2005 Octavia Combi 4x4 rear coil springs

[gudjonsig]

Hello fellow Skoda owners.

 

I changed the rear coil springs few weeks ago.  I bought Monroe coils, since they were of better value than VAG coils...  I paid about 105 GBP for them, the VAG ones would have been in the vicinity of 290 GBP. 

 

Then after installing them, they sagged and the car looks like a stupid low-rider.  Being a 4x4, that is not what I want. 

So here is what I am mulling about:  Can I use any other VAG coils that can take the weight and still ride higher?  I was thinking about getting something from a breaker.  There are no 4x4 being dismantled here for the time being and I really don´t have the cash to go to the dealer.

 

As for importing spares to Iceland, it is expensive because of customs (outside EU) and usually if sellers export outside of the EU, the shipping costs are like the parts are to be sent out the solar system.

 

The part number for the Monroe coils is SP3295.

[Rab-k]

Can't answer your question as I've only ever replaced a single OEM coil  - the original having broken under load.

 

What I have since fitted are the MAD Helper Springs, which work very well in preventing the rear from sagging under load.

 

http://mad-suspension.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=2

 

[gudjonsig]

Thanks for that. Do you know the lenght of the coils?

[cheshire_cat]

looking at the Monroe cat' there is another option of SP3349 (heavy duty) for what I think is your model (check) but no other info   LESJOFORS from Sweden might be worth a look but I can't get into their cat' for some reason at the mo'   keep us posted of progress

[Rab-k]

Thanks for that. Do you know the lenght of the coils?

 

Sorry, don't have that to hand. If you contact MAD directly I'm sure they will provide that information.

[cheshire_cat]

bump

[ecr]

Can't directly help with your question but I would advise caution if you fit springs from another type of vehicle. It's not just the length of the spring that is important, the spring rate is also important (how much load it takes to compress the spring a given amount).  

For instance, if you fit springs with a significantly higher rate at the rear of the car you could find that your car is more prone to oversteering (loose rear end when cornering). Just something to be aware of.

Good luck from a fellow 4x4 owner ....

[Huskoda]

The 4x4 uses different springs to the standard Octavia, as you have found out. I don't know if they are common to other VAG vehicles.

[gudjonsig]

Yes, well...  I went to see a breaker.  He brought forth a pair of coils from a 2007 Jetta.  The same length, but the steel was 2mm thicker in the Skoda coils.  So I guess I will have to shed some tears and pay for a pair of originals. 

[gudjonsig]

I went to the Skoda dealer and bought new coils...  243GBP... 

 

Just got home after installing them.  A huge difference, around 7 cm higher than with the wrong coils, a softer ride. 

[Stuarted]

Yup - just to be boringly technical, the stiffness (rate) of a spring is proportional to the fourth power of the wire diameter, so just a mm or so thicker wire will make a huge difference betwen springs, even with the same number of coils and overall diameter. 

[gudjonsig]

I am really happy with this solution.  Now I just have to get some money and get rid of the car!

[phikret]

Hi, can you gudjonsig let me know the part number, or maybe post a foto before and after installing the right springs? 

 

Also, if anyone knows if the springs from 4x4 octavia a5 fl 2012 fits to 2 wheels drive version this information would be appreciated a lot!

 

Thanks in advance!

[J.R.]

I fitted springs from Lesjofors to the rear of my 2wd Octavia, they were listed as heavy duty and the part number was a cross reference to the VAG spring set for rough roads or whatever it was called, only €23 each, they have raised the rear ride height perhaps to the Scout/4*4 height and the ride height drops a lot lot less when loaded but the ride and handling is if anything better than before.

 

I dont know if they are the same dimensionally as 4*4 springs.

[phikret]

Thanks for this information. Now I know that they fit to both version 2wd and 4wd. Did you have to replace the suspension as well? Also, I was worried about the stability of the car if I fit them on my car, but if I understood you well (english is not my native tongue), you said that handling got even better than earlier? 

 

Additional question: Did you change the front springs as well or not?

[cheshire_cat]

the 4x4 suspsension on both scout and ordinary 4x4 is described as heavy duty and therefore other parts of the suspension may not be compatible  with 2wd  the height difference between the 4x4 and scout is only accounted for by the scout having larger wheels as standard  **************** note heavy duty 2wd is not neccesarily the same as 4x4 in the spring department*****************