Just According to them there are 3 (count 'em) different diameter ARB's for the Octavia' date=' 19mm, 21mm and 22mm.

This leaves me even more confused as to what order these were produced and I am now trying to identify the latest diameter bar fitted to the newest models as this is likely to be the revision which cures all previous issues at a guess.[/quote']The 4X4 has a 19mm front stabiliser (ie anti roll bar or ARB), the vRS a 23mm one, and other FWD Octavias a 21mm one. This thread has more information on ARB sdiameters. Isn't the present problem related to ARB bushes and drop links rather than ARB diameter?

Denis,

Thanks for the information but there have been many people, including the local (to work) dealer, whom hav all said that the Octy vRS has had at least 2 different diameter ARB's fitted.

I one or more threads on this site there have been reports of Skoda dealers and/or mechanics eluding to the fact that a revised ARB of different diameter (with associated ARB bushes and brackets) has been fitted to later models of Octavia vRS which allegedly cures the infamous squeeking problem.

Obviously I can only go on what I read on the forums and by speaking with anyone whom is willing to discuss in the trade.

One person in another threed mentioned that there problem also existed on the VW Golf and they seemed to indicate that if a revised ARB was to be fitted then a new associated set of ARB bushes and brackets would also be required to suit the revised size of ARB, otherwise there would be more problems.

Personally, I dont care what size bar, bushes or brackets are on my car as long as it gets rid of this infuriating noise !

Just for info, the dealer claims to have already changed the ARB bushes and Drop Links hence moving onto the ARB itself....like many other owners on this site.

Personally, I had a quick check under the car and although the drop links look new the 2 ARB bushes don't look that impressive for new items.

Perhaps the dealer lied about changing them all along.

Does anyone know if these bushes are split so I can drop the brackets and wrap over som new ones or are they solid and the bar needs to come off to enable them to be thread into place ?

Still confused on Octy vRS ARB sizing though ?

Thanks

Tony

my 2p folks...

My '01 RS started doing this a couple of months ago - you may remember I posted up saying they had diagnosed a damaged front subframe. Even at that point I was sceptical that this would be the reason for the creaking noise but there was no denying the subframe was damaged when I saw it after the work was done. Anyway within 3 days of getting the car back the squeaking started over again, this time accompanied by a rattle/knock from the front passenger side which got worse with each journey. Another call to the dealer and the car went back in. To be honest I wasn't expecting a resolution but to their credit they have replaced the ARB and bushes and so far (fingers crossed) it seems to have sorted it. If it helps anyone, they told me that the plastic sleeve on the ARB was stripped and damaged and the bushes were corroded(?) - although how this wouldn't have been noticed when the subframe was replaced 2 weeks before is a mystery. Because of the previous hassles I'm on full alert listening out for it returning but as I say a new ARB and sundry items *seems* to have fixed it for me so maybe its worth pushing for that as a possible resolution?

cheers

Steve

My Octy is still not fixed!!! The front end is so bad now it creaks constantly and when goin over speed ramps it sounds like something is goin to snap or giv way!!!

I've looked at the anti-roll bar and can see no plastic sleeve. Also dont understand the point of having a plastic sleeve.

Anyway my dealer has said ARB is on back order till end of the month.

Does anyone have any info on this or is the b*****d jus lying???!!!!!

Cos my dealer knows i'm sellin my car. They mayb trying to fob me off.

Goin to fone them on Tuesday and ask them to remove the ARB till the new one arrives cos its not funny any more. The noise is really gettin up my nose. :(

Skoda Customer services call me al least once a week to "update me" on the fact that there are no ARB avalible till the end of July

Mine been on order for two months and the noise is driving me nuts.

I got them to call round the Audi parts distributers etc which they did and still could not get one.

Really fed up :(

Goin to fone them on Tuesday and ask them to remove the ARB till the new one arrives cos its not funny any more. The noise is really gettin up my nose. :(

not as easy as you might think to remove, as the subframe needs unbolting from the car, I dont think they will want to do this twice (once to remove the arb, and again to put on the new one), its bad enough having to do this once. The handling will also be affected by it not being there.

Mannyo, they probably won't do it anyway cos it does take a lot of time.

Will still fone them and give them some grief tho methinks.

Well at least I am not the only one with this problem and personally I think the fact that this job is a bit of a bitch is why the Dealers try to fob us off !

Interesting fact is that everytime they have the car in to investigate, the noise appears to disappear for anything from a few hours up to a couple of days but then returns with a vengeance, getting worse every day as mentioned by another sufferer earlier in this thread.

I too fear the worse as every undulation in a country road feels like it will dislodge a major component and leave it in the middle of the road behind me.

I think the Dealers have a hidden script that says:-

Symptom: Skoda Creaking Suspension

Resolution: Spray bushes liberally with Silicone spray and fob of as much as possible until warranty expires !!!!

Currently I am limping along with this until it goes in on the 27th but secretly running a book with people at work as to whether it will last that long !

Oh, BTW my June 2001 model was one of the first produced and it does not appear to have a plastic sleeve on the ARB and I personally know its original owner who has never had anything changed in 3 years of ownership.

I implore everyone who is suffering this problem to keep this thread alive and updated with progress as it is something that needs to be bottomed out once and for all.

One of the Briskodian clan has changed to Neuspeed ARB's front and back (probably a little drastic for most) but I am keen to see if this has any bearing on things.

I'll re post after it goes in on the 27th.

Cheers,

Tony

I think we shoud print out this thread and post it to every Skoda dealer in the country!

It must b a really, really p**s poor design to make such an annoying noise! I've never heard another car having a creaky ARB.

I have had my ARB replaced. The dealer had no problem in sourcing one - only took a few days.

It was replaced on Monday this week. Initially it looked good, but, after my 40 mile commute I noticed the noise when turning left at a little speed (20 mph or so).

Make sure when you take your car int hat you have run it in sufficiently. Mine has to travel about 30 miles before the noise occurs, or around a whole lot of left hand corners at a bit of speed.

Will update when I finally fix the damn problem

exFiesta,

I was rather hoping to start hearing success stories from changing the ARB completely but your post replacement experience does not bode well for the rest of us all seeking the holy grail that is banishment of that dreaded noise and (in my case anyway) handling looser than Jordan's knicker elastic with a tendancy to wander at speed.

My Octy is getting worse by the day and I really cannot see how the Dealers have failed to locate the route cause when so many of us are regularly taking them in for investigation and parts changes ???

I think that a survey of the volume of owners sufferering this problem followed by petition to Skoda Customer Services might be a possible route to ensure it gains visualisation. I have the name of the Head of Customer Services in preparation for my impending letter.

At the moment Skoda UK still claim that this is a relatively unknown problem on the Octy and only a minor issue on the Furby and this is clearly an incorrect assumption.

Any other ideas ?

I'm going to try to pinpoint he position of the noise tonight after my drive home... will let you know

Well I dunno how you intend doing that but I wish you the best of luck.

If your motor is anything like mine the noise starts in one place (NSF) and as the problem gets worse it seems to change position or emminate from all over the place depending upon the type and angle of bump it is dealing with at that particular time.

Although it is still generally coming from the front, mine now seems to be coming from right across the width of the underside of the car which is why I thought ARB !

I had problems years ago with an old XR3 that turned out to be the strut top mounts but from memory this sounded distinctly different to this problem we are all experiencing now but you never know....

Still, I would be most happy to hear how you got on ?

Cheers,

Tony

My car (02 Octy vRS) initially went in 3 weeks ago for what seemed to be squeeking bushes. My dealer replaced these, but has now left me with a more pronounced knocking. It went back a 2nd time, for link replacements, and after a day or 2, the knocking/creaking over speed humps has RETURNED.

It'll will now go back a 3rd time, so I have been doing a little research to try to offer some areas of investigation. Using google searches involving combinations of:

a3, audi, vag, golf, tt, "anti-roll bar", "sway bar" (american roll bar expression) etc. etc.

I was able to come up with this list (not necessarily in any order of probability):

Bushes (including mounts, loose nuts etc).

Control arm replacement (ball joint wear etc)

Wheel Hub/Bearing wear

Sub-frame damage

[suspension] Strut top

Anti-roll bar/Sway bar "sleeve" damage

Engine mounts

I'll be handing this list to my dealer when the car goes in for a 3rd service, the next stop after this, if the knocking continues, will be Skoda UK.

Hopefully, someone will have some definitive answers, pronto.

Big Rich

P.S. I did have a 'crunching' sound on my previous Cav Sri, turned out to be a loose [wishbone] suspension arm.

New ARB was fitted yesterday - al the other times we tried a fix at the dealers the noise came back within a few miles. Happy to say after 150 miles the dreaded noise has gone and my car feels like new

Thank god

My dealer had a look at mine while in for a service the other day - explained the knocking/clonkling + squeeking noises. They diagnosed it pretty quickly as ARB broken up, ARB bushes split and ARB brackets knackered! Oh and also the lower arm bushes split.

Might explain a few things

ARB + gubbins being replaced under warranty, other bits being replaced with Powerflex bushes. Will let you know if it cures it!

FRONT ANTI ROLL BAR BUSHES, very cheap and easy to change, Ebay best place to get them, loosen both wheels and jack up both sides of car to do this job, with the wheels off follow the anti roll bar from the middle to the left and right and you will see both bushes, easy to change just one bolt holding the bush down with a metal sleeve. Undo and replace bush, a pair of long nose pliers that clamp are recommended to put the sleeve back over the bush because it will be under a bit of pressure with the new bush then just put the bolt back in and job done.

yea i know the tread was in 2004 my bad lol