Good Evening. 

 

I fitted a tow bar a few months ago on my 2009 Octy vRS Estate, 110,000 miles and, I have towed a caravan once. 

 

Recently I have noticed that the back of the car looks lower than the front but only by looking at the gap between the tyre and Wheel arch. I can fit four fingers in between the front tyre and wheel arch and only one at the rear. 

 

Now, because I didn't pay attention before I started towing I have no reference point to go back to but should the car be level? Or is it supposed to be like that? (I have a feeling it's the former)

 

thanks in advance. 

@DIESELind - First off, this is a question about ride height, which means it's about springs and not dampers.

 

Secondly, I don't have access to an example to check, but I'd expect the static unloaded stance of a standard car to be level or nose down.

28 minutes ago, DIESELind said:

Good Evening. 

 

I fitted a tow bar a few months ago on my 2009 Octy vRS Estate, 110,000 miles and, I have towed a caravan once. 

 

Recently I have noticed that the back of the car looks lower than the front but only by looking at the gap between the tyre and Wheel arch. I can fit four fingers in between the front tyre and wheel arch and only one at the rear. 

 

Now, because I didn't pay attention before I started towing I have no reference point to go back to but should the car be level? Or is it supposed to be like that? (I have a feeling it's the former)

 

thanks in advance. 

 

On my MY2011 vRS estate. I Just measured to lip of wheel arch front and back and they are 67.5cm front and 67.0cm back. Sort of 3.5 fingers front. Probably 3 fingers back.  Fingers is pretty rough gauge and also assumes the front rear guards lips are identical shape, height around wheel aperture.

 

There is some quite good specs listed in the Octavia online manual for different chassis. vRS will be 2UC sports.

 

Its measurements are listed from centre line of wheel hub  - to guard lip (not from the ground so probably removes tyre inflation and tread as variables).  It says 376mm front. 380mm rear.  Roughly done, in the rain, without a spirit level mine is about 370mm front, 360mm rear (so dropped a bit). It looks a little lower in the rear to be fair and it is standard 6 year old suspension on 43k miles. Never towed.

 

http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk2/axles_steering/wheels_tyres._axle_align/chassis_specified_values_of_steering_geometry/front_axle_specified_values_of_steering_geometry/

 

Per KenONeill, the ride height will be springs, but if they need doing then it will be a good time to consider dampers as well unless previously replaced.

 

Edited 27 June, 20178 yr by TheClient

Thanks both. 

 

I've just been browsing some online pictures and they all seem relatively level. Mine is not. 

 

Also I've been looking at YouTube videos on how to change both the damper and spring. It looks quite easy so unless my mechanic mate does me a good deal I'll just do it myself. 

The rear is quite a bit easier than the front. 

Just now, TheClient said:

The rear is quite a bit easier than the front. 

 

 

Yeh. It looks it.

 

Other than removing the top mount afterwards. It's 3 bolts to remove the damper from the car and a little downward pressure to get the spring out. 

Have you checked if there's an oil leak or not?

Don't forget to have the rear alignment done after fitting the springs as it will be out.

 

Ps this may help from on of Mike's threads ...https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/364761-replacing-rear-suspension-bump-stops-on-octavia-2-lots-of-pictures/

Edited 29 June, 20178 yr by Paulb64

No I haven't checked for oil leaks, I haven't really checked anything. I'm going on hols Sunday and it will be there until I come back. 

 

The rear alignment bolts are seized. I went to have it aligned when I first got a set of new tyres on it. My mate who fits my tyres said he could sort it but it means new parts which are a few hundred £££. He said it's not that bad anyways. The tyre will wear below the limit before it wears unevenly. 

On 27/06/2017 at 20:39, KenONeill said:

@DIESELind - First off, this is a question about ride height, which means it's about springs and not dampers.

 

The springs absorb the shocks, the dampers damp the spring oscillations. Therefore the original question is correct....

39 minutes ago, Metblackrat said:

 

The springs absorb the shocks, the dampers damp the spring oscillations. Therefore the original question is correct....

If you can explain how the dampers control the static ride height, rather than (possibly) the length of dynamic suspension movement, then you may have a point.

28 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

If you can explain how the dampers control the static ride height, rather than (possibly) the length of dynamic suspension movement, then you may have a point.

It doesn't. The thread is titled '2009 VRS shock question' and then he talks about ride height. He never mentioned dampers, you did...

24 minutes ago, Metblackrat said:

It doesn't. The thread is titled '2009 VRS shock question' and then he talks about ride height. He never mentioned dampers, you did...

"Shock (absorber)" aka "damper". By neither name does it control the static ride height.

15 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

"Shock (absorber)" aka "damper". By neither name does it control the static ride height.

A shock absorber isn't a damper, it's a spring. That's the point! It's a common misconception. 

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DoYaRsNFlEYC&pg=PA398&lpg=PA398&dq=shock+absorber+hilliers&source=bl&ots=3P_ZRBxkct&sig=aPEguNUtA2ayZdJmSZl60UOwhJo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj2ms-Q1OPUAhXLIcAKHWzyABYQ6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=shock absorber hilliers&f=false

43 minutes ago, Metblackrat said:

A shock absorber isn't a damper, it's a spring. That's the point! It's a common misconception. 

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DoYaRsNFlEYC&pg=PA398&lpg=PA398&dq=shock+absorber+hilliers&source=bl&ots=3P_ZRBxkct&sig=aPEguNUtA2ayZdJmSZl60UOwhJo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj2ms-Q1OPUAhXLIcAKHWzyABYQ6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=shock absorber hilliers&f=false

You either didn't read or didn't understand your own reference! It, like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_absorber , basically says that a damper acts to reduce the second and any subsequent movements of an unsprung mass by converting the kinetic energy into another form, usually heat.

Battle of the pedants or what?

Metblackrat is suggesting that the OP was referring to spring(s) in his title when he wrote shock. A little improbable but only the OP can clarify.

Clearer now?

 

 

Edited 29 June, 20178 yr by Wino

Let's chill out here. When I originally posted I thought the spring and shock were one part. After watching a video on how to change them I realised they are separate. 

 

Also, it's not a big deal who's right here. The deal is that I got an idea of what may be wrong, whether it's the spring or the shock or both.