Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Toledodude1973 on 01 May 2015, 20:43:05
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Got Mig through MOT today which was great but i've got a few advisories which hopefully you top men can help me fix with some laymans instructions.
The advisory items are:
1 Nearside (idler)Steering pivot point has slight play
2 Nearside front lower (foremost) suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
3 Offside front lower (foremost) suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
4 Front tyres /wheels appear distorted when rotated
Can anyone tell me which actual parts can be replaced and what they are called thank you
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1 Nearside (idler)Steering pivot point has slight play
2 Nearside front lower (foremost) suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
3 Offside front lower (foremost) suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement
1) Idler arm
2+3) Front wishbone bushes
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Rob are these parts readily available and not too bad to fit in a driveway? thanks
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Either replace with poly bushes in situ or renew/refurbish wishbones with genuine bushes/balljoints...
Personally I would go with the second option as the rearward bush and ball joint won't be far behind the front bushes...
Only viable replacement for the steering idler is from VX.
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Check the rearward bushes for separation around the circumference of the rubber first. Post up any findings. Pics would probably be wise if you can post them on here.
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thanks for advice ,can the bushes be relaced whilst wishbones remain on car?
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thanks for advice ,can the bushes be relaced whilst wishbones remain on car?
Fronts can if fitting poly. But it's a pointless exercise if the rears are buggered as the bones do have to come off to replace those. Hence check the rears before deciding what to do.
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Ok Chris see what you mean i'll have a proper look over weekend, i suppose we're talking big money for garage to do job?
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As it passed there is no immediate rush but the poly route is easily achievable on your drive. I would have thought that you would have received a 'delamination of rear bush' or 'movement but not excessive' warning if the rears were bad, so you may get away with just poly bushing the front bush. Still worth checking as said though. :y
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thanks will check rears :y
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thanks will check rears :y
As said....when the time comes...VX steering idler...just did mine...£104 ish from vauxhall :y
Non VX one reputedly won't last five minutes :y
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Indeed, several of us have had bad results from non genuine idlers over the last few years. Even Lemforder, the oe siupplier, where failing in 6 months.
So the only reliable part is a vx genuine idler. Unfortunately they are expensive, and trade club only helps by about a tenner on this item.
They can be a bugger to remove and it's very easy to bugger the rubber boot on the centre tie rod ball joint it connects to if it's being awkward. Do not damage the boot, they are not a common part, are an individual size, and not available from the usual boot suppliers, not available from vx individually and requiring purchase of £200 odd centre tie rod complete to replace it new. Used would be easy, assuming the idler comes off the new assembly again of course.
Having said all that, your old idler might be easy and pop off with the tap of a hammer.
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Chris regarding idlers three questions , firstly can they be done separately or must they be done in pairs, secondly can you use a ball joint remover tool to separate from centre tie rod? thirdly does the tracking etc have to be set up after changing the idlers? thanks for help. PS took some photos of wishbone joints will try and post them later :o
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Only one idler :y
Fitted on the passenger side to allow the tie rod to remain parallel to the subframe at all times...
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Oh that helps Al thankyou ,when they put nearside assumed there was two! What about using the ball joint remover tool?
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Between that and the two hammer approach you'll be fine :y
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Ball joint removal tool is absolutely ideal for damaging the boot. But it does work, if stubborn, apply air hammer as well. It will ping off though, so keep your head clear.
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Ball joint removal tool is absolutely ideal for damaging the boot. But it does work, if stubborn, apply air hammer as well. It will ping off though, so keep your head clear.
You can use a ball joint tool if you are careful though... I've used mine hundreds of times on that style of joint (including several idlers) and only ever split 1 boot
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Thanks LD , so we're saying the new idler has really got to be GM , if so would anyone have part no. or idea of cost ..cheers
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Thanks LD , so we're saying the new idler has really got to be GM , if so would anyone have part no. or idea of cost ..cheers
Recent experiences are not good with aftermarket ones, even Lemforder.
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Ball joint removal tool is absolutely ideal for damaging the boot. But it does work, if stubborn, apply air hammer as well. It will ping off though, so keep your head clear.
You can use a ball joint tool if you are careful though... I've used mine hundreds of times on that style of joint (including several idlers) and only ever split 1 boot
Yes, hence the warning ;)
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Gottya Chris i'm going down the hammer route initially :y Are all models using the same part number or do the idlers differ from car to car? :-\
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(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102340147/2015-05-03%2005.49.42%20-%20Copy.jpg)I've taken a picture of each pivot point on the nearside wishbone,as previously posted the MOT examiner said they had deteriorated,apart from surface rust on the metalwork they looked ok to me ,i know pictures aren't great but what do you think? Thanks for any comments :y(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102340147/2015-05-03%2005.48.52%20-%20Copy.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/102340147/2015-05-03%2005.49.15.jpg)
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Your top photo of the rear joint is a text-book example of a oppsed bush!
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Nick does thar mean knackered?
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Sorry to use the technical term ;)
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And on a cautionary note...
This factory fitted GM item...
(http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y486/05omegav6/DSC_0158_zpsvkkwjvto.jpg)
(http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y486/05omegav6/DSC_0159_zpsmuccosnh.jpg)
... was removed from an '03 80k ish desmond.
Original plan had been to refurb them ready for when the new ones just fitted wear out... nearside one is bent and twisted, as per the pics. Both now binned.
Just to add, no undo force was used to liberate them as the shocks were being replaced, so popped the bolts out an slid out level :y
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Thanks for pictures Al i'm going to replace both wishbones now.I will start by reading maintenance guide, be patient all, as i'm bound to have many questions sorry ;D :y
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Been reading wishbone fitting guide, if i understand correctly you can tighten the bottom ball joint to100nm and inner bolt to 65nm but must leave the front side-on bolt loose until car weight is applied.What does it mean when tightening this final bolt to 120nm then further 30 degrees?thenfurther 15 degrees?Don't understand that bit ???
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Front wheels must be on the ground when the front bolts are tightened...
120nm is the torque required and the 30 and 15 subsequent angle tightening :y
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Sorry for being thick Al but 30 and 15 angle?Does it just mean tighten a further bit more after torque setting ie30 degrees?
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Precisely :y (and harder than it sounds)
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Yep, doesn't need to be exact, just work from 90 degrees as that's easy, then guess the 30 and 15 from there after the 120nm has clicked off.
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Opinion does vary a little on this. Personally never had a wishbone bolt fall out on me, and find the angle tightening part a bit on the extreme side. However, having got me a couple of torque wrenches for my birthday I've been re-torquing all manner of bolts of my car, and have nipped my wishbone bolts up some, though didn't bother with the angle tightening part. Been working on Omegas for probably well over ten years now and never had a failure, but of course doing that final back-twisting angle tightening part will do no harm, the ball's in your court with that one. :)
If you go down the rebuilding wishbones including Poly route (which is advised) then no need to wait until car is on the ground before torquing, just nip them up and drive away. :) The order of business is...
1 Buy/acquire/beg/borrow some Omega wishbones suitable for 'conversion' - these could be cheap brand new, or old ones that'll repaint nicely.
2 Drill/press out old bushes - all of them
3 Remove ball joint (optional)
4 Grease and slide in Poly bush (no specialist tools required)
5 Press in rear genuine Vx bush ('Specialist' Garage press or home made car-jack Heath Robinson approach required)
6 Paint your wishbones
7 Fit new, quality ball joints (optional)
8 Pop on car and you're done.
Costs...
£50 / FREE = Cheap wishones - Cheap heebay ones / free old wishbones / use your existing ones if you can be without the car for a day or two
£50 = Poly bushes - Powerflex or check on here if anyones got a spare set
£20 - 40 = Ball joints (Optional) I can get some Genuine Vx for £40, half the price they are from Vx Dealer)
Satin black Hammerite or similar (comes in all over the car underside)
£36 - Genuine Vx rear bushes
So all-in comes to between £86 to £176, or between £43 to £88 per side.
Total cost for genuine Vx are £200+
Lemforders come in at something like £125+
Neither of the above will have Polys, of course, so the front bushes will need replacing at some point though age. Managed to make mine for £58 a side, that's with genuine Vx bushes, ball joints and Polys. :y
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With regard to point 1. If there is any sign of bending or twisting anywhere on the old wishbone then these MUST NOT be reused.
The bulk of the wishbones is two metal pressings welded together. Each half should be an exact mirror image of its opposite. Any variation, however slight, means they are damaged and therefore unsafe to use :y
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Thanks for help, im going to buy a pair of Lemforder wishbones ,dont know where from yet ,should i get two droplinks while im there,im also really going crazy on this car but im going to buy steering idler (from VX).....i do love the car :D