Sorry for the delay - I've been away on holiday, in answer to your question - yes the complete ARB is replaced with a modified one - unless you can get someone to accurately weld metal stops on after removing both plastic ones (thick washers maybe) and then getting smaller diameter rubber mounts and just maybe new pipe clamps - the smaller diameter rubber mounts are needed because the thickness of the plastic sleeves will have been removed - getting the correct ones for use with the new ARB will be okay. If you can manage to get this ARB repair done and the welded area painted to protect against corrosion, then you should end up saving a fortune as the costly bit is dropping the subframe - or cross member and then getting a full alignment carried out. I just bought the bits, looked at what was required to be done - ie the realignment - saved myself the pain and let my VW garage do the job - quite expensive, maybe you should look out for a good indep VAG garage.

Cheers 4 that, got it done locally with new bar / bushes and the handbrake also got sorted for

lummox,got my car back after getting new engine fitted,i am getting the noise you describe,is this possibly the same thing,it's an octy mk1 vrs

Ditto

Quoted £40 for the repair .. booking it in soon

Note

* garage equipment, skoda parts, leister hot air tools, workshop equipment, ravaglioli

* WB620 - 6Q0411314N 18mm £1.80 +Vat

* WB621 - 6Q0411314F 19mm £1.74 +Vat

* Delivery - £8.99 +Vat

Hope this helps.

I just ordered bushes from Butts of Bawtry (v. cheap) but was informed by my mechanic that its the (plastic) collar that is broken. Do you know if the new bush will come with the collar? If not, is there anything that be used to replace it? The only alteranative is a new roll bar, at over

The old ARB is now U/S so you will need to buy a new ARB + two mounting bushes to suit the new bar + maybe new clamps. I'm sure that someone on this forum inferred that Skoda sell all this stuff as a kit, when I bought my bits from VW no kit was offered just a few individual parts.

I've also got the classic symptoms on my 2005. Fabia vRS with only 38000km on it (35000km when the symptoms occured).

- suspension cracking over bumps

- knocking while standing still and turning the wheel left-right

- imprecise steering

I have pics of the whole suspension here (taken right after I got a new steering rack under warranty). I think I didn't catch the ARB very well :-(

I have the Cupra bushes.

Can someone please mark with a red circle or something what is wrong with my suspension or at least what to look at more deeply? How to explain to some mechanic what I want to be done? Sometimes I think the suspension on the vRS is Rocket Science for every mechanic I visit :'-(

All the official dealers and wheel alignment "specialists" can't find anything wrong :-(

p.s. everything went wrong with the suspension after I hit a pothole at ~150km/h

I've got this problem also on a 51 plate Fabia 1.4 16V petrol. A knocking noise when going over bumps. Took it to the main Skoda dealer and they've quoted about

I've got this problem also on a 51 plate Fabia 1.4 16V petrol. A knocking noise when going over bumps. Took it to the main Skoda dealer and they've quoted about

I've also got the classic symptoms on my 2005. Fabia vRS with only 38000km on it (35000km when the symptoms occured).

- suspension cracking over bumps

- knocking while standing still and turning the wheel left-right

- imprecise steering

I have pics of the whole suspension here (taken right after I got a new steering rack under warranty). I think I didn't catch the ARB very well :-(

I have the Cupra bushes.

Can someone please mark with a red circle or something what is wrong with my suspension or at least what to look at more deeply? How to explain to some mechanic what I want to be done? Sometimes I think the suspension on the vRS is Rocket Science for every mechanic I visit :'-(

All the official dealers and wheel alignment "specialists" can't find anything wrong :-(

p.s. everything went wrong with the suspension after I hit a pothole at ~150km/h

/quote]

It all looks okay generally, imprecise steering might indicate that the four wheel alignment was not carried out correctly. I think that there will always be a bit of knocking when you turn the steering wheel while standing still, also there will always be a bit of "crashing" when you drive over bumps as these are small so light weight and cheap cars, just like Ford or Opel etc. The ARB looks like it is okay even although as you said you did not catch it very well - if either of the stops had broken there would be an indication that the ARB was moving side to side, also, I think that by model year 2005 all the ARB problems would have been resolved on all Fabia models.

rum4mo, the thing is that wheel alignment was carried out THREE (3) times and every time the steering wheel is standing a bit to the left or right, it's just impossible to make the steering wheel and the wheels straight together. before everything went wrong wheel alignment was always made straight with no problems... that's my biggest concern!

as I mentioned somewhere, it's like the front wheels are not connected to each other, each one plays it's own game... :-(

could it be that one of the bushes broke after I hit the pothole? but the wheels are very firm in place, no radial movement... but maybe? because I think I had this awful steering before I changed the bushes to cupra ones...

Thanks for the advice. What's this about using Seat Ibiza Cupra bushes? Are these direct replacements for the Skoda ones? What are the benefits (longevity/handling)? Could you give me a description of the full names of the bushes I should suggest to the Skoda dealer that they use Seat ones for? Are the Seat ones significantly more expensive? I just have the 1.4 16v petrol so could I use the Fabia VRS bushes - I assume the sports model has an uprated suspension?

Another point, as these plastic end stops on the ARB are a known design flaw and although my car is nearly six years old it is these original end stops that have caused the problem, do you think I'd get any joy trying to have a moan at Skoda HQ and get a contribution towards the repair bill?

Thanks for the advice. What's this about using Seat Ibiza Cupra bushes? Are these direct replacements for the Skoda ones? What are the benefits (longevity/handling)? Could you give me a description of the full names of the bushes I should suggest to the Skoda dealer that they use Seat ones for? Are the Seat ones significantly more expensive? I just have the 1.4 16v petrol so could I use the Fabia VRS bushes - I assume the sports model has an uprated suspension?

These front track control arm rear bushes are the same internal and external diameters as the normal one - its just that they get fitted in from the rear of the console instead of the front. AFAIK, in the entire VAG group, it is only the Seat Ibiza Cupras that get the non-voided bushes fitted as standard. In answer to your question, the benefits are mainly longer life and better steering feel/response, the down sides are that they cost a lot more - well maybe 50 pence more (

I got the suspension fixed under the second hand car warranty I had so I was limited to using all the standard Skoda parts. I reckong the dealer must have been having a laugh though as the total bill was best part

I got the suspension fixed under the second hand car warranty I had so I was limited to using all the standard Skoda parts. I reckong the dealer must have been having a laugh though as the total bill was best part

Hi, hope someone can help, I've had a knocking noise on tight corners, on really really rough roads, and when accelerating up hills. took it to a skoda garage who said they couldn't hear anything until i went on a drive with one of the mechanics, they then decided it was the drop links making the noise.

Today been and had the drop links replaced but still getting the noise. will have to take the car back, but wondered if this sounds like the roll bar. the trouble is i cant see the roll bar brushes due to the black plastic tray under the engine.It doesnt seem to make the noise over speed humps or potholes. but now seems to knock on both sides when cornering, it also feels like the whole of the front suspension is loose when going up the curb to my drive way :(.

Any help would be appreciated

Hi, hope someone can help, I've had a knocking noise on tight corners, on really really rough roads, and when accelerating up hills. took it to a skoda garage who said they couldn't hear anything until i went on a drive with one of the mechanics, they then decided it was the drop links making the noise.

Today been and had the drop links replaced but still getting the noise. will have to take the car back, but wondered if this sounds like the roll bar. the trouble is i cant see the roll bar brushes due to the black plastic tray under the engine.It doesnt seem to make the noise over speed humps or potholes. but now seems to knock on both sides when cornering, it also feels like the whole of the front suspension is loose when going up the curb to my drive way :(. Any help would be appreciated

To pin the blame on the front TCA rear bushes, you could try parking on level ground with handbrake on but out of gear. Then grab each front wheel in turn and try to move them fore>

To pin the blame on the ARB or its bushes, depending on the age of your car it might still have the crap plastic stops on the ARB. If you can't remove the under shield, remove each front wheel in turn and you should be able to see the area of the ARB where it connects to the car. Use the pics on this thread to confirm if the collars are broken - if they are the ARB will have been making contact with the aluminium brackets (consoles) so they will be badly scuffed/marked. Also for future referance you could check if your car has the later improved ARB by using a magnet - just touch the end stops with the magnet - if they are metal (okay) then the magnet will be attracted to them, if they are plastic (not good) then the magnet will not be attracted to them. Finally, the ARB mounting bushes, if there is a lot of movement then they might need replacing - but you need to know first if you have the later or earlier ARB before you can work out which size of bushes need to be fitted - ie later ARB with earlier ARB mounting bushes means they will be a loose fit and so noisey.

The ARB on my 2000 1.4 MPI has no sign of any collars either side and a side to side movement of about 2".

Dealer has quote me

The ARB on my 2000 1.4 MPI has no sign of any collars either side and a side to side movement of about 2".

Dealer has quote me

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I'm already committed to doing it and using Skoda bushes.

I'd hoped a recent MOT would pinpoint the source of clunks and squeaks in the front suspension, but surprisingly it passed, so Haynes manual in hand I went looking myself. Both lowers ball joint gaiters were disintegrating so they needed replacing and as I wanted to check the rubber bushes, I removed the lower arm. The rear bushes were worn so I did as the manual said and 'unbolted the mounting bracket from the subframe' after supporting it with a trolley jack. I dismantled both sides.

I noticed the ARB was moving from side to side and was surprised because this had been 'fixed a couple of years ago by Nationwide Autocentres under a Motoreasy warranty - but they only replaced the bushes! I had Autohaus Skoda fit the bushes to the now dismantled consoles. Only then did I read this thread ...

I ordered the ARB and bushes separately because Autohaus said there was no kit.

The parts arrive tomorrow and I have the consoles with the new bushes and the lower suspension arm with the ball joint fitted lying on the floor of my garage ready to be fitted. Tomorrow I hope to bolt it all back together (then take the car for an alignment check) or is that just wishful thinking?

One other question, how big a job is the 4 wheel alignment?, is it the sort of job Quickfit or similar could do or is it VAG specialist only?

Thanks again.

I think that there are quite a few outfits that can do your four wheel re-alignment as long as they have a modern jig, but, in your case, if you can not "sniff" out a VAG indep specialist, then should probably take it to your nearest Skoda or Seat or VW dealer as all these cars are roughly the same thing. I think the main dealer rate for this is in the order of

Thanks for the advice rum4mo , but i'm not very good at cheking things so have booked the car in at the garage this friday, i mentioned it could be the anti-roll bar. I'll see what they say, though i did notice that in the wet the noise doesn't seem as bad I don't know if this gives any indications as to what is causing the noise. I think I will ask them to check the TCA brushes.

Also do the ball joints make a knocking noise in corners/ over bumps if they are on the way out, cause i may ask them to change these to be on the safe side and also cause the noise if driving me mad.

David

1.4TDI, I would think that your garage, if they are Skoda or Seat or VW will only change what is required in the areas that you thought the noise was coming from. One thing that I have discovered with my usual VW dealer, is if I am quite specific about what work I want doing - then they take this literally and do as asked even if it does not solve any problems, so its better when dropping the car off, to err on the side of caution and let them work out what is causing the problems that you have outlined. I can sympathise with their dilema - ie "the customer is always right". On the other hand I handed my Passat in and said "droning noise from the front at 40, 55, 60MPH - please investigate and fix, they came back saying O/S front bearing faulty - I said okay just change both sides, they came back and said the tech said if it was his car he would do both sides - strange as I had already said if its wheel bearings do both sides! Then they came back and promised to put in the report that both sides had been noisey - why - to make me feel good about me asking for both sides to be changed!!!

thanks for the heads up i had this noise but i found a broken coil spring

checked all the bushes fine

thanks for the heads up i had this noise but i found a broken coil spring checked all the bushes fine

Bushes okay, even the TCA rear ones?!? Your car must be very new or low mileage, anyway broken road springs seems to be very common as well - hope you changed both sides!

Ill check the rear ones monday cheers not dun the spings yet i am lucky it snaped at the first turn and sat back in its right position i could just cut the other one just kidding:D

When one of the front springs broke on my wife's Polo it broke exactly at half height! That could have been nasty if at speed, as it was, the car just started to bottome out and scoop up the stone chips as I tried to reverse up the driveway - and failed!