Hi, I have a 2004 mk1 VRS.I have owned it for 4 yrs, during this time the mileage has gone from 99,000 up to 163,000. It has an appetite for front wheel bearings! During my ownership I have had both sides (front) replaced 3 times! It goes in today for....guess what....a n/s front wheel bearing! Ia this a common thing with the mk1 VRS? If so, are there any upgrades available to stronger bearings?

It sounds like whoever is replacing the bearings isn't following the correct procedure. I have attached the correct procedure below, which you could print off. As it shows, the bearing has to be correctly torqued in 4 stages - 225nm, slacken 180 deg, rotate wheel 180 deg, then torque to 50nm + 90 deg. If that hasn't been done, then you will have an incorrect preload resulting in premature failure.

octavia bearing.pdf

What make bearings and who's fitting them? Any wheel or suspension changes?

 

I had both fronts replaced about 4 years/60k miles ago and they are still fine. I think they were SNR or FAG.