Polyurethane exhaust hangers - Worth it?

[MiniDan]

Hi guys.

I'm in the process of getting my MX5 on the road before my Jeep dies.

One job is to fit a de-cat full stainless exhaust system. I'm upgrading every I can as I go, so I'm wondering if its worth using polyurethane exhaust hangers or to just stick with new rubber items?

I've had a read up and there are mixed reviews about them but they are still kinda vague. Biggest issues are vibrations and melting (I won't be using it for track days, just fast road ) but I'd like some proper opinions.

Thanks guys

[ChasR]

The melting IMO will be down to a poor grade poly. It's the same with Mini top steady bushes (most moan about the Poly bushes distorting and giving excess noise yet those with the Superflex items have been satisfied for many years now with no real increase in noise and best of all no distortion, but of course they do cost more).

Saying that, there are plenty of pattern rubber bushes out there for hangers which degrade before your eyes (the bobbin reel mounts seem to be terrible for this).

If it were me I would personally go to Mazda and get some genuine ones (IME genuine bushes for any car seem to outlive anything pattern by quite a way). Failing that, the generic mounts I fitted onto the Porsche from Motaquip (it's running an aftermarket system on non stock hangers) seem to have lasted well this year (the last ones were threadbare after a few years, to the point where I am surprised it did not fail an MOT!). In all honesty if the mounts look fine and feel fine (i.e not too soft or perished) I would leave the good mounts in place myself.

I have never used Poly mounts myself (for the reasons of potential noise) so I cannot advise there, but I guess someone else can comment there

[chairchild]

you just want the exhaust to "hang", and not be clamped solidly to the body - so why fit stiffer hangers?

As above - OE hangers, and you'll be a happy chap for years

[ferny]

If you can buy the mounts from the manufacturer I'd get them from there. If you're stuck with having to use re-made ones for your classic car or standard ones won't fit I'd buy polly.

The ones I took off the 1991 Mazda were still very good. The ones I've bought from Halfords etc. and used on the Herald and Acclaim haven't lasted more than a couple of months yet the polly ones I got off eBay (think it was the account for Demon Tweeks) have been brilliant and still look brand new after a couple of years.

[DavidB]

I found rubber hangers to be genuinely stiff and hard anyway, even so much that I couldn't 'warp' them to remove the hanger on the exhaust.

[MiniDan]

Cheers for the input guys

Rubber ones seam to be the winner.

I will be ringingup Mazda tomorrow and seing how much the OEM ones are. MX5spares sell them as part of a kit, so I'll have a think..