I have just inherited a Mk1 1U2 (Octavia Hatch) from my Dad. In the MOT service history I read that a rear spring had been replaced a few years ago. I noticed last month that the car was hanging a bit low at nearside rear corner and when changing to winter tires in January, I saw that the reason for the hanging was because the last 10cm of the spring had snapped off! My dad was 83, the car had done 45000miles from new. What does that say about the quality of the springs! Rhymes with kite. I read in other threads that this is an Octavia illness. Why?? Is it just substandard OE? I have spent hours researching replacement springs and have found a reinforced spring from Lesjöfors and from Kilen. EAN is the same. Apparently they make a reinforced spring for the Hatch 1U2 and a slightly longer one for the Estate 1U5. I have all the specific details. The problem is, nobody seems to stock them. Reinforced alternatives are also available from Sachs, the problem is also that none of my usual suppliers can get hold of these reinforced springs either. Any body out there bought a set of reinforced rear springs recently? If so where? Apparently they are excellent for towing and give much needed extra hight whilst retaining stability.  Any stockists ideas welcome. No Ebay Chinese stuff please.

Problem with many springs is they claim to be for mk1 octavias but are actually for mk4 golf or mk1 A3. Yes they fit , yes the cars share a platform. But the spring ratea and loadings are utteely different

BTW managed to source a set of reinforced Kilen springs from Germany. They are twice the thickness so I got a mate with a hydraulic press to fit them as I didnt fancy them breaking out of my mickey mouse spring compression rods. Rule of thumb, never try to fit springs that are thicker than the threaded rods of your spring compression rods. 2 years on and no problems with the springs. Car handles very well when fully loaded and is about an inch higher at the back compared with a standard Octavia 1U2 when empty. Raising the back lowers the front, so looks pretty mean but can have its challenges. The roads here in Hungary are crap to say the least so its a good job I now have the underside of the car steel plated. (The flapping factory fitted engine bay lower cowl, parted company with me over a sleeping policeman whilst in Sheffield. (They are however notoriously high in that town).

The top of one of the rear springs of my 02 combi broke recently. As above, very difficult to source anything other than springs for Golf IV. So I ended up fitting a pair. Rear of car is now about 1cm lower than with broken spring but at least it gave me a pass for the annual car test.

FWIW changing rear springs is easiest if you raise the entire back off the ground and unbolt the shocks. Torsion beam assy then rotates towards the ground. Old springs can be removed and new springs installed ( no spring compressor required ). Then bolt up the shocks and lower the car. ( probably need to loosen the ABS sensor wiring in advance of unbolting the shocks )

Sounds like a plan. I can imagine that would work. Didnt think of that. However I would always be a bit worried that the springs might bugger off sideways. You can never really tell how much spring there is in them until they just drop out. It has happened to me on a Lada Niva and its not funny in a small garage. I am not brave enough to undo things and hope. 😞

 

Bilstein do three different springs for the rear of the Octavia MK1. Let's call these soft, medium, and hard. Bilstein don't actually provide a description themselves of the differencies between these three springs. It would be helpful if Bilstein did at least give the uncompressed spring length and the compression rate, but they don't. However, by studying the application of each spring, I have been able to work out the hierarchy.

 

The soft ones are used for the lower powered hatchbacks, like 1.4 petrol, 1.6 petrol, 1.8 petrol, 1.9 SDI (naturally aspirated diesel). The medium ones are used for the higher powered hatchbacks, like 1.8 turbo petrol, 2.0 petrol, 1.9 TDI. The hard ones are used for the estate/combi versions, whatever the engine.

 

The medium springs can be used to upgrade the soft springs and the hard springs can be used to upgrade the medium springs. This is sometimes called fitting a reinforced version. There's nothing fancy about a reinforced version, it just makes the ride harder and therefore more uncomfortable. Rather than fitting reinforced springs, it's a much better idea just to take out all that junk that you carry around in your boot!

 

BILSTEIN B3 REAR SPRING - 36-131228 (soft spring)

BILSTEIN B3 REAR SPRING - 36-200849 (medium spring)

BILSTEIN B3 REAR SPRING - 36-131297 (hard spring)

https://www.bilstein-shocks.co.uk/collections/bilstein-b3-springs

 

All these springs are available for under £30 each if you google the part numbers. Bilstein are OEM quality.

Edited 22 October, 20196 yr by Carlston

Obviously some people have stuff to carry because they have friends or family or customers and stuff, or tow etc.

Hence suitable springs for the loads carried.

There's also an extra hard version for upgrading the hard spring on the Octavia I estate/combi

 

BILSTEIN B3 REAR SPRING - 36-155101 (extra hard spring)

 

Some sellers seem to think that one spring fits all versions. This is of course not true. With such sellers, you simply don't know what they are selling. Is it a soft version, a medium version, a hard version, an extra hard version, or maybe it's not matching any of the original versions. Is it even the brand name that they claim it to be? Maybe a cheap Chinese spring. There must be so many cars on the road driving around with completely the wrong springs on. Some cars will even have unmatched springs on each side.

Edited 22 October, 20196 yr by Carlston

@Carlston Don’t suppose you’ve researched the front springs too have you? 
 

im after replacing my entire suspension, due to tears being quite springy when I sit on the boot lip and also an advisory on my latest mot suggesting a shock absorber maybe on its way out!

7 hours ago, ElegantCharlie said:

@Carlston Don’t suppose you’ve researched the front springs too have you? 
 

im after replacing my entire suspension, due to tears being quite springy when I sit on the boot lip and also an advisory on my latest mot suggesting a shock absorber maybe on its way out!

What Skoda Octavia MK1 have you got? Is it hatchback or estate? What engine? Manual or automatic gearbox? Air conditioning? What year? Does it have a factory fitted towbar?

2 hours ago, Carlston said:

What Skoda Octavia MK1 have you got? Is it hatchback or estate? What engine? Manual or automatic gearbox? Air conditioning? What year? Does it have a factory fitted towbar?

Hey mate,

 

Thank you for coming back to me so quickly!

 

i’ve got a 53 plate, elegance estate 1.9tdi 130. Manual, air conditioning and it has a tow bar but unsure if factory fitted!

 

Thanks again 

2 hours ago, ElegantCharlie said:

i’ve got a 53 plate, elegance estate 1.9tdi 130. Manual, air conditioning and it has a tow bar but unsure if factory fitted! 

 

According to the online catalogue on the gknautomotive.com website, the front springs on your car have Skoda part number 1J0411105C and the rear springs have Skoda part number 1J0511115AE assuming the towbar wasn't factory fitted.

 

1J0411105C can be replaced with Spidan 56646 or Suplex 39186 or Sachs 997 813 

1J0511115AE can be replaced with Spidan 56295 or Suplex 31024 or Sachs 996 559

 

Suplex 39186

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-with-SKODA-OCTAVIA-Front-Suplex-Coil-Spring-in-Pair-39186/391706255469?hash=item5b3383206d:g:ECoAAOSwTOtbab8J

 

Suplex 31024

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-with-SKODA-OCTAVIA-Rear-Suplex-Coil-Spring-in-Pair-31024/392389908064?hash=item5b5c42d660:g:y5kAAOSwPWNdXBDZ

 

Sachs 997 813

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=997+813&car_id=17476&model_id=3560&maker_id=106&brandNo[0]=32

 

Sachs 996 559

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=996+559&car_id=17476&model_id=3560&maker_id=106&brandNo[0]=32

 

If you've got your VIN number, you should be able to check the Skoda part numbers for your front and rear springs on this website:

 

http://www.oemepc.com/

 

If you've got a factory fitted towbar, the rear springs will have Skoda part number 1J0511115AF.

 

If your current springs are original specification and they aren't broken or sagging, you might not notice any difference by changing them.

Edited 24 November, 20196 yr by Carlston

2 hours ago, Carlston said:

 

According to the online catalogue on the gknautomotive.com website, the front springs on your car have Skoda part number 1J0411105C and the rear springs have Skoda part number 1J0511115AE assuming the towbar wasn't factory fitted.

 

1J0411105C can be replaced with Spidan 56646 or Suplex 39186 or Sachs 997 813 

1J0511115AE can be replaced with Spidan 56295 or Suplex 31024 or Sachs 996 559

 

Suplex 39186

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-with-SKODA-OCTAVIA-Front-Suplex-Coil-Spring-in-Pair-39186/391706255469?hash=item5b3383206d:g:ECoAAOSwTOtbab8J

 

Suplex 31024

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fit-with-SKODA-OCTAVIA-Rear-Suplex-Coil-Spring-in-Pair-31024/392389908064?hash=item5b5c42d660:g:y5kAAOSwPWNdXBDZ

 

Sachs 997 813

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=997+813&car_id=17476&model_id=3560&maker_id=106&brandNo[0]=32

 

Sachs 996 559

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=996+559&car_id=17476&model_id=3560&maker_id=106&brandNo[0]=32

 

If you've got your VIN number, you should be able to check the Skoda part numbers for your front and rear springs on this website:

 

http://www.oemepc.com/

 

If you've got a factory fitted towbar, the rear springs will have Skoda part number 1J0511115AF.

 

If your current springs are original specification and they aren't broken or sagging, you might not notice any difference by changing them.

Thank you so much for this response!

 

very very kind!

14 hours ago, ElegantCharlie said:

Thank you so much for this response!

 

As your Skoda Octavia I Estate 1.9TDI rear springs feel a bit soft, you might want to consider fitting reinforced Skoda Octavia I hatchback 1.9TDI rear springs. Skoda part number 1J0511115CF.

 

These reinforced hatchback rear springs are 360mm length and 11.5mm thickness, compared to the standard estate rear springs which are 350mm length and 11.25mm thickness.

 

So the reinforced hatchback rear springs will be firmer than the standard estate rear springs.

 

1J0511115CF can be replaced with Spidan 56653 or Suplex 39193 or Sachs 996 619 or Eibach R10212

 

Suplex 39193

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPLEX-39193-Rear-Coil-Spring-for-VW-SKODA-BORA-OCTAVIA-ROOMSTER/201487569768?epid=248993750&hash=item2ee9985368%3Ag%3AiOIAAOSwGUBZ8Mvd&LH_ItemCondition=3

 

Sach 996 619

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/sachs/1232467

 

Eibach R10212

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/12831989

 

Eibach R10071

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/eibach/11962723?search=EIBACH Coil Spring (R10071)

 

So the Eibach R10212 (reinforced hatchback rear springs) and Eibach R10071 (standard front springs) could be just what you're looking for...or the Spidan or the Suplex or the Sachs.

Edited 25 November, 20196 yr by Carlston