Best Options for: '88 rear suspension bushings, engine/trans mounts (Page 1/2)
thesameguy MAY 19, 09:05 PM
Anyone have any sage advice for these items? Brands/sources? My bushings are old, my mounts are weak! (Except the dog bone, it's poly)
ag9123 MAY 19, 10:25 PM
I would recommend poly control arm bushings for the control arms from Fierostore.com. I like the firmer steering response that they give.
Noticeably better than with the stock ( albeit 37 year old) stock bushings. I don't think the ride quality suffered at all.
Another good add was a set of Rodney Dickman lashless sway bar links in the front.
As for engine mounts, I like the OEM-style rubber as they dampen out a lot of vibration, especially at idle.
You can go for poly bushings if you're going to track it but you get the vibration problem, especially on the 4-cyl auto.
Not so much with the 2.8 or with a manual tranny.
The poly dogbone works well on the V6 but will rattle your teeth out on a 4 cyl with auto.


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1984 Indy Fiero

[This message has been edited by ag9123 (edited 05-19-2021).]

thesameguy MAY 20, 12:08 AM
I'm very interested in poly suspension but definitely not for the engine... I've not found it durable in those types of applications. The issue I'm having with the engine mounts is I can only find really low quality brands. I'm really hoping to not put DEA etc. On the car... But maybe that's what's available these days?
Will MAY 20, 07:10 AM
For the '88s rear suspension lateral links, go straight to rod ends... don't waste your time with anything else in that application. FieroGuru sells a set that's ready to do, but it's also not hard to put your own together.

Rodney Dickman makes engine & trans mounts that adapt energy suspension longitudinal GM transmission mounts to the Fiero powertrain mounts. They are plenty durable--I have them in my Northstar car--but do transmit more vibration into the cockpit than stock type rubber.

http://rodneydickman.com/pr...o.php?products_id=35
Raydar MAY 20, 07:15 AM
I like poly in the lateral and toe links, but rubber in the trailing links. (The rubber helps to absorb shocks if you hit a hole or other "thing" in the road. The poly in the other links keeps the wheel from deflecting under side loads.)
I use Rodney Dickman engine/trans mounts, after I fragged a rubber one with my 4.9. I don't notice any difference regarding vibration.
Will MAY 20, 08:35 AM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:
I don't notice any difference regarding vibration.



A Cadillac V8 is smoother than a Chevy V6 . Urethane powertrain mounts definitely transmit more vibration. It's not bothersome to me... just noticeable.

The E30 guys who hard mount their diffs are completely insane, though.
thesameguy MAY 20, 01:37 PM
I'm a little uncertain about poly motor mounts.... I'm not opposed to a little NVH, but I definitely don't want a race car. Although, I get the sense the options are garbage rubber or poly, and nothing that would be described as "OE quality" in the middle.... does that sound about right?
Raydar MAY 20, 02:42 PM

quote
Originally posted by Will:

... Urethane powertrain mounts definitely transmit more vibration. It's not bothersome to me... just noticeable.



No doubt that they do. But the rigidity is worth that to me, even when I had an automatic Duke. (Got tired of the air filter smacking the trunk wall. This was before I learned about the goofy "uni-mount".)

OTOH, I didn't even notice with the 4.9.
skywurz MAY 20, 02:56 PM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:


No doubt that they do. But the rigidity is worth that to me, even when I had an automatic Duke. (Got tired of the air filter smacking the trunk wall. This was before I learned about the goofy "uni-mount".)

OTOH, I didn't even notice with the 4.9.



LOL with my duke I always felt like i was winding up a rubber band and letting it fly around in the rear until i fixed my mounts with poly.
thesameguy MAY 20, 06:40 PM
Well, the upside is I haven't driven the car in three years, so probably I wouldn't notice the difference switching to poly mounts.