Street Unit Rear Mount and Clunk! Clunk!

[Skarbro]

First of all... HELLO! It's been a looooooong time since I've been on here. The family and work takes up all of my time. I'm going to try to visit more often though.

On to the problem...

I've been experiencing loud repeated clunk sounds under specific conditions. When I reverse under a load (i.e., up a slope, or stuck in snow), there will be loud clunk, clunk, clunk sounds and each clunk can be felt throughout the whole car. Then when starting go forward right after going in reverse, it will clunk, clunk a couple of times again then completely stop until the next time I put the car in reverse under a load. I can drive normally forward at any speed or acceleration without it clunking after that.

I ruled out the sway bar and the #3 engine mount looks normal (although I'm still not ruling that out).

So I took out the SU mount and put the stock mount back in. No more clunking anymore!

Now, I'm not putting the blame squarely on the SU mount. Maybe it was the cause - or maybe the stiffness was exposing a problem in one of the other mounts - or maybe it was something else?

I'm looking for input here. Has anyone experienced this problem? Any other ideas I should investigate?

(And before anyone suggests it - yes, everything was torqued up properly! I always use a torque wrench)

Here are some pics of the SU mount I took. I found that the rubber traveled a lot (you can see the edges around the front and rear of the rubber where the dirt was cleared when the rubber moved). Not sure if this is related or just normal. The rest of it seems pretty solid.

[Cardinal Fang]

Welcome back Skarbro.

[mleblond]

check the 2 screws that hold it together. Seems to be a "batch problem" and they forgot to put locktite. I had it on mine and sent it to SU for warranty. Just call SU.

[Skarbro]

Hey Cardi. Long time bro!

Mlblond thanks for the info. I will check but I think they are tight.

[CanadaGTO]

I've not seen loose bolts create a loose bushing before, however I have seen the mount being installed upside down do that. Did you install it with the bracket "bump" facing up or down Skarbro?

[Skarbro]

I've not seen loose bolts create a loose bushing before, however I have seen the mount being installed upside down do that. Did you install it with the bracket "bump" facing up or down Skarbro?

Hey Patrique. I know you don't remember this, but I was one of the first to install one of these mounts. You had sold me it before the instructions came out and I had originally installed it upside down, but had corrected it quickly (post #24 in this thread):

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/sh...d.php?t=17562&

As you can see, I've had it almost 2 years on the car. There's definitely something wrong with it as I no longer have the clunking sound with the stock mount in now. It looks like the bushing may have failed as the bolts are all tight.

[darkstarmotorsports]

Seems like it's time for a new mount.

Did SU ever replace it for you?