dome bearings worth replacing?

[chris285]

getting new suspension soon, gonna replace the bushes as well and website i will be getting the fk kit from says to replace the dome mountings when the car is above 50k. but i have heard conflicting things on this, some say don't bother

mine has done 70k and the ride feels poor and jelly like, and when i hit bumps the steering goes light on some of em

should i bother with the dome mountings, or get 15mm spacers for each rear wheel?

 

[ACH]

Not speaking from experience here but what i'm actually gonna do is not replace them and go the poly bush route with my funds. BTW rear spacers are such a good mod.... I found a vast difference when I put mine on.

 

[chris285]

whats a good width of spacer to use? as some people extend the rear wheel base by 30mm overall and some by like 20, whats the best to do? as i want the best overall handling i can get

 

[ACH]

You can buy 15 mm hubcentric ones but i went for the cheap option and got the 10 mm non hubcentric ones from halfords for i think it was 10-15 quid. You will need some longer wheel bolts though (and locking nuts if you use them).

 

[chris285]

which gives the better results out of the 2?

and also would 10mm on each wheel or 15mm be best?

 

[ACH]

My opinion is that wider is always better......... but depending on your wheel and tyre choice the smaller spacer might be required due to rubing on the arch. Its a suck it and see thing if you want the widest track possible.

 

[edc]

For the price of a new set of top mounts and bearings you might as well replace the lot. Mine were shagged by 35k let alone 50k. They have to come off when doing the suspension anyway.

 

[m0rk]

don't buy anything 'special' just new OE ones are fine

wooly handling also likely to be down to tired wishbone bushes too

 

[hopkinsgm]

...some people extend the rear wheel base by 30mm overall and some by like 20...

Sorry to be a pedant, but people widen the track by 20mm or 30mm, not extend the wheelbase. Track is measured from the centreline of each wheel on the same axle. Wheelbase is measured from the centre of the front wheel to the centre of the rear wheel.

Widening the rear track will make the rear end a bit more stable when pressing on, though tbh i've always rather liked the slightly nervous rear end - however, at stock tyre pressures, the rear end breaks loose rather suddenly and with not a lot of warning. It's well worth fiddling with tyre pressures - raising the rear pressures a couple of psi can make the rear end break away far more progressively (albeit slightly earlier). Personally, i'd rather sacrifice a little ultimate grip to get a little more warning when it's all about to go pear shaped so I get the chance to remedy the situation before it swaps ends. And fiddling with tyre pressures is much cheaper than buying spacers. Seems I just can't shake those northern tendencies...

 

[chris285]

how much are stock dome mountings anyway if i got em from german and swedish or a dealer?

i might as well do the whole lot if thats the case, kit+mountings+bushes+spacers all in one i was just thinking about leaving the mountings thats all

sorry about my lack of descriptive correctiveness, i meant moving the rear wheels further out towards the outisde of the car by the said amount

i have to say last night i was driving back to my gf's and my car felt great, no idea why but i was flying taking corners that bit faster than normal

 

[hopkinsgm]

Get the top mounts done - not an expensive part and the strut assembly has to be taken apart to replace 'em, so you might as well have 'em changed whilst everything's in bits anyway.

np about the terminology - as i said earlier, just me being a pedant/engineer (delete as you see fit )

...i was driving back to my gf's...i was flying taking corners that bit faster than normal...

On a promise?

 

[ibiza_95]

On a promise?

lol

 

[chris285]

lol, nah there was an audi a3 behind me to start but i soon left him behind lol

where is the best place to get the rop mounts from and how much would they be?

 

[ACH]

£24 ea from the dealer...... if I remember rightly.........

 

[chris285]

that each or for a full set do yah know?

Front Top Mount
Rear Top Mount Kit - Includes two upper and two lower mounts, one kit required per vehicle

is that what i would need for the job?

 

[ACH]

It was each for the front top mount. I can confirm this with a call to the dealers next time i'm passing (not likely within a week or 2).

I'd just give ECP or GSF a call m8, job done

Please let us all know how it goes cos i'd love to know

 

[chris285]

i think i will just have a word with german and swedish with the local branch, do that + spacers and the suspension kit

hopefully will be done in the next 4 weeks or so just gotta wait for payday, so will keep you updated