So I got used to the Z1 motor mounts pretty quick and I still like them. Someone else pointed out that they also add to header clearance if you are planning to do those. (Probably not a bad idea to do both at the same time) I thought the Z1 motor mounts were a lot smaller and lighter than the OEM motor mounts, but it turns out they only save 4 lbs.

 

about damn time someone actually put in these mounts and wrote about it. lol...nice outcome...they look intact in the pictures but were the old mounts worn out or broken at all or is the mount just better than OEM?

 

Haha! I agree. I could not find anyone who had actually installed these motor mounts so I took a chance and glad that I did. Definitely worth it, but not through a regular Nissan shop as the labor would be ridiculous. The old motor mounts were just fine as far as condition is concerned, but the new Z1 mounts definitely improve the shifting and throttle response.

 

Regular Nissan/Infiniti shops seem to only do it by dropping the sub frame (or at least charging for that method)...pretty much every independent/alternative just jacks up the engine a few inches and slides them in....

 

 

My tech did it in about 3 hours, but they tried to charge me for 7.8 hours like the Nissan book says. $858?!? Nope.

I have been searching forever for someone else who did this mod and you do it a week after me? Haha! Wait, you went with solid metal mounts without bushings? Is there a lot more NVH? Thanks!

 

 

So you really got the SOLID ALUMINUM motor mounts and not the urethane?!? Is there a lot more NVH?

 

Look what just showed up. I should be able to get this installed in the next few days. It is much more solidly constructed than the 3pc. units I have tried on other cars. I am really hoping I will notice at least a slight difference in the steering, but I have a bad feeling this may just become eye candy.

 

 

I ordered it a while ago, but it was on back order. If the part doesn't do anything, then it is just eye candy. You know, shiny and useless.

90 degree launches from a standing start? I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean starting a turn from a dead stop?

 

Yes, do that before & after.

It's not uncommon to launch hard into a turn from a dead stop, without breaking traction, while maintaining steering control. My point is, your steering will seem in more control with the FSTB. Or maybe not, you tell me.

 

That's the only place you notice a difference in your steering with a strut tower brace? That's a bummer.

 

Pretty much.

FSTB was my first mod, and the few times I've driven around since with the FSTB off the car, there was a small sense of loose steering at speed. Very small. How much of that is real vs. in my head... I don't know. Like I said, when it comes to handling perception, and based on all that I've read from you over the last few years, and based on how less and less I've actually been driving my car, I'm sure you'll have an honest opinion.

Here's another way to look at it... it didn't cost a fortune, it will be an easy DIY for 30 minutes with a torque wrench, and you check this off your mental checklist. Plus, you get to open the hood and go BAM! - Look at that bar! The yuks are that you can't downplay it, LOL. No matter how tepid your assessment, it matters to you enough to eek out whatever armchair engineering gains to be had with a solid bar without brackets. So this is fun either way.

 

I'm not too worried about it since it only cost me $31 after my gift card. But it should be a nifty experiment. Just looking at the way the strut towers are so close to the firewall (that is amazingly triangulated) made me think there would not be much gain. The only car I really noticed a difference with a strut tower brace was my '98 Subaru 2.5RS. Great car, but compared to today's cars the rigidity was probably only slightly stiffer than a wet noodle.