Hi people,

I've got a 2003 TDi Octavia Elegance and am debating either keeping it for a couple more years or selling it and replacing it with a nearly new octy or focus etc.

My main niggle is that on slightly uneven surfaces, even after the huge improvement from having the arb bushes and links done, the steering seems to move from side to side on a slight wobble at higher motorway speeds.

So my question is which of these are either of these mods worthwhile, will they improve things or work at all and any suggestions of where and ball park prices:

- Front and rear ARBs & bushes etc (probably golf R32 ones)

- Aero Wipers from golf MK IV to stop the annoying drops that come from the octy wipers

- PD160 air intake to hopefully ease air flow and improve fuel economy.

Also in doing the ARB would an aftermarket suspension springs/dampers kit be required. If so are there any recommendations and prices.

Thanks

Sounds like you need your wheels balancing propperly, mate.

Done 3 times at different dealers including one where it was fingerplate ballanced.

I wish it was that simple.

But even if you had knackered bushes they wouldnt' cause that sort of vibration - would they? I understand why you've felt some improvement but I suspect thats because the new bushes are just doing a better job of absorbing the vibration than the old ones did.

I dont think the R32 ARB will fit your car by the way.

Also sounds like a wheel issue to me, either balancing or one is buckled.

I also agree that the R32 ARB's won't fit.

I have had two different skoda dealers try and look at this and both have said nothing is wrong, so I assumed it's just a feature of the car over the not to hot surface of the M27. The Golf IV was never too great a car on the handeling stakes.

Ahh I thought I had seen people fitting R32 ARB with associated bits to the Octy. Which ARB would be a good move, It would be for every day driving, but I'd like the car not to turn in like a wet banana.

The R32 ARB will fit some Octavias - just not the TDi.

Neuspeed do a front ARB for the non VRS Octavia. there is another but I cant remember the make (possibly H&R)

Actually don't suppose Lummox has any suggestions on what it could be that causes it, or if anybody knows a good place for wheels in the hampshire/dorset area.

I had westover and winch dealers look at it and winch did the bushes, but said no it's fine. I've had a couple of places including mitcheldever do the balancing of wheels so a bit :S as all have said ok and there is no damage to the rim at all.

Anyway any help appreciated, at the moment it sounds like a trade in is a better idea, which is a shame as I can't really afford an Octy II over a focus or mondeo, but like the skoda.

Have you tried a front/back wheel swap?

Yes, tried that :(

Had it done when i had rear tyres put on front and new on rears, they were all balanced at teh same time too :(

Apparantly alignment was all good according to one of the dealers so i'm at a loss.

As i said I just assume it's the not to hot handling of the car, but wondered if there was a way to tweak things to make it better. I had a 306 and a citroen BX before the octavia and both handles miles better. Yes the fact the the BX 'felt' better to me worries me as well sure we all kknow what they were like.

I dont think it is a fundamental issue with the design of the car. Something somewhere is at fault with your Octavia. Mine has no wheel wobble right up to 140mph and its on original ARB's and knackered, creaking bushes.

A local tyre fitter tried to balance them 3 times to resolve a wobble at 70mph, a knowledgable Pirelli fitter did the job perfectly some weeks later and they've been fine since.

Hmm ok, sounds like it's worth giving the balancing another shot then.

It's odd as two dealers have said it's fine, but hey wqhat the hell £16 to sort it if it works it a small price to pay.

I'll keep anyone who is interested updated to see if it works

Try locating a Pirelli performance centre - they apparently have superior balancing facilities.

Micheldever Station Tyre Services are listed as a pirelli performance center, and they were the third people to have a go at ballancing it.

The slight wobble is worse under hi torque in 5th as planting your foot down at 70 will see a noticable wobble in the drivers wheel, and possibly (not sure) the car as a whole.

Just spoken to protyre fareham who are a pirelli place as well and they have said that mitcheldever use same equipment as them and they can only fingerplate ballance :S

Oh well going to pop down get them to have a look. Will let you know tomorrow

Had something similar on my old RS - was the lower arm where the strut joined the hub area was cracked. Approx £200 :eek:

Ive had out of balance & buckled wheels in the past, to check for buckling get them to slowly rotate the wheel on the balancer & check the run of the rim on the inside of the wheel as thats the bit that normally buckles, the outside of the wheel is supported by the spokes.

As youve swapped your wheels around & it stays the same I find it hard to believe its the wheels. Also out of balance or buckled wheels tend to show even when theres no load. A final way to rule that out though is to borrow a good set of wheels off someone & swap them over, then you will know for certain

Well blow me.....

I can't believe that three different tyre centers and two dealers managed to not fix it.

Went to protyre in fareham (same co as mitchedever) and they put two tyres on the finger rig and said one was out 5g the other 35g!!!

How could the other people who said they had ballanced it and also two skoda dealers miss that one?!?!

Infuriating as I have spent about 20k miles trying to track this one down, and it didn't happen to start at a tyre change either. I think it's 99% fixed, so i will find out tomorrow on a nice straight stretch of motorway.

I will have to check the strut etc just to put mind at rest though.

So anyway if this is fixed, what are good mods to make a TDi Octavia handle better. Would dampers alone be enough, or would i be better off getting springs and dampers together. Will this help or would I be better doing the ARB's.

I don't want to spend too much money, but at the same time i miss the handling of the 306 too much.

Ok done a good long motorway run.. totally cured!

Smashes head against brick wall while tempted to complain to a few people about how they managed to miss something like this. (saying that if three tyre places can't get it right :S)

Micheldever Station Tyre Services are listed as a pirelli performance center' date=' and they were the third people to have a go at ballancing it.

The slight wobble is worse under hi torque in 5th as planting your foot down at 70 will see a noticable wobble in the drivers wheel, and possibly (not sure) the car as a whole.

Just spoken to protyre fareham who are a pirelli place as well and they have said that mitcheldever use same equipment as them and they can only fingerplate ballance :S

Oh well going to pop down get them to have a look. Will let you know tomorrow [/quote']

I'd suggest that you get your tracking looked at if you're sure it's not the wheel.

You're in Fareham?

In that case, go to Fareham tyres, located behind the car sales place down fareham road. Near the Wich Lane traffic lights.

They do 4 wheel allignment for

I come from Stubbington originally. When I lived there ... admittedly a long time ago ... there was a good tyre place in the area by Freham train station. ( go to the right of the horse shoe instead of the left if you know what I mean ... and assuming its not changed)

Was the place by Fareham train station as i Have friends who live right by it and it's on the way home from work. I am still amazed that the staff at the first 3 places failed to notice it.

Anybody know:

- which ARBs (preferably a bit less expensive than nu-speed) will fit an octy TDi

- What is a good suspension upgrade, can you use VRs Springs and adjustable 3rd party dampers or are lowering springs better. If so is lowering safe?