Hang fire trying to replace this yourself. There's a few key tools you need. Tools wise such as spring compressors forget EBay. Basically stick to recognised names, so Draper, Laser, etc. These are critical items and worth paying market prices, not cheap Chinese imports.

 

iI this is your only car, have back-up transport lined up. Wrong tools, stuck bolt, or insufficient knowledge will compound things. Oh and if you have a workshop or garage, then use it. The weather is inclement just now. Nothing like decent light, heat and a mug of tea to help you on your way.

 

Read this if you're still up for it. 

 

Springs, I opted for Sachs. Be interesting to see what main dealer quotes for OE part.

Edited 31 January, 20206 yr by spartacus68

thank you very much guys  

 

i am always willing to give anything a go, i have loads of tools, some brand new, got a variety of sizes nuts too, biggest nuts i have got is 38mm. i should be ok shouldnt i?

An apprentice really messed up the drive shaft hub nut and thread when doing new springs for me.

Luckily his Journeyman spotted what was going on and saved the day with a rattle gun.

you were lucky then root?

 

looking at your thread spatacus, you mentioned that you got the springs, spring compressor and m14?  does that mean il have to buy one of those too?

1 hour ago, froggy8 said:

you were lucky then root?

 

looking at your thread spatacus, you mentioned that you got the springs, spring compressor and m14?  does that mean il have to buy one of those too?

Tools you'll need.

 

Coil springs and top bearings

M14 splined bit

Decent socket set, 1/2 square drive and extension bar, that lower strut bolt will be pig to shift

21mm drop ring spanner, note I had to grind the outer edges off to make it fit, think it's a Torx bit or Allen key socket on strut top

Spring compressors, I used Draper and Laser tools

Wire brush

15mm spanner to release drop links in conjunction with torx bit, no doubt seized. Fit Meyle HD if the old ones are shot

36mm socket for driveshaft (you need new driveshaft nuts when you refit)

Clean rags

Spare jack as you need to lift the strut into position on wishbone

Metal wedge to remove strut, I used a pin hammer head (angle grinder came in handy to fashion, so it's the right shape)

Fresh oil to lube the strut base before dropping back into hub carrier

PlusGas penetrating release

Rubber mallet

 

When refitting the springs, make sure they sit in the seats properly, and adjust as you fit.

 

 

thank you spartacus. 

problem is im doing the work tomorrow and all ive got are the springs, i didnt know i needed the top bearing.

1 hour ago, froggy8 said:

thank you spartacus. 

problem is im doing the work tomorrow and all ive got are the springs, i didnt know i needed the top bearing.

Pretty sure you can get them from Euro Car Parts. Skoda main dealer parts department should be open until noon too, depending where you live.

 

The bearing may be able to be reused, but it's a lot of work to strip out and reuse parts. You'll know when you get to it. Think the part I fitted was made by Febi. It's called an anti-friction top bearing. Maybe not so much an issue on the Fabia, but on other cars in VAG range that use the larger plastic ring top bearing, when it seizes, the end result is a broken spring. Your springs were pretty rusty to be fair.

 

See what you find anyway.

i will try find a shop otherwise im going to have to reuse as i dont want to risk still driving it incase my car collapses. 

you saying my spring broke because it was rusty?

8 hours ago, froggy8 said:

you saying my spring broke because it was rusty?

I'm sure it was a contributing factor. The springs bear the weight of the car, but general wear and tear all add to the eventual failure, plus road salt, water, etc. The can break just on maneuvering the car, hence I wince when I see people turning their steering hard lock to hard lock when stationary trying to squeeze into a tight spot.

 

I had one break on my Audi Allroad the day before catching a ferry to the west coast, and I was towing. Couldn't change it although I tried as pinch bolt on strut assembly was seized. Known issue on Audi A4s.

 

Drove it anyway and got it changed at my destination.

Rust will reduce the spring's stiffness, making it more likely to break. Lost of material can also introduce initiation sites for metal fatigue.

I think that you can add in some newer terms like "micro cracking/fracturing"  - then an extra sharp bit of loading ends up joining a few of these micro cracking/fracturing sites together and BANG!

 

I've had 3 front springs break that I could examine soon after they had broken and everyone had a older big fracture across maybe 1/3 > 1/2 or the spring material diameter, then the final break.

 

Wife's car is between 4 and 5 years old and I don't think that much will have changed, so I'm ready and waiting - and probably get inconvenienced by it when it happens, first time was when going to a New Years Day evening concert, second time was not too bad, third time (different car, Ibiza) was when driving to the airport to park and go on holiday, stressful though only a minor lower small section came off that time, so that journey was completed okay and in time!

 

Edit:- just to add for the OP, it will mainly be at rust sites that the micro cracking/fracturing will begin, so I'm not disagreeing with any previous postings!

Edited 1 February, 20206 yr by rum4mo

39 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I've had 3 front springs break that I could examine soon after they had broken and everyone had a older big fracture across maybe 1/3 > 1/2 or the spring material diameter, then the final break.

That's fatigue: the crack starts at the surface and works its way in until the remaining material isn't strong enough and it fractures. One of the more fun modules I did in my undergrad was forensic metallurgy, our final project for it was a fatigue investigation. Seeing the beach markings on the surface of the crack was interesting.

Springs break more often than they used to. Multiple reasons, pot holes and speed bumps mainly, combined with the vastly improved ride compared to older cars, so that drivers don't take the avoiding action they would have 20 years ago. Best replaced in "axle" pairs. 

 

Seems to me that the chances of an engine producing a loud bang and still working properly afterwards are quite slim.

18 hours ago, Roottootemblowinootsoot said:

An apprentice really messed up the drive shaft hub nut and thread when doing new springs for me.

Luckily his Journeyman spotted what was going on and saved the day with a rattle gun.

 

Journeyman ! 

I thought I was old fashioned, clearly I'm 200 years into the future. What do you work on - Spinning Jennies ?