Help with handling??

[Carlston]

5 hours ago, Cole said:

Wow that's a lot of info there.. fair play.. so you reckon order 2 springs from early 2006 model should sort a lot of body roll cornering issues..?

 

Ordering two rear springs from the Octavia MK4 Estate with factory fitted towbar should help. You would need to check that they are stiffer than your current rear springs. If the wire diameter of the new rear springs is 0.25mm or 0.5mm thicker, then they will be stiffer.

 

If you're experienced using axle stands and working under the car, it shouldn't be too difficult to change the rear springs yourself. There's videos on youtube showing the typical procedure.

 

One problem, is the Octavia MK4 is a new model so aftermarket springs might not be available yet. However, you might be able to get new OEM springs from Skoda for about £60 each...but that is just a guess.

[nickcoll]

On 06/04/2021 at 09:05, Cole said:

Sorry Wasn't on for a few days. Tyre size 205/55/17.

Its the 2.0 tdi 110 bhp.

Never checked the pressure as was thinking its more suspension issue like very soft springs. Will check it later.

It has all work gear in boot so it has weight in it. But not massive weight. 

Personally I think the biggest reason for the poor handling is that your model, with an engine which is less than 150PS output, will have the beam rear axle rather than IRS. Having driven cars suspended with both rear suspensions (mk 3s, though) it is certainly the case that the non-IRS suspended cars do not handle in a sporty fashion, although they are safe!

 

The IRS makes a very big difference to how the cars feels when cornering. It is fairly obvious that the rear suspension will have to be softer when there is a beam rear axle keeping the two wheels connected, otherwise the inner tyre will lift off the ground at too low a speed when you go round a corner, reducing the grip at the back.

 

I imagine that Skoda's thinking is that in a lower powered car people won't be driving in such a sporty fashion, so a less capable and less sporty rear suspension is not important.

 

I am not personally convinced that it would be a good idea to stiffen the rear springs on a car without IRS - it will make the car more prone to oversteer on the limit. At present there is a sort of self-limiting effect with the suspension as it will feel unpleasant to approach the sort of speed around a corner where you are getting close to the limit of grip, but if you alter the balance of the car you will lose the "benefit" of that effect. Not to mention that your insurance company might be very unhappy if you were to crash after having changed the springs...

 

Much better to trade the car in and get one with a more powerful engine and IRS. They handle very well in my experience.

Edited 9 April, 2021 by nickcoll

[SurreyJohn]

On 06/04/2021 at 09:05, Cole said:

Sorry Wasn't on for a few days. Tyre size 205/55/17.

Its the 2.0 tdi 110 bhp.

Never checked the pressure as was thinking its more suspension issue like very soft springs. Will check it later.

It has all work gear in boot so it has weight in it. But not massive weight. 

I was thinking that’s odd as the mk4 Octavia estate has 116ps engine for smallest diesel, but then I noticed you were in Ireland.   
 

I am thinking that this must be a lower power version (possibly something to do with Ireland VRT or tax), and as such is fitted with more basic suspension than higher powered versions 

[nickcoll]

15 hours ago, SurreyJohn said:

I was thinking that’s odd as the mk4 Octavia estate has 116ps engine for smallest diesel, but then I noticed you were in Ireland.   
 

I am thinking that this must be a lower power version (possibly something to do with Ireland VRT or tax), and as such is fitted with more basic suspension than higher powered versions 

116bhp = 110PS

 

Since it has less than 150PS it will definitely have the torsion beam rear axle rather than IRS.

 

Here's a quote from MC Bodge on another thread:

 

"It isn't terrible. It's quite "safe". It just behaves a little oddly as the back rolls. It doesn't hold a consistent line through a sweeping bend in the way that my Fords did/do."

 

I believe that the odd behaviour comes when you get to the point at which the inner wheel lifts, or nearly lifts, off the ground. This happens because the two wheels are linked together by the beam.

 

The only solution to this is not to drive that close to the limit in a car with the torsion beam, or restrain the sportiness of your driving! As MC Bodge says, it's safe as the car doesn't snap into oversteer. This is probably because the car's not going fast enough to create enough sideways force and the suspension will be tuned so that if you go much faster the car will just understeer, balancing up the reduction in grip at the back and giving a clear sign you are driving beyond the car's limits. It feels a bit odd of course when it happens but is not unsafe, just unsporting.

[Ootohere]

Just for the record.  The bhp is less than the ps. In the case of 110 ps that is as near as no matter 108.5 bhp

[nickcoll]

28 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

Just for the record.  The bhp is less than the ps. In the case of 110 ps that is as near as no matter 108.5 bhp

You are of course entirely correct - sorry about that stupid error. Sounds like there may be a tax or other explanation for the difference in the quoted output after all.

 

Probably the same engine in practice, just quoted as a lower output!