Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 09:39:21

Title: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 09:39:21
Been thinking more.

What are the differences between saloon and estate rear springs?

My car has about 30kg to 40kg more than standard over the rear axle, add in another 30kg for fuel.

So would estate springs compensate for the extra weight of my LPG tank?
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Jimbob on 03 October 2008, 09:41:22
dunno about springs, but shocks are totally different between saloon and estate, so there may be different size due to positioning etc, not just weight?
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: markey mark on 03 October 2008, 09:50:15
estate springs are shorter as standard martin  :(
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 October 2008, 10:01:23
And not much stronger.

Plus the weights you are talking about equate to one adult....so bugger all in reality!
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 11:42:38
Thanks all

So I'll just get the Eibach saloon kit then.

30mm drop - same as my current rear ride height caused by knackered suspension. Then manually do the camber on the front, at least the trig is easy, but what is the best value of the angle?

Will be interesting I think to feel the results
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 October 2008, 11:44:54
Quote
Thanks all

So I'll just get the Eibach saloon kit then.

30mm drop - same as my current rear ride height caused by knackered suspension. Then manually do the camber on the front, at least the trig is easy, but what is the best value of the angle?

Will be interesting I think to feel the results

-1deg 20' to -1deg 10'

Factory original is -1deg 40'
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 11:46:18
I once changed springs without a compressor - what a mistake.

The original went boing :o and the forest one needed a couple of people to squash it in. ::)

Borrowed a compressor for the other strut.

The rear was easy - drop shock replace spring, jack under the axle to push it back.
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 11:48:53
Quote
Quote
Thanks all

So I'll just get the Eibach saloon kit then.

30mm drop - same as my current rear ride height caused by knackered suspension. Then manually do the camber on the front, at least the trig is easy, but what is the best value of the angle?

Will be interesting I think to feel the results

-1deg 20' to -1deg 10'

Factory original is -1deg 40'


1deg 40' is quite a bit - no wonder the inner edges wear.

Just need to get my parking space checked for level and maybe make pads with my powerplaner.

At least I have 2 or 3 spirit levels
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 October 2008, 11:49:54
Quote
I once changed springs without a compressor - what a mistake.

The original went boing :o and the forest one needed a couple of people to squash it in. ::)

Borrowed a compressor for the other strut.

The rear was easy - drop shock replace spring, jack under the axle to push it back.

Rear shocks are dead easy.

Rear springs change as per spirng guide in maintenance section.

Fronts MUST have a spring compressor or you risk taking your head off and you certainly wont compress them !  :y
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 11:52:34
3.5mm difference at the rim :o
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Martin_1962 on 03 October 2008, 12:01:08
Quote
Quote
I once changed springs without a compressor - what a mistake.

The original went boing :o and the forest one needed a couple of people to squash it in. ::)

Borrowed a compressor for the other strut.

The rear was easy - drop shock replace spring, jack under the axle to push it back.

Rear shocks are dead easy.

Rear springs change as per spirng guide in maintenance section.

Fronts MUST have a spring compressor or you risk taking your head off and you certainly wont compress them !  :y

Struts just look a bit more work than the old Hillman designed ones I used to play with.

But won't be insurmountable.

All bolts are being squirted weekly

Will order new strut pinch bolts.

Dropping the diff looks a pain

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1170939305
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: kcl on 03 October 2008, 12:19:34
Dropping the diff is not the pain, the pain is to get the springs off when diff is down. At least I was not able to drop the diff low enough to free the springs, had to pry the springs out and in, and I can say it was not that easy. Where did I go wrong?

Front is not that bad, in my car the worse things (concerning springs and shocks) were the upper mounts of rear shocks (nuts RUSTED), front was really very straight forward, only have to have the alignment done afterwards asap.
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 October 2008, 13:03:27
Quote
Dropping the diff is not the pain, the pain is to get the springs off when diff is down. At least I was not able to drop the diff low enough to free the springs, had to pry the springs out and in, and I can say it was not that easy. Where did I go wrong?

Front is not that bad, in my car the worse things (concerning springs and shocks) were the upper mounts of rear shocks (nuts RUSTED), front was really very straight forward, only have to have the alignment done afterwards asap.


Did you do as per this guide?

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1170939305
Title: Re: Rear springs saloon vs estate
Post by: kcl on 03 October 2008, 13:59:26
Yup, exactly. When I lowered the diff, left hand drive shaft was pushing the exhaust as hard as I could allow it without damaging the exhaust and still no joy...