Hi all, enjoying my new octavia vrs, had it since January and clocked 9000 miles already. One issue that is irritating me is the rust that has appeared on the wheel hub. It actually appeared very early on within a few hundred miles of getting the car and seems to mainly on one wheel although I see it it on spots on the other wheels. Not sure if this is a warranty issue or expected? Anyone else experiencing the same issue?

Steve

Mine are ok I think, unlikely it's covered under warranty

I met someone at the National Meet who'd also got the same problem.

Needless to say, he was far from happy and was pursuing the dealer to remedy it.

A common Volkswagen Group niggle. Just take a look at a few in car parks, they all seem to do it, some quicker than others, even the bosses Bentley suffers from it. 

It's not a VAG problem it's the laws of physics, untreated (or at least without anything but a light coating) steel, now add air and water = rust.

Lots of manufacturers 'suffer' with it.

It's not a VAG problem it's the laws of physics, untreated (or at least without anything but a light coating) steel, now add air and water = rust.

Lots of manufacturers 'suffer' with it.

Appreciate that but what is strange is that it seems to be affecting one wheel hub which suggests to me that the there is an issue with the coating on that particular hub. I would have expected to see this after a year or two but not after a few weeks/months.

Steve

Or the way it is parked, meaning one wheel is more exposed. On all my cars the OSF hub rusts quicker as it is more exposed and my drive is on a slope.

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Rusty hubs have been a feature on every Audi, VW and Skoda I've owned.

Rusty hubs have been a feature on every Audi, VW and Skoda I've owned.

It's been a feature of every car I've owned.

Yep every car I've owned too.   Not an issue.  Just put copper slip on the back of your rims so they don't stick, copper slip on your rim bolts, and when it comes time to do any repairs that require hub removal (or removal of a part from the hub)....take it to the dealer or be prepared to get brutal on it and skin your knuckles.  That's what I usually do at least!

copper slip on your rim bolts,

Wheel bolts should be torqued dry not lubed otherwise you will get them tighter than they are designed to be. Some applications specify a wet torque. What does the Skoda manual say?

If you don't lube them you risk having an almighty struggle to undo them if they rust a little.  I've always done wheel bolts tight, super tight, 4 white knuckles f'in tight.

Wheel bolts do not need to be that tight, you stand the chance of damaging the alloy wheel (or shearing the bolt) if you do them that tight.

 

90lbf (120 Nm) is the recommended torque for VAG wheels... which is a lot less than FT!

120Nm is pretty darn tight with a short wheel brace.  I should say, I throttle the wheel brace/ use a short one to tighten.  However torquing wheel nuts is an amusing thought, never seen a tyre fitter do it.

120Nm is pretty darn tight with a short wheel brace. I should say, I throttle the wheel brace/ use a short one to tighten. However torquing wheel nuts is an amusing thought, never seen a tyre fitter do it.

I have my local tyre fitters do it all the time as they should!

120Nm is pretty darn tight with a short wheel brace. I should say, I throttle the wheel brace/ use a short one to tighten. However torquing wheel nuts is an amusing thought, never seen a tyre fitter do it.

I've never seen a tyre fitter not torque my wheel nuts, and I've never had to ask for it.

Even kwik fit do it round here. They even get you to come back 100miles later to check the torque.

I have my local tyre fitters do it all the time as they should!

 

As do both tyre fitters I have used recently, never seen one not use a torque wrench recently.

Any properly trained car mechanic/technician will use a torque wrench to tighten wheel bolts or nuts.

It's very important to tighten them correctly, which is a lot less than FT on cars.

Rusty hubs have been a feature on every Audi, VW and Skoda I've owned.

 

My rear hubs are rusting (fronts OK so far) as are all 4 on SWMBO's 2011 Polo. 

Sorry for a dumb question but what are wheel hubs?

In this post, I believe people are talking about the disk brake rotors, which are visible through the spokes of the alloy wheels. They have a light anti-corrosion finish which breaks down and rusts.

In this post, I believe people are talking about the disk brake rotors, which are visible through the spokes of the alloy wheels. They have a light anti-corrosion finish which breaks down and rusts.

I was going to point out earlier in the thread that it's not hub but decided not to as people would get arsey....

 

Rusty hubs (rotors) not an issue for me anymore as can't see them with the 3SDM 0.05 rims (one of reasons I chose them)… plus you don't get to see the rear disc through the wheel, which looks ridiculously small compared to the front disc some 6' away. Calipers stay visible though, so win win all round!

 

And my regular tyre fitter always torque's the wheel bolts!

I must don some orthopaedic shoes ( stand corrected) then, seems I am using some below par tyre fitters.