Looks great Lynn but I still posit that you're on the wrong side of the fulcrum with respect to mechanical advantage. rrr: I saw a MINI with both the LOTF AND the TSW upper engine dampers at the RMW Charlotte tune last year....it was bouncing ALL over the place. My car had a VIP upper damper (rubber) and hardened bushings underneath...didn't move at all: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrXFz6DyRqo"]YouTube - 240whp MINI Cooper S engine damper and bushings[/ame]
Is this 02-04 only? You state that at idle it has more NVH than OEM, thats to be expected with a more solid mount. My concern with this mount as shown is as follows: 1. Shock Tower deformation. From the image below we see that the mount on the shock tower is held in pace with 3 bolts. M12X1,5X30 according to the parts listing. Your mount is only bolted in one location thus loads are not spread over an area. 2. From the image above and first hand knowledge of Part 8 there is a rubber component to the piece. Not only does this help in the NVH bit, which for your use is a non-issue, but I would have to think it also helps to absorb some of the forces that would deform the shock tower. 3. Without subsequent stiffening of the other engine and transmission mounts might the engine/tran assembly be able to rotate? Now we all know the driveway MINI is just that and you do not live at the end of the legendary Mrs Orcott's driveway (sending a mad scramble to google) have you done much more than idle and maybe rev the engine?
Same here......I had both the upper and lower poly bushings in place at my tune and the engine hardly moved compared to the other ones with just the LOTF/TSW dampers.