into top mounts, it would be better invested in polybushing the suspension bushes throughout the car.

4th May 2011, 10:46

What are you using for the rest of your suspension? If your just using springs or have a budget based kit you may aswel just get new replacements. A brand new top mount and bearing kit is £35 from eurocarparts.

The pugsport group n's and comp brakes are still over £100 and with a basic suspension kit for road use they're really not worth investing in, you won't feel £70+ worth of difference.

Certainly no point what so ever in the AST top mounts.

If you've got the money spare that you were prepared to put into top mounts, it would be better invested in polybushing the suspension bushes throughout the car.

4th May 2011, 13:10

Matt there is a point in the Ast top mounts depends on what your setup is and for, and adjustable for camber, but for a basic setup then no standard top mounts are fine.

Depends what the car is for the end of the day, but Ast suspension is very good just takes ages to get parts and bit expensive.

4th May 2011, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyza

Nothing wrong with the newer Compbrake top mounts, the older ones used to have poor fitting. The newer ones line up perfectly.

Which model is the 'new' version?
On Compbrake's website, they list Saxo Ph1, Saxo early Ph2/Pug 106 Ph1, and Saxo Ph2/106Ph2 with abs iirc. None show an actual picture of the topmounts, just a generic picture.

I beleive the correctly fitting mounts are the almost triangular shaped ones, but I have no idea which version this is listed as?

4th May 2011, 13:25

I've got the black square ones (late Mk2) and they line up fine. Its trying to get the strut through thats the problem...

4th May 2011, 13:37

your running the Gaz shocks arent you Josh?

4th May 2011, 13:44

Yup...

4th May 2011, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndySAXO

Matt there is a point in the Ast top mounts depends on what your setup is and for, and adjustable for camber, but for a basic setup then no standard top mounts are fine.

Depends what the car is for the end of the day, but Ast suspension is very good just takes ages to get parts and bit expensive.

Andy, he's already said, the car will never see a track, so think it'll be a fast road car

4th May 2011, 18:42

Wow, I wasn't expecting to get that amount of feed back! Thanks guy's!

Handling wise, im currently using Bilstien B8 dampers with Eibach springs, Yokohama S drive rubber, upper and lower omp strut braces. I also have a Powerflex lower engine mount. The plan was to polybush the front wishbones, rollbar, rear beam and fit the Baker BM engine mount set. Whilst the car is in pieces, I wondered if it was worth upgrading the top mounts at the same time.

For the use I will get out of it, i think as many people have pointed out, it's best to go for a fresh set of standard mounts. I do like a hard ride, but nothing too extreme.

As Andy said, you do get the camber angle with AST's, but thats surely overkill for fast road use!?

Whilst I have plenty of attention, am I right in saying a 106 gti rear ARB is thicker than a saxo ARB? If thats the case, is it worth the investment? The weight is obviously mostly towards the front of the car, but using only harder damping at the rear makes me feel ive neglected the torsion bar. Uprated torsion bars seem (I could be wrong) a little ott' for road use. Maybe the rollbar will make a worth while difference?

The cars just passed it's MOT, so once I have the parts I need, i'll crack the whip with the engine change over!

Any suggestions on anything I have missed out that is a must handling wise, please enlighten me! Thanks again guy's!

4th May 2011, 19:00

The GTI rear ARB isnt a damper, its fine for road use or the GTI wouldnt have come out the factory with one! It will increase your turn in and oversteer. Worthwhile thing to do in my opinion.

4th May 2011, 19:59

Ok. I am aware of that mate. I must have miss typed. I meant to write that I have only changed the damping at the rear of the car. I wondered how much of a difference the roll-bar would make if it was thicker.

I guess it would clearly make a difference then.

4th May 2011, 20:30

21mm bars would be a worthy addition... i use 23mm bars on my daily driver with proper Grp N billy dampers and its firm but fair.

If your car is "in bits" poly bush the beam/wishbones and dig deep for grp N wishbone rear support bushes.

21mm bars for sale...
http://www.saxperience.com/forum/sho...84#post5289384

4th May 2011, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_K

Which model is the 'new' version?
On Compbrake's website, they list Saxo Ph1, Saxo early Ph2/Pug 106 Ph1, and Saxo Ph2/106Ph2 with abs iirc. None show an actual picture of the topmounts, just a generic picture.

I beleive the correctly fitting mounts are the almost triangular shaped ones, but I have no idea which version this is listed as?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshB

I've got the black square ones (late Mk2) and they line up fine. Its trying to get the strut through thats the problem...

Didnt see this earlier. But as josh has said. Its the square black ones. Its been a while since I bought mine or I would look for the code for them.

4th May 2011, 22:49

It's in one piece now but it will be dismantled in the near future for the engine swap. The trouble with the bars is it's going to cost me an arm and a leg...

Im guessing i'll need group n over my b8's, stiffer springs on the front and the bigger arb.

I think I will get all the bushes fitted apart from the wishbone mounting ones for now. I will change them at a later date as it's simple enough to get the wishbones off. I think i will go for that 23mm ARB for now. If I want to go stiffer, I will look into group n shocks in the future. Im running low on cash!

5th May 2011, 13:37

Ok, checked Compbrakes website again. There are 2 newer styles of topmount.

1) this one, which is listed as a saxo fitment. I have seen someone on here using these, although they were black and had the extra camber option/bolt holes, so I guess these style fit?

2) These square shaped ones (are these what people above are using?)

Any advise as to which ones to go for? I currently have th eolder style round (Ax fitment) mounts, and they dont line u properly (as is common), so looking to change.

Josh - did you get the damper rod through in the end? I seem to remember it was tight on mine.

sorry for the thread derail. Just thought its all relevent, so saves starting another thread with the same title.

5th May 2011, 14:06

Go for the 1st ones. Mine came in black and had 3 holes in 3 of the corners.

However, I did fit some of the 2nd option ones the weekend just gone. At first I thought they wernt going to work as they were the older style ones. but after a few roations and combinations of holes I managed to get them lined up fine.