When I drove the car to buy groceries this morning, the front was making a strange noise. I thought it was brake sticking because the car has been sat a long time. But after driving a mile or so, I think I heard something snap. Then whenever going over bumps, there would be sickening noise from the front off-side suspension.

 

From the attached photo, does this look like a broken spring?

I can't work out what is the round thing protruding from the spring and how did it get there.

 

Anyone got the workshop pages for the front suspension system?

 

Thanks

34 minutes ago, wyx087 said:

Anyone got the workshop pages for the front suspension system?

 

Thanks

 

https://7zap.com/en/catalog/cars/Skoda/brand/17/0/Octavia/Octavia (2013 - 2017)/Skoda/ako0ZFFUbDg0UzBLVUQzallqbFZKQlJOWEI2NXIxcXN5M0FkUFMzaytIK1lvVUh5ZjEvNjFYZjRrVEFzVmx6bUUzMGd5TFBlQktyaElLbmY5N3pXb3c9PQ==/6bbffde8b5b8077d2d0a5796da6eea3c:be08305e3810274aac2ca82887604ea6/manufacturer/4/753411000::411005

Ye definitely something broke, dont go any further than a garage, unless you know what your doing. 

Ok. Took the wheel off.

 

Coil spring broke at the top. It took the "deep groove ball thrust bearing" with it.

 

I *think* this is the parts diagram for my car, the engine is CKFC

https://7zap.com/en/catalog/cars/Skoda/brand/17/0/Octavia/Octavia (2013 - 2017)/Skoda/ako0ZFFUbDg0UzBLVUQzallqbFZKQlJOWEI2NXIxcXN5M0FkUFMzaytIKzE5YUx2OHNVNy8zZlBSS3VsRTlkNExYQWs5RUlmUjJXS01xY1gybzlOVkRyTnNGN3FXMTNVMW4xU0RoMDFIYmM9/6bbffde8b5b8077d2d0a5796da6eea3c:74285dd674328180fea0d1f177ad460d/manufacturer/4/753411000::411005

 

 

Now the big question: can I only replace coil spring on one side? Or both sides must be replaced?

 

 

Edited 24 April, 20206 yr by wyx087

I guess it depends on the age of the vehicle and how much you can afford. If skint then get just the one done and get the other done when money approves. 

You need to consider the condition of the other side and whether it is likely to be similar to the one just gone.

Also worth looking at the shocks as you need them off to change the springs anyway.

4 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

I guess it depends on the age of the vehicle and how much you can afford. If skint then get just the one done and get the other done when money approves. 

You need to consider the condition of the other side and whether it is likely to be similar to the one just gone.

Also worth looking at the shocks as you need them off to change the springs anyway.

A very good point here is age of vehicle. They've been operating since car was new, you have to take the whole shock with spring out anyway to change the spring.

 

You could get away with just the spring on one side but to be realistic its not really recommended and you might find a garage unwilling to do one side as it could upset ride stability and then the other might go soon anyway. VW group seem to put rubbish springs on their cars these days. 

 

You wont see much change out of £350-400 for shocks and springs togther. Also with the current economics of the  world it might pay to get it all done now. I foresee parts going up after this and TPS will probably have them off the shelf at present. 

Be careful changing shockers, it is dangerous to change 1 side only. 

 

If only one side is changed each side of the car will behave differently. Perhaps not an issue for normal use, but with any sort of hard braking the results could be catastrophic. 

 

You can replace just one side if you fit the same specification of spring, although most would recommend changing both springs at the same time. When garages change a broken spring under warranty they will often just change the broken spring.

 

These might be suitable front springs:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Sachs-993820-Front-Suspension-Coil-Springs-OCTAVIA-GOLF-1-6D-2-0D/223662740165?hash=item34135692c5:g:0wwAAOSwKdhde0W0

 

The online catalogue on gknautomotive.com says that the front coil spring for the Skoda Octavia 2.0TDI 143HP and 150HP with automatic gearbox, ie. DSG has OEM part number:

 

5Q0411105GL

 

If you have OEM front springs, they will have coloured dots on them which by reference to a Skoda parts catalogue will show you what the OEM part number is. 5Q0411105GL has one blue dot and one brown dot.

 

The dots can come in any of nine different colours:

 

Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Orange, Red, Violet, White, Yellow

 

This Skoda parts catalogue lists 32 different front springs for the Skoda Octavia MK3:

 

http://www.oemepc.com/skoda/part_single/catalog/sk/markt/CZ/modell/OCT/year/2014/drive_standart/753/hg_ug/411/subcategory/411030/part_id/2543614/lang/e

Edited 24 April, 20206 yr by Carlston

A full set of lowering springs is under £200.  Just saying.

I see a blue and possibly brown dot in the top photo. 

 

 

And another ~£50 for the top swivel mount. I feel your pain..busy weekend ahead with the spanners? Opening up the clamp of the hub carrier to allow removal of the strut from it, is eased by lots of release spray and a ground down allen key to spread it open..or there is a tool for it. 

Edited 24 April, 20206 yr by paulski

1 hour ago, JD52 said:

Be careful changing shockers, it is dangerous to change 1 side only. 

 

If only one side is changed each side of the car will behave differently. Perhaps not an issue for normal use, but with any sort of hard braking the results could be catastrophic. 

 

 

Yes but changing just one spring can be ok depending on what caused the failure of the bust one.

 

Even so I would suggest you follow the advice of both sides if you can. I've read that it's even possible to build shocks on lowering springs with no compressors. So. You may be able to drop out the old and chuck in the new if you go all new. Would save on labour and rears are really easy to change springs.

 

Something to keep you occupied during lock down if you have some tools?

Thanks for all your advices. I'll buy 2 springs, 1 mounting bearing. Change one side first, and another the next weekend.

 

My old man is of the opinion it's DIY-able. Just need to buy the spring compressing tool.

 

How do I open up the plastic cover on top of the suspension to get access at the 3 bolts? The lower part seems easy, but looks like I need to remove the wipers as well.

 

1 hour ago, Carlston said:

The online catalogue on gknautomotive.com says that the front coil spring for the Skoda Octavia 2.0TDI 143HP and 150HP with automatic gearbox, ie. DSG has OEM part number:

 

5Q0411105GL

Thank you so much for this.

 

I had a go at the online catalogue, could you also confirm the mounting bearing is:

5Q0412249E

I prefer ordering parts from same place. RoyalMail had been overwhelmed in this area, so hope to use another courier.

 

What's a good brand out of these springs?
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/5q0411105gf

 

And what's a good brand for mount bearing?

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=5Q0412249E

 

(assuming the part numbers I used are correct. The spring has been confirmed, is mount bearing correct?)

Edited 24 April, 20206 yr by wyx087

Six years isn't too bad a lifespan for a front spring, sometimes you'll get a lot more out of them and sometimes a lot less than that. I used to have a Mondeo Estate years ago which broke both front springs around 2.5 years old. I changed them separately because of the cost but only got a few months before second spring broke too. First time spring just suddenly broke when driving on a surprisingly smooth country road. Both springs had obvious faults in the metal like air bubbles but Ford wasn't interested funnily enough!

22 hours ago, wyx087 said:

I prefer ordering parts from same place. RoyalMail had been overwhelmed in this area, so hope to use another courier.

 

What's a good brand out of these springs?
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/oem/5q0411105gf

 

And what's a good brand for mount bearing?

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=5Q0412249E

 

(assuming the part numbers I used are correct. The spring has been confirmed, is mount bearing correct?)

 

The first link is for a 5Q0411105GF front spring, which is too soft. The 2.0TDI engine needs the stiffer 5Q0411105GL front spring.

 

Sachs should be a good and economic bearing. The 5Q0412249E OEM part number does look correct.

Edited 25 April, 20206 yr by Carlston

Oh dear! Thank you so much for spotting that!

 

Order cancel requested and placed a new order for correct coil spring.

1 hour ago, wyx087 said:

Oh dear! Thank you so much for spotting that!

 

Order cancel requested and placed a new order for correct coil spring.

 

When you receive a pair of new coil springs, it's best to check them carefully. They should be a matched pair. Weigh them on digital kitchen scales. If they are a matched pair, they should be within a few grams of each other. Check they are both the same length by holding them up together on a flat surface. You shouldn't be able to spot any difference in length by eye between a matched pair of springs. They should have the same model number marked on them or the same manufacturer's codes.

 

With online sales and the returns these companies get, the wrong spring often ends up in the wrong box.

 

Edited 26 April, 20206 yr by Carlston