Pure Motorsport Solid Top Mounts & Strut Brace

[Tim.]

The Sachs might well be going off for a refurb soon so I was thinking what else should be replaced when they go back on the car - top mounts is probably a good idea, which led me to consider the PMS kit.

I cover ~4,000 fast-road miles a year, the car has Cooksport springs and a Whiteline RARB.

What are the arguments against the PMS kit in favour of a new set of standard top mounts?

 

[NorthloopCup]

All my opinion!

For : sharpens up the steering from having the solid top mounts.

Against : possibly induces an element of road noise/harshness into the car.

 

[MarkX]

do it, I don't see a down side to the top mounts (I don't have the strut bar)

 

[Keith185]

Got them on mine, pros and cons are covered by NorthloopCup. Ride is harsher but not much more though tbh, I wouldn't take them off mine.

 

[dann2707]

Ride isn't harsh at all on mine.

Negative - They can come loose so require a locking nut. Should come with the kit imo. Can just use your old one though I guess. Actually yeah this point is pretty completely invalid, move along now haha

 

[JonC219]

Apparently they've brought out a version 2 of the top mount that has ironed out the issues of the first design

So do it !

 

[TarkMalbot]

Other options are available but I can't decide which one is best to go for and the price differs so much. PMS (£130), Compbrake (£170 or £220), K-Tec (£178), Kam Racing adjustable (£194) and AST (£366).

 

[JonC219]

The thing with the PMS top mounts is they can be used with a strut brace that actually does something

 

[Tim.]

The thing is, for a car that's rarely going to go on track, is it worth it? Are the benefits strong enough exclusively for road use?

 

[botfch]

In short no.

I doubt you will be taking bends on the road fast enough or on a "racing line" to make real use of the top mounts.
On the other hand if its just a weekend toy and you like going on spirited drives through the welsh mountains etc then it might add to the fun of the drive plus its a great excuse to do some trackdays.

 

[bloke]

why run great suspension with probably the worst designed top mounts in history?

 

[botfch]

why run great suspension with probably the worst designed top mounts in history?

Whats bad about them out of interest?

 

[Fletcher]

If it's only used for fast road I would buy OEM top mounts.

 

[bloke]

Whats bad about them out of interest?

just about everything really, am struggling to find anything good to say about them??

 

[Bluebeard]

I've got to be honest, one of our cars had them fitted and I couldn't tell the difference! Lol.
New Standard ones will be better in terms if money saved. And Trophy's were hardly known for being sloppy when they were new.

 

[botfch]

just about everything really, am struggling to find anything good to say about them??

Really?
They where already on mine when I bought it so I can't say I know the difference with or without but I always thought they received good reviews.

 

[AlexW]

Updated Renault ones for road.
PMS for track.

I have PMS top mounts on my DCi, I do love them, but wouldn't put them on a purely road car. Noise/harshness is the main thing.

 

[Tim.]

Thanks everyone, very useful and informative comments. Saved me a few hundred quid too

 

[bloke]

Really?
They where already on mine when I bought it so I can't say I know the difference with or without but I always thought they received good reviews.

hang on...i was saying the standard renault ones are awful, take it you've read it as me saying the pms ones are awful?

 

[Keith185]

Sorry to deviate off the original subject but what are the revisions to the Pure Motorsport Top Mounts?

 

[dann2707]

hang on...i was saying the standard renault ones are awful, take it you've read it as me saying the pms ones are awful?

Yeah I thought you were talking about PMS mounts too!

 

[JonC219]

Sorry to deviate off the original subject but what are the revisions to the Pure Motorsport Top Mounts?

I've heard through second hand info that they've addressed the issue of the bearing circlip that can fail and cause the bearing to pop through the top mount

As said though, second hand info so don't take it as gospel

 

[MarcB]

I went for AST solid top mounts due to the fact i never wanted to drill anything and PMS mounts & strut would be over kill for me plus they where not around at the time i got mine done.

 

[Keith185]

I've heard through second hand info that they've addressed the issue of the bearing circlip that can fail and cause the bearing to pop through the top mount

As said though, second hand info so don't take it as gospel

Thanks @JonC219 , was just wondering as just replaced bearings in mine. All looked fine though.

 

[MG cup]

I have seen two faults on them, one of the bearing punching through the circlip and also the bearings becoming knackered far too quickly.

I think they revised the engineering to stop the first problem and they started giving an option of a bearing with a higher preload to cut down on premature wear.

I still swear by PMS stuff for track/motorsport.... Anything that is not quite right in the engineering of the parts is quickly fixed adjusted as its found and I have heard nothing but praise for Nick when it's raised with him personally and not aired in public.

To comment about above comment on OEM parts, the standards are pretty poor design TBH. They rely on the cone of the strut top to centre and are far from being precise, if they used a bolted type with rubberised donut in between like most other manufacturers that would be better IMO.