Top bearing?

[druk]

Re-posted here after my mistake.

Good morning all. My son has a 2003 Octavia 1.8VRS estate. It would appear that the N/S strut top bearing is seized/dry. The spring emits a 'bong' sound and you can see it physically jump when the steering is turned and it looks to me like it could be the top bearing is responsible. I have spring compressors and all the experience to fix this myself but am looking for some insight into the job. Is this a common/known fault and are there any tricks to the job please??
Thanks for any help.

Derek.

[ric04vrs]

are you sure that the spring has not snapped ?

the job should be pretty straight forward , support car on stands on affected side , remove wheel , remove pinch bolt on the knuckle , clamp the spring up , then knock the knuckle off the shocker , with the help of an assistant , take the weight of the shocker whilst the top bolts are undone in the engine bay , then strip down to replace the faulty parts

[VRStu]

There is a handy little tool for opening up the hub to release the base of the hub.

As Ric says I'd be thinking broken spring myself and they certainly aren't unheard of. May even be something silly like a stone wedged in the cup.

[druk]

Thanks for this, I'll have a look at the spring tomoro. What's the 'handy little tool' like BTW? Not a shallow angle cold chisel like the Ford workshop tool by any chance?

[Lummox]

I would have thought its a spring myself rather than the top bearing.

[VRStu]

Originally Posted by druk

Not a shallow angle cold chisel like the Ford workshop tool by any chance?

Very similar but slightly more subtle.

[VRStu]

VW tool 3424 - Less than £10

or

Suspension

[druk]

Update FYI

Without taking the strut out I compressed the spring today as far as it would go. It wasn't broken. On top of the spring there is a flat plate which was initally stuck to the top bearing. Fiddling about with this it came free. Cant see much above it even with mirror. Went to local agent and they say there is small bearing above plate housed in top rubber, they've changed maybe 5 in three years but they do seize.. Didn't have one in stock so ordered one. Will report further when changed.

Cheers.

What are this forums thoughts on copperslip on wheelbolts? The ones on this car were as dry as a stick and veeeery difficult to remove. Mercedes (my car, sorry ) say no lube but several owners have had bolts sheer so everybody now uses the stuff. Also, what is the torque for wheelbolts please?

Thanks.....Derek.

[Lummox]

Wheel bolts should be 120nm

I knw what you mean about dry bolts. I just spray a little WD40 on the threads tnh.

[druk]

Hello, remember this? Did the job today. It turned out the top bearing was seized. This a pic of the offending article. Goad knows what the teeth are for, they dont touch anything. What surprised me was there are two nuts on the top strut mount. One to hold it in the car and a further one to retain the spring. Discovered after a struggle that I didn't need to use the spring compressors until the strut was outa the car

Thanks again for your help.

Hey-ho............Derek.



Part No...1J0412249.......£4.70 inc...

[Lummox]

Thanks for the feedback on this one.

Not seen one siezed before, but will remember it.

[Windy]

Ive just had my fabia done for exactly the same problem, 55,000 miles , nearly 4 years old

[Lummox]

The Fabia bearing is a different design to the Octavia but I have seen a fair few of them fall apart.

[gregsblade]

i've had one seize on my 02 90k vrs, was making a horrible clunking noise when you turned the steering wheel. fairly easy to fix and the rubber top mount and bearing were 15 quid from skoda.

i took the whole strut and hub off the car as i found it easier, ( job done in an hour) but i have been told you can just about get it apart with the strut in situ in the car.