cp-e xFlex Motor Mount With 55A Durometer Driver Side Focus ST 2013-2018/Focus RS 2016-2018

While the Focus RS is obviously a unique vehicle, it does share a lot with the Focus ST, including a lot of parts and also some issues. While wheel hop is really bad on the ST, it is an issue with the RS, even with the all-wheel drive. We've already combated that by installing a cp-e xFlex rear motor mount. Today we're going to further stiffen up the mounts on our RS by installing the cp-e driver's side mount.

This mount will replace the factory driver's side mount on your Focus ST or the new Focus RS. It's going to be a direct replacement for the factory mount. It includes a billet aluminum plate, an aluminum bushing assembly with a 55 durometer bushing installed inside, and a 1/4" steel plate for mounting. All necessary hardware is include and the 55A durometer bushing is going to be a perfect mix between firmness and limited NVH.

For this installation, we'll need: a jack and a roughly 6" black of wood, 1/4" ratchet, 7mm socket, 8mm socket, 10mm socket, 3/8 ratchet, 13mm socket, 15mm socket, 3/16" Allen key socket or Allen key, 6" extension, 1/2" ratchet, 18mm socket, 19mm socket, torque wrench, 19mm wrench, panel removal tool, hammer, and both red and blue Loctite.

Unlike the rear mount, the driver's side mounts get installed in the engine bay from the top by going in underneath the battery. I'm going to explain the process to you, Freddy here is going to turn the wrenches. You're going to remove both the front and rear battery cover first. They simply clip into place. Then we're going to disconnect the negative and the positive, because we actually have to remove the battery and the batter box, as the mount is located underneath. We're going to pull the battery negative off right here on the firewall at the shock tower; it's a little bit easier than getting back there underneath the cowl. Then the battery hold down is held on by two nuts, one on each side.

Now that we have the battery loose, to actually get it out of the car you have to remove the air box to give you enough room to slide it forward. Start by taking off the four screws that'll hold the lid to the box. Then, to get the rest of the box off, we're going to remove the sensor and the clip from the inlet here. Then, disconnect the hose clamp and pull it all out together. The box at this point is just clipped in, they're a little tight. Just pull up on the clips, pop them off, and remove the box.

At this point now, we can almost remove the battery. You're going to slide it forward. There's one more connector on the negative terminal you have to disconnect. Get that line out of the way and then you can remove your battery. Now with the battery out of the way, we can remove the three bolts that hold the battery box in place. With the nuts off, now you can remove this harness, one clip on the back and we can remove the plate.

Before you take the main bolt out for the motor mount, what you'll want to do is put your jack underneath the car, put a block of wood on it and just support the transmission. Just jack it up to the point that it's touching it to make sure that nothing moves around on you.

Now we can remove the large bolt in the center of our factory mount. With the main bolt out, now we can remove the two smaller bolts on the sides. With the screws out, remove the top plate. Now, remove the lower mount as well. There might be a little bit of tension on the lower mount, but it should pop right out. Now, with everything else out of the way, we can remove the bottom part of the mount, which is attached to the transmission.

While Freddy's finishing up some stuff on the car, I'm going to assemble the mount itself. I'm going to start by putting a washer on each one of these little bolts. Then we're going to put a dab of red Loctite on each one. If you look, this will only line up one way. There's a little cutout over here, it lines up with that there. Now I'm going to torque each one to 20 ft-lbs. The cp-e mount and bracket is going to install in the factory location using your original hardware. You're going to put a couple dabs of blue Loctite on each of the factory bolts and torque them to 60 ft-lbs.

Earlier we supported the transmission. It is still possible for it to move. If the blue tab right there is in the way of the mount, you'll just jack the transmission up. It'll tilt backward until it clears properly. When it's all assembled it will clear fine.

Next we install the top plate. Again here, you may have to shift the engine and transmission, depending on how much movement you had, to get it to line up properly. Then you want to grab the original hardware. Put two nuts, one on each corner, to get it lined up. Then we're going to install the hardware between the lower mount and the upper bracket. We're going to use the supplied bolt to connect the two together. Here again, you may need to make some movement on the engine to get everything to line up properly. Now we're going to torque this down. You want to get it as tight as you can basically, but shoot for 110 ft-lbs.

The nuts are installed just to get the plate aligned properly. Now we're going to remove the nuts so we can reinstall the lower battery tray. Now we can reinstall the battery support tray. That's going to go over the factory studs. Now we can install the nuts. At this point now, the rest of the process is to replace everything that you've removed. Reinstall the battery box, put everything back together, reinstall the cold air intake parts, and your installation is finished.

The addition of the second mount ... it feels pretty much exactly the same. There's no difference at all. You still have, right when you stop, the car ... just at idle, I said from just at idle to maybe 14 to 1500 to get a little bit of NVH, when you pull out you can feel a little more vibration, but overall, once you're moving you don't even notice it at all. The driver mount installed now combined with the rear mount, again, driving the car you don't feel anything at all. There's no vibration through the wheel. At highway speeds the car is just as smooth as when it was brand new. If you lug it down, like if you're doing ... here I'm doing 30 miles an hour in sixth, you get a little bit if you lug it down. Overall, definitely, like I said, you barely notice any difference when you're cruising the car. Just like with the rear mount, the only time you really see it, or feel it I should say, is when you have the car down at idle. Idle and just off idle.

So far we've replaced two out of the three mounts for our Focus RS with cp-e mounts, so I'm sure you can figure out what our next video is going to be. So far, it's been totally worth it. The addition of the two mounts has gotten rid of all our wheel hop and given the front end a much more solid feel, with only a small difference in NVH, which in my opinion is totally worth the tradeoff. As far as the installation goes, figure about two hours. You'll be back on the road in no time.