Hi all

I've gone through the forum and found it useful, especially for the wheel bearing replacement. Just want to share my experience (Just replaced/replacing large portion of the front suspension) and if anyone want to add their experiences and opinions on working with the front suspension, please feel free.

Long story why I'm doing all this but I won't bore you guys:

• wheel bearing, both side. Done. Straight forward enough (assume nothing is rusted in) to remove wheel hub and get the local garage to press the new bearing flange in. The bearing is together with the flange and ABS "reluctor ring". I believe it is an active "Hall Sensor with Magnetic Encoder Ring" type, works on the same theory as your power steering electric motor. More on that on http://www.trwaftermarket.com/en/Products/Drum-Brake-and-Actuation-Systems/ABS-Sensors. Got it from GSF, ~£75 each.
  
• drop links, both side. Done. Got it from AVS SPares, ~£10 each.
  
• track rod end, both side. Getting the local garage to do that at the end. Suspect they would need a torch to loosen it. AVS Spares, ~£10 each.
  
• ABS sensors, both side (managed to break one of them on the way out and the new one going in!). Got the 2nd replacement on order. Corrosion in the through hole for the abs sensor has create a too tight of a fit. Will file/clean it to open up the diameter next time. I assume it suppose to drop in without much force consider there's only one bolt holding it? AVS Spares, £25 each.
  
  • ABS sensors seem to break very easily. If it snaps inside, you can try what I did which doesn't need to remove the hub: use a dremel to drill a small hole into the snapped half. Doesn't need to go all the way through if you're worried about damaging the hub. Then use a thread forming screw (I used the one that holds the inner wheel arch to the car) and gentle thread into the hole, just enough so you can get a pair of pilers to the screw head. pull the screw out, hopefully together with the embedded abs sensor.
    

  [*]wishbones which came with ball joints and all bushes. The console bush was new from 1.5 year ago so plan to keep the ones in the car for the time being, both side. The ball joint nut on top was a complete pain to remove. Jacked up against it to stop it from spinning didn't really help. The bolt holding the front bush is easy enough to remove. The arm to the console bush seem to be stuck which may require more hammering tomorrow to dislodge. Any thought on this? Is it just brute force to remove consider as there is no nut holding it? Got it from Car Spares in Birmingham. No website (there is a "car spares" website but not the one I'm talking about.) I have found some parts to be cheaper than anywhere else from them. Moog part, £40 each side.

  [*]New brake disc, pads, brake dust cover ready once I've replaced the wishbone. Saber car parts, again no website as it's a local car part dealer. ~£60 both side for discs and pads. I got this on trade price so probably not realistic. ~£10 each for the brake dust cover.

I've noticed/done a few things while working on the car,

1. Get your self a 18mm spanner and deep socket. I have a selection of Halford profession tools and they seem to have, by default 17mm and 19mm. Nothing inbetween. Need the 18mm for the ball joint top nut.
   
2. decent weight lump hammer. Ball joint will come out with some side way action from the lump hammer. I've found hitting the suspension arm downward (which seems logical) doesn't dislodge the ball joint, but hitting the hub side way, parallel to the ground helps shock it out..
   
3. Spline set (what's is wrong with standard torx, Skoda!?) up to M14. You need the M14 for the bolt that support the hub to damper. AVS Spare sells just the M14 at a reasonable price.
   
4. Allen key bits, especially the odd size 5.5mm for the track rod end (maybe it used to be 5mm before the corrosion?). Personally the dremel only came out because the corrosion has weaken the already thin side wall of hexagon/torx slot in the threaded shafts of the track end rods and drop links. The walls snapped or get rounded as soon as you try to turn it. If it's rounded, one option is to hammer in a next size up torx bit. Sometimes they bite into the rounded hole, allows you to undo them. Check the torx bit afterwards though as this process tends to damage them. Extreme option is to weld an allen key bit into the hole. Permanent solution which personally, Skoda should have designed in. At least you have a mold grip option as well.
   
5. 36mm thin wall deep socket for the wheel hub nut. Brought it on Amazon.
   
6. If you like me are a bit pedantic and wants to clean/anti-corrosion coat things when they go back in, then you can try what I did: Go buy yourself a few litres of catering vinegar (~£3 for 5 litres from big wholesale catering shops) and submerge the parts you want cleaning for a couple of days. Vinegar, being a weak acid is great on metal components. You can just gentle wire brush the rust afterwards. Apply a metal ready coating next before POR15/Hammerite. For really rusted parts, "marine clean" is super potent. I cleaned a whole engine with it before. Wear gloves (dish washing gloves) if you're going to use this or your hands will dry up like a mummy's face for 2 weeks (personal experience).
   
7. Hub removal tool which allows mounting on a 5 wheel nut pattern. I got a generic hub remover kit (like a U shape design for mount at 2 points across the centre point of the hub flange). It kinda works but because of the design, it will only allow mounting on wheel flanges holes that are even numbers 4,6,8 etc. If its odd number like the 5 point on the Fabia then it will only allow you to bolt on one point which isn't ideal.
   
8. Moly grease for the drive shaft spline and copper grease for the rest of the brake/suspension components. I think you will be okay with copper grease on the spline but if you want to follow the official Skoda maintenance guide then go with moly grease. You can get both at Halfords.
   

When all this is done I was planning getting tracking check and aligned purely of the track rod end being replaced. Is that sufficient? Have I missed anything? I enquired about 4 wheel alignment at a VAG specialist before and then said since the rear axle of the vrs is fixed, there is no need for any alignment on the rear wheels.

I'm happy to add/check anything while I have the car's up on jacks at the moment.

Cheers for any response/corrections/opinions.

I havnt read all that as im on my phone!

But i did notice you said you would keep the console bush as its only 1.5 years old, these are very common bushes to replace as they fail all the time, for the price about £4 per side? I'd replace them, but they arnt the easiest bushes to change and the big bit is the labour charges.

I think that's my main concern with the console bush: A way to remove and replace easily.

I suppose the other option is making the tool for it, http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/92625-fabia-wishbone-bush-replacement-diy-guide.

I made a tool for it, have enough to make hundreds tbh just never thought about selling them....

The tool to press it in is straight forward enough. For removal is a bit more difficult, without going to the hacksaw way.

I haven't had problem with the front bushes yet so still inclined to keep them on while I get a tool made.

I'll take some dimensions tomorrow and see what I can knock up on CAD. It's isn't difficult, just time consuming.

I have a small blue pry bar, about 15cm or so long, i just knock that under the lip and force down, the bush always collapses in and falls out, takes 30 seconds.

Okay, I will give that a go tomorrow.

I have a friend who can bench press +200kg...I might give him a call if all else fails!

I have use of a ramp and a full range of tools.

This is the exact same set i bought, the smallest bar in that set is the one i use every time, just knocked it in under the bush and push down, popes right out... Done it around 6 times now and works every time. First try was a hacksaw blade, big bar and big hammer... Thought about burning it out.

Good luck anyway.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=150836522880&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=46078874777

Cool, cheers for the info.

I haven't tried the brute force method with a pry bar, but just used a screwdriver to make a gap in a couple of places and squirted in some WD40, waited a few minutes for it to soak around the outside of the bush, then tapped it out from behind with a hammer and piece of wood. They just slide out like wine corks - and certainly aren't the big deal garages and the Haynes manual make out!

I've just completed a very similar overhaul of the front suspension. A few notes to add...

 

Changing the CV boots, make sure you order a genuine part's kit as the oem ones don't come with a new drive shaft nut. When your taking the CV joint off, hold the driveshaft steady against the ARB with a grapple spanner and then gently take the cv joint off. I did it an interesting but VERY easy way. I welded the driveshaft nut to a sliding hammer and then just screw on the end a few threads, while holding the driveshaft to make sure it doesn't pull out of the gearbox one sliding bang and it was off. 

 

This is a good time to change the top mount bearing and bush too. Loosen the three nuts holding the strut and since you have everything else removed it just drops down. Once it's on the bench you can loosen the lock nut at the top until your just past the locking thread. Then using spring compressors (about £15 for a pair) clamp the spring until it's loose in the strut. Now the locknut should undo by hand so you won't need an inward ring spanner and an Allen key to hold the damper. If your thinking of putting the old one back on, be careful as the bearings usually split and the innards go everywhere! new one's are about £30 each. Be careful while overhauling the suspension, its can be a dangerous job as your compressing the spring. Think about every step your doing and take your time.  

 

I also replaced the bolt holding the strut onto the hub. It's a silly M14 torx one and prone to rust in that area so for future proofing I replaced it with standard bolt and locknut. I managed to get the locknut off half an inch but then grinded the bolt off. I didn't want to faff with it! 

 

While you have easy access, I would change the ARB bushes too. You can change them by just removing the wheels and being nifty with a 13mm spanner, but with the hub off it's much easier.

 

One piece of advice I would give is, unless your on a really tight budget, use GENUINE PARTS where you can. It makes a lot of difference! I've had console bushes go in 20,000 miles before where Originals last about 60,000. 

 

Otherwise use copious amounts of copper grease (but obviously try and keep it away from the braking components...disks and pads etc) it will save you sweating in the future when your changing stuff again! 

 

I didn't change the wheel bearings though...It's done 110,000 miles now, should I be thinking about it? Although there's no apparent wear yet and the bearings are still rolling smoothly....

Edited 8 August, 201312 yr by dyfi

I just used common sense and the Haynes manual when I did all my suspension/brakes etc........

If it doesnt come out, get a bigger hammer

When mine went i upgraded all my bushes to superpro bushes. Last much longer and seeing as i had it all off it made sense.