Hello Ladies and Gentlemen.

Recently purchased a 2005 octavia for my dad, it's a 2.0tdi elegance with DSG.

Currently on 96k miles so not too high.

I found the forum after researching the rear brake back plates, quite a common item by the looks of things, the N/S had completely disappeared, O/S intact but heavily corroded. 

 

I took the opportunity to replace them both (cutting part of the plate out, so not needing to remove the hub) went with brembo discs and pads all from GSF.

 

So that's the story so far, I will probably make a small thread detailing everything about the car and add a few pictures.

 

I might treat myself to a Fabia VRS soon as I've always wanted one.

 

John

My 2006 Octavia has a front left backplate rusted away, all 3 others quite rusty and I had put it down to it living in a coastal town for many years, is corrosion a widespread problem on the suspension and brakes then?

 

The rear axle beam and wishbones are also very corroded, it was an advisory on the French contrôle technique but not on the UK MOT, I recently had the springs and shocks off and was pleased to find that despite the corrosion all the fasteners came undone and the rust had not got between the threads.

 

My MK1 never had any corrosion in these areas, OTOH the galvanised (I assume) body has no rust whatsoever, neither did the MK1, I recently had a scrape against a low wall, its gone through the paint to bare and I assume galvanised steel because no rust has yet developed.

 

If the MK2 suspension and brake backplates corrode more than the MK1 what is the difference? - powder coating perhaps?

The (council dependent) regular salt spreading of British roads will soon corrode any underside components. Everything I have seen on our mk2 has been powder coated rather than galvanised. Even galvanised steel has a tough time against salt, seaside caravans for example, most have a 10-15 year life expectancy. Some do last a lot longer though.

 

The replacement back plates were galvanised though, but now they have been cut, this will reduce their life. I am sure they will last at least 5 years, in which time we'll be looking for another car anyway.

 

John

I have a pair of front backplates on their way from Germany.

 

I doubt that the rears are any more rusty than any previous car would have been but for the fact that the Octavia is so oil tight, I was the first person ever to have dropped the undertray after 123000 miles and no kidding I could have eaten my dinner off the upper surface, the MK1 was always full of oil and rubbish particles between services and needed jet washing every time, I did not even get my hands dirty on this one.

Yours seems to have faired better than ours.

Now the rear has been taken care of the front will have a good going over, I'll drop the under tray off, hopefully it is just as clean.

 

John