Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: sara1983 on 22 December 2009, 23:31:46
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ive got a 03 elite and im going to lower it by 35 mil,the only problem i have is ,have i got self leveling.i can see a pipe/cable on the side of the shocker.can i still lower?
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Don't forget to inform you're insurance company - it will mean an increase in premium.
They don't like lowered suspensions.
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Increase in insurance premium? The increase will be a massive one but the other consideration is that by lowering the vehicle you are contravening the construction and use regulation that governs your vehicle type. To stay within the law you will nedd to take it to be tested by a qualified vehicle inspectorate, not just an MOT tester and have a certificate issued. As I have been there with a lowered Beamer 7 the cost turned out to be so prohibitive it was not worth the effort or cost. My insurance company also told me that any accident would be looked into with a microscope before any decision would be made. That told me that they would not pay out and if they did only as a very last resort and after a long expensive fight to prove the car was in 'legal' trim.
Can't really see any benefit in lowering it by 35mm anyway, you might just as well fit lower prifile tyres and achieve the same result!
GudLuk
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Don't forget to inform you're insurance company - it will mean an increase in premium.
They don't like lowered suspensions.
Yeah right. :-X :)
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Increase in insurance premium? The increase will be a massive one but the other consideration is that by lowering the vehicle you are contravening the construction and use regulation that governs your vehicle type. To stay within the law you will nedd to take it to be tested by a qualified vehicle inspectorate, not just an MOT tester and have a certificate issued. As I have been there with a lowered Beamer 7 the cost turned out to be so prohibitive it was not worth the effort or cost. My insurance company also told me that any accident would be looked into with a microscope before any decision would be made. That told me that they would not pay out and if they did only as a very last resort and after a long expensive fight to prove the car was in 'legal' trim.
Can't really see any benefit in lowering it by 35mm anyway, you might just as well fit lower prifile tyres and achieve the same result!
GudLuk
Probably thinking along the same lines as me i suppose,to get rid of those nasty gaps in the arches ;)
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Don't forget to inform you're insurance company - it will mean an increase in premium.
They don't like lowered suspensions.
Yeah right. :-X :)
If you don't and you have a smash, a lowered car by the amount your suggesting would be instantly noticable. You will then be liable for your damage and to the other car, no to mention any legal costs.
Its your choice :-X
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I too have an elite and I will be uprating my suspension in the near future. Going to go for MV6 springs with Bilstein shocks. Springs shouldn't be too expensive with trade card and you can get a full set of shocks in total vauxhall for £250.
I personally wouldn't even bother fitting springs with the air shocks, I doubt it would handle any better, someone may come to correct me though.
Insurance wise, if anything happens and there are problems, you could play the 'they were on there when I bought it' and 'I thought they were standard' cards. I don't know how the system works but there are many out there who would simply not know the difference if they werent told when they bought the car.
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I quite like the Spanish MOT system. If you cannot prove that the manufacturer fitted the car with what it has then you have little chance of getting an MOT.
I had to jump through hoops to get the Elite's 16 inch wheels and 225 tyres "approved" as that model wasn't sold in Spain.
But if you do go down that route I'll have your old rear springs and shockers!!!
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OH COME ON !!!!!!!!! I WAS ONLY ASKING IF ITS POSSIBLE TO LOWER MY CAR IF I HAD SELF LEVELING. ive got 19 vxr alloys and want to lower it to make it look better.
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OH COME ON !!!!!!!!! I WAS ONLY ASKING IF ITS POSSIBLE TO LOWER MY CAR IF I HAD SELF LEVELING. ive got 19 vxr alloys and want to lower it to make it look better.
Yes, they can be lowered. Replace shocks and springs as a unit. Remove the relay for the air compressor in the fusebox under the steering wheel rather than simply disconnect the air line at the shocks.....
Your call as to whether you advise the ins co of the mods, no one elses'. :y
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thanks for the reply.all i can see when i fitted the wheels is there is a wire on the rear shockers, is this for self leveling and have all elites self leveling,as mines a 03
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It's not a wire .. it's an airline (rubber pipe) ... goes from the compressor, front right wing to both shocks.
If you replace the shocks with non-selfleveliing .. remove the compressor fuse as H21 says .. or it will run every time you start up.
One of the questions the Insurers ask .. is "has the car been modified" - not "have you modified the car" .. subtle difference... your choice what you tell them ..... but if an assesor ever has to look at your car he would notice non-standard wheels and suspension instantly.
That would be grounds for refusal of insurance .. :( your call .....
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Thanks for the reply
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I quite like the Spanish MOT system. If you cannot prove that the manufacturer fitted the car with what it has then you have little chance of getting an MOT.
I doubt that for one minute
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If i need rear shocks ,should i go for mv6 ones as these have a shorter throw.as the old ones are in g/good cond will they sell on here?
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I have no time for people who modify cars without informing their insurance company, I had a car written off once by a prat in a modified car, invalidated his insurance
Got my money off my insurance, but lost my £250 excess, unless I sued him.
>:(
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Soz, just seen this.
You need to change the springs and shocks (the 'sweet spot' of the older shocks will be wrong from such a lowering) - probably better to buy them as a matched set.
Pull the fuse and relay for the self levelling to stop the pump blowing into fresh air.
You will need to get a full geo check, particularly camber and caster afterwards, though you may struggle to ever get the rear camber back from such a lowering.
Lastly, lowered that much, you either need to make it uncomfortably hard, or accept it will regularly bottom out, particularly around the exhaust passing the rear axle area.
Personally, I think 35mm may be a bit too much, but I'm no expert.
As to the insurance guff, thats for you to decide - though we all know they look for any excuse not to pay out, which could leave you personally liable not only for your own loss, but 3rd party losses as well (physical and medical).
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ive got a 03 elite and im going to lower it by 35 mil,the only problem i have is ,have i got self leveling.i can see a pipe/cable on the side of the shocker.can i still lower?
personally eould not go lower than 15mil as the lowered sports chassis of the mv6.
But to go lower i would say you need to change all four shocks and springs for items designed to work at the lower hight, which means binning self leveling. Sl springs are softer to allow the air bladders to work with them.
I fitted mv6 shocks with my sl springs, both shocks blew within months. Refunded under warranty.
IIWY, i would play with the level sensor arm. Disconnect it and move to its lowest position, see how low the springs settle without air assistance. If they go low enough for you alter the sensor arm to give the lower hight. If not low enough for you you'll have to bin the system altogether. Stock springs will not drop 35 mill, no chance.
Or thinking further, a member here had some springs made for a td. What you want is shorter self levelling springs i guess? could get some made, but would have to match for softness or could risk blowing sl shocks.
Weather sl shocks work in the lower range is another story, could have a bracket made to lower the bottom shock position by the lowered amount. Gets expensive then though. HTH
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thanks for all of the advice given,insurance will be notified. i have had quite a few cars,some that have been lowered.including a cav gsi,and a modified vectra2.5,the cav was harsh but it was lowered all the way,but the vec was about 40 and was ok.if the springs make the ride to harsh i will go to only 15mm,. mv6 style. having 19 inch wheels with 35 profile, there is quite a gap between the arches and the ride is on the soft side at speed and this is why im fitting stiffer lowering springs.