My Octavia 1.9TDI L&K estate has failed the MoT with a u/s front anti-roll bar bush. I propose to do the job myself and would welcome some advice. I found a post from 2010 on here but the photos are not available. Anything special  to look out for? 

Make sure the anti roll bar is in good condition. If the coating has come off and corroded a new bush will not help.

 

Make sure you get the correct size bush.

 

Its a hell of a squeeze to get the bracket back on over the new bush.

Any recommendations about where to get the correct parts?

Is it the bush is knackered, or the droplink connection to the roll bar? 

Or as tech1e said... the ARB itself is possibly done...

When I replaced mine, to get the bracket back over the new bush, I used a longer bolt of the same diameter and put half a dozen washers on it. Tightened this up, so that the bracket was secure over the new bush. Remove it and the bracket should stay in place, put a new bolt in of the correct size and the job is done. 

On 10/10/2018 at 09:49, mac11irl said:

Is it the bush is knackered, or the droplink connection to the roll bar? 

Or as tech1e said... the ARB itself is possibly done...

 

As you suspected, mac11irl, it's the drop link - snapped in half!

 

I suppose "Anti-roll bar linkage insecure" is a reasonable description, if you count "totally detached on one side" as insecure! Very strange, neither I nor my wife noticed anything odd about the handling. But it's always been a very "wallowy" ride, even when new, so perhaps that's why we didn't notice.

 

The other failure (suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn) has got me stumped - I haven't yet found anything wrong. So I think I'm going to replace the drop link and then take the car back to the tester and get him to point out the bit that needs replacing.

 

Thank you everyone for your help so far.

 

11 minutes ago, YellowVrsToo said:

I suppose "Anti-roll bar linkage insecure" is a reasonable description, if you count "totally detached on one side" as insecure!

 

@YellowVrsToo

Thats fairly insecure.. and explains why its listed as "dangerous defect" its what drew my though to it..

I replaced my plastic ones with lemforder steel ones. Felt a smidge stiffer after the change and i felt more comfortable than with the plastic..

1 hour ago, mac11irl said:

@YellowVrsToo

I replaced my plastic ones with lemforder steel ones. Felt a smidge stiffer after the change and i felt more comfortable than with the plastic..

 

Yes, that's the trouble with the plastic ones, they need replacing every 150,000 miles