Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Varche on 10 January 2011, 20:17:15

Title: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Varche on 10 January 2011, 20:17:15
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?

Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Debs. on 10 January 2011, 20:26:58
 ::) Erm....."Shocking!?!?" :P
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 January 2011, 21:18:58
Nah, replaced about 2 years ago.
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Omegatoy on 10 January 2011, 21:34:40
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: feeutfo on 10 January 2011, 22:13:10
Adjusting camber will alter the toe setting, the two go hand in hand to an extent, and is why Wim will set caster, camber and then toe in that order, which makes setting the camber correctly after diy work doubly important.


....but it is easy enough to sort out diy, I find this method very accurate....  http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1283955011
....wim could not improve on this but the settings where accurate prior to, as Wim set it themselves first time round.
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Olympia5776 on 10 January 2011, 22:59:40
I did mine over two years ago when rebuilding the front suspension with new struts , wishbones ,idler + droplinks .
Contacted WIM who kindly gave me the preferred camber angle and got my local ( trusted ) tyre depot to set up the alignment on all four wheels  using the figure supplied .
Never had a problem with it.
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: henryd on 11 January 2011, 10:38:27
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Jimbob on 11 January 2011, 10:40:40
I have one original (and leaking) and one replaced and different front shock on mine.

Will be replacing soon, and then doing geometry

Also about to replace replace both rear as one is leaking.
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: feeutfo on 11 January 2011, 15:23:34
Quote
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
If just changing springs then yes, think you right.
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: henryd on 11 January 2011, 16:28:47
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
If just changing springs then yes, think you right.

Yes it would work for springs only,shame the shocks aren't replaceable inserts
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: feeutfo on 11 January 2011, 16:51:17
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
If just changing springs then yes, think you right.

Yes it would work for springs only,shame the shocks aren't replaceable inserts
Streering knuckle/bottom ball joint can be pita to fit though  :-/
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: henryd on 11 January 2011, 17:29:54
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
If just changing springs then yes, think you right.

Yes it would work for springs only,shame the shocks aren't replaceable inserts
Streering knuckle/bottom ball joint can be pita to fit though  :-/

so can finding someone down here who can set it up again properly >:(
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: Bent valve on 11 January 2011, 17:59:20
When I changed my front shocks, I placed a straight edge against the hub face and measured from that as high up the strut as I could, (just under the spring cup, from memory it was 165mm ) before I removed the old struts, and then set the camber to the same measure afterwards, and 10,000 miles later all is well :y
Title: Re: Condition of forum members Front Shockers.
Post by: feeutfo on 12 January 2011, 14:28:00
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Both of my two Omegas front shockers have seen better days, however whilst it is easy enough to replace the rears (which have also seen better days!), I am put off from doing the fronts as there is no way I could get the car "WIM'ed" here in Spain ANd I can live with it..

I wonder how many other forum members soldier on with less than perfect front ends because of the difficulty factors of a) doing the job and b) setting it up if need be afterwards.?


front struts are easy mate, and getting them back onto the exact settings you had before is pretty easy to, did mine today!!! :y you are not disturbing tracking or anything else except the camber angle and thats easy to measure with a spirit level and a ruler,  if you need a hand give me a shout

surely if the complete suspension leg with hub is removed from the vehicle the camber settings remain unaffected as its only the bottom balljoint that gets undone
If just changing springs then yes, think you right.

Yes it would work for springs only,shame the shocks aren't replaceable inserts
Streering knuckle/bottom ball joint can be pita to fit though  :-/

so can finding someone down here who can set it up again properly >:(
Looking at Wim/blackboots web site, I see your point. Bit thin on the ground down your way.  :-/

List of approved set up affiliates here
http://www.blackboots.co.uk/tyre-fitting-centres.php