Ok, this is the bush that has failed, is this the so called 'console bush' or something else?

Is this a DIY repair, any special tools needed?

Any idea on price, difficulty etc

As always, any assistance very gratefuly received

Very very common fault with these cars.

Both my Fabias have had it done. Came in around £150 to get the work done.

Bushes can be very cheap but labour is a lot as the subframe has to be dropped.

You'll also need a press to get the bushes into and out of the console arms.

A wheel alignment afterwards would be a good idea too :yes:

Ideal time to upgrade to either.

4 prong OEM type. (Mk 2 Octy uses them.)

Solid cupra bushes. ( No Voids )

or really upgrade to poly bushes.

There are a few different ones of those available.

Do a few searches on here and you'll find hundreds of threads on

the subject.

The Grrr has ansered it.

I went for the Ibiza Cupra bushes as they where cheeper than polys, you can tell they are solid but have held up well!

http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1285

Gone up since i ordered them

P.S.

Do the front ones at the same time too

Edited 28 June, 201115 yr by vRSsunroof

Very very common fault with these cars.

Both my Fabias have had it done. Came in around £150 to get the work done.

Bushes can be very cheap but labour is a lot as the subframe has to be dropped.

You'll also need a press to get the bushes into and out of the console arms.

A wheel alignment afterwards would be a good idea too :yes:

Ideal time to upgrade to either.

4 prong OEM type. (Mk 2 Octy uses them.)

Solid cupra bushes. ( No Voids )

or really upgrade to poly bushes.

There are a few different ones of those available.

Do a few searches on here and you'll find hundreds of threads on

the subject.

Was that both sides for £150? presume safer to replace in pairs?

Do the pair to be sure! defo if you are going for a diffrernt style.

Also wanna knock some kids heads together, they are drawing all over your car!

These are the original ones which were later improved!

I replaced mine myself leaving the console units on the car and doing it "insitu".

I replaced with Powerflex two part bushes as these are the only ones that can be fitted without tools with the console on the car!!!

The Powerflex ones like the Whiteline and SuperPro ones are the BEST for allowing the suspension to do it's job fully and reducing wheel hop and skip of the inside wheel when going around corners!!! These made the biggest difference to the handling of the car!!!!

See my post for part no's

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/200949-upgrade-the-bushes/

The Powerflex ones like the Whiteline and SuperPro ones are the BEST for allowing the suspension to do it's job fully and reducing wheel hop and skip of the inside wheel when going around corners!!! These made the biggest difference to the handling of the car!!!!

Thats what the Diff is for :wonder:

Thats what the Diff is for :wonder:

Errrrr.........not quite!

I have ASR, EDL, ABS, on my car and I can tell the difference between the standard bush, the X bush and the Powerflex bush....I've had them all on the car with the same suspension/tyres etc!!!

The OEM bushes inc X and "Cupra" versions all need to be installed in a certain way with the wishbone horizontal...this is because the bush locks around the hex peg on the wishbone and the up and down movement is against the stiffnes of the bush material...this is unwanted resistance!!! ALL we want to stop is all other movement...so lets make the hex peg a free pivot point like the front bush is!! This is what the Powerflex, Whiteline, SuperPro bushes do....and because there is less resistance to the wishbone pivoting up and down it allows the spring and damper to respond quicker to road conditions!!! I have noticed this as the front of the car feels more planted and the inside wheel feels more connected, with the load/drive feeling shared and not just on the outside wheel!!!

Please remember that even with EDL the car has just a "standard fixed ratio" diff!! NOT a fancy Quaife, Peloquin etc torque biasing automatic etc etc diff!!!

Back to the point 'Newton'

Bosh them in in pairs as they dont do that style anymore.

If the MOT tester is putting those marks on the car you want to have a work with him about that :no:

Back to the point 'Newton'

I can really bore you if I want ......I'm now off to see what can be done about these apples that have fallen of this tree.....apparently they can be turned into a rather nice alcoholic beverage called "cider"!

Was that both sides for £150? presume safer to replace in pairs?

Yes supplied and fitted. Worried about the cupra bushes being too hard

I went for 4 prong Octy2 voided in the end. These ones...

May upgrade to superpro next time they need changing but I definitely felt a huge improvement

in the feel of the car after the Octy ones went on. Firmer ride but not unduly harsh.

Back to the point 'Newton'

Bosh them in in pairs as they dont do that style anymore.

If the MOT tester is putting those marks on the car you want to have a work with him about that :no:

It's chalk, so first time it rains it will come off. He does it to avoid any confusion over which bushes need replacing. He had a car back for a retest and the garage the owner had taken it to had replaced the wrong bush (which didn't need doing) - I think it's good that he makes the effort to do it.

Also, I'm still a bit confused over what this bush is called?

I like the idea of a two-part replacement to make the job manageable, but as I'm unsure what this bush is called I can't work out what I need to order!

It's a console bush

I did wonder, but it's the first confirmation in the thread.

Cheers for everyones help on this

These are the original ones which were later improved!

I replaced mine myself leaving the console units on the car and doing it "insitu".

I replaced with Powerflex two part bushes as these are the only ones that can be fitted without tools with the console on the car!!!

The Powerflex ones like the Whiteline and SuperPro ones are the BEST for allowing the suspension to do it's job fully and reducing wheel hop and skip of the inside wheel when going around corners!!! These made the biggest difference to the handling of the car!!!!

See my post for part no's

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/200949-upgrade-the-bushes/

That was a great Heads-up many thanks. Have ordered Powerflex PFF85-602 kit (£44.68 from an ebay seller here http://stores.ebay.co.uk/suspensionbushes), looks a straighforward job from the PDF I found on their installation, certainly easier than dropping the console anyway

There are a few "pointers" to make the job easier!!

To remove the lower wishbone arm first undo the three small bolts that hold the lower balljoint to the arm and then the big front pivot bolt for the arm. Then push the arm (front bush part) back into the subframe, then swivel the ball joint plate (this has three sticky out points) and you have to get these to mesh between the two prongs of the arm and then with a bit of pushing and pulling you should be able to push the balljoint plate down and release it from the arm. Then lever the arm down which will help to push it against the edge of the subframe and lever it back out from the front part. Once that is clear then spray some penetrating oil into the joint between the rear hex peg and the console bush...leave to soak! Then hit the end of the hex peg with a rubber mallet to try to loosen it, and get part under the car (lay down on back feet to rear of car) I had one foot braced against wheel arch and then straight pull/twist the arm off to the front of car!

Now using a hacksaw cut through the plastic shell of the console bush (carefull as you don't want to cut into the aluminium console) and also using an old flat blade screwdriver hammered between the bush and the console. This is to break the plastic sleave that the rubber bush is bonded to, to relive the tension on it so it can be hammered out!!

Once it is out then using some 120grit sandpaper smooth off the aluminium console lips and inside it to get rid of crap etc!!! Then clean with meths and also clean the hex peg on the wishbone, the front bush and the subframe area for the front bush also.....use degreaser/meths etc to remove crap etc!!

Now don't use soap...use proper copper grease to throughly lube the console and the Powerflex bush....both parts...inside and out and the hexpeg...more on the contact areas between the black and purple bush parts as this is the swivel joint!

Now using your hand push fit the purple bush into the console unit........now push the black bush onto the hex peg and using a socket (must fit over the hex peg) and a hammer.....drive the black bush fully onto the hex peg (tight fit). Now inspect and relube the front bush contact areas with copper grease.

Now the hard part!!! As straight as pos push the rear part of the wishbone into the console......do not hammer it in as this is usless!!! Constant hard pressure with a slight twisting action will get it in!!! A ratchet strap may help (I did it without...but I am quite strong!) Then once the rear is fully in just push the front part back into the the subframe. Also make sure that when you refit the wishbone that the wishbone is below the balljoint as it is easier to fit this way. Refit the balljoint plate as a reversal of removing!! Also for torque settings and if you are worried about aligment of the subframe see my post below!

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/165720-fabia-nut-and-bolt-tightening-torques/page__view__findpost__p__2314024

Edited 29 June, 201115 yr by fabdavrav

Awesome, that's great!

Awesome, that's great!

Oh yeah.....when you start driving the car it will take about 30miles on twisty roads to settle the bushes......and then you have to get used to the slight increase in inital body roll when turning into corners (due to suspension now beeing able to do it's job properly).......but enjoy the increased balance and grip of both front wheels!!! Take a bit of getting used to!....but well worth it!...I'm still trying to find the limits.....but I'm failing....well I'm chickening out after adding another 5 to 10mph to previous speeds for the same corner in the same conditions....much more grip...even if you try to unsettle it!!!!

ARB next?

ARB next?

Yeh! They're pukka. Was chatting to Martin today on the subject.

Nice to meet you mate. Lovely clean looking Fabia you have there

You'll love it once you've done all your bits and pieces.

Lol I like the two big arrows. Just missing the "THIS ONE" text.

Yeh! They're pukka. Was chatting to Martin today on the subject.

Nice to meet you mate. Lovely clean looking Fabia you have there

You'll love it once you've done all your bits and pieces.

Nice to meet you too Dude! - Very nice Vrs

mine will look a lot nicer once I've been at it with my DAS6 Pro, mezerna compounds and maybe.... some Black hole

However, that jobs a little low down the agenda as I now need to;

Replace the front brakes completely (with 312's) - Massive thanks to you and Gareth

Rebuild the leaking rear caliper and replace the rear discs

Replace the Console bushes

And fit my KW V1 kit, which I might as well do while taking so much of the car to bits!

So, after the weekend, not only will the car pass the MOT it'll be a totally different car on the road.

It was embarrasing driving it today, as the binding front caliper is making an awful noise.

I've spent a couple of hours this afternoon stripping down the KW's, greasing the adjusters etc ready for fitting.

Think i'm going to have a BUSY weekend

Edited 29 June, 201115 yr by sko-with-go

Oh yeah.....when you start driving the car it will take about 30miles on twisty roads to settle the bushes......and then you have to get used to the slight increase in inital body roll when turning into corners (due to suspension now beeing able to do it's job properly).......but enjoy the increased balance and grip of both front wheels!!! Take a bit of getting used to!....but well worth it!...I'm still trying to find the limits.....but I'm failing....well I'm chickening out after adding another 5 to 10mph to previous speeds for the same corner in the same conditions....much more grip...even if you try to unsettle it!!!!

many thanks for the guidance on this, replaced both bushes today and fitted the front KW V1's with new top mounts and bearings. Also got both 312 disks on, but then ran out of time.

tomorrows jobs are;

put the new 312 carriers and calipers on, new disks on the back, KW V1's on the back, rebuild rear caliper and refit, bleed brakes, check how the car sits alround and adjust suspension as necessary.

Go for a drive to bed in brakes, then see how it feels going from a standard vrs to one with three significant upgrades in one go

Edited 2 July, 201115 yr by sko-with-go

Go for a drive to bed in brakes, then see how it feels going from a standard vrs to one with three significant upgrades in one go

Hope you were carefull!!!....don't sneeze...or you'll headbutt the steering wheel with those big brakes!!

Hope you were carefull!!!....don't sneeze...or you'll headbutt the steering wheel with those big brakes!!

I was very careful, driven it around a bit today and the squeel from the new front pads has now gone, the CEL light has gone off and it seems to have settled nicely.

Will get it re-tested tomorrow