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[2011venator]

Okay so wishbones all sorted but the battle-star Omega still wanders from one side of the road to the other it follows every camber change in the road and out in the fens we have plenty of them.
Had a good inspection of the idler arms and the rest of the joints but they all seem good with no play.
There is a slight bit of noise coming from the top of the suspension leg when you move the wheels it is the same both sides and no play as far as I can tell.
Could it be something in the actual steering column or box?
Scratching my head wondering what to replace next

[addy]

Possible worn top strut mountings?

[VXL V6]

Worn steering idler?

Has four wheel geometry setup been completed since new wishbones?

[2011venator]

Possible worn top strut mountings?

Possible but no play is evident and they look okay. I might try swapping the tyres as searching keyword 'tramlining' has brought up a lot of tyre issues maybe the omega is very sensitive to tyres with its complex or seemingly complex setup

[2011venator]

Worn steering idler?

Has four wheel geometry setup been completed since new wishbones?

Steering idler was my first guess but it seems okay jacked car up both wheels of the ground and can not find any play in the steering joints or any knocking grinding etc apart from the slight noise from top of suspension which is very slight and no play evident.
It was tramlining before I fitted wishbones which I hoped would cure it so not setup yet untill i have found the culprit.
car corners well enough steering is a bit heavy although I am usually low revs as it is auto so this may mean pump is working slower i suppose.
It does pull hard to the left? when going straight.

[Doctor Gollum]

The set up IS the culprit.

Best case it will be horrible and unpredictable to drive. Worst case you will be doing the front tyres every thousand miles 

Get it set up properly by someone who actually understands the Omega and report back

[2011venator]

The set up IS the culprit.

Best case it will be horrible and unpredictable to drive. Worst case you will be doing the front tyres every thousand miles 

Get it set up properly by someone who actually understands the Omega and report back

[Raeturbo]

Agree with DG, definitely needs to have the geometry setup properly.

[Terbs]

Just poking my dottery old two penneth in.....Did you tighten the wishbones up with the car on the ground on its own weight. Caused me issues a while back. Had them fitted in a garage, but the lad that did them got a telling off when I said about wandering. The Omega mechanic did it properly and problem solved in my case. (I did go to Chesham for the setup after)

[2011venator]

Just poking my dottery old two penneth in.....Did you tighten the wishbones up with the car on the ground on its own weight. Caused me issues a while back. Had them fitted in a garage, but the lad that did them got a telling off when I said about wandering. The Omega mechanic did it properly and problem solved in my case. (I did go to Chesham for the setup after)

Its not the wishbones as it was the same or even worse before I fitted them and yes I followed the excellent oof guide. I think it might well be set up.
However I am only dealing with a car I bought to tow my little boat 20 miles a few times in the summer so not sure I need or want to spend ££££ setting it up I will try adjusting the toe on the passenger side as it pulling to the left hard i imagine it would mean the wheel needs to toe in? a little more. Time is a commodity I have plenty of so will try a 1/4 turn at a time and see how it drives after.
It can not do any harm as I am a very steady driver (even more so now I have a ins consumption readout  ) Saying that I am getting 30mpg so not awful

[Doctor Gollum]

At risk of being rude, when that doesn't work, I will say "I told you so".

Take it to the place that Biggriffin suggested.

They might be cheap to buy, but they aren't cars to be neglected for very long. Either get it done properly or buy a different car

[2011venator]

At risk of being rude, when that doesn't work, I will say "I told you so".

Take it to the place that Biggriffin suggested.

They might be cheap to buy, but they aren't cars to be neglected for very long. Either get it done properly or buy a different car

Rude but no doubt true and probably why they are cheap in the first place as many home mechanic is not keen or not able to shell out for others to do what appears to the untrained eye an easy job.
I have turned the passenger side through one complete turn and it is a marked improvement not pulling to the left anymore, trouble is on the fen roads I inhabit its hard to tell if the tram-lining is better as it is like being on a roller coaster anyway. If I get chance to drive it over the next few days on some decent roads I will report back.
Different car is pretty high on the list as you suggest Doc I am not one for high maintenance vehicles I dont mind fixing them but spending best part of £200 to get them set up every time you replace something is not my cup of tea, shame though as it is a lovely comfy old barge and tows like a dream apart from the diabolical steering 

[terry paget]

Castor, camber, and rear end settings are all relevant, but the important setting is toe-in. I have run 6 Omegas/Senators for 15 years with none of your problems, and never been to a wheel alignment shop. Here is how I set my toe-in. Members here do not approve, but I have never had a structural failure. Ensure that the car is safe to go beneath to adjust the track rods.

1. Fit new track rods, or at least ensure yours are easily adjusted.
2. Jack up each front wheel in turn, and support the wheel end of the wishbone on an axle stand, with the wheel just off the ground.
3. Set the steering wheel central, with the long spoke horizontal.
4. Support a plank or other straight edge against and about half way up front and rear wheels on one side. Adjust the track rod that side so that the plank touches both wheels in 2 places .Clamp adjuster securely.
5. Repeat on other side.
6. Jack up again, remove axle stands, Job done. Test drive.

[2011venator]

Castor, camber, and rear end settings are all relevant, but the important setting is toe-in. I have run 6 Omegas/Senators for 15 years with none of your problems, and never been to a wheel alignment shop. Here is how I set my toe-in. Members here do not approve, but I have never had a structural failure. Ensure that the car is safe to go beneath to adjust the track rods.

1. Fit new track rods, or at least ensure yours are easily adjusted.
2. Jack up each front wheel in turn, and support the wheel end of the wishbone on an axle stand, with the wheel just off the ground.
3. Set the steering wheel central, with the long spoke horizontal.
4. Support a plank or other straight edge against and about half way up front and rear wheels on one side. Adjust the track rod that side so that the plank touches both wheels in 2 places .Clamp adjuster securely.
5. Repeat on other side.
6. Jack up again, remove axle stands, Job done. Test drive.

  You have given me a glimmer of hope terry.

[Nick W]

Terry's method relies on a reasonable alignment before replacing the track rods. Once you lose the camber setting, both it and toe need to be done from scratch. This rough and ready method is well worth doing before a proper alignment.


I've done several this way, and they drove OK. But the improvement after an intelligent session is massive and well worth the £100 it might cost. The place I use adjust front toe in the cost of putting it on the machine, further adjustments are priced separately. Last time was £45 for the setup, and another £24 to adjust the rear, which included freeing the adjusters. If the camber is right and the front toe close, it won't take someone who knows what he's doing very long to get it right.


20minutes too much camber will reduce tyre life to about a quarter of what it could be: 6000 miles instead of 24,000 in my case. Incorrect toe will kill tyres too, but it will be horrible to drive as it happens. How can you afford NOT to do it right?


It's also the main reason we suggest that the entire front suspension is serviced at the same time; wishbones, trackrods, shocks, top mounts and bearings, and springs. They'll be overdue on any used Omega, and won't need doing again. But it's going to cost as much in parts as you can pay for a viable car.

[Enceladus]

Over time the ride height lowers because the springs sag and the rubber in the strut top mounts compresses. This increases the camber. It's not much extra work to renew the springs and mounts if you're doing the wishbones. Just the cost of the parts. You'll have the alignment costs anyway.

And the alignment should be done with a full tank and the front seats weighted with 70kg each to load the suspension. The garages never load the seats.

[Doctor Gollum]

Over time the ride height lowers because the springs sag and the rubber in the strut top mounts compresses. This increases the camber. It's not much extra work to renew the springs and mounts if you're doing the wishbones. Just the cost of the parts. You'll have the alignment costs anyway.

And the alignment should be done with a full tank and the front seats weighted with 70kg each to load the suspension. The garages never load the seats.

The adjustments are usually done with the weight off the wheels

Besides the VX settings are actually wrong. It's not enough to follow the shiny settings, you have to understand and appreciate what you are doing.

This is why the settings from Wheels in Motion are practically worshipped here.

A reasonably set up Omega will drive pleasantly, but a well set up one is a much better car to drive

[Entwood]

Over time the ride height lowers because the springs sag and the rubber in the strut top mounts compresses. This increases the camber. It's not much extra work to renew the springs and mounts if you're doing the wishbones. Just the cost of the parts. You'll have the alignment costs anyway.

And the alignment should be done with a full tank and the front seats weighted with 70kg each to load the suspension. The garages never load the seats.

The adjustments are usually done with the weight off the wheels

Besides the VX settings are actually wrong. It's not enough to follow the shiny settings, you have to understand and appreciate what you are doing.

This is why the settings from Wheels in Motion are practically worshipped here.

A reasonably set up Omega will drive pleasantly, but a well set up one is a much better car to drive

Not disputing that at all .. but there is a reason why the likes of WIM and anyone with the right kit can do this and obtain the "correct" result ....

The first measurements are all made with the weight on the wheels, and the "base point" of all measurements established. When the vehicle is raised off its wheels to make the adjustments, the computor "follows" the suspension and makes the allowances needed, thus an accurate adjustment can be made knowing what the final result will be with the weight back on the wheels. WIM also always did a "final check" at the end to confirm correct adjustments.

If your "place" has the right kit, and the operator knows how to use it, they can always do this, if they don't then it is a "trial and error" adjustment with the weight off the wheels followed by a check with the weight back on, as this is the critical setting.

[terry paget]

OP is not looking for a new car, just something that will tow his boat about occasionally. His Omega does not steer well. He has checked all the obvious things and changed the wishbones, to no avail. In reply#11 he reports that turning the n/s track rod one turn cured the steering pull. I suggested that with little effort he could usefully adjust the toe-in.

[Doctor Gollum]

The remaining adjustments such as camber will be left unchecked/uncorrected which will knacker the tyres just as quickly regardless of toe. This is surely made more critical by the fact that the OP is towing...

Also being a steering box it is critical that the straight ahead position of all the components is maintained as this keeps the steering slack dead centre. Move it one way or tother off centre and you will find the steering becomes u predictable as you turn, say on a fast sweeping bend which could be just as deadly as not bothering to check it properly.

Whilst I agree in principle with your sentiment TP, you have the facilities to reasonably adjust your car to an acceptable degree. I suspect that this is the OPs first Omega and he has yet to master its quirks and foibles.

Refreshing the suspension and alignment is an £800+ exercise and that assumes you do all the work yourself.

[Doctor Gollum]

There are around 10 or so issues that afflict the Omega. These almost always affect them between 80 and 140k miles depending on use and maintenance. You can pretty much guarantee that all of them will happen, and the best advice is to consider them service items.

Some cost very little to sort, and some far more that the car may have been purchased for. Unfortunately suspension and alignment is one of the bigger jobs both in time and money, and is usually the one that gets avoided by selling the car to an unsuspecting punter who, I don't know, needs a comfy car to tow his boat...

That all said, a sorted Omega is a very nice place to be and takes some beating even 16 years after the last one was built.

If the bodywork really is that good, spend the effort to get the mechanicals sorted properly and appreciate it for what it is

[Raeturbo]

Yes I’ve spent a fortune on mine even though James done all the engine work for free, but it is a really a nice car and feels like it was very expensive when new which  no doubt it was.

[amba]

I spent close on £800 some 2 years ago now having the entire front suspension replaced on my Elite with NickW doing the said work.
Can honestly say the investment was well worth while and the steering and ride has been faultless for the past 2 years / 45k miles and having had 2 new sets of tyres with full alignment done during that time.
I probably am an exception to most forum members as I use my car daily for work and cover around 500 miles a week in what is a very uneconomical old car...but I enjoy it and the ride and comfort is spot on and I doubt even spending 20k + on something much newer the ride wouldn't be as good.
I consider it money well spent...but as said Im an exception 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I try not to recall how much Ive spent on mine, but the suspension/ steering is nicely sorted and adjusted to WIM spec, and it drives very nicely indeed. I don't regret spending the money on it.
I have owned an Omega with worn and poorly aligned suspension/steering and it was a pretty unpleasant car to drive. In fact in the hands of a young inexperienced driver it could have been very dangerous imo.
Of course its down to each individual how much time/ effort / £££ they put into it, or can afford to put into it, but I would recommend they try if possible to have a drive in a nice example before deciding not to bother.
Imo, they are nicer to drive than many newer more expensive cars, once properly sorted.

[Raeturbo]

To be honest I don’t like to admit it but since I’ve owned my Omega not even two years yet, I’ve spent over Two grand on it altogether,..and as I said James saved me a massive amount as well. But every single thing is fixed working well and it really drives superbly,
its very thirsty, but I have an Astra lpg I use as well thank god. Was thinking of selling it at one time but it is not going anywhere now for a few years at least.

[terry paget]

The remaining adjustments such as camber will be left unchecked/uncorrected which will knacker the tyres just as quickly regardless of toe. This is surely made more critical by the fact that the OP is towing...

Also being a steering box it is critical that the straight ahead position of all the components is maintained as this keeps the steering slack dead centre. Move it one way or tother off centre and you will find the steering becomes u predictable as you turn, say on a fast sweeping bend which could be just as deadly as not bothering to check it properly.

Whilst I agree in principle with your sentiment TP, you have the facilities to reasonably adjust your car to an acceptable degree. I suspect that this is the OPs first Omega and he has yet to master its quirks and foibles.

Refreshing the suspension and alignment is an £800+ exercise and that assumes you do all the work yourself.

Right. My procedure takes this into account. I was pleasantly surprised (thanks Dave), on changing inner and outer track rods on an Astra with rack and pinion steeering, that merely setting new track rods same length as old was adequate to achieve pleasant steering.

[Doctor Gollum]

Oranges to anchovies

[Nick W]

Right. My procedure takes this into account. I was pleasantly surprised (thanks Dave), on changing inner and outer track rods on an Astra with rack and pinion steeering, that merely setting new track rods same length as old was adequate to achieve pleasant steering.

that is not down to the rack but the simpler, less adjustable front suspension and its interaction with the non-adjustable, undriven rear. The Omega would have been better off without the range of adjustments; Granadas have the same basic suspension designs, but the only problem they share is front bush wear. And that is true of all Mcpherson strut suspensions.

[2011venator]

Update for members looking to diy the suspension.

All track rods were seized despite several days soaking with penetrating spray, so removal of all, then lay them on the vise and give them a good but careful whacking with the hammer to free them off works as good as heat imho (experience of early Japanese motorbikes taught me how to free of most items) then clean grease and reassemble no point replacing them as they are all in good order.
Couple of ball joint boots got damaged so replaced them. Those clips are fun if you ever take a ball joint cover off to replace try and save the original clips if possible as the ones in the kit are brutal  little one fits ok but getting the big one over is a ******** and I surrendered and used the original ones which were still good.
I suspect my car has had replacements fairly recently or the liberal undersealing has kept them in good order.

Then using Terry's method and some you-tube videos and a lot of jacking up down and careful adjustment it is now driving straight as an arrow and has stopped tram-lining which was the worst problem anyway.
It will not be doing any hard or even moderate cornering although it feels fairly good on the bends for a big lump, I get my kicks when needed in the Ford Puma which you can drive like you stole it, out corner most things on four wheels, and still get 40mpg. Or if I really want some adrenaline I will take the rf900 out for a blast (dont get 40 mpg out of that though  )  This year it has not even got out of the garage. (to many toys to little time)  Getting old and starting to have far to many sensible moments, time to buy a c90
Thanks to all for the input many great opinions.