I was checking if I had ran over some glass (I didn't, turned out to be plastic container) when I noticed that my rear shock absorber seems to have rotted away, or at least the bit that's made out of foam. I'm unsure if it's called a "dust cover", or "sock" or whatever. It's the foam thing, seemingly made out of sponge above a black tube of plastic. Does it serve any suspension function beyond "keeping dust out"?. If so, would that explain why I seem to hear slight metallic clanging from the back of car with my left ear when I'm driving?

 

I've probably driven like this for a couple of thousand miles (maximum 6k miles since last service). any likely damage? is it a priority thing? or could it wait another 3000 miles until service time. The car is now 101k miles, so does it indicate the likelihood of needing shocks absorber replaced all together? The rear suspensions springs broke at around 70k miles. Incidentally, it was the rear left spring that corroded and snapped, and I chose to have both sides springs replaced. Front spring / shock absorbers are both 101k miles old. 

Edited 11 November, 20187 yr by newskodadriver

Its the bump stop and also when in intact condition retains the piston protection sleeve so I would replace it as a priority.

 

Did mine last week, I had seen from the history file that a garage had replaced the rear shocks claiming that one had a stone lodged in it, they had refitted the original rotten foam bump stops and no piston protector at all on the NS

 

So they screwed her for a new pair of shocks without actually fixing the original fault.

 

Its always interesting looking through the history file of a garage:dealer maintained car, seeing where they have thrown good money after bad and why they finally end up selling.

 

In my case they were shafted for diagnostic/reset money every year for the airbag light including the replacement of the passenger side bag at great cost which had not been done, final nail was a broken engine mount bracket and the garage report said new bottom end needed, cost me £30 for an alternator/power steering bracket and an hour of my time, it had broken because they had not tightened the bolt after a cam belt change.

16 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Its the bump stop and also when in intact condition retains the piston protection sleeve so I would replace it as a priority.

 

Did mine last week, I had seen from the history file that a garage had replaced the rear shocks claiming that one had a stone lodged in it, they had refitted the original rotten foam bump stops and no piston protector at all on the NS

 

So they screwed her for a new pair of shocks without actually fixing the original fault.

 

Its always interesting looking through the history file of a garage:dealer maintained car, seeing where they have thrown good money after bad and why they finally end up selling.

 

In my case they were shafted for diagnostic/reset money every year for the airbag light including the replacement of the passenger side bag at great cost which had not been done, final nail was a broken engine mount bracket and the garage report said new bottom end needed, cost me £30 for an alternator/power steering bracket and an hour of my time, it had broken because they had not tightened the bolt after a cam belt change.

Is the bump stop a separate part from the shock absorber? I couldnd find it on eurocarparts. 

 

What is a piston protector and what does it do? 

 

Any recommendations on where to find the part and what brand to buy? 

 

The rear springs at 70k were replaced from broken factory to sachs oem compatible. 

I used one of the part number websites to find the VAG number and then googled that and I had loads of good value offers, here is the only one that I saved but I ended up buying it cheaper from a French E-bay seller (I am in France)

 

https://www.auto-doc.fr/kyb/7481911?criteo=0001&utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=rmk&utm_campaign=desktop

 

Pretty sure that Autodoc has a UK web site, try putting that part number in for the English description then search using your vehicle details, the listing shows the OEM part numbers.

Search results by EAN number:

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=4909500898529

Edited 11 November, 20187 yr by jafo

ah ok thanks for that. at least now i know what to search for. a lot of them seem to be sold in pairs. should I get the rear right side replaced as well?

Skoda went through a period of making their bump stops out of tissue paper. A common complaint on both the MkII Octavia and MkII Superb.

 

I've had both, and both cars have needed bump stops. Luckily it's a relatively quick and inexpensive fix.

 

Here you can see the plastic sleeve has dropped down from off the rubber / foam / tissue paper bump stop exposing the shock absorber...

 

13 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

Skoda went through a period of making their bump stops out of tissue paper. A common complaint on both the MkII Octavia and MkII Superb.

 

I've had both, and both cars have needed bump stops. Luckily it's a relatively quick and inexpensive fix.

 

Here you can see the plastic sleeve has dropped down from off the rubber / foam / tissue paper bump stop exposing the shock absorber...

 

 

 

Not sure that period has or will come to an end. As for inexpensive fix, it still involves remove the shock absorber. Pity they cant be split lengthways and just slip on...

 

Exposed for any length of time, dirt is wiped into the shock absorber, and knackers the seal which then leaks allowing more dirt to get in......

There is a MkII Octavia in our works car park, I can see the strut twinkling away at me from my desk. I mentioned it to the owner, who looked at me stupid.

 

At least I tried 

On 12/11/2018 at 14:50, xman said:

 

Not sure that period has or will come to an end. As for inexpensive fix, it still involves remove the shock absorber. Pity they cant be split lengthways and just slip on...

 

 

 

I think that you are on to something there, mine being the oval type shown in the picture is a very tight fit in the upper casting, they would cut easy and an activated mitre type superglue would hold them together well, if 2.5mm tywraps were used in the corrugations to stop it from bursting under bump loads I reckon it would work.

 

that said its a fairly simple job to fit them in the correct manner.

Looks like I'll be needing to do this job soon.  Before MOT at least.

Out of interest has ony one got any information on removing the rear shock?  I'massuming it's a case of removing trim in the boot to get at the top mount?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

No prob's, looks easier than I thought.

 

 

Just need a transmission jack now.

 

And to get my other car off my lift.

 

Edited 22 May, 20197 yr by Gdcobra

Remove wheelarch liner. Two stretch bolts at the top, single bolt at the bottom. All bolts must be replaced.

21 hours ago, chimaera said:

Remove wheelarch liner. Two stretch bolts at the top, single bolt at the bottom. All bolts must be replaced.

Seems strange to be using stretch bolts in them locations but if that's what it is, that's what it'll get.  Hope they are readily available.

 

2 hours ago, Gdcobra said:

Seems strange to be using stretch bolts in them locations but if that's what it is, that's what it'll get.  Hope they are readily available.

 

IME if a dealer doesn't have them in stock they can have them next day.

Just replaced both rear bump stops, one had totally failed while the other was hanging on by some sponge threads.

 

I used these off eBay :-    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-SUPERB-3T-Shock-Absorber-Dust-Cover-Kit-Rear-2-0-2-0D-08-to-15-4844133RMP/332571472106?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

but utilised the original plastic dust sleeves, as they were slightly longer.

 

I also followed this thread regarding replacement procedure which avoids having to remove the damper :-