i have a 2002 vrs and i'm looking to replace my front arb bushes and the arb stabalizer link bar bushes as i'm suffering with some handling issues and a very annoying squeak from the drivers side when i hit a bump in the road when turning left.

the help i need is firstly with the diameter of the arb so i know i'm getting the correct size powerflex bush. Powerflex list 19mm, 21mm and 23mm. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120534579430&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

secondly is with the stabalizer link bar ... is the original fit part metal or plastic? the reason i ask is that powerflex bushes for these will only go into the metal ones. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120534587599&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

any help will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

are you running standard suspension ???

if yes have you checked to make sure the spring isnt broken???? as this would give you this problem and is common

ello mate, yes i am running standard suspension for now. i've already checked the springs and neither of them are broken.

thanks for the suggestion

it will be the arb, you will more than likely have to replace it as the plastic sleeve on the arb will have failed, the standard is 19mm, changing just the bushes won't cure it, if you have to, you could change it for the R32 one and fit a rear ARB, it will transform the handling of the car to a remarkable degree

it will be the arb, you will more than likely have to replace it as the plastic sleeve on the arb will have failed, the standard is 19mm, changing just the bushes won't cure it, if you have to, you could change it for the R32 one and fit a rear ARB, it will transform the handling of the car to a remarkable degree

You don't have to replace the bar if this happens. Just convert it to the new type by removing the plastic sleeves, cleaning up the bar, and fitting the newer type 17mm bushes.

ARB bush for 19mm bar (20mm hole for use with sleeve):

1J0 411 314 P

ARB bush for 19mm bar (17mm hole for use without sleeve):

1J0 411 314 S

It is true that just changing the 'P' bushes for new ones will not cure the creaking, as it's the plastic sleeve rotating on the bar that causes the creaking. Skoda revised the bar on later models, and got rid of the plastic sleeve design, hence the ID variation.

I went through all this a few years back, and the 'S' bushes have been on for ages now and never heard a squeak from them. Much easier/cheaper than fitting a new bar!

thats great. i'll get a set of the 'S' bushes ordered and fitted. thank you both for your help.

any ideas on the stabalizer bar i.e. plastic or metal please.

cheers

any ideas on the stabalizer bar i.e. plastic or metal please.

cheers

Those drop link bushes are for a normal Octavia, and will not fit your car. The vRS has long steel droplinks that bolt to the strut, rather than stubby plastic/metal droplinks that bolt to the wishbones.

You can not buy uprated bushes for the the vRS droplinks, because they don't use bushes. They use a balljoint at either end of the droplink instead. They are a common source of front end knocking though, as the plastic balljoints do wear. Just get some new droplinks from Skoda (they are complete units). I've never seen any uprated aftermarket options for them. You can get cheaper droplinks from people like GSF, but the quality isn't there, so they don't last quite so long as the genuine ones.

The FARB setup is totally different on the vRS, so just watch out for that. Hope that helps

got the 17mm arb bushes on order, found a good site which does skoda & vw spares. www.vwsonline.co.uk

as for the drop links, i know the style you mean bodge, they are dog bone style. i'll get some of them ordered to replace at the same time as fitting the arb bushes.

thanks for all your help bodge, very much appreciated.

i did the same job recently, fitting the 17mm bushes round the 19mm bar was a total sod (used some long nose pliers and a bit of swearing) but it cleared up my clunking noises perfectly, my droplinks seemed fine so i left them alone.

well the new 17mm bushes have arrived - guess what i'll be doing this weekend??? bring on the swear box!!!

Did you get the brackets too?

no, should i have got them? are they a different bracket for the new bush? if they are, does anyone have a part no for the bracket too please?

the new bushes have a groove running down the centre to keep them centralised, if the bushes on yours are still factory fit there wont be the said groove in the old clamps, part number 1J0 411 336 D £7.72 each inc vat from a dealer, how much did you pay for the bushes?

Thanks for that info Bond, i'll have a look and get some orders.

the ARB bushes where only £4 each plus postage, withed out about £12 total.

Does anyone have the correct part number for vrs drop links?

Are the r32 ones the same or a better alternative?

i have a 2002 vrs and i'm looking to replace my front arb bushes and the arb stabalizer link bar bushes as i'm suffering with some handling issues and a very annoying squeak from the drivers side when i hit a bump in the road when turning left.

the help i need is firstly with the diameter of the arb so i know i'm getting the correct size powerflex bush. Powerflex list 19mm, 21mm and 23mm. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120534579430&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

secondly is with the stabalizer link bar ... is the original fit part metal or plastic? the reason i ask is that powerflex bushes for these will only go into the metal ones. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120534587599&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

any help will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

you might want to check the radiator mounts havent perished as the arb bushes make knocking noises and the rad mounts cause squeaking.open the bonnet and push the radiator to see if there is any play.also if you shut the front doors you can hear it squeak.

thanks chris, checked the rad mounts and they are solid. think i might have found the culprit thou ... it looks like part of the air intake pipe (the flat metal bit that bolts to the inner wing) wasn't bolted to the inner wing and looks like it was rubbing against the bolt it should have been secured to. not sure if it's worked thou cos had a few issues fitting the new ARB bushes.

i found that bit after i had a bit of a saga ... took the old ARB bush and bracket off with no problems, then got the new bush and new bracket in place fairly easily ... thinking it was going great ... got the bolt in place and was tightening it up then .... SNAP!! i had half a bolt in my hand!! a few choice words where uttered! spent the next 3 hrs trying to remove it and still no sucess.

so tomorrow it's off to my friendly garage who are going to have to drop the subframe out and hopefully they can drill it and tap it out ... failing that it's a new subframe!! happy days!

anyone know a rough price for a subframe for an 02 octy vRS?

anyone know a rough price for a subframe for an 02 octy vRS?

just a rough idea

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/133-05-Skoda-Octavia-vRS-Front-Subframe-/370252010908?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5634bd559c

or check the for sale thread as there's a few cars being stripped down

hopefully it wont come to that

Edited 14 November, 201015 yr by sivrs

nice one matey! thanks for that. here's hoping it doesn't come to that will find out this morning when i get it to my friendly garage.

well it was kinda good news ... no new sub frame required ... they were able to drill out the snapped bolt and re-tap it. got the car back yesterday and it feels like a different car, handles so much better and best of all ... my mouse has gone!!!!!! no more squeeking.

thanks for all your help guys, it's very much appreciated.