Little help: what's this?

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BradHatton

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Hi all, just wanted to know what it is that I've highlighted on this image.

Curious as its taking a beating when Im driving on and off my drive, haha.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355828248229090

Any help appreciated :)
 
dog bone or torque mount. basically engine stabilizer mount that bolts to subframe and gearbox
 
BradHatton said:
Thanks. Not doing major damage then, just giving a bolt a good bashing? :lol:
Click to expand...

Surely if it's taking a clouting it could damage the casing it's bolted into? Otherwise be careful it doesn't mess up the head making it hard to get a socket onto it if required - ie to replace clutch.

It might be worth replacing the bolt with a mushroom headed Allen socket type so it's less likely to catch?
 
It's the lower engine mount/ or a sit is more commonly known the "dog-bone".

When the engine is placed under load (pulling away/reversing/changing gear etc) the torque causes it to rock back and forth in the engine bay. This mount is there to control how much it rocks.

Upgrades are available in the form of

Inserts - which simply fit into the voids/holes the standard bush that you circled. These are cheaper/easier to fit than polybush and still retain a portion of the original rubber bushes damping abilities
Polybush - this completely replaces the standard rubber bush with a harder more durable plastic. These are slightly more involved to fit (old bush has to be completely removed and new one pressed into place) however pretty much remove any give in the bush, which can improve gear changes etc. They can transfer more NVH into the cabin though
 
Graham22 said:
Surely if it's taking a clouting it could damage the casing it's bolted into? Otherwise be careful it doesn't mess up the head making it hard to get a socket onto it if required - ie to replace clutch.

It might be worth replacing the bolt with a mushroom headed Allen socket type so it's less likely to catch?
Click to expand...

Well to be honest it's not like I drag it along the floor doing 60. I have a gate stop to get over every time I want to get onto my drive and as the car is lowered, I potter on over it, sometimes it catches, sometimes it doesn't. Very slowly, so I can't imagine it's doing it a lot of bad.
 
Lewis583 said:
It's the lower engine mount/ or a sit is more commonly known the "dog-bone".

When the engine is placed under load (pulling away/reversing/changing gear etc) the torque causes it to rock back and forth in the engine bay. This mount is there to control how much it rocks.

Upgrades are available in the form of

Inserts - which simply fit into the voids/holes the standard bush that you circled. These are cheaper/easier to fit than polybush and still retain a portion of the original rubber bushes damping abilities
Polybush - this completely replaces the standard rubber bush with a harder more durable plastic. These are slightly more involved to fit (old bush has to be completely removed and new one pressed into place) however pretty much remove any give in the bush, which can improve gear changes etc. They can transfer more NVH into the cabin though
Click to expand...

Sorry mate having trouble understanding what exactly you mean, but in terms of the inserts, I presume you mean the insert fits into the surround of the bolt/nut/torque mount and where it's inserted? So it sits snug around it?
 
ecsdogbone3.jpg


It simply fills the voids/holes in the rubber around where the bolt head is on your picture.

Remove the bolt
Install insert,
Bolt back in & job jobbed
 
Lewis583 said:
ecsdogbone3.jpg


It simply fills the voids/holes in the rubber around where the bolt head is on your picture.

Remove the bolt
Install insert,
Bolt back in & job jobbed
Click to expand...

Thanks for that mate.

So presumably this method makes it tuck up further, or makes it more flush so that it pokes less, therefore isn't so likely to catch?
 
BradHatton said:
Thanks for that mate.

So presumably this method makes it tuck up further, or makes it more flush so that it pokes less, therefore isn't so likely to catch?
Click to expand...

By the look of it I bet it sits lower as you have the insert (it's upside down in the pic) then the nice big shiny washer to hold it all in, then another washer and the bolt, prob adds 8-10mm to the current bolt (and maybe why there is a new bolt possibly longer)

Looks good though, would have thought a great MOT fix for a failing mounting as it reduces movement and covers up the original rubber! They are a real mission to change, as said needs a press to remove/refit original

I personally would be concerned if I was catching the bolt, if you loose that bolt the engine & gearbox is able to rotate & could cause mega problems
 
Boon said:
By the look of it I bet it sits lower as you have the insert (it's upside down in the pic) then the nice big shiny washer to hold it all in, then another washer and the bolt, prob adds 8-10mm to the current bolt (and maybe why there is a new bolt possibly longer)

Looks good though, would have thought a great MOT fix for a failing mounting as it reduces movement and covers up the original rubber! They are a real mission to change, as said needs a press to remove/refit original

I personally would be concerned if I was catching the bolt, if you loose that bolt the engine & gearbox is able to rotate & could cause mega problems
Click to expand...

Hmm, food for thought. Having said that though, when you consider that people are running their A3's another inch or two lower than mine, I'd imagine there's is catching a hell of a lot more than mine is.. And not only will there's be catching at speed, it will be smashing off all kinds of surfaces. Where as mine literally just nudges itself over the stop, literally snail pace. Sometimes I feel the car slightly raise as it obviously catches the bolt, then again, other times it completely misses it and I hear nothing.
 
mike foster said:
What are you 'bumping' mate ? Seems to me you have got your answer !
Click to expand...

Sorry mate I didn't make that very clear.

I was generally bumping in hope of getting a response to the various solutions/methods stated above - or of any other ways of solving the problem I've talked about. Maybe it's time for another thread?
 
Yeah why not ? Now you know what the thing is you can try a thread title a little bit more definitive !

Sorry but I can't help.
 
Raise it slightly? only needs 1 or 2 mm's to clear. or drive over the obstacle at a different angle so the car doesn't hit the highest part of the obstacle.
 
audi upgrades
smurfworth said:
Raise it slightly? only needs 1 or 2 mm's to clear. or drive over the obstacle at a different angle so the car doesn't hit the highest part of the obstacle.
Click to expand...

I refuse to raise it mate, it's sitting lovely :) haha.

Also, the angle I drive at it alters day by day obviously, but it does catch every now and then as I said, but thanks for the help mate.
 
I knew you wouldnt want to raise it, had my last a3 on JOM's and tbh all it would take is around 1 turn on the front of the coilovers. you wouldnt notice a difference to look at. i could never go over speed bumps normally and had to take them on one side of the car else this bit would hit the ground.

It'll be fine, one of the strongest parts of the car, i wouldnt worry about it tbh.
 
smurfworth said:
I knew you wouldnt want to raise it, had my last a3 on JOM's and tbh all it would take is around 1 turn on the front of the coilovers. you wouldnt notice a difference to look at. i could never go over speed bumps normally and had to take them on one side of the car else this bit would hit the ground.

It'll be fine, one of the strongest parts of the car, i wouldnt worry about it tbh.
Click to expand...

The A3's body wise just do not look low IMO

Mine is 25mm off being wound all the way down on front & is wound all the way down on rear and it doesn't look low, you can only tell its lowered by the arches, even though I'm on 17's, I slightly tuck tyre:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1355915078681057

But anyway, more to the point. Thanks for your response, I figured it would be a strong little ****** and it wasn't much to worry about but I'm just checking - better to be safe than sorry.
 
mookster said:
The easiest fix is to lower the height of your gate stop :whistle2:

Seriously though, if the gatestop has room for manouvre then it's worth looking at.
Click to expand...

Easier said than done.. My step dad would go nuts if he knew I had messed with it :lol:

I suggested a retractable stop to him and he came back with 'or have your car at a normal height like everybody else'
...... Touché
 
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if it's just the bolt thats catching I would take the bolt out, take it to a decent hardware/ toolwarehouse and and ask for a similar size and thread bolt but in a hexagon dome head type. I'd also be wanting a high tensile bolt and not a mild steel zinc coated one, because i'm pretty sure the standard bolts are high tensile. You'll probably be ok with a stainless steel bolt.
 
Pepsi said:
if it's just the bolt thats catching I would take the bolt out, take it to a decent hardware/ toolwarehouse and and ask for a similar size and thread bolt but in a hexagon dome head type. I'd also be wanting a high tensile bolt and not a mild steel zinc coated one, because i'm pretty sure the standard bolts are high tensile. You'll probably be ok with a stainless steel bolt.
Click to expand...

I think that's what's catching. That seems to be the only thing sitting lower than the undertray - the picture is above, have a look for yourself :)

And thanks, so does this bolt just have a shallower head, so it's not as likely to catch?
 
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