Per my earlier post, subject to trying to inspect tomorrow, I am pretty confident the nearside spring has broken on my vRS combi estate. We have hit a few nasty potholes lately. The roads have been teeeerrrrible, despite dry, warm weather.

 

 

The front springs are red / white / Lilac which, looking at other oem catalogues I believe will probably be genuine part 1K0411105DB. I can confirm this with TPS tomorrow and looking at internet, genuine price is around £90 which is quite a lot for one spring especially when I should do the two as a minimum.

 

I am also considering decent aftermarket OEM type quality items standard vRS ride height / firmness.  Seems I can get Kilen 23117 for about £35 each or £70 a pair. Anyone with any experience of their quality?  Also Lesjöfors 4085718, seem a little pricier but cheaper than genuine. Comments appreciated on either of these two products.

 

What else would be pretty much essential to do with the job? Top bearings and mounts (are there two parts?), new drop links. New bolts? Any recommendation for quality items at a decent price for the required items?

 

Ideally I'd like to just do the B12kit and replacement ancillaries but there is not the available spare cash at present. And also, I need to somehow try to get it done by COB Friday as we are driving on a bit of trip,  excellent timing of course when these things hit! 

Put it up on stands this morning, took both front wheels off and there is not really any signs of anything. No broken spring, cleaned up surfaces and felt around as much of the coils as possible, couldn't feel fractures. Turned lock to lock and strut on both sides seems to be turning ok.

 

Mystery, the nearside did twang again when I put wheels back on and lowered it..... Also a bit of a squelchy rubber sound when I turned the wheels lifted of the ground and the differential worked. Seemed to be nearside driveshaft related. Not sure if that is normal as don't recall it before....

 

I used to get twang noises from the rear suspension a lot, even the MOT tester noticed and checked thoroughly because of it and said there were no issues or broken springs etc. Just seemed to be one of those things, although it mostly went away when I put some spring assisters on the rear springs.

Yes, thanks. I've heard the occasional spring twang at the front before but nothing like this experience in the last 15 months of ownership and never with my MK 5 Golf which we had for 5.5 years.

 

I was surprised to find nothing obviously wrong after putting it on stands and removing both front wheels.  I'm not sure I've heard the last of it but I hope so. I suppose it "could" of been a stick or twig that got stuck somewhere in the spring and eventually broke up and dropped out. But when I pulled over to inspect I had a look (couldn't see anything) and the noise happened once or twice more on the way home (much less severe though). Visibility is not great though when wheels on and vehicle on ground, and it was raining heavily meaning I wanted to get back in the car!

 

When people have replaced springs, what ancillary suspension bits do they use that are good quality now. Febi Bilstein seem to have wide availability and pro packs with bolts and nuts but I've heard quality not what it used to be?

 

I'm talking about top mount, top bearing, drop links, ball joints.  Is SKF better for bearings, Lemforder for links and ball joints and bits and bobs?  Trouble is Lemforder seem much harder to get hold of and at decent prices based on a few quick searches I made.

Edited 13 July, 20178 yr by TheClient

If it twangs on the ground when turning the wheels and no snapped spring then its a shock top mount/bearing gone. Get an assistant to turn lock too lock and watch the spring, you will see it jump as it goes round, it should rotate smoothly. 

 

I use  Lesjöfors springs, skf top bearings and drop links are whatevers in stock as there is next to no labour in changing them, but best would be delphi. Never had any failures on them.

Thanks for the feedback. That sounds re-assuring re part manufacturers.

 

Yes, I had the car on stands front both sides, both wheels removed, moved from lock to lock. Not a hint of a problem. Of course it is different with load and the vehicle weight on the spring> it hasn't done it again yet. But maybe  the bearings are shot. Trouble is to get to them is a fair bit of work, I'd find it hard not to put in new springs, shocks, drop links, top mounts.. Gets expensive.

Yeah they dont usualy show up off load. I know what you mean about doing the lot while your in there.

Maybe I should just try the bearings as a start or the bearings and top mount. At least I wouldn't be disassembling the strut, need spring compressors, strut spreader, swan neck ring spanner etc. Probably still need an alignment afterwards though, maybe new drop links I expect.

I've used kilen springs on my skoda and no issues with quality and highly recommend them as I just replaced one front ns one and had no issues with matching the height of the existing one.

 

Top mount and bearing are two separate parts - can recommended SKF ones.  I would also get a new pinch bolts as they can become quite rusty.

 

 

1 hour ago, TheClient said:

Maybe I should just try the bearings as a start or the bearings and top mount. At least I wouldn't be disassembling the strut, need spring compressors, strut spreader, swan neck ring spanner etc. 

You will still need spring compressors before you can remove the bearing and mount as it's what keep the spring in place.

Thanks. Clearly I was not thinking clearly, Spring compressors still needed thanks and for your other comments on part quality.