Wasn't too happy with how the steering felt last 2-3 months, and there was a clunking coming from the wheel arches for the past couple of weeks.

When I installed my Koni FSD's I noticed that the drop-links (the connecting rod between the front ARB and suspension strut made some sound when the upper attachment was removed and it was wiggled.)

Car's post 2004 (metal collars on the front ARB) so that wasn't the problem.

Ordered 2 new drop links (about 15 quid each) and new nuts for both ends.

Fitted them yesterday during a dust storm (yuk!).

Result - far more precise steering around corners and no noise. Far better.

Car's done 25K miles so far.

Just a mention that if you feel the steering is somewhat truck-like around corners, it may be time for an easy and inexpensive DIY.

I hear that the Ford Mondeo drop links are shorter and fit if you have lowered suspension, but dont know how much they are, how tough they are. The OEM one's fitted fine with Eibachs + Konis's.

Cheers

Bas

Thanks for the info Basil

Top bloke!!!

I have a clunking, fitted the cupra bushes which improved it but its still there, might be worth a look, cheers

Just a few words to the wise - you need a Torx T-30 to fit into the screw end to hold it while you use a ring Spanner to loosen.

Both front wheels should be raised equally otherwise the drop links are on tension and near-impossible to remove and get the new ones re-fitted.

Bottom one is a bit fiddly as the plastic wheel arch liner gets in the way of the T30 but it's do-able.

Wheels off and two nuts changed per side that's all. Half an hours fiddling about....

A spray of WD-40 was needed on one lower nut to help things along...

New OEM nuts are an absolute must of course - they're self-locking.

In an ideal world - wheel alignment should be re-checked afterwards...

Good luck guys

Bas

My old Fabia had a knocking noise for months, finally got sick of it so took it to the dealers, they said it needed a new steering rack £600-£700! So that put me off, went home from uni at Easter, my brother put it up on ramps where he works, diagnosed the droplinks. 2 droplinks = £14, and the cost of a crate for my brother, damn site cheaper than what the dealers wanted.

What got me was why my brother, an apprentice mechanic who has never worked on a Skoda could diagnose when the mechanics at the dealers had it up on the ramp and decided it was something completely different.

From what I understand as a total amateur - clunking with the steering being turned is the rack - clunking around corners or on bumps is either the front ARB (pre-2004 had plastic collars that would fail - Tom vrs did a neat write-up on how to fit the newer ones) or drop-links.

Another common front clunk is not even related to the front suspension - it's the little rubber buffers just in front of the bonnet hinges..... Mine quietened down nicely after some silicone - but have ordered in a new pair anyway...

Heavy engine + brisk skoda progress round corners and carp roads= hard time for the OEM droplinks.......

At 14-15 squid - far cheaper to change the drop-links and pray that that was the problem - sorted mine out a treat, and the car goes round corners so much better now....

Kinda neat to see truck-like wandering around a corner with clunks change to sharp silent handling....

At 14-15 squid - far cheaper to change the drop-links and pray that that was the problem - sorted mine out a treat, and the car goes round corners so much better now....

Yeah sorted it right out, was silent when i passed it on to SWMBO, still felt it was unfair that i had to put up with the annoying clunking and she got it when it was fixed

What benefit would there be to fit the drop links from the mondeo and which model mondeo are the drop links sourced from please?

Cheers Bas

I'll look into mine at some point - plasticky collars could be the cause of mine as it does clunk a bit when doing the U-turn at the end of the parking bit when you go over the various bumps.

Also have powerflex bushes / console bushes fitted so will look at drop links next

good stuff was enquiring bout this subject a while back!!

think i will change mine now along with the drone of a n/s wheel bearing and a split cv boot.

103k so probs needing them changing

felt the steering wasn't right afterwards- got the WA checked - front toe was waaay off. They reset it to spec and I lightened the steering weight one notch.

Luverly!!

Bas

What benefit would there be to fit the drop links from the mondeo and which model mondeo are the drop links sourced from please?

Anyone:confused:

Anyone:confused:

Sorry - thought that someone who knows more would be able to answer - read here on brisk somewhere that a 2000 ford modeo has shorter drop links that fit the fabia vRS when the suspension is dropped a lot. More than that I don't know, sorry matey...

Thanks Bas!

found a couple of references to the mondeo drop links:

http://briskoda.net/forums/fabia/new-wheels-coilovers/103535/2/

http://briskoda.net/forums/fabia/shortened-drop-links/95172/