Front Suspension Creak

[NeilH]

Hi there,

My Furby seems to have developed a creak from the front suspension, I have noticed this a few times while turning onto my drive - near enough full lock. If the problem is a known issue and isn't serious then I am not to worried about it.

I'd rather hear it here than take it to the dealer where I bought the car to have some pleb boot it up the road and come back to say it's fine (they are renowned for this)

Thanks,

[JLneonhug]

Lol.. I believe you have what I have, I have this page up for months on end but yet to have done anything about it.. Control Arm Bushes

But next time alot of people on here you prefere if you used the Search function on this forum first and welcome to Briskoda.

[Edit] Oh correct me if im wrong oh guru's of fabia world

[ric04vrs]

the front roll bar bushes can creak , a spray of your favourite lube should do the trick

[Decron]

a spray of your favourite lube should do the trick

Never tried KY on a car before, but I'll try anything once......

[Johnhowell]

Be careful. Just today found out that the left front wheel hub has a large crack through it!

We had the initial knocking sound from the front, the Anti-Roll Bar was changed. Went quiet for a short time, but then it started again - front left spring broken. Now the hub.

I would suggest that the top suspension mount and bearing be checked before it spreads to more expensive items!

John

[sharkrider]

mine had creaking... was the control arm bushes....

[ric04vrs]

Never tried KY on a car before, but I'll try anything once......

i'm sure that will cure the creak

[TeflonTom]

another vote for bushes from me too

[r_holmes22]

I may be a doofus, but what are bushes, what do/should they look like and how can you tell if they appear worn? Is replacing them the kind of job you can do yourself with a few tools or is it a professional-only job?

Oh, and I saw the response on another thread that posted a piccy of some shrubs. Most amusing, but not dead helpful for us non-techies :-)

[NeilH]

Thanks lads.

I took the car to Silbury Skoda at Cramlington today and as I handed the keys over I told them I was led to believe it was the control arm bushes causing the problem. They sent one of their mechanics around and he took the car away for a test drive. On returning he stripped the passenger side dashboard out and began spraying it with silicone and fitting bits of sponge in various places.

They then took the car out another 2 times with 2 mechanics inside and to my horror, I realised they were driving without any seat covers on!! :eek: When I was handed the keys back; I was told I'd need to book it in and have the whole dashboard taken out which seems really unnecessary as it's clearly a suspension related problem.

I walked back to the car and got in to be greeted by a lovely oil stain on the passenger seat I went straight back in and asked the man at the desk to come and look at the seat, he then took the car back in the workshop and removed the stain with what smelled like paint thinners.

Not impressed with the service I received from the dealer - putting a seat cover on a customer

[mr barearse]

mine has this problem at the moment glad i know what the proper name is now (control arm bushes) instead of saying them bush things. mine seems to get worse when its been raining getting it sorted soon the problem is it is all seazed which is causing the creaking.

[TeflonTom]

how to change bushes guide

i've just realized i havn't uploaded the rest of the pitcures yet for this guide

[JLneonhug]

perhaps they were getting rid of the creak/rattle from the front air vent too? (thats if you have noise from there lol)

[rum4mo]

I see that Powerflex list the rear TCA bush now - how easy is it to fit them? I would think that it cannot be split and fitted in two parts like the front one as there is nothing to retain it? Can anyone tell me if the Seat Cupra consoles and TCA are identical to all the other VAG same platform variants bits - except for the non-voided rear bush and maybe harder front bush. I ask this as it looks like it is cheaper for the DIY'r to buy new consoles - roughly £75 each and fit them myself , than get the dealer to fit new bushes - even if I then get the same dealer to sort out the geometry (4 wheel alignment) afterwards. Also, is there a lot of extra road noise when using the Seat Cupra bushes?

[TeflonTom]

Also, is there a lot of extra road noise when using the Seat Cupra bushes?

not really no, but you do get a bit more tyre rumble of naff road surfaces:)

[rum4mo]

Thanks, but can anyone confirm or otherwise whither the aluminium consoles are the same dimensions and the same for the wishbones (TCA) Cupra versus non-Cupra? The strange thing is that VW and Seat and Skoda all use the "standard" set-up even with the 1.8T engine (according to ETOS). My wife's car is only the 1.4 75PS Polo and it has destroyed its TCA rear voided bushes in 4.5 years and 40,000 miles. The front wheels have always felt like they were held in place with bits of string.

[ric04vrs]

AFAIK the consoles for the Seat Ibiza FR/Cupra and Fabia VRS are the same

[rum4mo]

ric04vrs, thanks for that but I was really meaning "is the aluminium hump" part of that console the same for all the cars that use this platform? I probably did not ask the question correctly sorry! TeflonTom, any luck with the rest of the "changing wishbone bushes" script + pictures? I am keen to move on with fixing my wife's 1.4SE Polo but would rather hear other's facts first. By the way Practical Car Mechanic is running an item named "living with the Fabia" in next month's issue - its out 18th May.

[fabby_vrs]

Be careful. Just today found out that the left front wheel hub has a large crack through it!

We had the initial knocking sound from the front, the Anti-Roll Bar was changed. Went quiet for a short time, but then it started again - front left spring broken. Now the hub.

I would suggest that the top suspension mount and bearing be checked before it spreads to more expensive items!

John

A broken front spring - how did THAT happen???

...and a craked hub assembley?

How old is your car, how many miles?

Cheers,

Fabby.

[Dmac1969]

I've got the same creaking problem on mine , quoted 'around

[chajxf]

Having failed MOT I've just been quoted ~

[Dmac1969]

I think replacing the console bushes is a bigger job than the TCA bushes , hence the difference in price.

[ric04vrs]

if the front ARB is corroded where the bushes sit , it will require a new ARB and bushes , the front subframe needs to come off to do the front ARB , so this should make doing the console bushes easier in theory

[rum4mo]

Dmac1969, I take it that you meant to write the console bushes were harder to replace than the ARB bushes (and not the TCA bushes) - as the console bushes are the only TCA bushes that can be replaced in service - unless you include the after market Powerflex TCA front bush.

[chajxf]

Thanks for help everyone (though you've started to lapse into technical speak which is confusing me... :confused: )

Probably should have mentioned I'm getting the cambelt changed at the same time - don't know if that makes a difference.

I'm inclined to get the ARB done now - I've extended my credit limit so may as well use it!