Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: polilara on 20 July 2018, 10:54:16
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Hello
Aligned four wheels about two years ago when new tires installed. Now I can see that inside area wears more than outside in front. Is this typical for V6 Omega or can this be a wishbone case which is not seen in alignment process?
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Normally you should get slightly more outside edge wear. It sounds to me like you have excessive camber at the front.
Most of the alignment machines have wide tolerances for front camber so it gets neglected by alignment shops. It needs to be set for no more than about -1o10' for even tyre wear.
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Thanks for comments, yes Camber exists, I think I can even "see" it. I will change front shocks soon (and springs, top mounts etc.) and will go to 4 wheel alignment. When everything is open I could probably check the wishbone bushing problem, too? Can this be done just by shaking them, by hands??
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It would be best to inspect the bushes. In fact, I'd get a set (or a new set of wishbones) and change them as a matter of course if it's coming apart to change the shock absorbers. That way, you only have to pay for it to be set up once, and you know everything is good.
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Seconded. Best practive/OOF advice is to redo the whole suspension in one go. Seems expensive/wasteful but it really is actually the cheapest way of doing it, because you're talking about parts that will all wear out eventually.
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Thanks for good advise to change everything at the same time.
I bought this car in 2004 (model 2001) driven that time only 50 000 km! So I know that everything in front is original (except dog bones). Now driven 265000 km so perhaps time to do something. This means that all bushing & ball joints can be worn. New wishbones include all these spares so question is where to buy wishbones with good quality spares. Is the original part the only choice? What is price level of it? I found one "cheap" store here in Finland selling wishbones equipped with bushing and ball joint 89 euro/pc. Can this be good quality? Please recommend, I was thinking that changing all three parts to both wishbones takes time and they also cost something. Press is available so changing bushing is not a problem but to get the whole part (wishbone) is interesting...
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I had my wishbones, etc., replaced last year with this excellent kit:-
SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS WISHBONE KIT LOWER FRONT OPEL VAUXHALL OMEGA B
Ebay Item Number 381141643466 £69.99 GBP
Seller's ID: atp-spareparts
Seller's Email: onlinepayment@atp-autoteile.de
It has both drop links and track rods included. Other Forum members have used these kits and are happy with them and so am I.
Hope this helps,
Ron.
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This is really something, thanks a lot!
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I had my wishbones, etc., replaced last year with this excellent kit:-
SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS WISHBONE KIT LOWER FRONT OPEL VAUXHALL OMEGA B
Ebay Item Number 381141643466 £69.99 GBP
Seller's ID: atp-spareparts
Seller's Email: onlinepayment@atp-autoteile.de
It has both drop links and track rods included. Other Forum members have used these kits and are happy with them and so am I.
Hope this helps,
Ron.
Agreed, I've had no issues with mine :y
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Good to hear, already ordered.
How about the bolts of wishbones. How to open after 17 years. Do they have nuts or thread in subframe? Is it better to order new bolts beforehand?
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Good to hear, already ordered.
How about the bolts of wishbones. How to open after 17 years. Do they have nuts or thread in subframe? Is it better to order new bolts beforehand?
I'd ring the dealer and see if they're still available.
To get the old ones out, get the car nice and high in the air, secure and solid, then use the biggest bar you can get your hands on.
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OK, bars available but are there nuts in the other end or thread inside somewhere, I mean if bolts snap?
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OK, bars available but are there nuts in the other end or thread inside somewhere, I mean if bolts snap?
Nuts and bolts. The nut is the lower part of the vertical assy. You need to get a spanner/box on the top of the bolt to counter hold as you undo the nut. On a RHD car the off side is reasonably accessible, but the nearside bolt head is obscured by the ABS unit. Dunno about LHD cars.
And once the nut is off, try not to drop the bolt inside the sub-frame. Hours of fun fishing for it afterwards if you do.
Piccies here http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=141570.msg1843138#msg1843138
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I wouldn't worry too much about replacing any of the wishbone mounting nuts or bolts.
It is worth using some copperslip on them where they sit in the bushes, but that's best practice for this sort of job anyway.
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Thanks LC0112G and Nick W for tips and link. Good to hear that both bolts and nuts exist. I do not like threads in frames.
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Normally you should get slightly more outside edge wear. It sounds to me like you have excessive camber at the front.
Most of the alignment machines have wide tolerances for front camber so it gets neglected by alignment shops. It needs to be set for no more than about -1o10' for even tyre wear.
Does this - (minus) mean that wheels should be like A or Like V?
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Like A. Negative camber meaning leaning in at the top. Chances are yours has too much at the moment .its a common mistake when you have them set up .most unsuspecting places add too much camber and too much toe .
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In my experience, for what it's worth (which is exactly what you're paying for it)...
1) Too much toe in = kills outside edge of tyre rapidly, but gives fantastic turn in handling on a track.
2) Any toe out = steering doesn't self centre, kills inside edge, 'kin dangerous to drive on a road.
3) Too much negative camber = kills inside edge, but not as rapidly as too much toe out.
4) Too much positive camber = tramlines like crazy, unpredictable handling and very snappy. Would presumably damage the outside edge too.
Personally I like almost zero (vertical) camber - (no more than 5mm in at the top) and just a snifter of toe in so the steering self centres.
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Agree 100%. And i think these are the preffered omega reccommendations over the standard original gm settings. 95% of omegas that get set up at a 'normal' ! Tyre place will get too much neg camber ( if they even check it ) and way too much toe.
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As the front suspension is by McPherson struts, camber will vary with load, and should be set up with adults in the front seats, or equivalent weights.
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Yes, and what I also found was that front bearing have clearance about 2 mm in left and right side of the car, measured distance between tyre and shock. This might increase negative camber and toe out, too. Original idea was just to change shocks, now also springs, wishbones, top mounts, top bearing etc. What is left anymore? Discs and pads are pretty new. I will get a brand new front suspension soon...
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Any recommendation where to buy good front bearings, OE quality here is 120 euro/pc.
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Any recommendation where to buy good front bearings, OE quality here is 120 euro/pc.
How about this? Good ebay link is welcome.
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ATP probably a good a place as any to start :y
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OK, thanks, these parts seem to be cheaper and cheaper when Omegas are getting old, wishbone case was a good example. I try from ATP.
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Just caught sight of your problem. I had inner tyre wear on mine and no amount of so called four wheel tracking would sort it. There is some good stuff on the forum about camber adjustment by slackening off the strut bolts. There are two and one goes through an elongated slot. I pulled the top of the wheel out as far as I could( the adjustment is small but makes a difference) to give the wheel a more upright stance and hence take load off the inner side. I then had the normal geom check at a good tyre specialist. Three years later still no uneven wear.
There are some good knowledgeable guys on here so I am sure someone will comment.
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Yes, I already got good tips here how to proceed. During next front shocks change I renew almost everything in front including wishbones, springs etc + bearings as well and get the 4-wheel adjustment done by a professional keeping in mind what Kevin Wood recommended.