Has anyone modified engine mounts to make them more durable?
 

I got some Meyle mounts on the cheap (I have OEM mounts currently installed), and was wondering how they could be improved for longevity, which seems to be the major shortcoming of aftermarket mounts. Has anyone ever fortified/built up the mount with something like Window Weld or some other urethane?

It's not a hydraulic mount, it seems like it's just rubber, unlike OEM. I know it would make the mount a little stiffer, but I'm ok with that in exchange for longevity.

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Before coming up with the solid rubber idea I shared with you, I was looking into getting a cheap pair of hydraulic mounts, drilling a hole in the top and letting them drain completely (and flushing them out inside), and then filling the inner voids with urethane (WindowWeld).

They shouldn't collapse, then.

Window weld actually kind of sucks for filling things, it's not a 2 part product so it takes forever to cure. Use a 2 part poly product if you decide to pursue this. I poked the WW in my transmount a month after i filled it and got liquid WW squirting out of it. Lame.

"Has anyone modified engine mounts to make them more durable ?"

Yes.

Porsche did.

I have several cars with over 65,000 miles on the new revised mounts and they are still doing their job wonderfully. Buy the Porsche branded items, bite the bullet and replace them and you should be trouble free for many years and thousands of miles.

Why is any one even messing around with this garbage made in Turkey, China, Hong Kong and wherever, just for saving 1/2 to 2/3 the cost ?

The stuff they are producing under some of these aftermarket names is less quality than the cardboard box they come in.

At least the box can be re-used ..... the mounts are crap.

Where's the fun in that? ;) I already have good OEM mounts, this is just an experiment for science, since I already have these laying around.

Arominus, thanks for that tip, I'll get some 2-part. I decided to go forward with this, worst case it does nothing I swap back on the OEM ones when these fail.

Thanks, Michael..I bought a pair of the el-cheapos when I started out doing the revamp on my car. Just to get it back together again. I intend to replace those with OEM after I get it back on the road. Keep us posted on what urethane you use on those as I have yet to install them (still in the box)..I might want to do the upgrade prior to the first install. Thanks again. BTW, hope the flooding down there hasn't affected your cars or way of life..

I like the idea, eager to see what you come up with.

MY MEYLE mounts are "made in germany" should i still swap?

Up to you, some people have said they're only good for a year.

Today, got started on this project. I decided to go with Windo-Weld...it's available locally and after doing research on other car forums, it looks like it will fit the bill. To mitigate the issue of slow drying, I'm going to build it up in stages, allowing the layer below to mostly dry first.

The WW was $25 at autozone and the caulk gun was $2.50 at Lowes. $7 pizza. I ran some M8 x 1.25 bolts into the 2 holes on each mount, so the holes and some space above them won't be filled.

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Report back in 5 years...lol

Hmm, I have some two part polyurethane left over from filling my gearbox mount. It worked very well.

I also have a pair of Made in Germany Meyle motor mounts sitting here...wondering if I should tape them up and pour the urethane in to fill that gap.

It seems like a good idea...are there any possible draw backs?

Might be how long this build takes me :icon107:

As long as you don't cut in/away on the original material, I think the worst you can do is change how firm they are. I don't think (but have no real world account) that this mod will really affect the stiffness radically. I mean, worst case scenario, they fail just as often as normal cheap aftermarket mounts and are a little stiffer.

The engineer in my brain keeps saying the WW will separate from the original stuff, and just become a ring of loose stuff. However, it might keep the original stuff together better, for longer. And shield it from heat and drying out.

I have honestly kicked around doing something like this with the rubber center clutch I have for my automatic damper to clutch conversion. Something to go around the outside to keep the original rubber from cracking and chunking off.

I've also wondered if something like this could keep my disintegrating damper from disintegrating all the way. It's got holes but is not totally dead yet.

Only problem is, it's not something I want to do twice. So if I'm getting in far enough to get at the damper, it's getting replaced. But may coat the rubber in the new clutch with it. Just to see. Don't think it can hurt.

My thought is, you may apply the stuff unevenly and find yourself with a nasty imbalance situation.

I thought that too. But I'm thinking the diameter is small enough, and if I don't go crazy on it, a few fractions of an ounce here and there shouldn't throw it off too terribly much. I just wonder if it would help keep the rubber together. Or just fly off itself after a few years.......

Prob just leave it as is, and run till it dies.