Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Ludvig on 01 March 2007, 12:30:19

Title: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 01 March 2007, 12:30:19
Hi everybody!

Owning my first Omega since one month ago, I'm completely lost when it comes to Omega-specific issues. I've been driving an old banger, a 1987 Peugeot 505 Turbo Injection for the last thirteen years. Belive me, I've picked that thing apart a lot more times than I wish to remember...


Anyway, now to the question:

Between 40 - 50 mph I get a strange wheel shudder or vibration from the rear. It's stronger when I'm decelerating and weaker during acceleration. The faster I speed up (i.e. the more force I put on the rear), the weaker the shudder is.

The wheels are recently balanced and 4-wheel aligned (although with no guarantee that it is correctly done).

Wheel bearings are ok.

When I had the Omega in for service the other day, the guy told me that the self-levelling system seemed not to be letting the car down as it should. (Which would confirm my impression that tha car is a bit stiff in the rear and sensitive to uneven roads) Could this have something to do with the wheel shudder/vibrations?

The Omega I'm talking about is a 2003 2.2 Estate.

Grateful for all ideas, tips and hints!

Thanks!

Ludvig
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: sounds2k on 01 March 2007, 12:38:36
the only thing that comes to mind is perhaps the brakes are binding - have you checked that?
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 01 March 2007, 12:42:44
Yep, that was one of my first thoughts too. But the brakes are working smoothly, so that's probably not it.

Thanks for the reply sounds2k!
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: The Barge Captain on 01 March 2007, 12:50:45
Propshaft imbalance or faulty universal joint?
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 01 March 2007, 12:57:48
Quote
Propshaft imbalance or faulty universal joint?


I'm afraid you might be right about that. I keep my fingers crossed that it is something less costly.

Any ideas on how to check the propshaft and universal joint?
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: old cruiser on 01 March 2007, 14:23:57
Ludvig, you say the brakes are ok, but are the handbrake shoes inside the rear disc drums ok as these maybe binding
Cheers Pete
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 01 March 2007, 14:48:34
Quote
Ludvig, you say the brakes are ok, but are the handbrake shoes inside the rear disc drums ok as these maybe binding
Cheers Pete

That's a very good question! I'll check it as soon as I can. Thanx for the tip!
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Omegatoy on 01 March 2007, 16:59:40
my money would be on propshaft,prop donut or rear subframe bushes!!  :y
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: DaveL on 01 March 2007, 19:55:55
Quote
my money would be on propshaft,prop donut or rear subframe bushes!!  :y

Gets my vote as well. :)
 8-)
DaveL
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: TheBoy on 01 March 2007, 21:06:20
As well as alignment, check for buckled wheels.

However, my initial reaction is propshaft...
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 02 March 2007, 09:23:50
Quote
Quote
my money would be on propshaft,prop donut or rear subframe bushes!!  :y

Gets my vote as well. :)
 8-)
DaveL

In fact, the rear subframe bushes are a bit worn, so perhaps that could be it.

If it's just the prop donut it's not too bad I guess, I'm just hoping I won't have to balance the propshaft...

Ludvig
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 02 March 2007, 09:27:29
Quote
As well as alignment, check for buckled wheels.

However, my initial reaction is propshaft...

The wheels look ok, but everything isn't was it seems, I guess.

The tyres could perhaps also be the source. At the moment I'm having a set of four year old Hankook winter tyres on, and they're not really known to be top quality, are they?
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 02 March 2007, 10:01:30
How many miles and what state are the rear shocks in......
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 02 March 2007, 10:09:44
Quote
How many miles and what state are the rear shocks in......

It has 68000 miles (109 000 km) on the clock.

The shocks are in decent condition, I think. It's hard to tell since the self-levelling system seems not to be letting the rear end down as it should (which I didn't realize was the case when I bought tha car a month ago  :-/) As a result, it's a bit stiff in the rear.

Ludvig
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Kevin Wood on 04 March 2007, 12:18:13
I get a bit of judder for the first few miles some mornings but it goes away again. Seems worse around 30mph. The speed of the vibrations suggest it can only be the propshaft because the wheels aren't turning fast enough for it to be imbalance.

Everything looks fine with the rubber dougnhuts and UJs on the prop shaft.

I have a theory, yet to be tested, that because my handbrake is rubbish it might be due to the car being parked on my slightly sloping driveway in "Park" with the transmission holding it. Since this leaves the propshaft under torsion for a long peroiod of time I wonder if the doughnut couplings get distorted slightly, resulting in imbalance. Once underway, they get a bit of heat into them and revert to their normal shape.

Sound plausible?

I'm going to try parking it carefully, making sure the handbrake is holding it before shifting into "park" and see if it goes away.

Kevin
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Omegatoy on 04 March 2007, 14:47:46
Quote
I get a bit of judder for the first few miles some mornings but it goes away again. Seems worse around 30mph. The speed of the vibrations suggest it can only be the propshaft because the wheels aren't turning fast enough for it to be imbalance.

Everything looks fine with the rubber dougnhuts and UJs on the prop shaft.

I have a theory, yet to be tested, that because my handbrake is rubbish it might be due to the car being parked on my slightly sloping driveway in "Park" with the transmission holding it. Since this leaves the propshaft under torsion for a long peroiod of time I wonder if the doughnut couplings get distorted slightly, resulting in imbalance. Once underway, they get a bit of heat into them and revert to their normal shape.

Sound plausible?

I'm going to try parking it carefully, making sure the handbrake is holding it before shifting into "park" and see if it goes away.

Kevin

Had the same t6hing!! shudder some mornings not others couldnt trace it until i changed the wishbones!! then its never returned!!! think its to do with worn bushes on the wishbones settling into position!!
Omegatoy
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Kevin Wood on 05 March 2007, 01:23:21
Mine's certainly coming from the rear end / body and I can feel it through the gearstick. Have been parking it properly for a few days and haven't noticed it again.

Kevin
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: ians on 05 March 2007, 14:48:39
You could always swap front and rear wheels to eliminate wheels/tyres from the picture. (assuming the front is ok)
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Kevin Wood on 05 March 2007, 15:18:51
Quote
You could always swap front and rear wheels to eliminate wheels/tyres from the picture. (assuming the front is ok)

Yes, that's true. I've just had new tyres on the front so I know they're balanced. Just never had a tyre balance issue at such a low speed before.

Kevin
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: ians on 05 March 2007, 16:04:12
If it is the wheels, I suspect you'll notice it easily through the steering.
Title: Re: Mysterious wheel shudder
Post by: Ludvig on 05 March 2007, 22:50:56
Hi all!

This week end I got myself a new set of summer tyres for the omega and fitted them this evening. The shudder in the back is almost gone, although it is still noticeable. Next week I'll put in a new pair of shocks in the back to get the self levelling system to work properly (i.e. not pushing the rear all the way up, making it stiff as #&%¤). Hopefully, that'll eliminate the rest of the shudder.  8-)

Unfortunately, I had to refit the awful Hankook winter tyres again since the roads are still icy up here in the north. But in three or four weeks the roads will be dry and the Pirelli P7 are going back on! :)

Bye for now!

Ludvig