Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Webby the Bear on 20 August 2014, 22:25:13
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Evening gays, I mean guys :)
So noticed tonight that car isn't level lol not by much. But enough to irritate me. Noticed it on the drive and then took it to dead flat car park. Passenger side rear slightly further down than the drivers side rear.
I changed shockers last week.
I know shockers affect ride height. So I can put up with it knowing it's just that and I can replace them any time.
But does anything else affect it? Thinking broken springs although I know it's not this as checked them last week also.
Anything else?
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Broken spring mate ;)
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It certainly sounds like a broken spring. Had same issue last year, one rear spring broken on the last turn at the bottom. If you are sure it's not a rear spring then check the fronts as a busted front spring tends to cause the opposite rear corner to rise. Just a thought, do you have self levelling suspension?
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Spring holds the weight of the car so if not sitting level does really point to a fault with the springs from oneside to the other.
Shock absorbers ,as the name implies,takes the bumps out of the travel and absorbes harsh movment into a more comfortable ride.
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Broken spring, probably at rear. Mine get picked up at MOT tests. Tester frowns, puts his fist between rear wheel arch and tyre both sides, then jacks it up on the ramp, and, sure enough, a spring has broken, usually near an end. Car still drove all right, but MOT fail and quite right too. Two are almost as easy to change as one, and advice always is change them in pairs, like wishbones, but do what you like.
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Thanks boys.
No self levelling. Standard :y
As said checked them last week so i know they aint bust. i'll check the front ones as suggested :)
Ps, just for learning purposes... is there anything else that can alter the ride height on standard suspension? i presume not but just thought i'd ask for learning purposes :)
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out of interest guys, is there a guide for removing struts. cant seem to find one (although looking at it I suspect they'll be exactly the same as any other strut ive removed :y
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Easy. Drop link is the fiddly bit, depending how old they are.
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Easy. Drop link is the fiddly bit, depending how old they are.
That's where the cordless angle grinder comes in. Gets them off in no time, and if they've been fitted for a while are probably due for replacement anyway.
If you're going to be stripping the struts down, you need some GOOD spring compressors. Due to the maintenance unfriendly design of the hub/strut, fitting new topmounts and bearings is probably a good idea. The top mounts usually look OK until you compare them with new ones; there was nearly 15mm difference in the heights of mine.
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Right, fixed exhaust today so got a few snaps of N/S/R spring. Going to be honest I cant tell if it's FUBARD :-[ I felt it and it has a sort of rounded end a tiny bit jagged. Not sure. Your thoughts...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/SywellAirShow036_zpsd7bb0da4.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/SywellAirShow036_zpsd7bb0da4.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/SywellAirShow039_zps280b3236.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/SywellAirShow039_zps280b3236.jpg.html)
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Just changed mine for pattern on the TD, and the ends were square and not jagged. Other cars I have changed sometimes have a tapered end, which I THINK are on the OE. :-\
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Really cant tell mate. That second photo doesn't look right. Not sure
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Really cant tell mate. That second photo doesn't look right. Not sure
How does it compare to tother side?
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Really cant tell mate. That second photo doesn't look right. Not sure
How does it compare to tother side?
Not sure mate. ill check it out tomorrow :)
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looking at it I'm convinced that's not right...... gixer? ;D
if its not the spring what else could it be?????
checked front ones and theyre easy to check cos theres a little bump stop that the pig tail goes to.
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Might have lost the last inch or so off that coil, but not recently from what little detail visible in the second pick :-\
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Looks broken to me Webby - bottom bit missing - bottom coil should be tapered, not square ;)
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Thanks lads. it looks broken to me too! lol
Went for 30 mile round trip tonight. It really is leaning on right hand turns, round abouts etc. and there's definite creaking!
As Al says, if it is broken it doesn't look recent. But perhaps the fitting of the new shocks has highlighted the problem......?
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Ps, any other opinions on the pics?
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Ps, any other opinions on the pics?
Not enough totty ::)
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To be sure, measure the distance from the spring seat on the trailing arm and the spring seat on the chassis rail...
Repeat on tother side and compare :y
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Looks broken to me, the jagged end is typical of a fracture. New springs either have square ends or ends ground to a tapered end that sits flat. The bottom end of the spring, les than one coil, has broken off and disappeared.
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To be sure, measure the distance from the spring seat on the trailing arm and the spring seat on the chassis rail...
Repeat on tother side and compare :y
Exactly what I was thinking senor Al :y :y :y :y
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Looks broken to me, the jagged end is typical of a fracture. New springs either have square ends or ends ground to a tapered end that sits flat. The bottom end of the spring, les than one coil, has broken off and disappeared.
Thanks Tel :y :y :y :y
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ooooooooooooooooooooooooook
went out and measured...... both 25cm in length rom chassis to trailing arm ??? ??? ???
xxxxx
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now what? lol
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I wonder if the subframe bush has failed? :-\ I don't know much about these so I'm probably talking out my 'arris! ::)
I've noticed that I have the same issue so I'm off out this afternoon to investigate! :(
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The subframe bush being the ''donuts'' under the triangular plate????
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The subframe bush being the ''donuts'' under the triangular plate????
That's the one! :y I'm sure Gixer will be along soon to dish out some abuse advice! ;) ;D
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Whether the end is tapered or not depends on the vehicle spec - OE self levelling will probably be tapered - anything else will probably be equal diameter to the bitter end.
Unbroken springs are a snug fit on the rubber cup. If the spring slops about then the end has broken off :(
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That springs broken.... there should be a tighter pigtail than whats on there....
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Thanks ST and Andy.
Difficult to say if they slop about. I pulled on the side of one gently and it wasn't gonna go anywhere but had a little movement.
And as its non self levelling (standard) the pig tail ends are same diameter and just stop with a straight cut that's slightly rounded.
I just don't know :-\ :-\ :-\
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That springs broken.... there should be a tighter pigtail than whats on there....
Thanks MF. :y
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PS, here's side by side comparison with the picky of a brand new spring and mine... it certainly looks, as MF says, that the spring should be tighter.....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png.html)
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PS, here's side by side comparison with the picky of a brand new spring and mine... it certainly looks, as MF says, that the spring should be tighter.....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png.html)
Does it look level when loaded with few bodies in the back :y
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PS, here's side by side comparison with the picky of a brand new spring and mine... it certainly looks, as MF says, that the spring should be tighter.....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/SIDEBYSIDE_zps12d559ee.png.html)
Does it look level when loaded with few bodies in the back :y
I haven't checked yet mate. Will do though :)
I went to supermarket today and in their car park which was total level I measured from bottom of wheel to arch directly inl ine with the vx badge on the wheels. both exactly the same at 27 inches.
So am I rather imagining this :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
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Yup :y
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Yup :y
:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
Still might replace them lol just for piece of mind.
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Did you have a crate of beer in the boot to one side :D ;D
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Thanks boys.
No self levelling. Standard :y
As said checked them last week so i know they aint bust. i'll check the front ones as suggested :)
Ps, just for learning purposes... is there anything else that can alter the ride height on standard suspension? i presume not but just thought i'd ask for learning purposes :)
A fat bastid like, say, you sitting on a corner would do it. :y
No need to thank me. :-*
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I went to supermarket today and in their car park which was total level I measured from bottom of wheel to arch directly inl ine with the vx badge on the wheels. both exactly the same at 27 inches.
I've checked both sides and the springs are fine. I also went to a supermarket and measured, but mine is three quarters of an inch lower on the near side! :( 27 inches on the offside and 26 and a quarter on the near side! :(
Still that's the least of my worries Migwise at the mo! ::) ;D
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I went to supermarket today and in their car park which was total level I measured from bottom of wheel to arch directly inl ine with the vx badge on the wheels. both exactly the same at 27 inches.
I've checked both sides and the springs are fine. I also went to a supermarket and measured, but mine is three quarters of an inch lower on the near side! :( 27 inches on the offside and 26 and a quarter on the near side! :(
Still that's the least of my worries Migwise at the mo! ::) ;D
is yourself levelling mate?
haha yeah thinking the HG is the first thing ;D
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Nope it's standard. Can't work out why it's listing as visually everything looks fine, which makes me wonder if the 'doughnut bush' is knackered. :-\
Maybe they're like the front top mounts and compress, but you can only tell when compared to a new one. :-\
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I had this problem with my old Range Rover and it took a couple of years to find the cause.
It had gas filled dampers and one front damper had lost gas pressure but wasn't leaking oil. It made enough difference that one side of the car sat an inch higher than the other.
A Range Rover has soft springs and very little roll resistance so I don't imagine the same fault would cause a visible difference on an Omega.
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After reading all this, I too am thinking of going off to a supermarket car park with tape measure in hand..
Do you get a more accurate reading in a Marks & Sparks car park ;D ;D ;D ;D
maybe you pair went Aldi :-\
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After reading all this, I too am thinking of going off to a supermarket car park with tape measure in hand..
Do you get a more accurate reading in a Marks & Sparks car park ;D ;D ;D ;D
maybe you pair went Aldi :-\
No it was Tesco! I can see the reports now....
"There has been a recent spate of muttering Vauxhall Omega owners prowling around their car's with tape measures in supermarket car parks. When contacted, Vauxhall had no comment and the Prime Minister is on holiday. Police advice is that they are generally harmless, but best avoided!" :)
For what they cost, I have thought about new shocks as I've never changed them in my ownership which is 8 years and 80,000 odd miles. :-\
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Come on,the only place you should use is a vx dealership and not the cheaper supermarkets ;D
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Pattern supermarkets , now you know what we have all been told ::)
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;D ;D ;D