One of those things that comes up repeatedly around here is the thorny issue of rear suspension ride height and how to improve cars that may be sagging. I'm not going to present a solution to that question, as there are quite a lot of variables involved. What I have put together though is a summary of the different spring/damper combinations used on the rear of the Superb which should cover most of the possibilities for those who want to stick with OE parts if they're modifying their stock configuration; this is attached here as a pdf along with the geometry table from the service manual.

 

Some caveats:

• I don't have access to a dealer version of ETKA, only some online versions: the information may not be complete as a result (come of the online catalogues are buggy at times)
• Even assuming that the catalogues I've found are complete, there may still be data missing from the catalogues
  • I've come across a few inconsistencies that I've had to make an educated guess on
• What you do with this information is entirely your own business:
  • I've done the best I can but if you mess up your car using it it's not my fault
• Changing the rear suspension without also changing the front could be problematic
  • I'm planning to do a similar exercise for front suspension when I can make some time for it

 

Some known issues:

• There are two raised ride height configurations available but I can only find information for the lower of the two (+10 mm over standard)
• The raised ride height configurations I can find seem to be listed exclusively for the 4x4 model
  • I've no idea if the FWD model had this option or not and can't find information on it either way
• Some dampers in 1JA have a VIN split listed for the P/Ns pre-facelift
  • This is included as an additional line in the table for the post split numbers
• In 1JC there is an additional damper part number listed with no associated spring PR codes
  • It's listed as 'Other?' in the table

 

In the main table, the lines highlighted in green represent the spring part number while lines highlighted in lilac represent the damper part number. To look up a configuration, find the weight range PR code at the top then drill down to the damper PR code on the left. every spring/damper PR code combination has a unique spring/damper combination.

 

The additional tables below this are to explain/clarify what's going on. The weight range assignments are a relative ranking of the spring stiffness with 1 being softest, 14 being stiffest. As you can see in the table, the part numbers for a given weight range vary depending on the chassis/damper spec e.g. 0YB for 1JA is different to 0YB for 1JC, etc. Not every chassis spec includes all weight ranges. What is consistent in the springs is the relationship between paint codes and part number (with one exception: 0YA and 0YB for 1JC have the same paint code but different P/Ns - probably an error in the catalogue). Weight ranges 11-13 don't appear to be assigned on the Superb based on what I can find in the catalogue.

 

An interesting thing that jumps out is that the spring alone does not determine ride height. In the table, 1JA/0YG uses the same spring as 1JD/0YA, even though the latter is 10 mm higher: the damper is what adds the extra 10 mm.

 

The four damper configurations listed in the catalogue are fairly self explanatory. As noted above, the higher of the rough road combinations is not listed in the catalogues I have access to. Greenline is not listed in these, but the common opinion is that it's using the Sport chassis.

rear suspension PR code summary.pdf

To add some info to this. 

 

Just replaced the original rear shocks and springs in my 2013 170 4x4 combi.

 

Had standard chassis with weight range 7 springs as the pics show. 

 

Replaced with bilstein b3 springs and b4 shocks. 

 

Bilstein b4 number 19-151069

Bilstein b3 number 36-148257

 

Drives really nicely and sitting at correct ride height. 

 

 

Edited 17 April, 20206 yr by rover220

I just wanted to add to this the correction that a damper will not change or affect a vehicles ride height unless its the wrong one for the vehicle and has no bump travel.

 

The 10mm difference must be an error or different wheels/tyres if the dimension is from the ground and not the wheel centre.

 

Something I have recently learned on the Octavia and Yeti, not sure if it applys to the Superb, if a towbar is specified as a factory option then they fit stiffer rear springs.

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

I just wanted to add to this the correction that a damper will not change or affect a vehicles ride height unless its the wrong one for the vehicle and has no bump travel.

 

The 10mm difference must be an error or different wheels/tyres if the dimension is from the ground and not the wheel centre.

 

Something I have recently learned on the Octavia and Yeti, not sure if it applys to the Superb, if a towbar is specified as a factory option then they fit stiffer rear springs.

Gas dampers do have a spring effect which adds to the coil's stiffness. This is quite obvious if you compare the stiffness of a new damper to an old one.

They will have no effect on the static ride height.

 

Dampers are measured by their ability to limit oscillation not by a spring rate.

10 hours ago, J.R. said:

They will have no effect on the static ride height.

 

Dampers are measured by their ability to limit oscillation not by a spring rate.

They have a (small) spring stiffness as well as the damping function, they will have a small effect on ride height. Read up on Hooke's Law if you want to understand it more.

Some background reading on the topic of gas dampers: https://web.archive.org/web/20140102200021/http://millingtoncentralhs.scsk12.org/~jkasper/Site/Homework_handouts_files/Shocks Monotube.pdf

Especially this paragraph:

Quote

As the piston moves down, the fluid pushes against the floating piston and compresses the gas charge underneath it. The gas is actually nitrogen (air with oxygen and moisture removed). This creates a sort of “air spring” effect that keeps the fluid under constant pressure to reduce foaming as it flows back and forth through the orifices and valves in the piston.

This is a nice explanation of the effect of combining springs: https://www.flinnsci.com/api/library/Download/6b84d135cc974a8a9ae07a7289fcd79e

I am fully conversant with Hookes law thankyou and have been for 45 years and as a design engineer regularly used it.

 

But even without that knowledge, simply common sense and having had oily hands working on cars for even longer than that I would know that a vehicle shock absorber has no influence on the ride height, laden or unladen. Heck I knew it at 14 and by 16 fully understood it and could have explained it to anyone without needing to quote Hookes law which by then I could have, but if you want to carry on believing it then its no skin off my nose, I was more concerned that others might read what you said amongst a very good and informative posting and believe it because clearly you had done lots of research.

 

You are getting confused with the instantaneous transient spring rate which can be infinitely high with very stiff dampers during turn in and will cause very high transient roll stiffness but will have absolutely no effect on ride height in steady state conditions, when not resisting vertical motion the dampers have no effect to the spring mass system and carry none of the weight of the vehicle, 100% of it is supported by the road springs.

Edited 17 August, 20205 yr by J.R.

30 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I am fully conversant with Hookes law thankyou and have been for 45 years and as a design engineer regularly used it.

 

But even without that knowledge, simply common sense and having had oily hands working on cars for even longer than that I would know that a vehicle shock absorber has no influence on the ride height, laden or unladen. Heck I knew it at 14 and by 16 fully understood it and could have explained it to anyone without needing to quote Hookes law which by then I could have, but if you want to carry on believing it then its no skin off my nose, I was more concerned that others might read what you said amongst a very good and informative posting and believe it because clearly you had done lots of research.

 

You are getting confused with the instantaneous transient spring rate which can be infinitely high with very stiff dampers during turn in and will cause very high transient roll stiffness but will have absolutely no effect on ride height in steady state conditions, when not resisting vertical motion the dampers have no effect to the spring mass system and carry none of the weight of the vehicle, 100% of it is supported by the road springs.

I too am a design engineer FWIW. There's a compressible gas capsule in the damper. This is a spring by any definition. If you want to believe otherwise that's up to you. Not all dampers are monotube gas type, particularly on older vehicles (Bilstein's original patent on the technology expired in 1971 and up to that point they were the only company making this type), so it's certainly plausible to think from experience that there's no spring effect. I can say with confidence that the Superb 2 sits on a monotube gas type, which does have that compressible gas capsule, and therefore has a spring constant of its own which will affect ride height.

 

I've seen this happen myself on two different vehicles when I've replaced the dampers: the ride height measured from wheel centre to top of the arch increased after fitting the new dampers. It was also quite obvious from the condition of new vs old dampers. The old ones could be pushed down easily by hand and didn't recoil once pushed down; part of this is due to the fluid being worn and the holes in the damping element being worn, but the other part is that the seals will have worn on the gas capsule and it will have lost pressure and no longer function as a spring. Any new dampers of this type that I've bought have had a wire holding them slightly compressed, and they've immediately popped up when this was removed; after that it was impossible to push them down by hand. Pretty typical of a stiff spring element.

 

Make of this what you will. Technology changes, and what was once common sense might no longer be valid.

Further, the tables I compiled from the part numbers bear this out.

 

Three of the four Higher Chassis weight ranges share springs with the Standard Chassis (3C0 511 115 AF, AG, BL), yet there's a specified 10 mm difference in ride height. The only other component that can affect ride height is the damper, and the two damper P/Ns for the Higher chassis are unique to that variant. QED.

Understood, it was the mention of the wire holding the shock absorber in the transport position that swung me.

 

A modest Question.

As you guys have probably have forgotten more about springs - shock absorbers than I will ever learn.

I have  2.0 tdi    II  estate  , see enclosed photos of badge .

 90% of the time driving with 120kg of tools-eq in the luggage (rear) . can you give me some advice of where to go for a better solution than the standard ?

I might be reading wrong , but I find no 1J.. Or OY.. ?

I am more of a fast comfort driver . so i want to be more near standard ride height .

1 hour ago, ulfnilsen said:

 

A modest Question.

As you guys have probably have forgotten more about springs - shock absorbers than I will ever learn.

I have  2.0 tdi    II  estate  , see enclosed photos of badge .

 90% of the time driving with 120kg of tools-eq in the luggage (rear) . can you give me some advice of where to go for a better solution than the standard ?

I might be reading wrong , but I find no 1J.. Or OY.. ?

I am more of a fast comfort driver . so i want to be more near standard ride height .

 

Most of the suspension related codes are not printed on the option label, only the one for front damping. In your case this is G07 which means it's standard chassis. If you sign up to erWin you can pay to get the full list of PR codes for your car, or a friendly dealer might tell you what's fitted. Another thing you can do is jack up the car and see what paint marks are on the rear springs - they can be cross-referenced with the table I attached to the OP.

9 hours ago, ulfnilsen said:

 

A modest Question.

As you guys have probably have forgotten more about springs - shock absorbers than I will ever learn.

I have  2.0 tdi    II  estate  , see enclosed photos of badge .

 90% of the time driving with 120kg of tools-eq in the luggage (rear) . can you give me some advice of where to go for a better solution than the standard ?

I might be reading wrong , but I find no 1J.. Or OY.. ?

I am more of a fast comfort driver . so i want to be more near standard ride height .

 

The code L30 means that you have front springs with OEM part number 1K0411105BP

 

You can confirm this if the front springs are marked with 2 orange dots and 1 white dot, or 1 red dot, 1 white dot, and 1 red dot.

 

http://www.oemepc.com/skoda/part_single/catalog/sk/markt/CZ/modell/SUP/year/2014/drive_standart/768/hg_ug/411/subcategory/411001/part_id/2561497/lang/e

 

Your rear springs may have OEM part number 1K0511115DE

 

You can confirm this if the rear springs are marked with 1 white dot, 3 orange dots, and 1 brown dot. Code 0YE would also confirm that your car has these rear springs.

 

http://www.oemepc.com/skoda/part_single/catalog/sk/markt/CZ/modell/SUP/year/2014/drive_standart/768/hg_ug/511/subcategory/511000/part_id/2561497/lang/e

Edited 19 August, 20205 yr by Carlston

Thank you very much  for the reply guys.

I got this from a local dealer

0YF            Gewichtsklasse Hinterachse Gewichtsbereich 6                 
1AT            ESP                                                        V9
1CM            Fahrzeugklassen-Differenzierung -3T0                         
1D0            Ohne Anhängevorrichtung                                      
1E0            Ohne Aktivkohlebehälter                                      
1EX            Spezielles Typschild für EG                                  
1G0            Ohne Reserverad                                              
1JA            Dämpfung hinten, Basis 1         

 

so with my extra 120kg  ( + i have fitted Westfalia trailer hook , maybe 15-20 more kg )on the rear. which weight class would you recomend  7-8-9 or ? and shocks   heavy duty ? (1JB).

If i change shock absorbers on the rear , is it then necessary to do the same on the front ?

 

                           

Sorry i forgot 

I have even trown in a sparewheel and a jack .

0YF means the rear spring has OEM part number 1K0511115DF which has a coil thickness of 12.50mm as shown here on the gknautomotive.com coil spring catalogue

 

1K0511115DF

https://web.tecalliance.net/gkn/en/parts/1/56677/detail?query=1K0511115DF&numberType=1&oe=1K0511115DF&groups=188#@brc/search:Search%20by%20any%20number%201K0511115DF;mandator:gkn;query:1K0511115DF;groups:188;brands:1;pf:2;page:0/detail:56677;brandId:1;articleNo:56677;mandator:gkn;query:1K0511115DF;numberType:1;oe:1K0511115DF;groups:188

Edited 19 August, 20205 yr by Carlston

27 minutes ago, Carlston said:

0YF means the rear spring has OEM part number 1K0511115DF which has a coil thickness of 12.50mm as shown here on the gknautomotive.com coil spring catalogue

 

1K0511115DF

https://web.tecalliance.net/gkn/en/parts/1/56677/detail?query=1K0511115DF&numberType=1&oe=1K0511115DF&groups=188#@brc/search:Search%20by%20any%20number%201K0511115DF;mandator:gkn;query:1K0511115DF;groups:188;brands:1;pf:2;page:0/detail:56677;brandId:1;articleNo:56677;mandator:gkn;query:1K0511115DF;numberType:1;oe:1K0511115DF;groups:188

That's all already in the table I posted in the OP.

 

2 hours ago, ulfnilsen said:

Thank you very much  for the reply guys.

I got this from a local dealer

0YF            Gewichtsklasse Hinterachse Gewichtsbereich 6                 
1AT            ESP                                                        V9
1CM            Fahrzeugklassen-Differenzierung -3T0                         
1D0            Ohne Anhängevorrichtung                                      
1E0            Ohne Aktivkohlebehälter                                      
1EX            Spezielles Typschild für EG                                  
1G0            Ohne Reserverad                                              
1JA            Dämpfung hinten, Basis 1         

 

so with my extra 120kg  ( + i have fitted Westfalia trailer hook , maybe 15-20 more kg )on the rear. which weight class would you recomend  7-8-9 or ? and shocks   heavy duty ? (1JB).

If i change shock absorbers on the rear , is it then necessary to do the same on the front ?

 

                           

So 0YF if I remember correctly (phone won't open the pdf for some reason) is weight range 6 and 1JA is standard chassis, same as my car. I have the OE towbar and two child seats, and found that even with new springs and dampers that the car still sagged by about 20 mm. I recently fitted a pair of MAD auxiliary springs and it now sits at the correct height.

 

If you think you need new parts anyway, you could try going to a higher weight range in the same chassis category. From a quick glance at a parts catalogue it looks like there are fewer combinations for the front: it's probable that each front spec is grouped with a few rears. I'm not sure how they are grouped though and I haven't had the time recently to research it.

Maybe try OEM part number 3C0511115AF as the coil thickness is 0.25mm thicker than OEM part number 1K0511115DF

 

https://web.tecalliance.net/gkn/en/parts/1/86484/detail?query=3C0511115AF&numberType=1&oe=3C0511115AF&groups=188#@brc/search:Search%20by%20any%20number%203C0511115AF;mandator:gkn;query:3C0511115AF;groups:188;brands:1;pf:2;page:0/detail:86484;brandId:1;articleNo:86484;mandator:gkn;query:3C0511115AF;numberType:1;oe:3C0511115AF;groups:188

 

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115af?search=OEN+3C0511115AF&supplier[0]=1&supplier[1]=10708&supplier[2]=1&supplier[3]=10708

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=suplex+39355&_sacat=0&Brand=SUPLEX&_dcat=33582&_sop=15 

Edited 19 August, 20205 yr by Carlston

Thanks for the replys

I have one's seen a  ETKA list where the different weight classes where described by weight (load) but have not been able to find it again...

But as Chimaera have done , maybe it woud be better to buy som of these MAD springs ? I will contact these guys an askif they have a suggestion.

1 hour ago, ulfnilsen said:

...maybe it would be better to buy some of these MAD springs?

 

MAD springs will have a very negative effect on the ride quality.

1 hour ago, Carlston said:

 

MAD springs will have a very negative effect on the ride quality.

No they don't.

With reference to this pdf document:

 

file:///home/chronos/u-cf4f7249c5844e981969cdd4d03ec06744283a45/MyFiles/Downloads/rear suspension PR code summary.pdf

 

Weight range 6 (standard chassis)

1K0511115DF

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/1k0511115df?search=OEN+1K0511115DF&supplier[0]=16&supplier[1]=10708&supplier[2]=1&supplier[3]=16&supplier[4]=10708

 

Weight range 7 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AF

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115af?search=OEN+3C0511115AF&supplier[0]=10708&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=1

 

Weight range 8 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AG

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115ag?search=OEN+3C0511115AG&supplier[0]=1&supplier[1]=10708&supplier[2]=16&supplier[3]=10708

 

Weight range 9 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AH

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115ah?search=OEN+3C0511115AH&supplier[0]=1&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=10708

 

Weight range 10 (standard chassis)

1K0511115BL

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/1k0511115bl?search=OEN+1K0511115BL&supplier[0]=10708&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=1

 

Depending how much firmer you want your rear end, you might want to go up one, two, or three weight ranges. I wouldn't go up four...seems a bit much!

Edited 20 August, 20205 yr by Carlston

My MAD springs make no difference to my handling, but they allow the car to sit at the correct height with factory removable tow bar and retrofit of AGM (heavy) secondary battery as fitted in the boot on the V6 Superb, but saying that, I am now too old to spank it and have winter tyres all year round so it would be drifting in high speed hairpins anyway.

It has the standard springs but B6 shocks and the MAD springs. If I need to change the factory rear springs, I would fit the matching springs for the B6 shocks. Other than the springs, everything else I fit is genuine. 

15 minutes ago, Carlston said:

With reference to this pdf document:

 

file:///home/chronos/u-cf4f7249c5844e981969cdd4d03ec06744283a45/MyFiles/Downloads/rear suspension PR code summary.pdf

 

Weight range 6 (standard chassis)

1K0511115DF

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/1k0511115df?search=OEN+1K0511115DF&supplier[0]=16&supplier[1]=10708&supplier[2]=1&supplier[3]=16&supplier[4]=10708

 

Weight range 7 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AF

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115af?search=OEN+3C0511115AF&supplier[0]=10708&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=1

 

Weight range 8 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AG

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115ag?search=OEN+3C0511115AG&supplier[0]=1&supplier[1]=10708&supplier[2]=16&supplier[3]=10708

 

Weight range 9 (standard chassis)

3C0511115AH

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/3c0511115ah?search=OEN+3C0511115AH&supplier[0]=1&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=10708

 

Weight range 10 (standard chassis)

1K0511115BL

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/1k0511115bl?search=OEN+1K0511115BL&supplier[0]=10708&supplier[1]=16&supplier[2]=1

 

Depending how much firmer you want your rear end, you might want to go up one, two, or three weight ranges. I wouldn't go up four...seems a bit much!

How exactly does reeling off a list of Skoda part numbers support an assertion that fitting auxiliary springs made by a different company will "have a very negative effect on ride quality"? Yes the auxiliary springs will make the ride a little stiffer because the effective spring rate increases but it's not a "very negative effect", and is easily canceled out by the fact that the car is more stable on the road, and quieter because the suspension geometry is working properly and putting the tyres on the road correctly.