Engine mounts might be overlooked when it comes to vehicular maintenance. But they’re one of the most important components that keep your engine running smoothly. These mounts are shock absorbers designed to keep your engine in place, preventing excessive lurching and unnecessary vibrations while you drive. Tenacity provides a comprehensive guide to how engine mounts work, how to detect engine mount damage, and how you can tell that the mounts are due for a replacement.

How does an engine mount work?

Engine mounts are essentially shock absorbers that prevent your engine from bumping into the transmission and other components that keep your vehicle running. They have a metal frame that provides sturdy support and protection. They also have a rubber component that dampens vibrations and prevents metal-to-metal contact between your engine and the vehicle body. While engine mounts don’t require maintenance work or regular servicing, you still have to look out for signs of wear or damage. Signs of wear start to show within 5 to 7 years. Meanwhile, check for engine mount damages if you encounter road traffic accidents.

How do you detect engine mount damage?

Even the sturdiest engine mounts can get worn down over time. They aren’t completely prone to road accident-related damages either. There are many ways you can identify engine mount wear or damage. These include:

Rocky Start and Stop

Feel a sudden lurch when you start the car and turn off the ignition? That’s the most telling sign of a worn or damaged mount.

Bumpy Drives

If you experience a jolt every time you switch gears on a manual transmission car, it might be due to an engine mount that needs replacement.

Constant Vibrations

Mounts are supposed to keep your engine in place so if you can feel increased vibrations while driving, then you need to check the mounts

Impact Noises

If your engine is making more noise than what’s normal, or if you’re hearing constant clunks and bangs from the engine bay, replace the mounts.

Visual Signs

You can usually tell whether an engine mount needs to be replaced when you look at it and see significant corrosion or severe cracks in the rubber.

Even the sturdiest engine mounts can get worn down over time. They aren’t completely prone to road accident-related damages either. Consider these reasons for a worn engine mount:

Vehicle Age

Engine mounts aren’t immune to deterioration. The metal parts could become rusty, while the rubber casing could deteriorate and show cracks over time. When left alone, these seemingly minor signs of wear could cause more significant damage to the engine that the mount supposedly protects.

Driving Style

If you drive a manual transition vehicle, you have to be observant of your driving style. Slamming the brakes, over-revving the gears, and being rough with the clutch could rattle the engine and the transmission which are otherwise safely tucked into the mounts.

Improper Mount Installation

There’s a high chance of engine mount damage if you’ve previously had an engine mount replacement, or if you tried doing it by yourself, and the new mounts weren’t properly installed. Always go to a reputable service center to avoid improper mount installation

Oil or Fluid Leaks

Even the most well-maintained vehicle could experience fluid leaks. And when motor oil, transmission fluids, or other fluids start leaking onto engine mounts, they could cause rusting around the mounts or trigger the degeneration of the rubber that protects the engine.

Accidents

Whether it’s a fender-bender or something more serious, always check your engine mounts after a vehicle-related accident. Regardless of the visual damage to your car, the momentum and surface impact could still have put a dent into the engine mounts.

When should you replace your engine mounts?

Engine mounts usually provide optimal protection for 5 to 7 years. Nevertheless, it’s important that you have them checked once in a while so you can keep the engine protected and keep your driving experience smooth. You don’t need to change all your engine and transmission mounts all at once. One mount could be damaged or show greater signs of wear than another. You have to pay closer attention to those mounts. Tenacity is a premium supplier of high-quality engine mounts and aftermarket parts. The team is constantly developing its products to meet the evolving needs of the industry and, more importantly, of customers. Contact us today for inquiries about engine mounts. We’re glad to address all your concerns.

According to studies done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 45,000 accidents happen every year due to vehicle malfunctions. Due to the many moving parts that make up a car, one of them can break and threaten the integrity of the vehicle. Unfortunately, issues caused by lesser-known components like the top strut mount can be tricky to diagnose. A strut mount is a small but essential part of your car’s suspension and steering system. Despite its size, a failing strut mount bearing can have a significant and dangerous effect on the way you drive. In this article, we’ll help you diagnose top strut mount issues by providing you with some of the bad signs you need to look out for. We’ll also be answering some questions like what causes them to fail and how much it costs to replace them.

Diagnosing Top Strut Mount Issues

Despite its unassuming nature, a failing or damaged top strut mount can easily be diagnosed if you know how to look for the signs. Below are some of the symptoms that could help you determine if your car issues are being caused by a bad strut mount.

1. Strange Clunking Sounds

One of the most common signs of a failing strut mount is hearing a loud clunking or squeaking coming from the suspension system. The exact description of the sound is like hearing two metals hitting each other whenever you are turning the steering wheel. The clunking sound is due to a completely disintegrated rubber in the strut mount. The rubber is designed to provide a barrier between the strut and the mount. Without the rubber, the two components would hit each other constantly and create noise. Aside from the clunking sound, you may also hear a “boink” sign when you turn the steering wheel. This is either another sign of a damaged strut mount or a damaged coil spring. Regardless of the cause, hearing strange noises is a sign that you need to have your vehicle checked.

2. Noticeable Vibration

Aside from causing strange noises, if the rubber in the strut mount has been worn away, it won’t be able to insulate the metal parts. This causes intense vibrations when you are driving and steering.
The noise and the vibration will only get more violent the faster your drive your car. If left ignored, the vibrations may start affecting other components in the engine compartment and cause significant damage.

3. Steering Issues

One job of the strut mounts is to allow the strut to rotate easily with your car’s frame. This makes steering the vehicle easy and smooth. If one of the strut mounts is damaged, it can make it harder for the driver to maneuver using the steering wheel. The stiffness in the steering is also easily noticed when driving at low speeds.
Another related symptom you may notice is when the steering wheel doesn’t return to the center, especially after completing a turn.

4. Excess Movement

Your car’s strut mount helps cushion many imperfections that you may run into on the road. This includes uneven roads, speedbumps, and potholes. If the strut mount is damaged or has failed, it will be unable to hold the strut into place and will make your car feel more bouncy when driving.
A great way to check this out is by opening the hood and looking at the mount. Once you located the mount, apply some pressure and push down the car. A working strut mount will make the mount a little bit. If the strut mount is damaged, you’ll notice some excessive movement in the mount.

5. Uneven Tire Wear

Another symptom of a bad strut mount is uneven tire wear. A failing strut mount can contribute to the misalignment of the tires. The vibrations and the wobbling will greatly affect how the tire interacts with the road.
Misalignments will cause certain sections of the tire to look significantly worn out while other sections will remain looking brand new. You should have your vehicle checked by a professional at the first sign of tire misalignment.

6. Presence of Corrosion

Most strut mounts are made of metal. This makes them vulnerable to corrosion, this is especially true for aging strut mounts. If left unchecked, these strut mounts can break due to extreme corrosion. This will not only cause damage to other components but may even prove dangerous if strut mounts completely break while driving.

If you haven’t had your strut mounts replaced in a while or if you driving in an area that’s close to the sea, consider taking your car to a professional for proper inspection.

Why Do Top Strut Mounts Fail?

Strut mounts can last a very long time, with some having an average of 10 years before showing signs of problems. However, its longevity will still depend on how often the car is used, and what kind of environment it currently is.
For example, driving regularly close to the beach can cause corrosion over time. Off-road driving and exposure to extremely humid climates can cause the struts to wear out faster than usual.
Minor accidents can also cause the strut mounts to be damaged. If you have gotten yourself in a minor accident, be sure to remind your mechanic to also check the condition of the strut mounts.

Why Should You Replace Them?

While it’s still technically possible to drive your car despite signs of strut mount issues, ignoring it can lead to other problems. The vibrations can affect other parts of the vehicle and cause them to wear out much faster.
Your car will also be harder to maneuver while driving. This can be very dangerous since the last thing you’ll want to happen during an emergency is to lose control of your vehicle

How Much Does It Cost To Replace Them?

A strut mount should cost around $40 to $100. Replacing them may last one and a half hours to complete so you can expect to pay around $80 to $150 in labor. All in all, you can expect to pay around $120 to $250 for a complete replacement.

Do Not Ignore The Signs

When it comes to car issues, ignoring even the slightest symptom can lead to expensive repairs or something far more dangerous. If you notice any of the signs mentioned in this article, you should get in touch with professionals to have your car checked and repaired.
Tenacity Auto Parts is a professional rubber-to-metal manufacturer that provides premium quality rubber and suspension parts. If you are interested in knowing more about our products like strut mounts and bearings, Contact us today. Our team would be happy to talk about everything we have on offer.

Road traffic accidents, which result in 1.3 million fatalities every year, happen for various reasons. The most common causes are speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances, distracted driving due to mobile phones, and unsafe road infrastructure. The World Health Organization also gives inadequate traffic law enforcement as a reason for many road traffic fatalities and injuries. Regardless of the cause of your road traffic accident, however, you have to check your engine mount. Of course, you have to prioritize your health and the visible damages to your vehicle. But you also have to observe whether there are damages to the mounts which prevent your engine and transmission from moving around. If you drive your vehicle often, or if you’ve had it for a long time, you might also want to observe your engine mounts. Tenacity helps you determine whether a damaged or worn engine mount needs to be replaced.

How do you know when an engine mount needs to be replaced?

Excessive Lurching

One of the most telling signs that your engine mount needs a replacement is when you notice an excessive lurch when you start the car, experience its transition to a steady vibration. and again experience a lurch every time you turn off the ignition switch. Regarding the vibrations, you can instinctively tell whether they’re normal or if they’re rockier than they should be. Along with the constant vibration, you might also experience the occasional jolt or thump whenever you change gears or speed up. This is when your transmission and engine are working a bit harder, causing them to move around in the mounts.

Increased Vibrations

The main purpose of an engine mount is to keep your engine in place. It’s supposed to absorb any shocks or vibrations that could damage and wear down your engine. A mount’s anti-vibration properties could also improve driver or operator comfort by making sure your drive is as smooth as possible. So if you notice increased vibrations and noises while you’re driving your car, it might be a sign for you to have the engine mounts replaced. A damaged or worn mount has weaker anti-vibration properties which, in turn, make the engine move around loosely. This causes the engine to make contact with other vehicular components, causing the unusual noises you might be hearing.

Visual Wear

Clunks, bangs, and other impact noises around the engine bay aren’t the only result of a weak or damaged engine mount. You can also check whether it needs a replacement if you can see any significant corrosion on the metal part of the mount or severe cracks to the rubber part of the mount. The effectiveness of these mounts in keeping your engine in place depends on their overall shape and form. So if you see rust on the engine mount, or if you notice any large cracks or flaking on the rubber part, schedule a replacement right away. Otherwise, these seemingly harmless signs of wear could spread throughout the mount and cause greater damage to your engine.

Keep in mind that accidents and vehicular age aren’t the only possible reason for damaged engine mounts. You might also need to replace engine mounts if they were previously installed incorrectly, if you noticed fluid leaks in your motor, or if your driving techniques put a lot of pressure on the gears and the clutch.

What happens when you don’t replace an engine mount?

All engine mounts eventually need to be replaced, either when you get in a road traffic incident or when you know that the mount is past its prime. Engine mounts are typically good for 5 to 7 years.

If you wait too long to change these mounts, you’re running the following risks:

Tenacity is an established manufacturer of professional rubber-to-metal parts and a premium supplier of aftermarket parts. Its team is continuously improving engine mounts to meet customer needs.

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