Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: berserkerboy on 28 November 2017, 19:18:33
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Getting a nasty wobble/rumble when I take a left hand corner. Jacked the driver front and there is movement 3-9 o'clock. This isn't happening on the passenger side. Am I right in thinking that as left and right steering components are connected that this rules out steering rack problems?
On this basis I was looking at the guide for replacing the wheel bearing. However, the guide appears to be missing the part about how to actually remove the bearing. It goes from removing the caliper straight to putting the new part on.
Additionally, when I search for replacement front wheel bearing for the car I get results showing just the bearing and others showing the hub assembly. Is this because if you have the tools to remove the bearing the hub is reusable? ???
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Omega front wheel bearings aren't a serviceable part. You buy a new hub, unbolt the old one and replace it with the your new one.
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And FYI, the Omega doesn't have a rack.
Ideally, jack up the suspected corner, you can normally feel play in a knackered wheel bearing, or can feel its roughness if you slowly rotate it.
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Piece of piss to change. Only issue you "may" run in to is if the inner race has become one with the stub axle. I'm sure someone (Entwood maybe?) had this happen and you'll need a small cut off wheel to remove it.
Hopefully that doesn't happen though and it'll slide off and new one will slide on 👍
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Thanks folks.
So once I have the big undone the assembly should just pull off?
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What torque should the big nut be done up to on reassembly?
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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYPARTS-KWB311-WHEEL-BEARING-KIT-fit-Opel-Vauxhall-Front/400803840876?fits=Car+Make%3AVauxhall%7CModel%3AOmega%7CCars+Year%3A2002%7CPlat_Gen%3AB%7CCars+Type%3A3.2+V6%7CVariant%3AB+%5B1994-2004%5D+Estate&epid=1127150636&hash=item5d51c5436c:g:R50AAOSwugtZ3MAN (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYPARTS-KWB311-WHEEL-BEARING-KIT-fit-Opel-Vauxhall-Front/400803840876?fits=Car+Make%3AVauxhall%7CModel%3AOmega%7CCars+Year%3A2002%7CPlat_Gen%3AB%7CCars+Type%3A3.2+V6%7CVariant%3AB+%5B1994-2004%5D+Estate&epid=1127150636&hash=item5d51c5436c:g:R50AAOSwugtZ3MAN)
The bay says this is the correct part. Look okay?
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That do :y
And 390lb/ftto tighten ;)
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Am taking a punt that the problem is the bearing. Wishbones where done about 6K ago and no movement is apparent at the ball joint. Although I can swivel the steering balljoints around by hand there is no apparent play or knocking coming from them. The bearing doesn't feel too bad on rotation, no grittyness, but there is definately a bit of noise when I spin it around. As Webby the Bear suggested, the bearing has come off easily once I got a breaker bar and a long piece of pipe on the end. New bearing has cost me £26.30 delivered and I await its' arrival.
The brake dust cover behind it has crumbled to dust itself. Anyone know where I could get a replacement? :-\
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I'd see if there's one in a scrappy or eBay or a wanted ad 👍
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Am taking a punt that the problem is the bearing. Wishbones where done about 6K ago and no movement is apparent at the ball joint. Although I can swivel the steering balljoints around by hand there is no apparent play or knocking coming from them. The bearing doesn't feel too bad on rotation, no grittyness, but there is definately a bit of noise when I spin it around. As Webby the Bear suggested, the bearing has come off easily once I got a breaker bar and a long piece of pipe on the end. New bearing has cost me £26.30 delivered and I await its' arrival.
The brake dust cover behind it has crumbled to dust itself. Anyone know where I could get a replacement? :-\
Just an idea ... it's what I do so I pass it on ... I don't have a torque wrench big enough to go to do 320 NM, so I follow the instructions in the guide
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90544.0
but at post #5 I fully fit the wheel and do all the wheel bolts up correctly, I then tighten the hub bolt as far as I can with my torque wrench ... 270 NM. I then drive the car to my local garage and for £2 in the charity box they use their bloody big torque wrench and tighten it properly. I then drive home, remove the wheel and fit the hub cover, then refit the wheel.
It's a bit of a faff but easier/cheaper than buying a torque wrench that goes to 320 NM !!
:)
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Am taking a punt that the problem is the bearing. Wishbones where done about 6K ago and no movement is apparent at the ball joint. Although I can swivel the steering balljoints around by hand there is no apparent play or knocking coming from them. The bearing doesn't feel too bad on rotation, no grittyness, but there is definately a bit of noise when I spin it around. As Webby the Bear suggested, the bearing has come off easily once I got a breaker bar and a long piece of pipe on the end. New bearing has cost me £26.30 delivered and I await its' arrival.
The brake dust cover behind it has crumbled to dust itself. Anyone know where I could get a replacement? :-\
Why bother? Cut the crusty bits off with some snips and do something important.
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Am taking a punt that the problem is the bearing. Wishbones where done about 6K ago and no movement is apparent at the ball joint. Although I can swivel the steering balljoints around by hand there is no apparent play or knocking coming from them. The bearing doesn't feel too bad on rotation, no grittyness, but there is definately a bit of noise when I spin it around. As Webby the Bear suggested, the bearing has come off easily once I got a breaker bar and a long piece of pipe on the end. New bearing has cost me £26.30 delivered and I await its' arrival.
The brake dust cover behind it has crumbled to dust itself. Anyone know where I could get a replacement? :-\
Just an idea ... it's what I do so I pass it on ... I don't have a torque wrench big enough to go to do 320 NM, so I follow the instructions in the guide
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90544.0
but at post #5 I fully fit the wheel and do all the wheel bolts up correctly, I then tighten the hub bolt as far as I can with my torque wrench ... 270 NM. I then drive the car to my local garage and for £2 in the charity box they use their bloody big torque wrench and tighten it properly. I then drive home, remove the wheel and fit the hub cover, then refit the wheel.
It's a bit of a faff but easier/cheaper than buying a torque wrench that goes to 320 NM !!
:)
Well 320NM is about 32kg at 1 metre or 16kg at 2metres. With the breaker bar and metal pole I can get 2m away. So I just need to put 16kg of weight at the end. I reckon so long as I have at least 320NM it'll be okay. 8)
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Am taking a punt that the problem is the bearing. Wishbones where done about 6K ago and no movement is apparent at the ball joint. Although I can swivel the steering balljoints around by hand there is no apparent play or knocking coming from them. The bearing doesn't feel too bad on rotation, no grittyness, but there is definately a bit of noise when I spin it around. As Webby the Bear suggested, the bearing has come off easily once I got a breaker bar and a long piece of pipe on the end. New bearing has cost me £26.30 delivered and I await its' arrival.
The brake dust cover behind it has crumbled to dust itself. Anyone know where I could get a replacement? :-\
Why bother? Cut the crusty bits off with some snips and do something important.
Okay :y
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Before randomly changing the Wheel Bearing (which would likely be noisy as well as having play) get a young assistant to put their foot on the brake when you rock the wheel... If the play remains then it’s not the bearing but one of the numerous ball joints in the steering assembly, which is far more likely. ;)
Edit: Just read that it is a bit rough/noisy so my be the case it needs doing anyway but I’d still be doing the test with the brake applied. All that said, it could easily be more than one component causing the issue. ::)
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Before randomly changing the Wheel Bearing (which would likely be noisy as well as having play) get a young assistant to put their foot on the brake when you rock the wheel... If the play remains then it’s not the bearing but one of the numerous ball joints in the steering assembly, which is far more likely. ;)
Edit: Just read that it is a bit rough/noisy so my be the case it needs doing anyway but I’d still be doing the test with the brake applied. All that said, it could easily be more than one component causing the issue. ::)
Will do. :y
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The wheel bearing needed doing but the rumble was still evident. Pretty sure the culprit is the driver side shock. So badly rusted that the spring is forcing the bottom of the assembly downwards. With enough weight in the car the tyre is touching the shock on cornering. New shocks ordered on Tuesday night from MAPCO, £110 ish delivered, arrived this morning and are now on the car. Will test drive tomorrow and report back.
Anyone replacing the front shock absorbers will find it reasonably straight forward. I suppose I should have tried to produce a maintenance guide with pictures, sorry. Oh, and you must do both at the same time:
I removed the discs for better access to the assembly. You will need spring compressors which are cheap online. Access to the lower drop link bolt is a bit of a pain at the bottom as the light level sensor assembly is in the way, but doable. Be aware that there is usually a spanner accepting area on the inside of the link to stop the ball joint from spinning as you undo it. Mine was 17mm. Release the clip holding the brake pipe to the shock. Pull away the ABS sensor wire from the shock.
Undo the two big bolts at the bottom 18mm. Leave one bolt in place. Unbolt the top nut 24mm using a spanner whilst holding the top of the damper 10 or 11mm. Remove the loose bolt and pull the hub away. The shock can now be dropped out. Put the old shock on the bench and remove the spring. Carefully does it, there is a lot of tension there if they fly off! Put nuts, washers and other parts you need to reuse in order as they come off so you know how they go back.
Reassembly is the reverse. Not sure of the correct torques. I put 65NM on drop links and 90Nm plus 60 degrees on the big bottom bolts. The top bolts I just tightened up tight as I could with a ring spanner. Only problem I had, there are always a few aren't there >:(, was getting the brake hose support back onto the shock. Had to open up the hole a bit with my dremel.
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I suppose it goes without saying a full geometry check after all the work
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Suspension is wishbone type. Will replacing the shocks have affected setup? I read on a site that it wouldn't.
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Suspension is wishbone type. Will replacing the shocks have affected setup? I read on a site that it wouldn't.
suspension on an Omega is McPherson strut, not wishbones! And it's a fussy implementation, which requires a full alignment session after major work. Replacing the shocks involves undoing them from the hub carrier, which immediately destroys the camber and toe settings. You can do a pretty good job of the camber with simple tools, but the car's drivability won't be as good as it ought to be.
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Oops, showing my ignorance. How is toe and camber set as there didn't seem to be any leeway when tightening up the 2 big bolts at the bottom of the shock?
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Oops, showing my ignorance. How is toe and camber set as there didn't seem to be any leeway when tightening up the 2 big bolts at the bottom of the shock?
????? There's several degrees of adjustment, from positive to that looks broken negative. Both holes being slotted doesn't help when you need a camber adjustment accurate to a few minutes. That's also the reason why you lose the toe setting.
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Ah, I understand now. The top bolt is moveable to be able to set the camber. Damn.. Have 500 miles to do over Christmas. What do you think? Toe in was checked at a garage today and is okay. They didn't have the equipment to do camber but the top of my wheels look like they are pointing too much to the centre of the car. If I pull the top of the wheel out as far as I can and nip up the bolts will that be better than doing nothing?
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If you could get it checked properly tomorrow morning might well save you 2 tyres and an unpleasant 500 miles of driving..then still 2 new tyres.
After doing the work you have best advise s get it set properly then enjoy the drive.
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Ah, I understand now. The top bolt is moveable to be able to set the camber. Damn.. Have 500 miles to do over Christmas. What do you think? Toe in was checked at a garage today and is okay. They didn't have the equipment to do camber but the top of my wheels look like they are pointing too much to the centre of the car. If I pull the top of the wheel out as far as I can and nip up the bolts will that be better than doing nothing?
No.
It needs to be right, and that is a very small window.
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Unlikely I can get this done before I need to leave. I think my best solution: Rim 470mm diameter. 470mm multiplied by tan 1deg 40 minutes is approx. 13.7mm. So I need to make sure that the top of the rim is this distance from the vertical. :y.
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Unlikely I can get this done before I need to leave. I think my best solution: Rim 470mm diameter. 470mm multiplied by tan 1deg 40 minutes is approx. 13.7mm. So I need to make sure that the top of the rim is this distance from the vertical. :y .
You're trying to piss up a rope. Do you know anyone who has a digital angle gauge like THIS (https://www.machine-dro.co.uk/wixey-digital-angle-gauge-with-magnetic-base.html) commonly used for setting saw blades or work pieces in milling machines. Then you rest a piece of angle iron across the wheel, and measure the camber to 1.1 degrees which is damn close to what is needed. After loosening the top nut, and just slackening the bottom. As you will change the toe setting doing this, it should still be considered an initial adjustment to get you in the right area before having a proper alignment.
Here's mine stuck to a magnetic disc that centres in the wheel hole:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/7026dw4s6cpl7kl/CheckingCamber.jpg?dl=1)
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Thanks for the advice Nick. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the digital equipment. Will see if the camber is miles out tomorrow using my method. I realise it's not ideal by a long shot as the car needs to be on level ground and there is the accuracy of the level to consider. Think the 500 miles will have to be done in the wifes smart car. :-[