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Aluminum Upper Torque Mount on SS


Big Will

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I generally don't like to rain on people's parades but I think this is a terrible part to try and re-engineer. It sounds like a bunch of people already jumped in on the GB.

http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?237659-Feeler-Aluminum-upper-torque-mounts-850-V70-S70

Volvo designed that torque arm to allow the engine to drop in a head-on collision. Changing the material without testing its affect on that safety feature is crazy in my opinion. Plus, that guy is opening himself up to be sued if someone has an accident and the car doesn't perform as intended and it can be reasonably shown that that torque arm performed differently than intended.

 

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I generally don't like to rain on people's parades but I think this is a terrible part to try and re-engineer. It sounds like a bunch of people already jumped in on the GB.

http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?237659-Feeler-Aluminum-upper-torque-mounts-850-V70-S70

Volvo designed that torque arm to allow the engine to drop in a head-on collision. Changing the material without testing its affect on that safety feature is crazy in my opinion. Plus, that guy is opening himself up to be sued if someone has an accident and the car doesn't perform as intended and it can be reasonably shown that that torque arm performed differently than intended.

 

They don't seem to care about that, I sure as hell wouldn't put myself in that position especially as an individual.  I don't see what's wrong with the original piece where you would want to do that anyway.  

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I respect your opinions on a lot of things, Will, but I think saying this part is a safety hazard that could expose the seller to liability is more than a bit hyperbolic. Yes, the Volvo part is probably designed to perform (and deform) in a certain way in a certain kind of crash, and a solid piece of billet aluminum probably won't perform in the same fashion, but in a crash severe enough that the engine is being shoved toward the firewall the mount almost certainly won't be the single deciding factor in the life or death of the occupants of the car. Granted, this is nothing but speculation from my side and yours, but there are a lot of modifications people make to our cars that I'd consider far more unsafe than this mount.

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But isn't there a difference between someone doing a modification to their car that is unsafe and someone selling a modification that makes a car unsafe?

Many people cut their front crash bar to fit a bigger intercooler which reduces crashworthiness. It's their choice so nobody should have an issue with this. Someone selling a special lightweight, pre-cut crash bar with reduced crashworthiness is at least morally in a grey area as not every buyer will be aware of the consequences. I'm with Will on this one - not a good idea to modify this part.

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I respect your opinions on a lot of things, Will, but I think saying this part is a safety hazard that could expose the seller to liability is more than a bit hyperbolic. Yes, the Volvo part is probably designed to perform (and deform) in a certain way in a certain kind of crash, and a solid piece of billet aluminum probably won't perform in the same fashion, but in a crash severe enough that the engine is being shoved toward the firewall the mount almost certainly won't be the single deciding factor in the life or death of the occupants of the car. Granted, this is nothing but speculation from my side and yours, but there are a lot of modifications people make to our cars that I'd consider far more unsafe than this mount.

By seeing this first hand and having extricated victims in car accidents, I can attest to the design and performance of that mount. It most certainly is not a life or death situation, but it does make a difference in the injuries suffer from a frontal impact. Realistically is does not take that much force to dislodge the engine from the vehicle. The OE part is designed in a way to create a crumple zone and to absorb and redirect the energy from impact. With the revised piece, I can see the engine not being able to move in a way it is designed and to cause more intrusion through the firewall, consequently pushing the dash into the occupants. 

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I just want to know why??!!

Of all the parts to re-engineer, why pick this one?  The thing couldn't weigh more than a pound or so, if that, therefore it can't be for reducing mass.  Never seen one break unless the car was in a collision..  WTF?  Is it just for more under-hood flair?  Seriously?

 
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  • 1 month later...

this is a swedespeed post/issue, so why bring it here??  if you had an issue with it, take it up on swedespeed dude..  

we may as well just merge forums if you feel like we're running out of enough drama for you on here so you're bringing it from other places lol??

ya'll are talking about torque mounts and pillar gauges, but how many people are running aftermarket steering wheels and ditching airbags on daily drivers they race/autocross?!

or aftermarket seats and rigging up unsafe seatbelts??  how about relocating batteries in the trunk right above the fuel tank so we can blow up from a rear end collision..

as already mentioned, cutting the bumper cross-piece for larger intercoolers/more air to the intercooler?

 

dude, this is stupid.  you want to worry about other people buying something YOU feel is unsafe than you're being a hypocrite for being on a forum that indulges in aftermarket modifications!

 

c'mon now.

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