Broken Coil Spring - replace as a pair or single?

[Donbrig]

Headed out of the drive this morning only to hear a "boing", a clatter and a wife informing me that "this c****y car has broken down again, you are NEVER buying another Skoda".

And right enough, another item to add to the extensive list of broken parts on my Superb - this time a coil spring (remains found on the ground shown below).

Which coil spring it is, is a mystery as examining all four coils shows no obvious damage and the car is not listing in any particular direction.

Not going to risk the 20mile drive to the nearest garage (a pleasure of living in rural Aberdeenshire) so will call out Skoda Assistance tomorrow for recovery.

 

Anyway, getting to the point, should the coil springs be replaced as a pair or not? 

Has anyone had one replaced recently and if so, what did you pay? - curious to see how charges vary round the country.

 

Reading up on the internet there doesn't seem to be any consensus on what is the best course of action as there are good arguments for and against replacing as a pair so curious to hear what the preference is for Skoda.

Certainly when my wife's 10yr old VW Golf had a broken coil last year (the only breakdown it has ever had!), the garage recommended only replacing them as they break and we have not noticed any problem with the handling with the Golf in the past year with the mix of old and new coil springs on the same axle.

 

For background, the Superb is now on 62k miles (12reg) and the roads round here are not the best quality (mind you, are there any parts of the UK with decent roads these days).

 

 

 

[CWARD]

As a pair. The other may not break but it most likely be a little softer depending on what miles you have on it. Replacing as a pair will maintain handling. 

[silver1011]

Always replace in pairs, on the same axle.

 

I just had both rears replaced after one had broken (exactly the same as yours, the pig tail where it sits in the cup) on my 2011 (11) 148,000 mile Superb.

 

£125 each, fitted including VAT. Fair wear and tear.

[xman]

Seems Skoda springs are not the best quality.

[Ootohere]

?

Who makes a good argument for not changing as a pair other than Dealership Employees and Warranty Managers having to do a Warranty Replacement on a Customers car.

Not that they would do that on their own cars or family or friends cars.

 

Then in Aberdeen or where ever recommended replacing as they break know that replacing both springs really is only slightly longer labour than replacing one,

But if you can get the customers money in each time a spring breaks you are quids in.

You can buy more rowies for piece time with more broken springs.

 

 

Edited 25 August, 2018 by Offski

[xman]

5 minutes ago, Offski said:

replacing both springs really is only slightly longer labour than replacing one,

 

Really? 

[Ootohere]

Yes really.

Once you get the keys, take the car into the work shop, get it on the ramp. take off 2 wheels rather than one, do both rear springs, wheels back on, road test it.

Front are longer to do, but then that's usual.

 

But it is not twice as long to do 2 springs as one start to finish, as you know if you do it.

[Shaunieboy]

Unless it's a spring on very low mileage, which had broken through an impact or fault in the coil material I would replace both.

 

Certainly after 60k plus on roads like swiss cheese, I would be replacing both for sure.

[TheRobinK]

20 minutes ago, Shaunieboy said:

Unless it's a spring on very low mileage, which had broken through an impact or fault in the coil material I would replace both.

 

Certainly after 60k plus on roads like swiss cheese, I would be replacing both for sure.

 

This ^^^^^^.

 

56 minutes ago, Offski said:

Who makes a good argument for not changing as a pair other than Dealership Employees and Warranty Managers having to do a Warranty Replacement on a Customers car.

 

This too  ^^^^^^

[bigjohn]

My son has just had the same issue with our old Octavia (now owned by him!) . Sudden very loud boing noise from the rear followed by strange noise for a while over speed bumps. He's driven many 100's of miles and has ended up at our house this weekend - he said noise has gone now. 

 

Found myself under the car this morning looking for carnage. Took me ages to spot anything wrong at all as all seemed OK, same number of coils per side and it drove fine. Clearly the snapped piece of spring is long gone but I felt one of the ends of a rear spring is "sharp and jagged" and the other has a machined smooth finish. Spring seems to be reasonably seated so OK to drive  - but I'll get fixed this week anyway. 

 

One thing I've noticed on the old timer (the car that is) is that the spring carrier looks rather rusty (compared to the rust free 2001 body) so whilst I was underneath I've rust proofed somewhat using my usual oil / Wayoyl mix

 

I've had a few springs on this car over it's 17 years and my trusty independent garage tends to just replace one at a time.

 

PS - it's not just Skoda - speed bumps etc kill springs of most cars

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 August, 2018 by bigjohn

[xman]

1 hour ago, bigjohn said:

PS - it's not just Skoda - speed bumps etc kill springs of most cars

 

I would say it's poor quality steel that kills most car springs.

[bigjohn]

8 hours ago, xman said:

 

I would say it's poor quality steel that kills most car springs.

 

OK - I'd say speed bumps and poor quality steel kills car springs. Can't really blame Skoda now for the springs on the old timer Octavia as they have all probably been replaced with pattern parts now.

 

I haven't had a spring failure yet on the FL Superb (62k miles)

 

Back in the pre speed bump 80's I can't remember having spring failures on any car (mine or my dads) but I can remember replacing springs because of sag where you lost ride height especially when the boot was full.  I suppose in those day's we made more of our own steel.

 

 

[a666andy]

One of my rear springs did exactly the same a little while ago. As i am due a long france drive with the car loaded, i decided 2 new springs and shocks as car is just over 150k miles. While it was all coming off, new mounts and bump stops too.

 

Parts 

£70ish for pair of bilstein springs

£70ish pair bilstein shocks

£25ish pair top mounts

£10ish pair bump stops

£75ish labour (done at same time as oil and filters change by mechanic friend)

[cssuk]

had springs break on my previous passat as well i had both changed springs weaken after so many cycles it may not "feel" unduly different but try a sudden move at any kind of speed and the extra give on one side may well make itself known, like shocks only in pairs fwiw i do the same with tyres

[roynhayley]

Anything relating to suspension should be done as an axle pair always, no question no choice in my opinion.

If you want the car to handle in a predictable and reliable way consider this, a worn spring maybe stiffer or softer than the replacement or due to fail at any time a recipe for disaster. 

 

[bigjohn]

When replacing rear spring are there any "beefed" up versions available for the MK II Superb? I sometimes feel the rear spring on my twindoor car are too soft and if you load the car up it (people and luggage) the car has always (well since I've owned from 14 months old)  rather sagged a bit at the rear.

 

Edited 2 September, 2018 by bigjohn

[silver1011]

The MkII Octavia and MkII Superb, especially the estates, are renowned for their soft rear suspension.

 

So much so Skoda UK offer a tougher and stiffer suspension set for their emergency services customers...

 

http://www.skoda.co.uk/fleet/emergency-services

 

 

I've heard good things about these guys...

 

http://mad-suspension.co.uk/

 

A lot of Octavia owners have beefed up their rear suspension, especially those that tow. They offer components for the Superb too...

 

[CWARD]

I fitted the MAD airbags to my brothers Octavia II VRS estate as it was too small for towing his light caravan. He was going to fit the MAD springs but heard a few reports of them riding higher and harsh with no load on them.

With the airbags fitted he keeps them at minimum pressure for day to day driving and they improve the handling. A couple of minutes to inflate them by hand and he can tow no problems. There is also an automatic infiltration kit but it’s not worth the price when you can inflate them so easily. 

[Donbrig]

Just to update this to give other owners a real world experience.

To follow up on my original post, back in 2018 it was the nearside (passenger) side front coil spring that had broken and this was replaced on its own in Aug 2018.

The original offside (driver) side front coil spring has now broken exactly two years (and 20000 miles) later - so nearly 82000 miles on that spring.

In my case wheel bearings have been much more unreliable, all them have needed replacing in the last year.

Edited 31 August, 2020 by Donbrig

[Breezy_Pete]

I guess you won't be replacing both? 

😆

[Donbrig]

1 hour ago, Wino said:

I guess you won't be replacing both? 

😆

Undecided actually as I noticed that rust is already forming on the other spring and that seems to kill them quickly.

Saying that, another repair makes the case for a new car with the wife more persuasive and if that works, it will definitely be just the one (sacrilege for this forum but had a shot of the new Peugeot 508SW estate recently and really taken by it).

[Gdcobra]

Had a rear break on my 58 plate car back in March, replaced both as seemed false economy not to.  Must say not happy that a spring which was brand new only 11 and a half years and 110k miles ago should let me down but what else could I do?

 

Had to replace a wheel bearing (front) a year ago, again did both sides.  No biggie, about £70 each and about half an hour to do on my driveway (would be quicker n a ramp) as they’re made as a bolt out, bolt in job.

 

All cars have parts wear and failures, particularly as the years move on. Not sure Skoda are any worse than others.