I'm making a start on my new project and I have noticed that the diff mounts are different from my previous Indy. They have some rubber mounts in them.

Are these any good? any one using them?
I don't know if MK changed the design because they were rubbish or if it was just cheaper to use plain mounting plates.


diff mts sml

Cheers

Mark

Ive not seen any like that on a Indy Mark,must have been a one off,is it rubber mounted on the bottom of the diff aswell,can't see from that picture.

Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type
Graham

I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen.

When was that chassis produced ? as paul says it may well be a one off.

The lower mounts are just the same Paul.

Must be a very early chassis then. It looks as if it could be ok but if it isn't I guess now would be a better time to change it rather than after the car is built!

Can any one ID the bushes?

Cheers

Mark

Could be a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it,if its lasted that long it must be quite strong,all depending on how its been driven and what engine has been fitted in it,and if the bushes are worn,and if so can you get hold of any.

Are they steel outer and middle with rubber centre ? if so they could well be cortona Mk IV/V void bushes which went in the diff top either side.

I don't think they are cortina ones - they don't look like pictures I have seen of those.

The car has never been driven so I can't tell if it's "if it ain't broke don't fix it" or not

Mark i thinkone of Tim windmill's cars had diff mounts like that
Graham

I'm pretty sure they were changed after somebodys diff managed to break loose, I think ours was 1 of the first cars with the newer type diff mounts, Altho that contradicts 2 other comments on here

"I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen"

AND

"Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type"

I'd most agree with the 2nd (Jacko's) of the above comments and timescales.

quote:

---

Originally posted by MkIndy7
I'm pretty sure they were changed after somebodys diff managed to break loose, I think ours was 1 of the first cars with the newer type diff mounts, Altho that contradicts 2 other comments on here

"I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen"

AND

"Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type"

I'd most agree with the 2nd (Jacko's) of the above comments and timescales.

---

Mark why not go the whole hog and fit a De-Dion axle?

[Edited on 9/11/08 by jacko]

It concerns me that one might have failed so maybe I'll change the mounts - on the other hand maybe I should go the whole hog as you say Jacko!

Seems like a good idea to me to have the diff rubber mounted, far less vibration/noise transmitted though the chassis. It's really a question of as to whether the mounting are up to the job, if they are I would say keep it as it is. IMHO Ray

quote:

---

Originally posted by MkIndy7
I'm pretty sure they were changed after somebodys diff managed to break loose, I think ours was 1 of the first cars with the newer type diff mounts, Altho that contradicts 2 other comments on here

"I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen"

AND

"Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type"

I'd most agree with the 2nd (Jacko's) of the above comments and timescales.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chippy
Seems like a good idea to me to have the diff rubber mounted, far less vibration/noise transmitted though the chassis. It's really a question of as to whether the mounting are up to the job, if they are I would say keep it as it is. IMHO Ray

---

Rubber diff mounts ARE DEFINITELY THE PROPER WAY TO GO.

Anyone saying different doesn't know a lot about NVH and the effects of vibration and shock loads.

Remember that Westfield debacle? A compliantly mounted diff would have forgiven the poorly designed back end, in all probability.

KEEP THE RUBBER MOUNTS!!!!

There WILL be many broken mounts in the cars with solid mounted diffs in the future. It just may take a bit of time, because of the low useage these cars get.

If the diff housings don't crack, then the chassis mounts definitely will.

Cheers,
Syd.

Mark

Just had a look through some of the older cars from MK owners, only one i could find with rubber mounts is Dean Caulfields car.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=4tank.JPG

Dean is listed on here as DEAN C. he is a top bloke and would probably know the bush from memory

[Edited on 9/11/08 by bob]

Change them quick!!!
My first indy had it diff mounted like that, it lasted about 50 miles before it tore the lower mounts off. Buy the new plate from MK, grind the old ones off and simply plug weld the new ones onto the outside of the transmission tunnel.

I'd suggest that Syd is correct in principle here and the rest of you are right in practice.

IE we should all be running rubber mounts but due to limited use we get away with it. The problem with that diff mount might be the lack of support it gets - if you look at the diff mounts on the cars i've seen, they're basically solid from the top hole to the bottom hole - so there is much more metal to withstand the forces put on it.

As usual, no qualifications in this just using hopefully logical guessing. If i'm wrong i'd appreciate a numpty explanation why so i can understand myself for future reference.

Ah, so rubber mounting is good, but not this particular implementation?

I suppose this could be reinforced?

Think I would chop them off then Mark,get a couple of plates from MK and weld them in,if you leave it,they dont look very strong,there's a chance it could do a bit of damage if the diff breaks away,I am not saying rubber mount would not be a good idea,but you may be best sticking with something proven,you could aways fit a trt propshaft to cushion the drive.

mmmmm I think I'll do that Paul - as you say it's reasonably proven.

Cheers

Mark

quote:

---

Originally posted by bob

quote:

---

Originally posted by MkIndy7
I'm pretty sure they were changed after somebodys diff managed to break loose, I think ours was 1 of the first cars with the newer type diff mounts, Altho that contradicts 2 other comments on here

"I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen"

AND

"Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type"

I'd most agree with the 2nd (Jacko's) of the above comments and timescales.

---

So i didnt purchase my chassis in 2001 and the diff isnt hard mounted.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by MkIndy7

quote:

---

Originally posted by bob

quote:

---

Originally posted by MkIndy7
I'm pretty sure they were changed after somebodys diff managed to break loose, I think ours was 1 of the first cars with the newer type diff mounts, Altho that contradicts 2 other comments on here

"I've not seen any like that either, mine is a 2001 chassis and the diff is hard mounted like all the others i've seen"

AND

"Mark i have see one like that it was when i picked my chassis up 2003 and martin was making / fitting the original sierra diff mount at the rear of the diff
If i was you i would remove that and fit the new type"

I'd most agree with the 2nd (Jacko's) of the above comments and timescales.

---

So i didnt purchase my chassis in 2001 and the diff isnt hard mounted.

---

I wasn't massively doubting what you'd said, I was just of the opinion that for as long as i've known and been involved with the Mk's which sounds about the same length of time as Jacko the story has been,

As Browny Confirms:

"diff mounts

Change them quick!!!
My first indy had it diff mounted like that, it lasted about 50 miles before it tore the lower mounts off. Buy the new plate from MK, grind the old ones off and simply plug weld the new ones onto the outside of the transmission tunnel."


Maybe Mk made them solid at first for your car and then later attempted to rubber mount it which later failed so they reverted back to solid mounting.

---

Find out what the rubber mounts came off, or were meant to fit, and find some harder poly bushes.

The poly will not tear as easily as rubber, and should be tougher/harder by virtue of the material itself.

Don't hard mount the diff. You will come to regret it.

Cheers,
Syd.

Further update:

I spoke to Martin Keenan this morning who told me that he only did 3 chassis like that as an experiment.

He replaced the mounts on his own chassis as they broke straight away - I guess Browny had another, so mine is probably now one of only 2 in existance!

He seems to think the bushes are peugeot 205 wishbones or something.

He feels that if reinforced then they might be ok.

If anyone has any suggestions as to the best way to reinforce the brackets, I would be very grateful

Cheers

Mark

His memory must be playing tricks on him as my chassis has the same mounts too.