Hi All, Can you buy and fit just the bushes only for the MK1 Fabia anti roll bar as mine is starting to make a banging noise when going over bumps, I have had a look today and there looks to be play within the bushes, if I can change them would it need the steering checked ? cheers - Stuart

Hi All, Can you buy and fit just the bushes only for the MK1 Fabia anti roll bar as mine is starting to make a banging noise when going over bumps, I have had a look today and there looks to be play within the bushes, if I can change them would it need the steering checked ? cheers - Stuart

Yes. Get the upgrade poly bushes from powerflex - you'll find them listed on the websites of the site sponsors - got mine from Awesome GTI - I fitted some at the weekend and car is silent now - I think its 19mm for 1.9tdi but you should check that out.

As regards steering if its still going straight I wouldn't bother but getting it checked costs nothing?

It depends on which original anti-roll bar you have fitted!!! Look at where the saddle clamp ARB bush is on your car. If you see that the ARB has a metal flange on it pressing against the bush (facing into the wheelarch)then just get a set of Powerflex bushes. You will need to measure the diameter of the bar ARB to get the correct bush size. If however you do not see the flange (which stops the ARB sliding along) then you have the old style ARB which has a design fault! This type has a plastic sleave which is glued? to the ARB that the bush clamps around, rust seaps under this plastic sleave which then loosens the ARB allowing it to slide causing a knocking sound! So a new replacement ARB with the flange, and some Powerflex bushes are required!! Also you will have to lower the subframe to fit the ARB!!! You can just fit new bushes without the plastic sleave to the old style of ARB but not worth it in long run. Sub frame removal (lowering by 1 inch) not as daunting as might seem!!

I've been having massive problems with my anti roll bar saddle bush's since the day I bought the car over a year & half ago!!

I quoted the reg plate to VW, Andrew pages other part company's etc, all sending the same, WRONG bush's they sent 20.8mm ones, so 3 times over I fitted them & they started to bang & crash over the bumps within a day or less!

so last week I'd had enough, I found a Reg plate on here off a vRS quoted this and got some 19mm ones, fitted & there perfect!! although I will be buying some powerflex ones for piece of mind!

My cars a 52 plate PD100 Polo Sport.

Hi Thanks for the replys - here's some pics -

The ARB measures 18.21mm approx inc plastic covering near wheel. cheers - Stuart

Yes that is the old type of ARB which Skoda modified later on!! So not worth it in long run to just replace bushes!! So new ARB required Skoda or Eibach, and a set of Powerflex bushes, new drop links (unless they have been replaced recently)and new nuts/bolts,saddle clamps. Look at my post in Skoda Fabia-Technical guides- torque settings for info. Also what engine is this again, and does the exhaust go between the subframe and the bodywork, or under the subframe with the subframe bemding up into the bodywork?? Then I should be able to give full instructions!!

Hi, thanks 'fabdavrab' (presume its Dave ?) its a 1.9TDi PD year 2002 hatchback, are there only 2 makes of ARB ? can you buy a kit of parts or is it everything seperate ? cheers - Stuart

They are the two best makes! They are others like Whiteline who are good and various other oem style manufactures. Yes they are kits but they only include bushes and nuts I think, and I like to spec my stuff down to individual components! Best thing to do is look on Powerflex web site and get their list of ARB bushes, this should also give the ARB dia. You can then get a set of the ones for your car that they specify (also measure the dia of your existing ARB remember to scrape the loose rust off). Then get a price for an oem Skoda ARB for the dia you require try eurocarparts etc. etc. Then as the drop links are cheap and fail easily there is a manufacture I read about in VW Driver mag called Mahler or Mayler?? Who make heavy duty oem spec suspension parts and I did get hold of them about 6 months ago as they had just brought out heavy duty droplinks for the Fabia. They weren't that expensive, so when my current set fail I will be getting a set! Nuts, bolts, saddle brackets etc get from Skoda dealer. Wher does the exhust run in relation to the sub frame?? (and how did you guess )!!!

:( Hi Dave, Don't know offhand how the exhaust runs if I get a chance I will have a look tonight - cheers Stuart

Hi Dave, please find att pics of exhaust - above and below, ARB measures 18.31mm.

Edited 22 March, 201115 yr by sparky2

Hi, you are lucky, as the exhaust runs between the subframe and the bodywork (unlike mine). So that will make job easier as you don't have to move the exhaust out of the way. There is another way to do this!! You could just replace the ARB bushes, leave the ARB in-situ, but how to stop it sliding sideways once fitted?? Look at www.whiteline.com.au part no. KLL118 or part no. KLL120. These are lateral stops for using on an old style ARB!! Whiteline also do ARB bushes. Powerflex bushes are at www. powerflex.co.uk, part no. PFF85-603-18 (18mm ARB). If you still want to go the whole hog and replace the ARB you still have to drop the sub-frame, but easier on your car!

Thanks for that Dave,must admit I could do with just changing the bushes as I need to do the cambelt first. Cheers - Stuart

Cambelt balls!! Hope you have a Haynes manual!! Or at least info on the torque settings, and fitment, tensioning, etc.!! And a whole day set aside,and plenty of tea, coffee, alcohol (maybe not??) I get the dealer to to mine, as I would have to get an engine wing support bar (aluminium sump on AUB engine so can't jack it up once you remove the engine mount to get to belt! ), and camshaft locking tool! More money!! It's about the only thing besides the front wheel bearing that I get them to do, and I still double check it afterwards!! :wonder:

Wheres you sense of adventure perfect time to look after your car ! cheers - Stuart

does anyone have a pic of the modifed arb with the steel flange?

Look in the technical guides section, the thread on replacing the ARB does.

ive looked for a while and cant seem to find any guide on replacing farb bushes, does any one have a link?

One thing I will say is, these pictures, to me, look like they are of an old style ARB that has split its plastic end stops. What you are seeing there is an ARB with no or one end stop(s), so, someone has bodged it by fitting a section of heater hose over the ARB to build up its diameter so that the bushes, original or new, can "grab" the ARB enough to stop it moving too easily, this bodge was possibly done to avoid spending money before "moving" the car on. I'd tend to suggest testing the endstops with a small magnet, either way, the end stop will either be like a washer welded onto the ARB (old style) at the inside of each clamping point, or it will be a slightly thicker plastic bit that extends under the clamping clamp/bush - the plastic one is shaped like a hot hat on its side - the thinner part being the bit that hides under the clamping point, and the thicker bit is where the later type is a washer.

If its just the bushes that you are replacing, then its just removing both bolts from the clamps, take clamp off, ease the ARB forward and swop bushes. One thing you MUST do is lift up both sides at the same time or the ARB will fight you as one end will be twisting WRT the other side. Removing the bolts means using your imagination as the suspension will need compressed to reach one at each side and extended to reach the other on each side.

Halfords do sell workshop manuals that cover most common areas like suspension.

Edited 2 June, 201214 yr by rum4mo

Hi rum4mo

The nuts on the bolts that secure the saddle clamp are square on my 04 fabia vrs.

How would you recommend removing them?

 

I don't want to use an adjustable spanner (incase it slips and begins to round it off....), but is that the preferred method?

Thanks in advance.

 

If its just the bushes that you are replacing, then its just removing both bolts from the clamps, take clamp off, ease the ARB forward and swop bushes.

Those 'nuts' are permanently attached to the saddle clamps. You undo the bolts from them, not the nuts off the saddles.  Access to the bolt heads is in recesses in the aluminium console if I remember correctly, and will likely involve jacking the wishbone outer end up/down as either one or the other is obscured by the driveshaft at any given 'angle of dangle'.

Holy thread revival!

Those 'nuts' are permanently attached to the saddle clamps. You undo the bolts from them, not the nuts off the saddles.  Access to the bolt heads is in recesses in the aluminium console if I remember correctly, and will likely involve jacking the wishbone outer end up/down as either one or the other is obscured by the driveshaft at any given 'angle of dangle'.

 

So that will mean a metric hex socket on an extension (wobble extension if you were lucky), a quick scrub up of the exposed part of the threads and a bit of release oil will help things along (if you were really lucky, you would have a metric die to clean up that thread a bit better than a wire brush).