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[Webby the Bear]

Good afternoon men. Hope everyone is all good.

As above I serviced the omega today and found a bit of play in the ball joints of the central track rod. Has anyone got a link for someone in theUK that sells these?

Cheers guys 😃👍👍👍

[Webby the Bear]

Ps is febi part 12851B the correct one? Quite like febi bits 👍

[dave the builder]

Febi Inner Tie Rod Centre Assembly 12851 = £58.74 each clicky

Centre Rod Assembly fits VAUXHALL OMEGA B 3.2 01 to 03 Y32SE 0322166 090447691  £55.06 each clicky   

both sellers i've purchased items from without issue

[addy]

The only thing to make sure whatever one you purchase, is that the track rod ball joints on the ends on your car fit. Mine didn't fit, they were the original ones.

Don't dismantle everything. The way I did it, is too get the ignition lock to come on with the wheels straight ahead.  Then undid the power steering arm to centre piece, at the ball joint, the arm was rusted tight onto mine. Then the inner track rod ends to it. Then undid the steering idler at the nut, so the whole middle piece came off with idler stillattached. To remove the steering idler, I just held the arm, and knocked the ball joint from it, by hitting the top of it with a hammer.

Putting the new one on, I started with fitting the power steering arm to the new middle piece first. This gave me a quick reference, when fitting everything else on. I fitted the steering idler onto the middle piece, leaving it lose to allow fitting back to the spindle on the side of the passenger side. Then fitted both the inner track rods onto it. Once everything was connected, everything was torqued up. Definately get it tracked.

Link to the one I bought.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174946948307

[addy]

Agree +1 with Dave the Builder. I have had loads of stuff from these two, with no problems.

[Doctor Gollum]

Ditto Carpartsinmotion

[cam.in.head]

also before actually condeming this part as faulty. they dont have what you would call conventional balljoints .if you actually have slack in the socket or lost motion then fair enough but these have a single plane rotating joint which can have some movement in the opposite plane when new .
just a suggestion as it would be a shame to swap out an original gm part for an aftermarket for no need !

[addy]

The play in the ball joint on mine, was found at the MOT station. When they check for play in bearings, you could see the play when either side of the cars wheel, was moved with his hands at 9 and 3 oclock, he got me too do the movement check, while he looked at all the joints, then he got me to look at the joint in question on the centre piece, as he moved a wheel. The joint was that lose, the play showed up on the opposite side wheel, to the one being moved.  Maybe get both sides of the car up, then do the same as was done on mine, with someone watching the joints.

[Webby the Bear]

Thanks very much for input men, much appreciated.

I had it up on the ramp yesterday and as I replaced the idler literally couple of months back (I think) I was surprised to find play at the 9 and 3 position. My mate had look and feel underneath while I rocked wheel and he checked lower BJs and all ball joints on the whole track rod. It’s not what I’d describe as “hanging off” but certainly want to get it done.

Thanks for all the removal tips too. Luckily I can do it all at work so if I’m on my own I’ll just support whole bar with transmission jack and undo everything. If anything gives me trouble I got a big fek off ball joint splitter and a big fek off hammer 😂😂😂😃😃😃 tho I’ll be a lot more careful around the idler coming from the steering box 👍👍👍

[addy]

Good to hear you have hopefully found the problem. As you say a big knocking stick cures most problems.