Message Forums

You could fit heavy duty springs on the back, that is not a mod, as all you doing is changing new for old, exactly like any garage would do, you could also fit heavy duty shocks as well they are not a mod

Just read your other post, as you have the Octy estate, fitting heavy duty springs to the back will help it, and its not a mod ,as I asked my mech to fit them only takes 20 mins to do the job, you could fit them yourself if you wanted, just using a jack and one under the axle once the wheel is off, just undo the shocker and lower and pull old spring out, refit new one and jack back up to put shocker back on, I also fitted Monroe heavy duty shocks on the back due to it being a taxi and carrying different loads.

Mind you the only problem I found even before changing them was, the engine under tray used to scrape speed bumps occasionally, especially if they were illegally high, and that was without the van, found the answer was to go over at a slight angle letting the NS wheel rise up first.

Monroe still do ride leveler shockers, they use a small hose that attaches to them and you have a valve in the boot, that you just put an airline on and raise the car, I got them fitted all round and had no more problems with speed bumps, you could if you wish raise it by 6 inches but I kept mine at 2 inches above normal, or instead of the airline if you're a bit flush you could fit an online compresor just press a button and it raises the car, range rovers have a similar setup.

Dont forget you dont have to load the ball to its max, you could try 50 or even 40 kg, just by moving thing a bit further back in the van and having the heavy items over the van axial, like the awning if you have one

Quote: Originally posted by rich2818 on 05/9/2013

---

I tried spring assisters on my Mondeo estate which have notoriously soft rear suspension when I bought it eight years ago and in my opinion they are a total waste of time and made no difference at all. So shortly afterwards I replaced the rear springs with Heavy Duty items which made a massive difference. The car is fantastic to tow with and also drives much better solo to. It sits at the standard ride height and visibly looks completely standard as well. I have recently replaced them with a new pair of the same as my car is now approaching 200k and I have just rebuilt all the suspension front and rear completely.

I don't wish to get into the argument about not needing suspension mods if you load correctly etc. I do load my caravan correctly however as I mentioned before Mk3 Mondeo estates are known for a soft rear end which is surprising for an estate car.

I also have a Mk2 2.8 Granada estate that I've had for 24 years and that has the Monroe ride leveller air shocks on the back that Bob mentioned and these do the job as well. However I have also fitted HD springs to the Granada and will be removing the air shocks and fitting standard ones as I don't like the way the car handles solo with the air shock fitted.

Post last edited on 05/09/2013 08:45:04

---

Quote: Originally posted by rich2818 on 05/9/2013The ones I had were the actual Grayston ones. If you do decide to go for them in the end you need to get the right ones though.

---

You need to jack up the back of the car so the rear wheels are 'hanging' then measure the distance between the coils in the rear spring. Grayston do different 'donuts' to suit the measurement taken.

As I said though I think they are a waste of time and money and also as you are putting a 'spacer' in one position in the spring which is preventing those two coils from flexing I believe you are asking for trouble from spring failure as you are putting extra stress on the spring because it cant flex at that point.

Spring assisters may have been fine years ago on cars such as my old Granada because the wire the springs were wound from was about 3/4 of an inch diameter, they may also be fine for larger modern vehicles for the same reason but modern car springs are made from such thin wire these days stress in one point can very easily snap them.

I'm in the garage trade myself and we fail cars regularly these days on MOT's for broken springs, that never used to happen years ago. Yes it is partly because of the state of our roads and all the speed bumps but it is also a lot to do with the very thin wire modern car springs are made from.

---

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Skoda-Octavia-1Z5-1-9-Lesjofors-Rear-Heavy-Duty-Coil-Spring-Suspension-Car-/230872330820#ht_1801wt_1199

Get 2 of these and your problem is solved, just enter your reg or go skoda car parts and get the same.

What engine do you have is it the 1.9 or 2ltr tdi?? they have them for both

Quote: Originally posted by iscacamper on 05/9/2013Hi Bob. I'm confused as to why you say replacing the rear springs with a different type isn't a modification. What did your insurance company say when you notified them? I would have thought that if they're different from the original spec then they would call it a modification.

---

---

Quote: Originally posted by iscacamper on 05/9/2013

---

Hi Bob. I'm confused as to why you say replacing the rear springs with a different type isn't a modification. What did your insurance company say when you notified them? I would have thought that if they're different from the original spec then they would call it a modification.

---

It was not a mod, how can old for new be a mod, do you go phoning the insurance just because the mech fitted a different brand of brake pad???. no you dont.

Just like you dont need to inform them if you fit winter tyres, a very good option on the Octy BTW

The difference in the spring is like night and day, you could also get the fronts changed as well but they take longer, but getting the backs done on there own will be sufficient

Quote:

Just like you dont need to inform them if you fit winter tyres, a very good option on the Octy BTW

Quote: Originally posted by rich2818 on 05/9/2013

---

Quote:

Just like you dont need to inform them if you fit winter tyres, a very good option on the Octy BTW

---

---

Even though winter tyres are a very sensible idea and are in fact law in a lot of countries most insurance do infact, stupidly in my opinion, class them as a modification. even though you are making your car safer.

---

Quote: Originally posted by rich2818 on 05/9/2013

---

Even though winter tyres are a very sensible idea and are in fact law in a lot of countries most insurance do infact, stupidly in my opinion, class them as a modification. even though you are making your car safer.

---