My 2009 1.9tdi with about 50,000 on it has started doing this over the last 10K or so. When driving over poor road surfaced with rutted tarmac or lots of little tiny pot holes you get a sort of rattling/knocking sound.

 

Searches on the internet seem to indicate this is a very common problem and most people seem to recommend either the drop links or wishbone bushes (console bushes, but I'm not sure of that terminology?)

 

So I had the front end up and the wheels off earlier and I can't see anything wrong with these items, (or anything for that matter) so what's the way forward. Just change the drop links as they looks easy and give it a whirl - any recommendations?

 

Cheers Julian

Edited 6 February, 201610 yr by JulianS

This isn't Octavia specific but we have similar on our TT. There's a knock on the front, jacked up and inspecting/shaking everything didn't show any movement. It was only once the droplinks were removed that you could feel movement in the ARB (which still needs the bushes replacing). Replacing the droplinks has removed a lot of the knocking.

This isn't Octavia specific but we have similar on our TT. There's a knock on the front, jacked up and inspecting/shaking everything didn't show any movement. It was only once the droplinks were removed that you could feel movement in the ARB (which still needs the bushes replacing). Replacing the droplinks has removed a lot of the knocking.

I think that's the way I'll go, drop links are not expensive, and like you say, when they're removed you can get to check the ARB bushes better.

 

Julian

Top mounts, that is a good point, I shall remember that if the drop links don't cure it as the wishbone bushes look perfect to me.

 

Julian

I also have a knocking, a little in the front but mainly on the rear, it has also been diagnosed as top mount bushes/bearings. So things seem to point in that direction. I assume its more on sudden bumps, like little pot-holes?

robt100, on 07 Feb 2016 - 20:36, said:

I also have a knocking, a little in the front but mainly on the rear, it has also been diagnosed as top mount bushes/bearings. So things seem to point in that direction. I assume its more on sudden bumps, like little pot-holes?

Yes, little pot holes. There's a stretch of road that I go down, it's basically an 'A' road but the surface has got fairly rutted as I suspect it was once given the 'tar and chippings' surface dressing and that's breaking up in patches. So maybe an un-eveness by only one inch and it knocks and rattles no end! Sleeping policemen are fine though - odd!

Edited 8 February, 201610 yr by JulianS

Strange that nobody suggested a worn ball joint.

I replaced both sides last year, make sure they are really stiff to move by hand when buying new. A freely moving ball joint is a bad one and will fail prematurely.

Sorry for a thread hijack.  With a decent tool set (Halfords £150 advanced pro) and a spring compressor, would I be able to change suspension mounts myself?  I'm no car expert, but I am quite technically minded thanks to hobbies and work etc.  I just lack the confidence to try stuff...

Well said Micmac it's a known fault with skodas. I can guarantee it will be the ball joints.my wife's Fabia estate over the twelve years from new had five new sets of ball joints!!!!!! And the noise you are hearing is wear and tear on the joints as they are usually made from nylon and wear badly.