Originally posted by Haze_Performance: I ordered the "ULTIMATE DOG BONE" and "EIBACH LOWERING SPRING SET (1" DROP)" I used a creit card. How long should it take to get it? I used UPS Ground for shipping
Well I installed the Springs, Shocks, Struts & Dogbone today. Only one problem. I HATE THE ULTIMATE DOG BONE!!!! The whole damn car shakes when the engine is running. How do I stop it?!?!? I think I have to put on a new stock rubber one. The urathane bushings make it too tight, They dont absorbe ANY engine vibration.... Help.....Do all of your cars do the same thing???
No! I was lucky enough to get one from the parts car I bought last year and it was a DEFINATE improvement. I noticed just the opposite experience your having. Are you sure the Fiero Store sent you the right one for your ride? Maybe now that the bone is in it's exposing a worn motor mount and/or bushing? Good luck.
I noticed that after driving with mine a while, it softend substantially. I think the urethane just need to be broken in a bit. I had a RADICAL cam in mine, thought my fillings would fall out, but it did get quite a bit better. Maybe give it a few days of driving and it'll soften up some.
-Taiji
IP: Logged
10:59 AM
turbo86se Member
Posts: 2098 From: Carroll Valley, PA Registered: Oct 1999
I've got the motor mount on both my Fieros, a V6 and a 4-cyl. The dogbone made the 4-cyl vibrate a little more, mainly at idle, you could really feel it thru the seats. I liked it! On the V6, I really didn't feel any difference, if you want to sell yours, LMK, if it's for a V6!
I have one on my v-6. Took about 5-7 days of driving, to soften the urethane up a little. Mine was solid at first(not as bad as you are making it to be though)and gradually softened. Now I don't feel the engine running at idle. Can only tell by the tach or exhaust sound. The stock rubber felt the same. I replaced both tranny mounts along with the dogbone. The engine mount looked fine. I say, check/replace your mounts.
I can only speak for the 4 cyl but yes indeed on doing the same thing!
This spring I put in the Ultimate Dog Bone, new new motor & tranny mounts plus the polyurethane cradle bushings all at the same time. I was expecting to get more vibration but was surprised at the extent. In addition to the motor vibes in the seat there were some rattles brought to my attention that I didn't know were there as well.
Maybe it'll get smoother but I'm not counting on it. Right now I'm grinnin' & bearing it.
Originally posted by Haze_Performance: Well I installed the Springs, Shocks, Struts & Dogbone today. Only one problem. I HATE THE ULTIMATE DOG BONE!!!! The whole damn car shakes when the engine is running. How do I stop it?!?!? I think I have to put on a new stock rubber one. The urathane bushings make it too tight, They dont absorbe ANY engine vibration.... Help.....Do all of your cars do the same thing???
Haze - I put an Ultimate in my '87 coupe about two months ago and - HOLY COW - what a mess! Every panel in the passenger compartment rattles or buzzes and the car just feels downright rough. I can handle the general roughness but the rattles and buzzes are driving me crazy. It's not something I like to deal with on a daily basis.
BTW, I did replace all three mounts at the same time as the dog bone.
Originally posted by 87ECO5: Haze - I put an Ultimate in my '87 coupe about two months ago and - HOLY COW - what a mess! Every panel in the passenger compartment rattles or buzzes and the car just feels downright rough. I can handle the general roughness but the rattles and buzzes are driving me crazy. It's not something I like to deal with on a daily basis.
BTW, I did replace all three mounts at the same time as the dog bone.
I had the rest of the mounts looked at and they were good. The car only has 42,000 on it. The stock bone wasnt too bad, It just had a little movement when shifting from D to R.
read this article about 86.5 4 cyl with automatic and the tourque strut. https://www.fiero.nl/ogre/atmstrut.htm It explains allot of the problem with engine vibration.
The tripod mount 4 cyls will do this to a lesser extent because of the single engine mount and 2 tranny mounts. The V6 does it less still since it has 4 mounts with 2 on the block and 2 on the tranny. They will all transfer more vibration with polly strut mounts.
In this case more mounts than the strut where put in. This likely amplified the vibration that the old worn cradle mounts where hiding. If any of the engine or trnny mounts are shot this will be even worse.
Don't use polly motor mounts! You want the motor mounts to give. Remeber also that NEW rubber mounts are FAR stiffer than what you replace. I recomend replacing the motor/tranny mounts as a set and from the same manufacturor. (I never ever put polly engine/tranny mounts in anything but very high HP or race only setups.)
In summary.
The polly bushings in the Ultimate dogbone server a fix for a specific problem in 86+ 4cyl automatics. This fix comes at the price of increased vibration.
In other Fiero's it's a matter of personal preference, and a few other factors, what if any benifit the poly strut is. In these cars I might consider making a setup where one end of the old style strut get's a polly bushing to limit travel but leave the body end rubber to isolate light vibration. I generally don't think the fully poly is a good choice for most stock cars. Unfortunatly GM changed the design to the strut and the new one is just junk. You'r choices are the junky new one, a revamped old style pulled from scrap or the aftermarket full polly.
IP: Logged
05:50 PM
Jul 27th, 2000
filthyscarecrow Member
Posts: 637 From: minneapolis, MN USA Registered: Jul 2000
you're gonna think i'm crazy. yuo're probably right... anyway, my did found a cheap replacement for the rubber bushings in the dogbone. he used rollerskate wheels. they were the exact right size and just needed to be drilled out. the car felt a little rougher at first, but now it only holds the engine, it doesn't cause vibration or anything. i can rev the engine up and it does not move at all.. the way it's supposed to be. i think they were off of some cheapo walmart skates. and for some reason, i think the stock strut looks cooler than the untimate dogbone. i told you i was crazy...
------------------ me go fast.
IP: Logged
12:56 AM
Jul 28th, 2000
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
I HAD to go to ultimate dogbone-i kept breaking the OEM ones. Might be a little stiffer just like suspension with urathane but not a real problem. Want to really rattle your teeth try driving a racing stock car with NO rubber motor and trans mounts.
I was considering going with poly dogbome bushings, but after reading some of the above posts, I'm not so sure anymore. So today I looked for an OEM-style dogbone at Pep-Boys, NAPA, Advance, and Auto Zone. Surprisigly, none of these places even listed the part! Anybody know where I can find an OEM dogbone? What about poly replacement bushings? Any local sources?
the OE strut is available at all those places but is special order. It's called a torque reaction strut. It's in the computer system but is hard to find. look with motor mounts. Last one I got was about $40us.
Just for reference, I have the OE strut with the add on polly(black). I like it better than the "ultimate" bones too. I'm keeping a mostly stock car and updating things that need it or that I want. Like adding power windows and replacing the cracked dash. The average person looking under the deck would never notice the polly strut bushings which is the way I want mine.
The best fix for the 86.5&up 4 cyl auto problem is to retrofit the older tranny mounts. Eventually I will do that but for now the polly bushings in the strut protect both the exhaust and the intake from repeated breakage. I'd rather have vibration than break engine parts. (With stock struts the exhaust has broken at least 3 times. The intake was getting pounded to where it was likely to break soon.)
As far as skate wheels, most are polly urethane these days same as the aftermarket bushings. Nice thing about them is that they are available in differant hardness factors. The ones you used may be a little softer than the AM ones we've been using.
------------------ Lake Superior? Is that what I stepped in? Sorry.
[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 07-29-2000).]
Thanks guys for the parts sources. I guess the counter sales folks didn't look very hard when I asked for a "torque strut AKA dogbone"!
Just wondering... How do you remove the rubber bushings from an OEM dogbone? Mine is an '86 2.8 liter with the round bushings and continuous "rib" running around the outside of the casting.
IP: Logged
01:29 PM
lowCG Member
Posts: 1510 From: seattle,WA U.S.A. Registered: Jun 99
I went to urethane motor mounts,and scrapped the dogbone,I like it,not much bad vibration at all.First did it on my old Lancia,using old skateboard wheels,but I just bought them this time around. Actually the dogbone was improved before with some Mazda upper rear shock mounts(way better rubber)trimmed,then stuffed into the ends after pushing out the old soft bushing,and I first removed/flattened the bushing destroying vane inside.Never figured out just what they were trying to achieve with that one.
I'm guessing the same way as the old style 4 cyl ones. Very carfully. You can't burn them tho, the AL won't let you get it hot enough to do any good.
You could try freezing them with dry ice. That should make them hard enough to drill holes in. I'd be affraid to try nitrogen on them because the aluminum would get really brittle too.
It's a bit hard to say since I haven't seen an old V6 strut in some time. The busshings fill the whole loop? The old 4 cyl ones don't.
IP: Logged
12:16 AM
PFF
System Bot
lowCG Member
Posts: 1510 From: seattle,WA U.S.A. Registered: Jun 99
The four cyl ones are actually a decent design,a fresh OEMdealer unit is the best compromise for a non-hotrodded engine,but the later V6s are just plain bizzare;there's a sharp,pointy vane that points towards the engine.I just hogged it out with a die grinder,and put some more rubber from around the shop back in.
My Website's 
& bearing it.
