hawkeye18
Sorta cares
Felt I should provide some feedback as I don't know if anybody else has used his products on here, but first a little background...
www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=104631
This thread shows the parts I'm referring to, the ATX tensioner converted to a manual setup, and the ATX motor mount/s. I purchased the tensioner a few months ago, and the mount a few days ago.
Before I get to the parts, a few words about the seller-
When I purchased the tensioner, I had pretty much next to zero money. Scott was more than willing to work with me and since I had a spare tensioner to send in as a core, he gave me a great discount. Answered his *** promptly and was nothing but a perfect gentleman.
When I purchased the mount, I had the money, but no time. Some of you may have seen the desperate thread I posted trying to get a hold of him; after my wife and I got her car back together we discovered her front motor mount had kicked the bucket, and - long story short - we had to have it replaced by this past Friday. I didn't want to get another stock mount, because frankly they suck and break quickly and soak up a lot of power.
Well, turns out Scott had something weird called a "life" and wasn't able to check his ***, but Sho Amo (whose real name I can never remember - don't feel bad, I'm awful with names) managed to get a hold of him on Tuesday and told me Scott could have one fabbed up by Thursday. That's two days. He even offered me a choice of colors to have it painted with.
Since I lived close by and overnight shipping would've been a bomb, we drove up to pick it up on Thursday night. Made the transaction with no problems, and everything went great.
Now, onto the parts:
Here is the ATX tensioner installed - this is the best pic I could get:
As you can see, it works quite well. One note about its design, though (Scott, you listening?): The top nut really needs to be secured to the housing, as otherwise it just spins with the bolt when you're trying to adjust it unless you hold it with a wrench or something. With the lower timing belt cover on, however, it becomes impossible to get to that top nut. We used JB-weld to secure the top nut to the housing, and haven't had a problem with it since.
Otherwise, it makes a timing belt install go from about an hour (fighting with that #%*@#$ tensioner with a stupid c-clamp) to about 10 minutes. It was a very simple affair. Also, the bottom bolt is very easily accessible with everything put back together, so tension changes in the future are a simple 1/2" socket or wrench away.
Now, the engine mount -
Since the amount of time between purchase and installation was so short, we didn't get a chance to get a good picture of it, and since it's nigh impossible to get a shot of it installed, I don't have a picture to show you - but it's pretty much the same as the pic in the thread.
One difference, though, is that the angled gusseting pieces are gone. Scott says it's a design improvement, and they weren't really necessary structurally, and all they did was impede access for installation. I'm not sure on the first point, though to my semi-educated mind it seems more than strong enough without the gussets, and he's definitely right on the second.
The removal of the stock mount went like every time - 10 minutes to get it unbolted, 30 to remove it from the subframe area. The new piece was a cinch... took maybe 10 minutes to install grand total. It was such a nice change installing that after wrestling with the stock mount so many times.
As for performance - well, it's only been really driven once, and it's only been installed for a day now, but with the steel front mount, stock rear/trans mounts (trans mount is new), and gen3 subframe bushings, the NVH is not that bad. It's quite evident at startup as you can really feel the engine coming to life, but while putzing around you really have to be paying attention to feel the additional vibration.
Whereas the front of the engine would lift up ~2-3" every time the throttle was goosed in drive with the bad mount, the only thing that happens now is the back of the engine squats about .5". It's a glorious thing.
So I guess the moral of the story is, if you've been wondering if these parts are worth their cost, the answer is YES. They are both well engineered, well made, and make life so, so much easier. Definitely consider dropping him a line and giving him your business.
www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=104631
This thread shows the parts I'm referring to, the ATX tensioner converted to a manual setup, and the ATX motor mount/s. I purchased the tensioner a few months ago, and the mount a few days ago.
Before I get to the parts, a few words about the seller-
When I purchased the tensioner, I had pretty much next to zero money. Scott was more than willing to work with me and since I had a spare tensioner to send in as a core, he gave me a great discount. Answered his *** promptly and was nothing but a perfect gentleman.
When I purchased the mount, I had the money, but no time. Some of you may have seen the desperate thread I posted trying to get a hold of him; after my wife and I got her car back together we discovered her front motor mount had kicked the bucket, and - long story short - we had to have it replaced by this past Friday. I didn't want to get another stock mount, because frankly they suck and break quickly and soak up a lot of power.
Well, turns out Scott had something weird called a "life" and wasn't able to check his ***, but Sho Amo (whose real name I can never remember - don't feel bad, I'm awful with names) managed to get a hold of him on Tuesday and told me Scott could have one fabbed up by Thursday. That's two days. He even offered me a choice of colors to have it painted with.
Since I lived close by and overnight shipping would've been a bomb, we drove up to pick it up on Thursday night. Made the transaction with no problems, and everything went great.
Now, onto the parts:
Here is the ATX tensioner installed - this is the best pic I could get:
As you can see, it works quite well. One note about its design, though (Scott, you listening?): The top nut really needs to be secured to the housing, as otherwise it just spins with the bolt when you're trying to adjust it unless you hold it with a wrench or something. With the lower timing belt cover on, however, it becomes impossible to get to that top nut. We used JB-weld to secure the top nut to the housing, and haven't had a problem with it since.
Otherwise, it makes a timing belt install go from about an hour (fighting with that #%*@#$ tensioner with a stupid c-clamp) to about 10 minutes. It was a very simple affair. Also, the bottom bolt is very easily accessible with everything put back together, so tension changes in the future are a simple 1/2" socket or wrench away.
Now, the engine mount -
Since the amount of time between purchase and installation was so short, we didn't get a chance to get a good picture of it, and since it's nigh impossible to get a shot of it installed, I don't have a picture to show you - but it's pretty much the same as the pic in the thread.
One difference, though, is that the angled gusseting pieces are gone. Scott says it's a design improvement, and they weren't really necessary structurally, and all they did was impede access for installation. I'm not sure on the first point, though to my semi-educated mind it seems more than strong enough without the gussets, and he's definitely right on the second.
The removal of the stock mount went like every time - 10 minutes to get it unbolted, 30 to remove it from the subframe area. The new piece was a cinch... took maybe 10 minutes to install grand total. It was such a nice change installing that after wrestling with the stock mount so many times.
As for performance - well, it's only been really driven once, and it's only been installed for a day now, but with the steel front mount, stock rear/trans mounts (trans mount is new), and gen3 subframe bushings, the NVH is not that bad. It's quite evident at startup as you can really feel the engine coming to life, but while putzing around you really have to be paying attention to feel the additional vibration.
Whereas the front of the engine would lift up ~2-3" every time the throttle was goosed in drive with the bad mount, the only thing that happens now is the back of the engine squats about .5". It's a glorious thing.
So I guess the moral of the story is, if you've been wondering if these parts are worth their cost, the answer is YES. They are both well engineered, well made, and make life so, so much easier. Definitely consider dropping him a line and giving him your business.
