Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Snips on 14 August 2008, 17:45:07

Title: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Snips on 14 August 2008, 17:45:07
My rear shocks are completely shoot, there’s about 5inch showing and there covered in a thick greasy dusty build up.

Seeing as I don’t tow or carry excessive weight in the back very often is it worth fitting the self levelling shocks or shall I replace with standard shocks?

Looked at the how to guild and seems pretty straight forward(ish). Spoke to a garage about the standard shocks but they said that doing this may lead to problems with the compressor as it runs other components and may jeopardise the working conditions of other parts of the car, is this true?

So... any comments or suggestions would be a great help

Many thank Adam.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Lazydocker on 14 August 2008, 18:42:50
Adam,

Go for the self levellers! Don't forget you already have added weight in the back with the LPG tank :y :y :y

Get a TC and the price becomes bearable!!
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 14 August 2008, 18:43:08
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Spoke to a garage about the standard shocks but they said that doing this may lead to problems with the compressor as it runs other components and may jeopardise the working conditions of other parts of the car, is this true?  .......

A load of bo11ocks!  ;D The shockers' compressor is specifically for the shockers. If you want to go for non-standard shockers just remove the fuse, but 'proper' OE self leveller are about £80 a piece with a TRade Club Card and even if you don't have one there are a few OOF members that live close by who I'm sure would be able to help you out.  ;)  :y
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Snips on 14 August 2008, 18:57:33
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Adam,

Go for the self levellers! Don't forget you already have added weight in the back with the LPG tank :y :y :y

Get a TC and the price becomes bearable!!

good call! didn't cross my mind  :-[ self levellers it is then. just got a quote from a garage £66 shocks (each), rear springs £196 (pair) and front wish bones £50 pair. all on TC. looks like in going to be a busy boy the next few weeks!

got my self a haynes manual 2day, trying to find some where to print out the ABS application form, and going to try and make new friends at the REME workshop so i can borrow there tools, but there all going on the 1st september so got to be quick!
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 14 August 2008, 19:03:42
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.....
just got a quote from a garage £66 shocks (each), rear springs £196 (pair) and front wish bones £50 pair. all on TC. looks like in going to be a busy boy the next few weeks!  ......

That's not Vauxhall's Trade Club prices.
Rear shockers are as said about £80 each.
Front wish bones haven't been on Trade Club for a few years now.  :-?
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Snips on 14 August 2008, 19:13:51
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Quote
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just got a quote from a garage £66 shocks (each), rear springs £196 (pair) and front wish bones £50 pair. all on TC. looks like in going to be a busy boy the next few weeks!  ......

That's not Vauxhall's Trade Club prices.
Rear shockers are as said about £80 each.
Front wish bones haven't been on Trade Club for a few years now.  :-?

im not really clued up on this Trade Club stuff. ive heard that ABS suply you with a sort of trade card. whats the deal with Vauxhall Trade Club?
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 14 August 2008, 19:20:05
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im not really clued up on this Trade Club stuff. ive heard that ABS suply you with a sort of trade card. whats the deal with Vauxhall Trade Club?

You can either be a member of Vx's Trade Club in your own right as eg a small garage that does repairs or you recieve your TC via another club eg Autobahnstormers. Being a club member entitles you to buy certain service items at a discounted price ie I bought a water pump for my car. Full retail price should be around £40 +vat, TC price was aound £30 +vat. Oil is around £8 a metric gallon plus they usually do a 4 for the price of 3 offer.
Some parts depts need a little persuasion in accepting an ABS card for Trade Club purchases, so check that items you're buying are on the TC list.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: trinity0_10 on 14 August 2008, 19:36:02
I fitted standard springs with standard gas shocks in place of my self levellers, I have a 90 litre LPG tank in the boot & the back is actually about 2cm higher now.
I also just unplugged the compressor, I didn't pull the fuse as I think it works something else.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 14 August 2008, 19:39:16
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..... I didn't pull the fuse as I think it works something else.

Pretty sure it doesn't!  :y
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: JesterRT on 14 August 2008, 20:59:37
I had self levellers.  Replaced with standard shockers and new springs.  I tow a caravan pikey wagon and it sits just fine.  Can't imagine you'd have much bother with an LPG tank (especially if it's mounted up against the rear seats as that's in front of the rear axle meaning there's no additional leverage.

I replaced shocks from VX (think it was around the 70 quid mark on Trade) and I bought springs for £50 (for both) on fleabay.

It's an easy job to change 'em, but make sure you have a decent jack to hold the diff (I nearly had to catch the lot whilst under the car - just happened to have a spare jack to hand when things got dicey - and that diff weighs a bloody ton).

Also, I found that that the springs had to be compressed slightly to get them into the right position - I used a vice and lots of wire wrapped round to hold it.  Got it in and cut the wire.)  Bit cowboy but did the trick.

Compressor runs 'nout else and has been unplugged from mine for two years (including when I actually had the self levelling shocks).  My rear end, if you pardon the expression, just got stuck in the air all the time.  I disconnected the wiring from the compressor itself (I think the fuse may connect to something else - but that's from a distant memory).

Wishbones I did from fleabay too - but I got a garage to put them on as I didn't have the time.

It's very satisfying changing the springs and shocks though - have fun!
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 14 August 2008, 22:59:15
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I replaced shocks from VX (think it was around the 70 quid mark on Trade) ......
and for another tenner aside on Trade Club - there's a difference between Trade Club & 'Trade' -you could have put the proper self levellers back in  :-/

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 My rear end, if you pardon the expression, just got stuck in the air all the time.  ......
Obviously a fault on the system then.  ;)
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Snips on 14 August 2008, 23:34:30
the tank is in the spare wheel well and i think it weighs around the 80kg mark when its full.  then when im lumping family and friends around with bits and bobs in the boot. i have read somewhere that the compressor kicks in when theirs the equivilent weight of 2 or 3 people in the back. so with a full LPG tank half full petrol tank and only 1 person in the back seems to me like this would be when the compersor kicks in. and as lazydocker said to me the cars made with that part so replace it with that part (well some where along thoes lines!)
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 15 August 2008, 00:05:30
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...... and as lazydocker said to me the cars made with that part so replace it with that part (well some where along thoes lines!)

You know it makes sence!  :y  :y
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: theolodian on 15 August 2008, 13:28:49
I put on Bilsteins and later did normal springs when one broke.  Easy, simple, pulled the fuse.  Was all fine until I had to get the in-laws from LHR 2 weeks ago.  Sat on its @rse and scraped on the speed bumps in Oxford services.  (No they aren't overweight, 3 in the back and luggage adds up fast though!)

Usually just me or me and the missus in the car, so I don't regret it.  If you have anyone in the back seat with any regularity I'd get self-levellers again though, especially if you plan on keeping the miggy for a few more years.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Darkus Lordus on 15 August 2008, 16:31:51
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Quote
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im not really clued up on this Trade Club stuff. ive heard that ABS suply you with a sort of trade card. whats the deal with Vauxhall Trade Club?

You can either be a member of Vx's Trade Club in your own right as eg a small garage that does repairs or you recieve your TC via another club eg Autobahnstormers. Being a club member entitles you to buy certain service items at a discounted price ie I bought a water pump for my car. Full retail price should be around £40 +vat, TC price was aound £30 +vat. Oil is around £8 a metric gallon plus they usually do a 4 for the price of 3 offer.
Some parts depts need a little persuasion in accepting an ABS card for Trade Club purchases, so check that items you're buying are on the TC list.

I very rarely go to my Vx garage. tend to find most of them a bunch of complete numptys.

ABS gives you a members card with a trade club number on the back which you'd have to quote before the person behind the desk starts their procedings on the paperwork for your order.

When your compressor's weren't working, what was the feel of the rear suspension? Mine on the Elite seems okay but a bit bumpy & rock hard when going over speed bumps. I'm just not sure that it should be like that.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Andy B on 15 August 2008, 17:09:58
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......
When your compressor's weren't working, what was the feel of the rear suspension? Mine on the Elite seems okay but a bit bumpy & rock hard when going over speed bumps. I'm just not sure that it should be like that.

Is this still with the original self levelling dampers? If so .... that'll be the reason it feels hard at the back, your dampers should be lifting the car up via the compressor. If the compressor is fubar'd I might consider oridnary dampers ..  :-/
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Darkus Lordus on 09 November 2008, 20:24:33
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Quote
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When your compressor's weren't working, what was the feel of the rear suspension? Mine on the Elite seems okay but a bit bumpy & rock hard when going over speed bumps. I'm just not sure that it should be like that.

Is this still with the original self levelling dampers? If so .... that'll be the reason it feels hard at the back, your dampers should be lifting the car up via the compressor. If the compressor is fubar'd I might consider oridnary dampers ..  :-/

Compressor seems fine. Initial problem was a leaking pipe going from the 'T' piece up to the passenger rear shocker. Found when I replaced a blown fuse & the compressor fired back into life & traced hissing sound. Now replaced both sides.

Still hard though....  :(
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Darkus Lordus on 23 January 2009, 17:37:37
All Sorted now. Changed the shockers.
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Entwood on 23 January 2009, 17:49:22
Congrats   :y :y :y Nice to hear its fixed  :)

As a minor aside .. your avatar is spilling over onto your text .... should not be bigger than 110 x 110 ... yours is 160 x 106 .. :)
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Darkus Lordus on 25 January 2009, 20:30:54
Any better? There's no difference on my pc though.  :-/
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: TheBoy on 25 January 2009, 21:15:50
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Any better? There's no difference on my pc though.  :-/
still too wide.  It effects those gayboy users insisting on running firefox
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Lazydocker on 25 January 2009, 21:42:37
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Any better? There's no difference on my pc though.  :-/
still too wide.  It effects those gayboy users insisting on running firefox

Love you :-* :-* :-* ::) ::) ::) :D :D :D
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: Glynn on 25 January 2009, 21:50:55
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Any better? There's no difference on my pc though.  :-/
still too wide.  It effects those gayboy users insisting on running firefox


thats a "firefoxist " comment if ever i heard one   :-/


firefox rocks !!    :y
Title: Re: Self Leveling Shocks or Standard?
Post by: tmx on 25 January 2009, 21:57:30
im using firefox atm and i wont be using it again!

only reason im using it is because my IE is setup for my proxy server and im using a 3g datacard which doesnt need the proxy

firefox loads pages up the wrong way!