CS transmission mount review - nice piece
09-26-2015, 04:16 AM
#1
CS transmission mount review - nice piece I was pleasantly surprised by a product today so I thought I'd post a subjective review.
I just put the latest cs trans mount in and I'm very happy with the results.
They made it Monday, shipped it Tuesday, and I got it yesterday. They were very transparent about the availability and transit time for my zip code, which I appreciated.
I've had several sets of motor mounts and a few stock trans mounts.
I'm very picky about NVH, and this mount added absolutely none to my current setup (for reference- rs blue motor mounts, ls7 clutch). The material is a very nice 'soft' poly (doesn't even feel like poly really, more like rubber).
As you know, the stock trans mount was designed to let the whole drivetrain 'flex' up and down a bit while suspending it enough to absorb all vibrations- which it does well.. but this benefit disappears when you add stiffer motor mounts and retain a stock trans mount, because it then begins to absorb more torque than it was designed to handle. In time, it will separate/fail, or just drive you nuts due to movement.. or cause shifting issues in some cases.
This cs mount holds everything in a firm but forgiving position. The material they used extends from the bottom of the mount to the top, which meets the bottom of the transmission and creates a perfect balance of support and vibration suppression. I can't speak to the earlier versions of their mount, but it seems they nailed it this time.
The current mount I had in was a stocker with about 50k miles. I also had a rs insert in it, and the rubber had separated from one side, allowing the trans to lift up and roll/twist under throttle. This created several issues:
- a terrible 'rising' feeling in the whole drivetrain and front end of the car while under throttle (any throttle), requiring increased feathering of the clutch and gas
- the whole drivetrain would drop and thump on (any) on/off throttle application
- the twisting/lifting action would change the alignment specs slightly, causing a slight pull and/or wandering
- shutdown rattled as if I still had the original flywheel and/or failed motor mounts
- road 'whoopee' dips, bumps in the road, etc, all required more finesse to manage due to everything flailing around
- corners/c.o.g. felt less controlled- I assume due to the unnatural weight shift
All of those issues went away with this trans mount. It keeps everything planted as it should be. The clutch and gas feel independent again. No bucking under throttle taps, car tracks a little straighter than before with less steering correction, shutdown is smooth again, and I actually have less overall vibration than before at all speeds because the whole drivetrain isn't 'airborne'. (I was blaming the motor mounts for a while but they are still in great condition)
I've been through 3 stock trans mounts- my original, and 2 others I bought from people that had 'low miles'. I've also had the rs insert in all of them...and all three separated. My OPINION is that PERHAPS the insert statically over extends a (USED!) stock mount too much, even more than it would sit if brand new, speeding up the separation of the rubber from the frame..and it's all downhill from there. Again this is just my observation based on experience, not a scientific experiment. It's a great idea in concept, and it can certainly improve a bad shifting situation if drivetrain alignment is off that bad. Once more, I'm NOT saying the insert causes a stock trans mount to fail.. but I am saying if you've been through this like I have, what you probably need now is a whole mount, not a temporary fix.
In my opinion, if you have anything but stock motor mounts this trans mount is a no brainer. It's half the price of the stock mount, but more importantly, aftermarket motor mounts hold the motor in a firmer position (and I think some higher than stock, but won't get into that here!), which puts added strain on the stock mount, causing it to flex up and down more than intended from the factory. This cs mount perfectly complements aftermarket motor mounts.
We'll see in time how it holds up, but for now I am happy.
Bottom line, it's a good match for aftermarket motor mounts and would probably be a worthy replacement for a high mileage car with stock motor mounts.
I just put the latest cs trans mount in and I'm very happy with the results.
They made it Monday, shipped it Tuesday, and I got it yesterday. They were very transparent about the availability and transit time for my zip code, which I appreciated.
I've had several sets of motor mounts and a few stock trans mounts.
I'm very picky about NVH, and this mount added absolutely none to my current setup (for reference- rs blue motor mounts, ls7 clutch). The material is a very nice 'soft' poly (doesn't even feel like poly really, more like rubber).
As you know, the stock trans mount was designed to let the whole drivetrain 'flex' up and down a bit while suspending it enough to absorb all vibrations- which it does well.. but this benefit disappears when you add stiffer motor mounts and retain a stock trans mount, because it then begins to absorb more torque than it was designed to handle. In time, it will separate/fail, or just drive you nuts due to movement.. or cause shifting issues in some cases.
This cs mount holds everything in a firm but forgiving position. The material they used extends from the bottom of the mount to the top, which meets the bottom of the transmission and creates a perfect balance of support and vibration suppression. I can't speak to the earlier versions of their mount, but it seems they nailed it this time.
The current mount I had in was a stocker with about 50k miles. I also had a rs insert in it, and the rubber had separated from one side, allowing the trans to lift up and roll/twist under throttle. This created several issues:
- a terrible 'rising' feeling in the whole drivetrain and front end of the car while under throttle (any throttle), requiring increased feathering of the clutch and gas
- the whole drivetrain would drop and thump on (any) on/off throttle application
- the twisting/lifting action would change the alignment specs slightly, causing a slight pull and/or wandering
- shutdown rattled as if I still had the original flywheel and/or failed motor mounts
- road 'whoopee' dips, bumps in the road, etc, all required more finesse to manage due to everything flailing around
- corners/c.o.g. felt less controlled- I assume due to the unnatural weight shift
All of those issues went away with this trans mount. It keeps everything planted as it should be. The clutch and gas feel independent again. No bucking under throttle taps, car tracks a little straighter than before with less steering correction, shutdown is smooth again, and I actually have less overall vibration than before at all speeds because the whole drivetrain isn't 'airborne'. (I was blaming the motor mounts for a while but they are still in great condition)
I've been through 3 stock trans mounts- my original, and 2 others I bought from people that had 'low miles'. I've also had the rs insert in all of them...and all three separated. My OPINION is that PERHAPS the insert statically over extends a (USED!) stock mount too much, even more than it would sit if brand new, speeding up the separation of the rubber from the frame..and it's all downhill from there. Again this is just my observation based on experience, not a scientific experiment. It's a great idea in concept, and it can certainly improve a bad shifting situation if drivetrain alignment is off that bad. Once more, I'm NOT saying the insert causes a stock trans mount to fail.. but I am saying if you've been through this like I have, what you probably need now is a whole mount, not a temporary fix.
In my opinion, if you have anything but stock motor mounts this trans mount is a no brainer. It's half the price of the stock mount, but more importantly, aftermarket motor mounts hold the motor in a firmer position (and I think some higher than stock, but won't get into that here!), which puts added strain on the stock mount, causing it to flex up and down more than intended from the factory. This cs mount perfectly complements aftermarket motor mounts.
We'll see in time how it holds up, but for now I am happy.
Bottom line, it's a good match for aftermarket motor mounts and would probably be a worthy replacement for a high mileage car with stock motor mounts.
10-06-2015, 07:07 PM
#3
Staging Lane
Join Date: May 2015
Location: San Tan Valley, AZ
Posts: 54
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I used the CS trans mount. Love it.
I also put in their motor mounts and adjustable shifter.
The shifter is pretty trick, as you can adjust how much you want to shorten the throw. I wanted to shorten a little bit but not make the effort harder or have such a tight pattern that I can't find a gear.
Highly suggested item if such a thing interests you.
I also put in their motor mounts and adjustable shifter.
The shifter is pretty trick, as you can adjust how much you want to shorten the throw. I wanted to shorten a little bit but not make the effort harder or have such a tight pattern that I can't find a gear.
Highly suggested item if such a thing interests you.
10-07-2015, 10:26 AM
#6
The CS mount is nice, if i had the money I wouldnt mind buying it if my oem mount took a ****. However, I have the revshift insert on my stock trans mount that has 211,000 miles on it, with about 40-50k miles on the insert itself, and has never came apart or catastrophically failed. If it ever does, which it hasn't yet, ill be upgrading to the CS mount.