Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 10:18:08

Title: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 10:18:08
After a bit of advice

Car has done 94k and has had an MOT advisory on front shocks being weak a few months ago.

Last week I went round a roundabout in the wet and the back end drifted right out. At th etime I assumed I had approached it too fast but now when I take a corner even at lowish speed (more noticeably on a right hand corner) the back feels like its about to kick out.

Any ideas what this is? Is it th eshoc
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 10:26:24
Sorry, went too soon . here is the full post

After a bit of advice

Car has done 94k and has had an MOT advisory on front shocks being weak a few months ago.

Last week I went round a roundabout in the wet and the back end drifted right out. At the time I assumed I had approached it too fast but now when I take a corner even at lowish speed (more noticeably on a right hand corner) the back feels like its about to kick out even though it doesn't. It feels like the car has oversteered but it hasn;t

Any ideas what this is? Is it the shocks or wishbones? Car runs pretty straight and doesn't feel like it's wandering.

Thanks

Dave
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: biggriffin on 11 January 2016, 10:35:59
Crap tyres, or rear is steering,could even be snapped spring, rear do-nuts, or just turning in to fast and applied loud pedal bit quick, resulting in arse out.
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 11 January 2016, 12:08:55
Concur with the above, I'll add worth having geometry checked, many/most places will do a free check for you.  :)
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Kevin Wood on 11 January 2016, 12:39:22
Feels like it's about to kick out or actually does?

Mine had an episode of this a couple of years back. Turned out to be the rear bushes on the front wishbones. Felt for all the world like it was about to swap ends whenever you turned in in a particular direction, but if you kept your nerve it never would.

I find the Omega very rarely oversteers without much provocation (on sensible tyres), so if it's actually stepping out, something's wrong at the back end IMHO.
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 13:06:17
It eels like it's when you are on the limit just before it is going to slide, its even at low speed just feels like it is rolling into the corner but it doesnt actually slide.

Tyres are okay and at correct pressure it has kind of happened overnight.

 
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Kevin Wood on 11 January 2016, 13:29:32
I'd certainly check the front wishbone bushes. They don't last long any way, and the symptoms do sound familiar.
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 13:37:59
Thanks for all the replies.

Meant to say also when turning full lock to get reverse off the drive the wheels seem "notchy" as I turn the wheel to straighten up, like its on a ratchet if that makes sense.
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 11 January 2016, 13:39:35
Feels wishbone-y now you say that. Like that same feeling you get with a rubbery gearchange?
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 13:54:01
I'm a lazy sod so only have 2 pedals so not sure what you mean by a rubbery gear change :)

Knowing my luck it'll be the front, the back and everything in between that has given up.

I'm getting it on a ramp next week so will hopefully know more then, just wanted aheads up of where to start looking

Cheers
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 11 January 2016, 13:59:55
Haha, well, never owned a manual, so know where you're coming from.  :y

You need to get in with a long bar and start prying the wishbone, looking for excess movement, of course what's 'excess movement'? Well, how long piece of string etc.. sadly. In fact often stuffed bushes are apparent when you get them off the car and look at them in broad daylight, when installed there's just not much to see.  If you've not got any evidence of the wishbones being done any time recent, then really worth a change.

I'll vote build your own all day long, it's potentially cheaper, and definitely better quality, but not quicker. (ideally required two spare wishbones to strip down and rebuild.) But opinion varies.  :)
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: TheBoy on 11 January 2016, 18:09:26
check rear springs as well, I've had similar with broken springs
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 20:51:59
Looks like it's o/s rear spring. Noticed car was low on one side when I came home.

Just been under and counted the coils and the low side has less coils than the other side. Was convinced it was front suspension never thought to look at the rear. 

Bit pissed off because they are 6 months old and Sachs so was expecting better. Got them from ECP, anyone know the warranty on this sort of thing.
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: 05omegav6 on 11 January 2016, 21:02:41
Probably depends who fitted them :-\
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 21:14:02
It wasn't me as it was done when it had a broken spring at last MOT and had both changed by a garage. Guess there's not much comeback on either ECP or the garage. It was checked for the MOT (a different garage) and passed so no reason to suspect it wasn't on correct and had driven okay since.

Looks like I'll be buying a new Spring and finding someone who definitely knows how to fit them 
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: Entwood on 11 January 2016, 21:22:37
It wasn't me as it was done when it had a broken spring at last MOT and had both changed by a garage. Guess there's not much comeback on either ECP or the garage. It was checked for the MOT (a different garage) and passed so no reason to suspect it wasn't on correct and had driven okay since.

Looks like I'll be buying a new Spring and finding someone who definitely knows how to fit them

Should ALWAYS be replaced in pairs .. you have no idea if the "single" replacement has the same "chacteristics" of the existing remaining one. For safeties sake .. change both.

I see you say both were changed before .. are you certain of that ?? as if only one was done that might be why it has failed early ......
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 21:29:59
Definitely both changed. I saw the old springs being taken off and the side that has now snapped and dropped was the side that had previously snapped at the pig tail. 
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: 05omegav6 on 11 January 2016, 21:38:27
There's nothing really to fitting them, only mentioned it as if a garage fitted it, there could be some come back... Even if you have to claim via the garage which fitted them ;)

If you fitted them, then all bets are off unless it was last week... Much after that, then you get less chance of getting anywhere with claims... :-\
Title: Re: Steering problem
Post by: artsoul_no1 on 11 January 2016, 21:43:23
You're right Al. It's snapped and that's it. No point trying to work out why on a £37 Spring. I'm just glad I know what it is now, this morning I was thinking it was going to be hard to work out what was wrong with it.

Thanks for everyone's replies much appreciated.