mark antony

Job finally done and thought that I'd share my experience incase it helps someone in the future. After unhooking the nipple from the handbrake balancing arm, it seemed as if the issue was that the bush as it entered the tube under the car had welded itself to the tube. Using grips I was able to rotate the bush but it wouldn't slide out. With much twisting and pulling it finally shifted and what I found was the the inner plastic sleeve had split and over time had bunched up and effectively locked tight within the tube. That was the issue, not the bush itself. But all done now

Hi, Looking to see if there's any trick to help get the handbrake cable out from the tube that threads the cable into the cabin. The issue is that the cable is sticking so looking to replace. I've disconnected the two ends of the cable from handbrake lever and the lever at the rear wheel; but try as I might, the cable won't come out from the aluminium tubing. Any simple tricks to do this? I have found the link to this guide, but it doesn't address the particular issue how to remove the cable if its stuck. https://andrewhope.co.uk/automotive/techdocs/golfmk5-handbrake-cables.html

Thought that I'd update to help others that might be experiencing the same driving issue of shimming/shaking experience at low speed and knocking under load. The long and short of it is that I've replaced the driveshaft....... and the car now drives fine. Result. The odd thing was that while the low speed shimming/shaking was constant. The knocking was random. Some days nothing, other days you'd worry about making it home! The other observation was that there was no discernible difference to the 'feel' in the amount of play on the joints between the old and new driveshafts, and I did wonder whether the replacement would make any difference. But it did, so all's well now.

That's exactly the symptoms I'm experiencing.

Got underneath the car and the offside driveshaft is leaking oil. Probably a good indicator as to where the problem lies, but by feel, there doesn't seem to be any excessive play.

Could I check what test could be run on the driveshaft: is it something that you could check in a static state on a ramp?

Thanks; think that I'm ok with the bearings as its past its MOT and they do the full lever test on the wheel. You mention 'couplings' what are those? I did wonder whether it could it be the CV as the gaiter is split and its been leaking, but not sure how that would cause the 'side to side' shimmying feel.

It's a 2008 1.9 TDI. The car shimmies, most marked at 30mph speed range, which seems to be coming through the car, not steering, and you can also 'feel' a knocking sensation, especially under load. I say 'feel' as there's no sound accompanying the feel of the knocking. One marked characteristic is that the knocking sensation goes the second you take your foot of the accelerator and go onto the overrun. Any thoughts or past experience with anything like this.

Thanks all. Picture and FS III cast into caliper confirms smaller disc. I'm of an age where I started out on MK2 Cortinas, and if you had a question, then you could only call on who you knew. Now the network is a little bigger!

Brilliant replies; thank you all

Mine were the same when I swapped them out. Doesn't answer what the cause was/is, but gives you some confidence that there's nothing wrong specific to your car

Thanks, I'll have a look in the morning. What will this tell me - the precise part code?

Need to replace front discs on my 2008 diesel 1.9, but there seems to be two options available: one 22mm thick / 280 mm dia; and the other 25mm thick / 288mm dia https://www.carparts4less.co.uk/brake-discs I appreciate that there's not a lot in it, but wondered if there's a correct on to go for?

Perfect- thank you very much.

Just bumping this query to check if there's a simple technique/process to follow to spilt the brake pad connector? Pull back a tab somewhere, or press with a small blade screwdriver at a specific point?

That's exactly the connector that I'm looking to separate. Have pushed and pulled on clips that I can see, but with no luck yet. Haven't pull too hard as trying to be careful not to damage the loom. Is there one specific clip that needs to be pushed/pulled?

Fair point in that a picture is worth a 1000 words! For identification, this is the connector, but not mine as the photo has lifted from a different thread - separated in this example.

This question has the makings on an 'easy when know how' situation, but struggling to separate the connection between the pad and the loom on the suspension leg. Is there a knack or technique? Asking as don't want to pull in the wrong way and damage the connection. Thanks

Speaking from recent experience, as others have said, it will almost certainly be a sized bearing within the heater. What I would add is that you can unclip the motor from the drum fan to get to the bottom bearing - it was that one that had sized on mine.

I think so too, but not sure how to get to the bushes and bearings; it looks like a sealed unit. How do you access the bushes?

Fan has stopped working. I have got the fan out and it's very stiff to turn. Is it possible to strip these motors down to try and free off the bearings? Tried a topic search, but couldn't see anything there. Thanks.

H, Longstanding Octavia owner, having recently moved from 06 to 08 model. One of the issues I hade with the 06 was both cills rusting from the inside to outside. The cills on the 'new' car are in fine condition, but as I tend to keep cars for a long time, was looking to 'waxoil' them or sothing similar. Are there existing maintenance/drain holes in the cills that I could access to spray the inside, or do I need to drill and plug? If drill and plug is the way to go, where best to drill?