Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: terry paget on 22 August 2016, 13:43:57

Title: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: terry paget on 22 August 2016, 13:43:57
I've had lots of Omegas, currently have 6. One of them has the worrying habit of its back end breaking away in gentle bends. It is currently the spare car, a 2.5 petrol manual estate. It was my main car, and it gave me a few frights, I drove it to Chippenham last Friday, to exchange with Jonny's 2.2. Following a Renault between Bradford on Avon and Chippenham, entered a bend and out went the back end. Bit of quick opposite lock caught it, but it should not have happened. No other Omega does it.

I recall a year ago another forum member had a similar problem. Tyres look OK. What else might it be?
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 22 August 2016, 13:48:10
Well, in theory the common one is the rear donut bushes, which are £100 for your aussie Pedders poly ones, or well under half that for normal rubber ones.  :)
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 August 2016, 14:16:31
You can also get a similar sensation (although ultimately, if you keep your nerve, there is grip there) if the rear wishbone bushes at the front are shot.

Also: Tyre type, pressure, condition, quality, correct fitting if directional?
Condition of the doughnut bushes and the ones to the rear of the diff.
Shocks, springs OK?
Suspension geometry way out?
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: Mr Gav on 22 August 2016, 16:50:20
I had this before and the primary culprit was the tyres, the donut bushes were fine but I replaced them with the Pedders polyurethane bushes, also after a bit of further investigation I found that one of the diff mounts was fubar.

If the tyres are decent quality then I would look at the diff mounts next.
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 22 August 2016, 16:57:41
Aye, couldnt remember if diffmounts were a cause of not.  :y So, OP has the choice between a bush that's a pain of a job... or a bush that's an easy swap, just unobtainable!  :)
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: terry paget on 22 August 2016, 19:15:09
Thanks gentlemen. More info follows. Car was purchased March 2014 from forum member ajsphead, mileage 148K miles. It had new diff fitted 07/12 at 135K. I fitted new wishbones at 148K. Current nileage is 166K. In that period tyres will have been changed. I have no reason to doubt alignment, springs or shock absorbers. My fear is donuts gone. How do I check this?
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: biggriffin on 22 August 2016, 19:33:58
I would say diesel on the road.
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: TheBoy on 22 August 2016, 19:36:16
WHat make tyres on the rear?

Swap them with fronts, does it understeer now?
Title: Re: One of my Omegas is twitchy
Post by: VXL V6 on 22 August 2016, 20:24:44
I've had lots of Omegas, currently have 6. One of them has the worrying habit of its back end breaking away in gentle bends. It is currently the spare car, a 2.5 petrol manual estate. It was my main car, and it gave me a few frights, I drove it to Chippenham last Friday, to exchange with Jonny's 2.2. Following a Renault between Bradford on Avon and Chippenham, entered a bend and out went the back end. Bit of quick opposite lock caught it, but it should not have happened. No other Omega does it.

I recall a year ago another forum member had a similar problem. Tyres look OK. What else might it be?

There's your problem, French cars, don't trust them!!!