Hi there, I am after some help.

If I drive my Octavia VRS sensibly I have no issues, it drives perfectly. However If I accelerate heavily from a stand still a loud clunk comes from the passenger side, (which can be felt under my passengers feet) and the same sort of clunk occurs under heavy braking. It seems to be worse over drain covers and pot holes.

I have changed the discs and pads all round(mintex) and also changed the passenger side lower arm(pattern part). After I changed the lower arm, it seemed to quieten down for a bit, but has gradually got worse again following a few weeks of fitting it.

Is it wise to avoid pattern lower arms and stick with Skoda parts, or do you think this could be something else?

All help is appreciated, thanks.

have you checked the subframe mounts/bushes?

Track rod end when it's just going sounds like your discription

have you checked the subframe mounts/bushes?

No :S not even considered it until you said. Is this an easy job?

Track rod end when it's just going sounds like your discription

Last time I checked there was no movement in the track rod end, and if it did have a clunk like this, I expect it would have popped off by now

Have you checked the dogbone mount?

Have you checked the dogbone mount?

No, would this knock under these circumstances? i.e uneven road surface

Edited 5 August, 201114 yr by lutenertic

No, would this knock under these circumstances? i.e uneven road surface

Yes, and you would feel it in the way you describe.

Sounds definitely a mount related issue. As its when your breaking and accelerating i'd check the engine mounts first.

Sounds definitely a mount related issue. As its when your breaking and accelerating i'd check the engine mounts first.

Cheers guys, I will look into this over the weekend and report back

I have a similar knock and i am pretty sure it is the dogbone mount, just weighing up whether to upgrade to poly bushes.

Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been able to investigate this until today. I stuck the car on an MOT ramp and tested the suspension for knocks and bangs. Although not obvious there was a slight knock from the NSF wishbone bush located nearest the front of the car. We did several tests on the dogbone bush, but couldn't see an issue. I ran the MOT tester up the road and he came to the conclusion the NSF wishbone was to blame.

The trouble is I changed this lower arm about a year ago, and I don't want to change it again in a years time. I think I would like polybushes for it and a company I have used before Flo-flex only stock bushes for the mk4 Golf, and at a reasonable price. I have cross referenced the wishbone part number and they are the same...So will the mk4 Golf bushes fit?

Sorry for the essay, and thanks for your help

Edited 26 August, 201114 yr by lutenertic

So will the mk4 Golf bushes fit?

Ok I have had a look around, and have answered my own question...They will fit

Question to ask is...did you fit a genuine wishbone or a pattern part last year? Id expect a genuine part to last a lot longer.

I got cheap pattern part bottom arms fitted to my 52 vrs just over 2 and half months ago, after a few weeks I also got a strange knocking sound when I put my foot down and used the brakes hard. The arms had to be changed again 2 weeks ago due to the rear bush almost torn out of its holder. One lesson has been learned is never to replace suspension parts with cheap ones. There is a seller on ebay who does the poly bushes for the octi for around £75 for 2 rear and 2 front bushes

I got cheap pattern part bottom arms fitted to my 52 vrs just over 2 and half months ago, after a few weeks I also got a strange knocking sound when I put my foot down and used the brakes hard. The arms had to be changed again 2 weeks ago due to the rear bush almost torn out of its holder. One lesson has been learned is never to replace suspension parts with cheap ones. There is a seller on ebay who does the poly bushes for the octi for around £75 for 2 rear and 2 front bushes

Here is a link to ebay where you can get the poly bushes from for the bottom front wishbones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120722609867?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Thanks for the advice guys. This problem has been resolved by replacing the front and rear wishbone bushes.

After a lot of digging around I came to the conclusion that maybe the Powerflex bushes aren't up to scratch; as many have complained about them failing. So I went with what I know, and as I have previously opted for Flo-flex and had no problems (on my series one Escort Turbo) I felt as though they were certainly worth a try. I called and they advised that the MK4 Golf bushes listed would also be compatible with the MK1 Octavia VRS, so for £42 delivered for all wishbone bushes, who can complain?

So all in all, they are excellent quality and easy to fit. I have given them a good (private) road test and the handling is certainly a lot tighter.

I will report back with an updates on these bushes, good or bad

Here's the link to them again:

http://www.floflex.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=28_127&products_id=612

Edited 12 October, 201114 yr by lutenertic

DO NOT BUY THESE FLO-FLEX BUSHES FOR AN OCTAVIA VRS.

The car obviously handled much better with these polys than when it had the worn bushes. I had the tracking checked and adjusted on Monday, it all seemed fine other than the steering wheel was slightly to the right.

Another 36 miles and I'd thought I'd get the tracking checked in the hope that maybe the rear gauges were mis-aligned, however the front gauges reported that the alignment is out by 3mm!! I had it adjusted again, but when the car is in motion, the steering wheel is again to the right.

Today I contacted Flo-flex to discuss my issue, to which I was told that I was mis-sold this item as they do not produce bushes for the VRS, but to be fair to them, they have offered a full refund including postage.

After further investigation and trawling the web I have come to the conclusion that the MK1 Audi TT rear wishbone bush and VRS Octavia front bush maybe the way forward. In additon Superpro have had good reliablity feedback...

What are peoples thoughts on this?

Cheers

James

Edited 12 October, 201114 yr by lutenertic

Here is a link to ebay where you can get the poly bushes from for the bottom front wishbones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120722609867?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I would not use the power flex bushes

These were mine after only 6 months

I have heard they have improved design but first impressions have killed my belief in them.

DO NOT BUY THESE FLO-FLEX BUSHES FOR AN OCTAVIA VRS.

The car obviously handled much better with these polys than when it had the worn bushes. I had the tracking checked and adjusted on Monday, it all seemed fine other than the steering wheel was slightly to the right.

Another 36 miles and I'd thought I'd get the tracking checked in the hope that maybe the rear gauges were mis-aligned, however the front gauges reported that the alignment is out by 3mm!! I had it adjusted again, but when the car is in motion, the steering wheel is again to the right.

Today I contacted Flo-flex to discuss my issue, to which I was told that I was mis-sold this item as they do not produce bushes for the VRS, but to be fair to them, they have offered a full refund including postage.

After further investigation and trawling the web I have come to the conclusion that the MK1 Audi TT rear wishbone bush and VRS Octavia front bush maybe the way forward. In additon Superpro have had good reliablity feedback...

What are peoples thoughts on this?

Cheers

James

Hi There,

My thoughts are IMO Flo flex don't know what they are talking about.

The Skoda and VRS share the same chassis and subframe including wishbone set up. So saying not fit for VRS does not make sense. Superpro/powerflex ones all quote one generic part number for the Seat,Audi,VW,skoda chassis range. So if you buy a VW golf one you are buying the same for the skoda.

The garage where you had the car aligned have obviously done a poor job at aligniment. The fact the steering wheel is pointng either left or right has nothing to do with the alignment of bushes fitted but of the guy centralising the steering. I would bet the 3mm was already there prior to your alignment(unless you confirm otherwise) so may not be caused due to fitting new bushes. That 3mm may also be within tolerance. This does not mean to say the Flex flo bushes are any good in terms of material used to make them and life of the bush worth the cost, but lets not confuse that with the bushes not fitting the Skoda wishbone.

If it were me i would go the tried and tested route of a TT rear bush(these are solid and not voided) and either std front bush or superpro front bush on a std octy suspension. I have a full set of Superpro front and rear with castor adjustable rear bush as i have Audi TT wishbones and hubs which with my set up is excellent.

Thanks for the advice, I have opted for the Superpro full wishbone set for the VRS, their 3 year 36,000 mile warranty fills me with confidence.

As for the wheel alignment it was done at a friends garage, I was there both times and as qualified mechanic (no longer my profession of choice)I could see it was done correctly.

The first time the front guages were -2mm and +2mm (parallel)

The second time (following adjustment) the front guages were -3mm and +3mm (parallel) Both times the rears were set correctly too. There is something seriously wrong with these bushes to cause this sort of set back, as this never occured with the standard bushes.

The Superpro bushes arrived, and I managed to get them fitted on Saturday.

Once fitted, I took the car for a spin and found that the steering and feedback was perfect, so hats off to superpro for getting this right.

Here's a picture of the Newly fitted bushes and the removed Flo-flex bushes...

Good choice with the super pro. Can't go wrong there.

I went with Super pro, but the offset castor ones.

ive got the same clunking so reckon this is what i need to do , whats the difference with having off set casters?

thanks sean

ive got the same clunking so reckon this is what i need to do , whats the difference with having off set casters?

thanks sean

Hi There, the offset bushes have been designed with an offset mounting. This allows for a greater caster angle to be achieved cutting down on wheel hop and spin, which if you have lowered car and stiffened chassis will experience.

These can only be fitted in the cast front wishbones though not the std VRS ones. I have Golf R32 wishbones and Audi TT Hubs which allow the wishbones to sit better on a lowered car again reducing wheel hop.

This is not really needed unless you are serious about the handling of the car and perhaps are using as a track car also. My cars turn in is fantastic with the front end set up I have