Apikol Rear Diff Mount Now Available!

[jaybquick@JHM]

Normal retail will be $249.99. However we are authorized to offer it at an intro price of ONLY $219.99, a savings of $30.

These have been a great upgrade for the B5 S4 and A4 for quite some time, making them feel crisper when launching or shifting hard. Now they are here for all B6/B7 A4s, S4s and RS4s.

Check them out here for pics and ordering details on our site.

http://www.jhmotorsports.com/shop/ca...products_id=86


Visit our new store frequently for new products.

[AudiOso]

I haven't looked at the mounting arrangement of the A4 differential. Is this a set of mounts or a single piece? I imagine it is the prior.

[jaybquick@JHM]

I haven't looked at the mounting arrangement of the A4 differential. Is this a set of mounts or a single piece? I imagine it is the prior.

It is a single piece near the front of the rear diff.

[91gl]

Normal retail will be $249.99. However we are authorized to offer it at an intro price of ONLY $219.99, a savings of $30.

These have been a great upgrade for the B5 S4 and A4 for quite some time, making them feel crisper when launching or shifting hard. Now they are here for all B6/B7 A4s, S4s and RS4s.

Check them out here for pics and ordering details on our site.

http://www.jhmotorsports.com/shop/ca...products_id=86


Visit our new store frequently for new products.

i saw this yesterday and got real happy in the pants. its about damn time someone offered one for our cars. i cant wait to do this with the 034 street density mounts.

[jaybquick@JHM]

i saw this yesterday and got real happy in the pants. its about damn time someone offered one for our cars. i cant wait to do this with the 034 street density mounts.

We are hoping to get a B6 S4 as our next in house car. So expect more products from us in 09. We have the "solid" shifter, linkagen upgrade (in production) and shifter stabilizer bushing now built by us. And now we are an apikol dealer and have been an 034 dealer for a while.

So we are pushing for more products for the newer S4s from others as well.

[likewater]

Will you have installation instructions available for this?

[91gl]

We are hoping to get a B6 S4 as our next in house car. So expect more products from us in 09. We have the "solid" shifter, linkagen upgrade (in production) and shifter stabilizer bushing now built by us. And now we are an apikol dealer and have been an 034 dealer for a while.

So we are pushing for more products for the newer S4s from others as well.

i can not wait for that, oh btw, pm sent

[jaybquick@JHM]

Will you have installation instructions available for this?

When you get under the car and look, it is quite self explanitory. But if the need arrises (usually phone calls asking questions let us know when we were wrong )

i can not wait for that, oh btw, pm sent

Me neither, there is nothing more fun than a new toy. PM replied.

[V8S4Fun]

PM sent!

[Captain Insano]

Hey that looks like a nice part.

I'll be excited to see stuff you get released in the near future (2009). Seems like there aren't a ton of parts available for the B6 S4...

[jaybquick@JHM]

Hey that looks like a nice part.

I'll be excited to see stuff you get released in the near future (2009). Seems like there aren't a ton of parts available for the B6 S4...

If the darn slowing economy doesn't affect us and keep us from getting a B6 S4 soon. Either way we will get one. The question is when?

[RAudi Driver]

How does it affect ride quality? Interested!

[Captain Insano]

If the darn slowing economy doesn't affect us and keep us from getting a B6 S4 soon. Either way we will get one. The question is when?

Actually, that might enable you to get a better price. You wouldn't believe what I just paid for mine. This might be the best time to buy one.

[jaybquick@JHM]

Actually, that might enable you to get a better price. You wouldn't believe what I just paid for mine. This might be the best time to buy one.

Not too bad man. These bushings are considered the softer street versions. (on the B5 s4 they make some stiffer race bushings that are worse). The only reason it usually can become annoying is if your driveshaft is beat up and out of balance. Installing this on B5s with the street bushings, most were almost unnoticeable except a little more noise from the rear and small vibration under heavy accel. Then a few cars (usually higher mileage and abused from Stage 3 status) would sometimes have more.

For the most part it ain't that bad. If you are the kind of guy with coilovers and a decently noisy exhaust this would be an acceptable mod.

[Steef]

everyone needs one of these

[Captain Insano]

Just ordered mine!

[dcoty]

Just ordered mine as well, cant wait!

[jaybquick@JHM]

Thanks guys for the orders. Gonna have to start keeping more of these on my shelf. :)

[whartung]

whats the install like?

[Jrunr]

What exactly is this going to do for the S4?

[jaybquick@JHM]

whats the install like?

Here is a pic that a customer posted up. As you can see, it is just the three 8mm allen bolts at the bottom to unbolt it from the case and the 1 through bolt and nut above. And just use your jack to support the diff to make it easier to bolt up.

That is it.

What exactly is this going to do for the S4?

It will reduce clunk and or movement in the rear end. The harder you drive and the higher mileage the cars get the better this mod will help.

It will kill some of the nasty sounds from the rear end if you are doing hard 4k to 5k rpm clutch drops. Not many do this, but some do.

[Captain Insano]

Just installed mine. No more clunk. Sweet.

[jaybquick@JHM]

Just installed mine. No more clunk. Sweet.

Glad to hear. Better results than expected on a newer car!!

Also glad to help out on the install with tech help and a diagram.

[likewater]

Here is a pic that a customer posted up. As you can see, it is just the three 8mm allen bolts at the bottom to unbolt it from the case and the 1 through bolt and nut above. And just use your jack to support the diff to make it easier to bolt up.

That is it.






It will reduce clunk and or movement in the rear end. The harder you drive and the higher mileage the cars get the better this mod will help.

It will kill some of the nasty sounds from the rear end if you are doing hard 4k to 5k rpm clutch drops. Not many do this, but some do.

When you say clunk, do you mean drive line lash and/or rubber banding? Mine is still pretty bad even with the APR snub mount.

[jaybquick@JHM]

When you say clunk, do you mean drive line lash and/or rubber banding? Mine is still pretty bad even with the APR snub mount.

If you feel something in the rear this is what helps with it. It will obviously allow less wrap up of the rear driveline and as Captain Insano said it helped him get rid of a noise on really really hard shifts.



Also here is the pic I shared with him to help on the install. We found that supporting the rear diff with a jack then undoing the three bolts at #16 in this picture allowed it to be easily lowered and then the long bolt came out easier. And the best part is you don't have to unhook the driveshaft or rear axles shafts. You are lowering it enough just to get that long through bolt out to swap the diff mounts.



So in all you remove three bolts at position # 8. Then loosen the one bolt and nut at position #9. Then undo the three at position # 16 so you can slide #9 out. Then swap the mount out and bolt it all back up. That is it, 7 bolts total.

[Captain Insano]

Glad to hear. Better results than expected on a newer car!!

Also glad to help out on the install with tech help and a diagram.

My car has nearly 80K miles on it. So my OEM bushing might have been getting a little worn. But when I inspected the OEM bushing after removal it looked to still be in pretty decent shape. If I had to guess I think the elimination of the clunk is due more to the stiffer/better Apikol bushing in general and not because my OEM bushing was worn out. The OEM bushing was working fine as designed, it's just an inferior (soft) bushing. I would imagine the elimination of my clunk would have occurred with 80K on the clock or 40K on the clock. I can't be sure though as I haven't owned the car very long so I'm not sure how long it has been clunking on hard shifts.

I know from experience on Subarus when I've done mods to eliminate rear diff clunk there have been increase in NVH (rear diff noise increased on one car and humming at certain RPMs occurred on another). Overall I'm very pleased with the mod especially considering the bushing is stiffer, yet there was not an increase in NVH. Perfect.

Let me try to explain how I did this.

Jason is right, the bolts required to do the removal/install are very easy to locate. Somewhat hard to reach, but doable for a shade tree mechanic like myself...

Thought I would offer some insight as figuring out the right alignment/position for the rear diff is critical to getting the top through bolt out that holds the rear diff mount in place.

I removed the bottom three hex bolts on the diff mount (#8 on diagram). At that point, you take the nut off the through bolt (#9 on diagram) on top, but you will quickly realize you don't have enough clearance to slide that through bolt back toward the rear diff to get it out because it is a longer bolt and it runs into the diff.... So - this requires some adjustment of the rear diff. I couldn't get clearance to get the very top of the three hex bolts (#16 on diagram) out that attach the rear diff to the subframe crossmember. I could loosen it several turns, but then it will eventually run into part of the subframe cross member and you won't have enought room to get it out... So I screwed it mostly back in and left it somewhat loose at that point. I then lowered the rear diff as far as possible, and barely still did not have enough clearance as I was still barely running into the top of the diff with the through bolt trying to slide it back to remove it... If you can get your rear diff low enough at thsi point to remove the through bolt that's perfect - your install is almost done. Alas, I could not.

So I removed the bottom two hex bolts (bottom two bolts #16 - all three hex bolts form an equilateral triangle) attaching the rear diff to the subframe cross member. At that point I tried to jack up the rear diff as high as possible at the front of the diff in an effort to get enough angle to get to that top hex bolt on the subframe cross member... Drat - still not enough clearance even with the front of the rear diff at max height. I then lowered the front of the rear diff again and still barely did not have enough clearance to get that top through bolt to slide back/out.... So I decided to move the rear diff toward the passenger side of the car. This is possible with the bottom two hex bolts removed that attach the rear diff to the subframe cross member and the top attachment bolt loosened a couple threads. When you push the front portion of rear diff toward the passenger side of the car you will then finally have clearance to slide that dang top through bolt out that attaches the rear diff mount. Once that's out it's easy as pie. If you follow this method in my opinion it will save you time and effort as this is the easiest way (maybe only way) to get that install done short of cutting the through bolt attaching the rear diff mount on top.

Clear as mud? Get under there for your install and it will all make perfect sense.

Hope this post helps with mod info (review) and installation.

[jaybquick@JHM]

My car has nearly 80K miles on it. So my OEM bushing might have been getting a little worn. But when I inspected the OEM bushing after removal it looked to still be in pretty decent shape. If I had to guess I think the elimination of the clunk is due more to the stiffer/better Apikol bushing in general and not because my OEM bushing was worn out. The OEM bushing was working fine as designed, it's just an inferior (soft) bushing. I would imagine the elimination of my clunk would have occurred with 80K on the clock or 40K on the clock. I can't be sure though as I haven't owned the car very long so I'm not sure how long it has been clunking on hard shifts.

I know from experience on Subarus when I've done mods to eliminate rear diff clunk there have been increase in NVH (rear diff noise increased on one car and humming at certain RPMs occurred on another). Overall I'm very pleased with the mod especially considering the bushing is stiffer, yet there was not an increase in NVH. Perfect.

Let me try to explain how I did this.

Jason is right, the bolts required to do the removal/install are very easy to locate. Somewhat hard to reach, but doable for a shade tree mechanic like myself...

Thought I would offer some insight as figuring out the right alignment/position for the rear diff is critical to getting the top through bolt out that holds the rear diff mount in place.

I removed the bottom three hex bolts on the diff mount (#8 on diagram). At that point, you take the nut off the through bolt (#9 on diagram) on top, but you will quickly realize you don't have enough clearance to slide that through bolt back toward the rear diff to get it out because it is a longer bolt and it runs into the diff.... So - this requires some adjustment of the rear diff. I couldn't get clearance to get the very top of the three hex bolts (#16 on diagram) out that attach the rear diff to the subframe crossmember. I could loosen it several turns, but then it will eventually run into part of the subframe cross member and you won't have enought room to get it out... So I screwed it mostly back in and left it somewhat loose at that point. I then lowered the rear diff as far as possible, and barely still did not have enough clearance as I was still barely running into the top of the diff with the through bolt trying to slide it back to remove it... If you can get your rear diff low enough at thsi point to remove the through bolt that's perfect - your install is almost done. Alas, I could not.

So I removed the bottom two hex bolts (bottom two bolts #16 - all three hex bolts form an equilateral triangle) attaching the rear diff to the subframe cross member. At that point I tried to jack up the rear diff as high as possible at the front of the diff in an effort to get enough angle to get to that top hex bolt on the subframe cross member... Drat - still not enough clearance even with the front of the rear diff at max height. I then lowered the front of the rear diff again and still barely did not have enough clearance to get that top through bolt to slide back/out.... So I decided to move the rear diff toward the passenger side of the car. This is possible with the bottom two hex bolts removed that attach the rear diff to the subframe cross member and the top attachment bolt loosened a couple threads. When you push the front portion of rear diff toward the passenger side of the car you will then finally have clearance to slide that dang top through bolt out that attaches the rear diff mount. Once that's out it's easy as pie. If you follow this method in my opinion it will save you time and effort as this is the easiest way (maybe only way) to get that install done short of cutting the through bolt attaching the rear diff mount on top.

Clear as mud? Get under there for your install and it will all make perfect sense.

Hope this post helps with mod info (review) and installation.

Thanks for the write up.