I have watched Many videos about this procedure, but not ONE even close to this. You are very good at explaining what you do, you show the parts so that we can clearly see, you explain in a clear and firm voice and at a good pace. I am watching it right now because i am to do this repair later today. Thanks for this! Great work 🙂
Thanks, your great critic means a lot. Good luck and hope the job goes well. I will be doing it to the Jaguar x-type soon (after this persistent rain disappears!) as that has broken a front spring due to the top bearing seizing also; and me moving the car about :-)
Video suggestion - Inner tie rods :) Thanks again for this video. Because of it I was able to change both front struts, springs, top mounts, tie rod end and even went for a lower ball joint while I was there! All in cost me £220.00 for parts and £30.00 in Amazon gift cards to get a few new tools and I went for decent quality parts (Bilstein springs, Sachs shocks, Corteco) Going to a garage this would have easily have cost me £750 and they probably would have fitted lesser quality products.
Thank you for you kind comment, most appreciated. The Polo mk4 is pretty much the same car, so should be similar and a great little car too may I add, especialy the GTI cup edition in my opinion :-)
Those spreader tools are godly. Only bought similar one about a month ago. Used it three times and is so much more effective than a chisel which shoots out everytime you hit the hub with a hammer 😅😂
Brilliant ! Beautiful exposition. Well story-boarded, shot, edited and commentated. Anyone can see what the problem is, what's needed to solve it and how to go about the repair. Any chance doing one for the replacement of the screen demister/cabin air system temperature flap motor that's buried at the back of the dashboard, passenger side ?
Thank you for the kind comments, glad to know it was easy to follow. The temperature sensitive flap you talk about is a common issue with these and hard to get at. These motors can often get stuck in the hot position. Vagcom is used to set the flap motor actuation when installing a new one I believe. One thing I used that worked for me you could try is actuate the flap over-ride (turning to full hot or full cold) several times whilst manually helping the motor to move the flap to free things up. I may do a video on this sometime.
Helpful for sure. In mk1 fabia for some reason disconnecting the tie rod end did not create enough wiggle room to pull the bottom part of the strut out. I ended up having to free the axle from the hub and to disconnect the bushing linking the hub to the control arm. Doable but more time consuming. 🏋♂️
The problem is on one side, the side not shown in the video, the drive shaft hits against an engine mount further in and stops it dropping down. So yeah, I had to disconnect the ball joint from the control arm and even then had to do some major gymnastics with the hub off to the front of the car (as much as the brake line would allow) before I managed to get it back in. I only got the old one out by compressing the spring in position till the tension was off and then cutting the end off the spring and squashing the strut up.
Hi Harvey great video. I just did this job on my audi.a3 1.9tdi however with the new mount being flitted in on the passenger side the clunking noise still seem to be there I had to take the axle bolt offe as well removing the lower ball joint. For some odd reason the axle bolt became very stiff when it came to be put in. I also found bit of grease coming out of the mouth of cv joint in which the axle bolt goes in. The car is making really bad squeaking noise when the steering is fully Turned to the left. I also saw two arrows on top of the mounting indication forward and backward. What I can gather is that the mouthing hasn't been flitted in the way it should have been. I will be very grateful for the reply.
From what you say it sounds like you may not have installed it right. The spring needs to sit correctly and the bearing at the top needs to be inserted the right way around and slip into position easily. All bolts should go back in freely with no need to force them or it may be mis-aligned. Without seeing the car itself it is hard to know just what is wrong. You may have done it correctly but there is a CV joint or bearing that is faulty. I would Re-assemble what you think is incorrect and check all other fittings fit right. Hope this helps a little, good luck 🤞let me know how you get along :-)
@HatBoyHarvey I will be giving it a try in a fortnight now. I am working all week next week. Once I reassembled ever I went for a little drive and it didn't drive well. I felt like the wheel alignment was out. The driver side tyre needed replacement anyway. Spoke to the chap and he said change the tyre and see what happens. The changing of the tyre has made a good deal of difference however the clunking seems to be there. I feel this clunk especially when the car is being turned slightly to the left and when the left wheel goes over the bump or pothole this is when the clunking is observed. Once it going on the level surface over the bumps it seems there is no noise. Myself and my brother started working on this suspension from 8am on Sunday till 2am Monday nearly 19 hours . Packed up at 2am as my back literally started crying. I couldn't remove the upper strut as I didn't have that little bit that goes in the gap behind the strut. In the end got an idea of usin 1/4 extension bit which worked pre well.I also felt the outer cv joint to be a bit spongy when I pressed it. Bit of grease also leaked out from its mouth. The rubber boot on cv joint seems intact. There are another 2 issues with this car. The driver side window seemed to have stopped working. I took the plug of the hinge removed the plastic wire harness and there are few wires that have cuts on them. I guess I'll have to take the door card off in order to see whats happening in there. There is a click when I press the window switch. Few weeks ago I took the front seats out in order to clean the car thoroughly. Since then the passenger side airb ligt is on the dash. I should have disconnected the battery however I didn't. That can be solved by disconnecting the seat again and pull the wires out from under the seat and ensure theg are seated properly. And the final issue is the clutch. The whole clutch was changed last year . The clutch pedal was fine for about 6 month. Then it started developing issues. It sometimes sticks halfway and I have to pull it up with my toe. I have checked the break fluid resvoit and it is right to the top absolutely full not lke halfway. I think there is air in the system. Ive seen a brilliant idea on UA-cam. This guy used the top of the spray bottle in order to bleed the brakes and it worked. What he did.was he connected a piece of transparent tubing to the pump part of the bottle and then attached the other end on the bleeder nipple. He unscew the valve and started pumping. The brake fluid came out all the way till it statred flwoi like the spray. This is what I am going to try on the slave cylinder. By this method you dont need anyone pump the brakes or clutch. The car has 136000 miles on it. Sometimes I feels like getting rid of it but due to my finances I.still need to drive for sometime. The engine is bulletproof. Always starts first time and drives great on motorways.
@HatBoyHarvey how are you? Yesterday , I finally managed to install the new suspension mount on my audi a3. The car is driving very well. The mount goes in a certain orientation on top of the spring, I managed to find a very good video on UA-cam as well some information online. I got sick of it to honest as me and my took the spring out on 3 occasions in order to orientate the mounting. Well I've learned something new after a long struggle 😅 🙃 😅
@@mumtazzafar5696 great, glad to hear about your experiences and how with plenty of persistence to get it right you managed it, well done my friend. Hope I helped you a bit. Happy motoring :-)
Great vid again. Look forward to all you Fabia tutorials. I know you did the brake dust guards on the back could you show changing them on the front? Thank you
Hiya hatboy, I've checked out you're video on checking the power steering levels,and left a comment,but before I start to undo everything,is that the problem because my power steering light is on in the dash, hopefully ansa cheers Mack
I'll have a look for your comment, for now : Levels are the first thing to look at, if they are significantly low it will effect the power steering, if only small amount top it up to the correct level. My video shows red fluid, ignore that and top up with thee green stuff (correct fluid is marked on the top)
I have throbbing noises when I drive over bumps. what can it be. is it the shock absorber or the suspension. and do I have to replace all 4. ŠKODA Fabia Combi MK1 2003
The top mounts can make noises over bumps if they are shot, if the shocks are going they often leak oil and you will have increased bounce over bumps and corners (replace in pairs, but it is often likely the other 2 have been wearing out at the same rate and may also be worn ). Have a check under the car at the linkages, bushes and anti-roll bar, which are known to wear out on these.
G'Day from the Netherlands, Thanks a lot for your excellent vids! In my case especially this one concerning the top strut bearing. I suspect that one of my springs and/ or top bearings has been broken. As spare parts for these Fabia's MK1 nowadays are getting cheaper and cheaper. I opted for new shocks/ struts and springs front and rear. It appears to me that I don't have to undo the bottom fusee ball joint so as far as I can see there also isn't the need for aligning. Thanks!!
Thanks. Yes you don't have to undo the bottom ball joint, but I should have expanded on the needs of tracking in the video a bit. It would be good practice after replacing all the components you mention to have the car's tracking checked. On this occasion I didn't need it and the car ran perfectly, but If the car sat at a small difference in hight for example it could have upset the track and may need alignment checking.
Great video as usual Harvey. My front offside spring went the other day and I found the top half turn on the road as was driving slowly and heard it fall out. I have ordered new springs and strut bearing but can’t work out exactly how many new nuts and bolts I need based off the video description. Is it 6? Thanks again for the great content!
Renew the top bearing nuts/bolts (complete units usually come with these) hub to strut bolt/lock nut, wishbone bolt/nuts, track rod end lock nut and link rod lock nut. Basically everything you take off. Many don't renew any of these and are fine, but you never know when you regret renewing them until it is too late!. Strut to hub OEM bolt/nut isn't cheap, but very necessary IMHO :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey Great, I will see what I can find. OEM strut to hub bolt seems to go for around £10-15 which isn’t too bad, but admittedly a hell of a lot for what it is!
Having a crack at my springs today... Got all the tools other than the hub splitter I'm currently waiting on to be delivered (late - typical). Do you have any guidance on what type of allen key could be used or any other tool to split the hub to loosen the strut from hub? Excellent content tho 👌 great information in keeping another fabia on the roads 👍
question. my shock absorber does not wanna come out of his place down there. its almost there but does not wanna get out from the final few milimeter. got any tips for that on how to get it out finally?
Great vid! I don't think that can do this home alone on my Ibiza 6l1 + I don't have these special tools but it was nice to see,thanks to your great will to share your knowledge with us here. Couple a days ago I've had a squeeking noice,over bumps,especially when it was colder...I took the silicone lube spray and sprayed all those parts where are a contacts between rubber and metal...and is working somehow. Now is silence. If it will squeeks again then I will go to service (for me first suspect are those rubber bearings made from rubber,couldn't define the exact spot of the squeaking sound )...will see...
Thanks, Don't attempt without good spring compressors and knowledge/experience (IMHO). Squeeking: console bushes, drop links, ARB bushes probably if it doesn't do it when you press up/down on suspension - ie wing.
@@HatBoyHarvey Yes, exactly then-when I push front end of the car up/down with hands-then no sound was heard...I must see/translate what is IE wing,great👍...I will check this if squeaks again...
Thanks, glad you liked it. Part number is now in the description. Only replace with a genuine new part which you may source cheaper on the internet from reputable sources.
This is exactly what is wrong with mine right now, Is it possible to replace the suspension system with another set of shocks instead of replacing the struts?
The strut contains the spring and shock absorber, both of which you need. I think you maybe referring to coilovers which are essentially the same thing, just narrower, but stiffer. You will still need to replace the top mount or top hats that cause the juddering :-)
The hub needs to go fully up until the pinch bolt hole aligns. if it gets stuck you need to remove it and clean the strut and hub up and re-insert your hub expander so it seats correctly. Measure the diameter of the old strut against the new one (vernier caliper) at the bottom middle and top to see if there is any difference.
Great video , it will help me to fix some of the issues that I have last time :)) . I have done the same repair about 3 years ago , and believe it or not I did not have any spring compression tools . I used a cargo anchor strap , manage to do the repair but it was a very very long day . Need to do the same thing again most probably this year , so i will be better prepare this time , thanks to your video .I'm a little more motivated to do this repair again after the last experience , seems so easy in the video :P
Wow, cargo straps! amazing idea if they can take the loading and stay safely in place. I am wondering why they haven't brought these out designed for this specific use? I wouldn't use them though, unless they were guaranteed to work for springs If they break springs can do serious damage :-)
HatBoyHarvey they are not safe ,I had improvised because I did not have the necessary tools.I had struggled to compress the springs , I tought that it was very easy to swap the springs and schock absorbers like on my old Rwd Skoda’s 😅. But it was not the case .
Hi Mr Hat Boy Harvey! Planning on giving this a go myself as I've been quoted £180 for replacing a spring and top mount! My only 2 questions, on a 106k car would you recommend replacing the strut at the same time and also how do you go about identifying and replacing the bolts required?? Thanks very much!
If your struts haven't been replace ever then after 106k they will need replacing IMHO. I changed mine around that time and noticed the difference. It will make the car safer, ride over bump better and handle/brake better. Spline bolt/nut oem number in the description, just search online or get from dealer/auto store. The top bearing comes as a kit, get the kit and it should come with the correct bolts (check this before ordering). You must use the same type of bolts. The tensile strength is marked on the top which is important as well as the locktight. Hope this helps and be safe if you are taking the strut and springs off yourself. Hope this helps and let me know how you get on :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey really appreciate your quick response. I managed to get front struts/springs/top mounts and bearings for £200 for both sides. Just needed to buy a few little extra tools but nothing too expensive. Still scratching my head with the replacement nuts. I know I need the new 19mm track rod end nut and 15mm tie bar but but my concern is the inner size, as in the "threaded" size. I've spoken to an auto supplier and they just said "we don't sell them separately, go to a plant and fixing specialist"!
M12x1.5mm. The pitch for the track rod end is usually 1.5mm and you can measure the diameter with vernier calipers if you have them (very useful to have) or a tape measure with a good eye. Part OEM N90321302. Tie bar M10 lower N10261302 upper shouldered N90908101
@@HatBoyHarvey ended up buying the track rod ends too. Checked all my local hardware/automotive places and even online, couldn't find an M12 x 1.5 Collar/flange nut with Nylock anywhere which is what Skoda details as equivalent. Thanks very much for all you're doing, top quality videos. Fingers crossed I can get those rusted/crusty nuts off the tie rid end and anti-roll.
Thoroughly clean the box and find where the leak is, is what i do first. dry seals crack and leak if the car has been stood a while or wear out over a long time. You can buy various seals and bearing kits or just the one you know is leaking :-)
It is the same bolt holes all around so as long as you have the rubber up top and the bearing metal surface to the spring side you will be good to go 😊
If you are getting a clunking sound it will more than likely be the anti-rollbar bushings. This car suffers from this and is regarded as a bit of a design flaw. You can feel for the play under the car. With the spring or top suspension bushing you almost certainly can diagnose this when you turn the wheels.
@@HatBoyHarvey I’ve checked the anti roll bar bushes, tie rods and ball joint and arm bushes and all seem visually and levered tested fine I’m at a loss 🙄
@@adrianstacey5484 Have a look at the engine mounts and rear end. Have the shocks ever been changed? You might be able to see a broken spring with a torch.
@@HatBoyHarvey yes I believe so, the part that links to the shock and the part that attaches to the wishbone are both like rounded off for me and I have no idea how to get them off
There are a number of ways to get them off. First try a very tight pair of mole grips. then an expendable old socket that is smaller - bsh it on - may work. heat the end with a blow torch then try. Cut it off with a saw or grind it off. don't damage anything else/yourself in the proccess. Hope this helps :-)
I wish I had did this job myself so I know it's done correctly, after what a local MOT/repairs garage did to my car replacing a "broken spring" for MOT. Gave me back the MOT certificate and my keys, I drove away with erratic steering a clanking noise and brakes not working properly. I had to take car to Skoda main dealer to get the damage repaired the MOT repairs place did. They fitted wrong springs , split a CV boot leaking lubricant, top mount not seating properly, they hadn't put any of the flexys back, missed off important parts. Doing the job yourself you know it's done right
Absolutely, my point too, you know it is done right and often you can replace other items you notice are going bad at the same time. To be fair MOT repair garages seldom have the time to take care and that is where mistakes can occur. No excuse to fitting the wrong parts and it only take 10 minutes to run the car for a test to make sure everything is seated and OK.
There's 2 bits of valuable advice I was taught 50 years ago First bit of advice was if you do a job do it properly first time every time Second bit of advice was If you want a job done properly then do it yourself Good video, but personally when knocking bolts I leave the nut on the end, so if you have to give it a wack you don't damage the threads
Didn't matter what I did to try and release the strut I had to unbolt the lower ball joint and then finally had enough room to manoeuvre it all out the way.
If Harvey wasn't here, I would have sold my Fabia a long time ago. thanks bro!
Wow, I'm honoured, thanks indeed bro :-)
I have watched Many videos about this procedure, but not ONE even close to this. You are very good at explaining what you do, you show the parts so that we can clearly see, you explain in a clear and firm voice and at a good pace. I am watching it right now because i am to do this repair later today. Thanks for this! Great work 🙂
Thanks, your great critic means a lot. Good luck and hope the job goes well. I will be doing it to the Jaguar x-type soon (after this persistent rain disappears!) as that has broken a front spring due to the top bearing seizing also; and me moving the car about :-)
Most impressed, clear, no nonsense, detailed step by step instructions. Well recorded with good sound. Subscribed. 👍
Awesome, thank you, I try to make videos with the often overlooked details many take for granted :-)
Video suggestion - Inner tie rods :) Thanks again for this video. Because of it I was able to change both front struts, springs, top mounts, tie rod end and even went for a lower ball joint while I was there! All in cost me £220.00 for parts and £30.00 in Amazon gift cards to get a few new tools and I went for decent quality parts (Bilstein springs, Sachs shocks, Corteco) Going to a garage this would have easily have cost me £750 and they probably would have fitted lesser quality products.
Mr hat boy Harvey, thank you for the uploads. They have been a godsend to me and my Fabia troubles. Thank you very much.
You're very welcome, glad to be of help to you and your fabi :-)
I have found your videos a great help.
Done front and rear suspension on friends car her.
Look forward to doing more. great videos.
Awesome, Glad they helped :-)
I changed all of my shock absorvers this weekend. And this video helps me a lot to know the tools i need.
Mutch thanks friend!
No problem 👍
Really enjoy how informative your videos are.
Thank you, I greatly appreciate that. I like to make them as clear as I can to help :-)
Watched video, doubt I will ever do it myself but really clear and well presented. Own a Fabia, subscribed :-)
Thank you, glad you liked it, welcome :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey You are phenomenal
Excellent video. This will surely help when I attempt to do the same for my Mk4 Polo. Thank you
Thank you for you kind comment, most appreciated. The Polo mk4 is pretty much the same car, so should be similar and a great little car too may I add, especialy the GTI cup edition in my opinion :-)
this has been the best ive seen easy step by step like to see more
Thank you very much, that makes me feel like doing more :-)
Thank you. My fog projectors have exactly the same problem (rust colour in inside bottom).
Those spreader tools are godly. Only bought similar one about a month ago. Used it three times and is so much more effective than a chisel which shoots out everytime you hit the hub with a hammer 😅😂
Totally agree, much more controllable :-)
1 /4 drive extention bit will also suffice as I have used it myself if you don't have that bit.
Brilliant ! Beautiful exposition. Well story-boarded, shot, edited and commentated. Anyone can see what the problem is, what's needed to solve it and how to go about the repair.
Any chance doing one for the replacement of the screen demister/cabin air system temperature flap motor that's buried at the back of the dashboard, passenger side ?
Thank you for the kind comments, glad to know it was easy to follow. The temperature sensitive flap you talk about is a common issue with these and hard to get at. These motors can often get stuck in the hot position. Vagcom is used to set the flap motor actuation when installing a new one I believe. One thing I used that worked for me you could try is actuate the flap over-ride (turning to full hot or full cold) several times whilst manually helping the motor to move the flap to free things up. I may do a video on this sometime.
Thanks so much for the video. My 05 fabia just failed MOT on front springs and I've never done coil over. 👌 🔱🇬🇧
No problem 👍
Lovely vid, love the background music. You should get my car, a toyota avensis!
Thanks, I had one of those once, great on reliability, everything works.
Helpful for sure. In mk1 fabia for some reason disconnecting the tie rod end did not create enough wiggle room to pull the bottom part of the strut out. I ended up having to free the axle from the hub and to disconnect the bushing linking the hub
to the control arm. Doable but more time consuming. 🏋♂️
The problem is on one side, the side not shown in the video, the drive shaft hits against an engine mount further in and stops it dropping down. So yeah, I had to disconnect the ball joint from the control arm and even then had to do some major gymnastics with the hub off to the front of the car (as much as the brake line would allow) before I managed to get it back in. I only got the old one out by compressing the spring in position till the tension was off and then cutting the end off the spring and squashing the strut up.
Hi Harvey great video. I just did this job on my audi.a3 1.9tdi however with the new mount being flitted in on the passenger side the clunking noise still seem to be there
I had to take the axle bolt offe as well removing the lower ball joint. For some odd reason the axle bolt became very stiff when it came to be put in. I also found bit of grease coming out of the mouth of cv joint in which the axle bolt goes in. The car is making really bad squeaking noise when the steering is fully Turned to the left. I also saw two arrows on top of the mounting indication forward and backward. What I can gather is that the mouthing hasn't been flitted in the way it should have been. I will be very grateful for the reply.
From what you say it sounds like you may not have installed it right. The spring needs to sit correctly and the bearing at the top needs to be inserted the right way around and slip into position easily. All bolts should go back in freely with no need to force them or it may be mis-aligned. Without seeing the car itself it is hard to know just what is wrong. You may have done it correctly but there is a CV joint or bearing that is faulty. I would Re-assemble what you think is incorrect and check all other fittings fit right. Hope this helps a little, good luck 🤞let me know how you get along :-)
@HatBoyHarvey I will be giving it a try in a fortnight now. I am working all week next week. Once I reassembled ever I went for a little drive and it didn't drive well. I felt like the wheel alignment was out. The driver side tyre needed replacement anyway. Spoke to the chap and he said change the tyre and see what happens. The changing of the tyre has made a good deal of difference however the clunking seems to be there. I feel this clunk especially when the car is being turned slightly to the left and when the left wheel goes over the bump or pothole this is when the clunking is observed. Once it going on the level surface over the bumps it seems there is no noise.
Myself and my brother started working on this suspension from 8am on Sunday till 2am Monday nearly 19 hours . Packed up at 2am as my back literally started crying. I couldn't remove the upper strut as I didn't have that little bit that goes in the gap behind the strut. In the end got an idea of usin 1/4 extension bit which worked pre well.I also felt the outer cv joint to be a bit spongy when I pressed it. Bit of grease also leaked out from its mouth. The rubber boot on cv joint seems intact. There are another 2 issues with this car. The driver side window seemed to have stopped working. I took the plug of the hinge removed the plastic wire harness and there are few wires that have cuts on them. I guess I'll have to take the door card off in order to see whats happening in there. There is a click when I press the window switch. Few weeks ago I took the front seats out in order to clean the car thoroughly. Since then the passenger side airb ligt is on the dash. I should have disconnected the battery however I didn't. That can be solved by disconnecting the seat again and pull the wires out from under the seat and ensure theg are seated properly.
And the final issue is the clutch. The whole clutch was changed last year . The clutch pedal was fine for about 6 month. Then it started developing issues. It sometimes sticks halfway and I have to pull it up with my toe. I have checked the break fluid resvoit and it is right to the top absolutely full not lke halfway. I think there is air in the system. Ive seen a brilliant idea on UA-cam. This guy used the top of the spray bottle in order to bleed the brakes and it worked. What he did.was he connected a piece of transparent tubing to the pump part of the bottle and then attached the other end on the bleeder nipple. He unscew the valve and started pumping. The brake fluid came out all the way till it statred flwoi like the spray. This is what I am going to try on the slave cylinder. By this method you dont need anyone pump the brakes or clutch. The car has 136000 miles on it. Sometimes I feels like getting rid of it but due to my finances I.still need to drive for sometime. The engine is bulletproof. Always starts first time and drives great on motorways.
@HatBoyHarvey how are you? Yesterday , I finally managed to install the new suspension mount on my audi a3. The car is driving very well. The mount goes in a certain orientation on top of the spring, I managed to find a very good video on UA-cam as well some information online. I got sick of it to honest as me and my took the spring out on 3 occasions in order to orientate the mounting. Well I've learned something new after a long struggle 😅 🙃 😅
@@mumtazzafar5696 great, glad to hear about your experiences and how with plenty of persistence to get it right you managed it, well done my friend. Hope I helped you a bit. Happy motoring :-)
@HatBoyHarvey your videos are great. Keep them rolling. They are of great help to those who like to work on thier motors. God bless
Great vid again. Look forward to all you Fabia tutorials. I know you did the brake dust guards on the back could you show changing them on the front? Thank you
Thanks again Adam, I could do the fronts, I'll have a look at mine to see.
Magnific, well done !
Thank you! Cheers:-)
Hiya hatboy, I've checked out you're video on checking the power steering levels,and left a comment,but before I start to undo everything,is that the problem because my power steering light is on in the dash, hopefully ansa cheers Mack
I'll have a look for your comment, for now : Levels are the first thing to look at, if they are significantly low it will effect the power steering, if only small amount top it up to the correct level. My video shows red fluid, ignore that and top up with thee green stuff (correct fluid is marked on the top)
Excellent video
Thank you very much!
I have throbbing noises when I drive over bumps. what can it be. is it the shock absorber or the suspension. and do I have to replace all 4. ŠKODA Fabia Combi MK1 2003
The top mounts can make noises over bumps if they are shot, if the shocks are going they often leak oil and you will have increased bounce over bumps and corners (replace in pairs, but it is often likely the other 2 have been wearing out at the same rate and may also be worn ). Have a check under the car at the linkages, bushes and anti-roll bar, which are known to wear out on these.
Excellent descriptive video, Thanks a lot. :)
Superb video. As always 👍
Thanks a lot 😊
G'Day from the Netherlands, Thanks a lot for your excellent vids! In my case especially this one concerning the top strut bearing. I suspect that one of my springs and/ or top bearings has been broken. As spare parts for these Fabia's MK1 nowadays are getting cheaper and cheaper. I opted for new shocks/ struts and springs front and rear. It appears to me that I don't have to undo the bottom fusee ball joint so as far as I can see there also isn't the need for aligning. Thanks!!
Thanks. Yes you don't have to undo the bottom ball joint, but I should have expanded on the needs of tracking in the video a bit. It would be good practice after replacing all the components you mention to have the car's tracking checked. On this occasion I didn't need it and the car ran perfectly, but If the car sat at a small difference in hight for example it could have upset the track and may need alignment checking.
Good job!
Thank you! Cheers!
Hi, very good video !! I have a Skoda Rapid 2014 1,2 TSI , is this more or less the same I have to do on my car to replace the shok absorber ?
Thank you, glad you liked it. The rapid is I think based on the newer PQ25 platform, but more or less similar, the top strut bearing is different.
Great video as usual Harvey. My front offside spring went the other day and I found the top half turn on the road as was driving slowly and heard it fall out.
I have ordered new springs and strut bearing but can’t work out exactly how many new nuts and bolts I need based off the video description. Is it 6?
Thanks again for the great content!
Renew the top bearing nuts/bolts (complete units usually come with these) hub to strut bolt/lock nut, wishbone bolt/nuts, track rod end lock nut and link rod lock nut. Basically everything you take off. Many don't renew any of these and are fine, but you never know when you regret renewing them until it is too late!. Strut to hub OEM bolt/nut isn't cheap, but very necessary IMHO :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey Great, I will see what I can find. OEM strut to hub bolt seems to go for around £10-15 which isn’t too bad, but admittedly a hell of a lot for what it is!
Hi. I am doing my Fabia mk2 2008 at the weekend , it looks exactly the same setup is it. great video
The mk2 has a slightly higher ride night, but largly the same. Good luck, hope it all goes well :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey thanks Rog
Having a crack at my springs today... Got all the tools other than the hub splitter I'm currently waiting on to be delivered (late - typical).
Do you have any guidance on what type of allen key could be used or any other tool to split the hub to loosen the strut from hub?
Excellent content tho 👌 great information in keeping another fabia on the roads 👍
Yep, don't use anything else, the correct tool works best and won't over-stress the hub. If you have never done one before, only use the tool :-)
question. my shock absorber does not wanna come out of his place down there. its almost there but does not wanna get out from the final few milimeter. got any tips for that on how to get it out finally?
Rust has likely gotten a hold, if everything is undone it must come out, spray penetrating fluid up there and waggle out :-)
My Fabia thanks you sir. More tea breaks are needed though. Oh, and cake.
You're very welcome, Yes more tea please, more breaks and plenty of cake :-)
Thank you.
Welcome!
Great vid! I don't think that can do this home alone on my Ibiza 6l1 + I don't have these special tools but it was nice to see,thanks to your great will to share your knowledge with us here. Couple a days ago I've had a squeeking noice,over bumps,especially when it was colder...I took the silicone lube spray and sprayed all those parts where are a contacts between rubber and metal...and is working somehow. Now is silence. If it will squeeks again then I will go to service (for me first suspect are those rubber bearings made from rubber,couldn't define the exact spot of the squeaking sound )...will see...
Thanks, Don't attempt without good spring compressors and knowledge/experience (IMHO). Squeeking: console bushes, drop links, ARB bushes probably if it doesn't do it when you press up/down on suspension - ie wing.
@@HatBoyHarvey Yes, exactly then-when I push front end of the car up/down with hands-then no sound was heard...I must see/translate what is IE wing,great👍...I will check this if squeaks again...
Fender
Hi great video but where did you purchase the new spline bolt from? Thanks
Thanks, glad you liked it. Part number is now in the description. Only replace with a genuine new part which you may source cheaper on the internet from reputable sources.
This is exactly what is wrong with mine right now, Is it possible to replace the suspension system with another set of shocks instead of replacing the struts?
The strut contains the spring and shock absorber, both of which you need. I think you maybe referring to coilovers which are essentially the same thing, just narrower, but stiffer. You will still need to replace the top mount or top hats that cause the juddering :-)
Nice thks U from France :)
De rien mon amis :-)
HI. done my Fabia MK 2 I had to undo the drive shaft and bottom ball joint ,it was 1 - 2" to high everything else was the same ( Happy Days)😊😊
Great to hear you have done that and got your ferbi up and running again. Hope the video helped :-)
Hello my friend nice video. I want to ask you , what is the brand of spring? And if the spring is soft.
They were CD Continental Direct. They were perfect standard replacement, not soft not hard, exactly as OEM. Replace in pairs only. Hope this helps :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey thank you for the description.
Hi,did you have to take driveshaft nut off,thanks
No, you don't need to do that as you are just lowering the hub.
@@HatBoyHarvey did what the video said.and the bottom of the spesuon only went half way up
The hub needs to go fully up until the pinch bolt hole aligns. if it gets stuck you need to remove it and clean the strut and hub up and re-insert your hub expander so it seats correctly. Measure the diameter of the old strut against the new one (vernier caliper) at the bottom middle and top to see if there is any difference.
@@HatBoyHarvey can you confirm,the 12 point socket,is what I need,it isn't call by another name is thanks,great video pal
Great video , it will help me to fix some of the issues that I have last time :)) . I have done the same repair about 3 years ago , and believe it or not I did not have any spring compression tools . I used a cargo anchor strap , manage to do the repair but it was a very very long day . Need to do the same thing again most probably this year , so i will be better prepare this time , thanks to your video .I'm a little more motivated to do this repair again after the last experience , seems so easy in the video :P
Wow, cargo straps! amazing idea if they can take the loading and stay safely in place. I am wondering why they haven't brought these out designed for this specific use? I wouldn't use them though, unless they were guaranteed to work for springs If they break springs can do serious damage :-)
HatBoyHarvey they are not safe ,I had improvised because I did not have the necessary tools.I had struggled to compress the springs , I tought that it was very easy to swap the springs and schock absorbers like on my old Rwd Skoda’s 😅. But it was not the case .
Hi Mr Hat Boy Harvey! Planning on giving this a go myself as I've been quoted £180 for replacing a spring and top mount! My only 2 questions, on a 106k car would you recommend replacing the strut at the same time and also how do you go about identifying and replacing the bolts required?? Thanks very much!
If your struts haven't been replace ever then after 106k they will need replacing IMHO. I changed mine around that time and noticed the difference. It will make the car safer, ride over bump better and handle/brake better. Spline bolt/nut oem number in the description, just search online or get from dealer/auto store. The top bearing comes as a kit, get the kit and it should come with the correct bolts (check this before ordering). You must use the same type of bolts. The tensile strength is marked on the top which is important as well as the locktight. Hope this helps and be safe if you are taking the strut and springs off yourself. Hope this helps and let me know how you get on :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey really appreciate your quick response. I managed to get front struts/springs/top mounts and bearings for £200 for both sides. Just needed to buy a few little extra tools but nothing too expensive.
Still scratching my head with the replacement nuts. I know I need the new 19mm track rod end nut and 15mm tie bar but but my concern is the inner size, as in the "threaded" size. I've spoken to an auto supplier and they just said "we don't sell them separately, go to a plant and fixing specialist"!
M12x1.5mm. The pitch for the track rod end is usually 1.5mm and you can measure the diameter with vernier calipers if you have them (very useful to have) or a tape measure with a good eye. Part OEM N90321302. Tie bar M10 lower N10261302 upper shouldered N90908101
@@stepzc I've updated the description to include more info on bolts etc :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey ended up buying the track rod ends too. Checked all my local hardware/automotive places and even online, couldn't find an M12 x 1.5 Collar/flange nut with Nylock anywhere which is what Skoda details as equivalent. Thanks very much for all you're doing, top quality videos. Fingers crossed I can get those rusted/crusty nuts off the tie rid end and anti-roll.
could you do a video on the skoda fabia 1.2 2006 gear box seals please
Thoroughly clean the box and find where the leak is, is what i do first. dry seals crack and leak if the car has been stood a while or wear out over a long time. You can buy various seals and bearing kits or just the one you know is leaking :-)
Hello, how to know right direction of strut mount?
It is the same bolt holes all around so as long as you have the rubber up top and the bearing metal surface to the spring side you will be good to go 😊
Did you get clunking when going over uneven ground with this?
If you are getting a clunking sound it will more than likely be the anti-rollbar bushings. This car suffers from this and is regarded as a bit of a design flaw. You can feel for the play under the car. With the spring or top suspension bushing you almost certainly can diagnose this when you turn the wheels.
@@HatBoyHarvey I’ve checked the anti roll bar bushes, tie rods and ball joint and arm bushes and all seem visually and levered tested fine I’m at a loss 🙄
@@adrianstacey5484 Have a look at the engine mounts and rear end. Have the shocks ever been changed? You might be able to see a broken spring with a torch.
Great video! thanks
Most appreciated :-)
Superb
Thank you! Cheers :-)
Thanks to this video, I changed the left and right shock absorber ver bearings of my 2005 fabia vehicle myself. Thanks my friend ;)
another cup of tea... top :D
Top Yorkshire tea mind !
Hi there, I have a fabia vrs and it seems that my model has hex parts on the top part of the strut to connect the wishbone? Any advice?
Do you mean the drop link to the anti-roll bar?
@@HatBoyHarvey yes I believe so, the part that links to the shock and the part that attaches to the wishbone are both like rounded off for me and I have no idea how to get them off
There are a number of ways to get them off. First try a very tight pair of mole grips. then an expendable old socket that is smaller - bsh it on - may work. heat the end with a blow torch then try. Cut it off with a saw or grind it off. don't damage anything else/yourself in the proccess. Hope this helps :-)
@@HatBoyHarvey thank you very much, you are very helpful
amazing jop
greatings from Egypt
Thank you for your kind words from Egypt (beautiful place) :-)
Thanks for the good video
You're very welcome, hope it helped :-)
I did have this problem thank you for helping
nicely done!!! /R
I wish I had did this job myself so I know it's done correctly, after what a local MOT/repairs garage did to my car replacing a "broken spring" for MOT. Gave me back the MOT certificate and my keys, I drove away with erratic steering a clanking noise and brakes not working properly. I had to take car to Skoda main dealer to get the damage repaired the MOT repairs place did. They fitted wrong springs , split a CV boot leaking lubricant, top mount not seating properly, they hadn't put any of the flexys back, missed off important parts. Doing the job yourself you know it's done right
Absolutely, my point too, you know it is done right and often you can replace other items you notice are going bad at the same time. To be fair MOT repair garages seldom have the time to take care and that is where mistakes can occur. No excuse to fitting the wrong parts and it only take 10 minutes to run the car for a test to make sure everything is seated and OK.
There's 2 bits of valuable advice I was taught 50 years ago
First bit of advice was if you do a job do it properly first time every time
Second bit of advice was If you want a job done properly then do it yourself
Good video, but personally when knocking bolts I leave the nut on the end, so if you have to give it a wack you don't damage the threads
16” rims?
Yep, VRS
thank you for this video i subscribe
You are very welcome, glad the video helps :-) I like your icon
Didn't matter what I did to try and release the strut I had to unbolt the lower ball joint and then finally had enough room to manoeuvre it all out the way.
It can be a tough job, especially if it's never been off before :-)
Super 👋👍🏽💪🌞🌞🌞🇵🇱