Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Proz on 01 June 2010, 19:13:12
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Hi
Ok bare with me on this because im going to try and give as much information as i can on my problem ...
Steering wheel wobble between 45-55 mph typical of wheels needing balanced , however it doesnt happen all the time .
Its only occasionaly .
Its through the steering and not through the car .
I can accelerate slowly from 40-60 and it doesnt happen then the next time it does ... there is no pattern to it and its getting on my nerves .
I have had a new GM steering idler and trackrod ends , drop links , GM brake discs in case one was warped .... however the brakes now squeel :-/.
I have even got new wheels and tyres and had them balanced and checked at three different places but it still shows up now and then . Every time they say the wheels are fine and dont need balanced but re-do them anyway .
It also did this with the old wheels ... i got new ones because i thought maybe one was bent .
There are no knocks etc that i can hear from the suspension :-/
The car when wobbly feels horrible to drive between these speeds but feels fine under and over these speeds .
The hubs were spotlessly clean before the new discs went on .
So what am i needing to do beore i go mad with it ... it has just passed the mot with no advisory so does that mean the wishbones are fine ?
I dont understand how its there one time then not the next on the same strech of road ...Obviously something that rotates is running out of true but what do i check next before i unleash the matches :'(
Sorry for the long winded story but im getting desparate now to have a nice wobble free drive .
Thanks
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have you tryed driving down a track road with so nice bumps, found mine it was a damaged rubber on the anti-roll bar could not see a fault with it but bumps found it and changed it only cost 50p.
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Wishbones......check them with a bar on the rubbers.
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have you tryed driving down a track road with so nice bumps, found mine it was a damaged rubber on the anti-roll bar could not see a fault with it but bumps found it and changed it only cost 50p.
I did look at them but they look fine but yep at the cheap price i might change them :y
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Wishbones......check them with a bar on the rubbers.
So am i just looking for some movement in the bushes ... i dont really know what to look for ... i might just get some Lemforders anyway :y
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Movement....there should be some when reasonable force is applied...if there is a lot then they are goosed.
Squealing brakes = poor fitting generaly
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Then i will have the problem of trying to find somewhere up here that can do the geometery after new wishbones ... :'(
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Movement....there should be some when reasonable force is applied...if there is a lot then they are goosed.
Squealing brakes = poor fitting generaly
I made sure everything was cleaned up before i changed them .. only thing i didnt have was copper grease although i have it now so hopefully if i put some on it should stop :y
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Then i will have the problem of trying to find somewhere up here that can do the geometery after new wishbones ... :'(
did mine with 2 long bits of wood from back wheels, got it level with the back, :y
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Movement....there should be some when reasonable force is applied...if there is a lot then they are goosed.
Squealing brakes = poor fitting generaly
I made sure everything was cleaned up before i changed them .. only thing i didnt have was copper grease although i have it now so hopefully if i put some on it should stop :y
If not already present then file a leading and trailing edge on the pads
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Movement....there should be some when reasonable force is applied...if there is a lot then they are goosed.
Squealing brakes = poor fitting generaly
I made sure everything was cleaned up before i changed them .. only thing i didnt have was copper grease although i have it now so hopefully if i put some on it should stop :y
If not already present then file a leading and trailing edge on the pads
They were GM pads and do have a chamfered leading and trailing edge already :y
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Ok, one option on your front bushes (assuming they are goosed) is to drop the front of the wishbone down and remove the old bush.
Then fit poly bushes and re-assemble.
This will have very minimal impact on your geometery
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Ok, one option on your front bushes (assuming they are goosed) is to drop the front of the wishbone down and remove the old bush.
Then fit poly bushes and re-assemble.
This will have very minimal impact on your geometery
Mmmm i think that is way out of my league and capabilities :-/
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you can measure the gap between shock and wheel rim prior to dismanteling to replicate the old camber setting, wise to check it after though.
General rule imo
judder or wobble on the brakes is brake issue
judder or wobble in a certain speed range is wheel balance, try 5 dtud balancer
judder or wobble random at any speed or condition is wishbones, just to confirm (as if it was needed) what Mark says.
With squeel, is the shimmed pad fitted on the piston side? if yes try either playing with swapping pads with shims to one side or other, or both shimmed pads to the squeeky wheel, or take the shims of the old pads and stick them onto the 2 non shimmed pads, assuming they are trade club pads.
IME nothing makes any lasting odds to sqeeling brakes except pads with decent shims either riveted or clipped on the back of the pad material.
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Ok, one option on your front bushes (assuming they are goosed) is to drop the front of the wishbone down and remove the old bush.
Then fit poly bushes and re-assemble.
This will have very minimal impact on your geometery
Mmmm i think that is way out of my league and capabilities :-/
Lol, so, jacking up and removing one bolt.....using a hacksaw to cut through the metal sleeve of the old bush and then inserting the new bush and replacing the single bolt is a bit to much?
Thats what it takes but I appreciate that not all have the tools etc to do it :y
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I thought they had to be pressed in with some big press thing ? :-[
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you can measure the gap between shock and wheel rim prior to dismanteling to replicate the old camber setting, wise to check it after though.
General rule imo
judder or wobble on the brakes is brake issue
judder or wobble in a certain speed range is wheel balance, try 5 dtud balancer
judder or wobble random at any speed or condition is wishbones, just to confirm (as if it was needed) what Mark says.
With squeel, is the shimmed pad fitted on the piston side? if yes try either playing with swapping pads with shims to one side or other, or both shimmed pads to the squeeky wheel, or take the shims of the old pads and stick them onto the 2 non shimmed pads, assuming they are trade club pads.
IME nothing makes any lasting odds to sqeeling brakes except pads with decent shims either riveted or clipped on the back of the pad material.
It doesnt happen under braking .... i fitted the pad with the backing to the piston side .
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I thought they had to be pressed in with some big press thing ? :-[
If replacing like with like then yes.
Hence the sudgestion to use polybushes.
If you bash/cut the old rubber out of the centre of the bush and then use a hack saw to cut the sleeve of the bush (from where you have removed the rubber i.e. inside to out) then the metal insert will push out easily.
Poly bushes can be inserted without a press :y
Hence its more DIY friendly and actualy not to impossible to do without even removing the whole wishbone assembly
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I thought they had to be pressed in with some big press thing ? :-[
If replacing like with like then yes.
Hence the sudgestion to use polybushes.
If you bash/cut the old rubber out of the centre of the bush and then use a hack saw to cut the sleeve of the bush (from where you have removed the rubber i.e. inside to out) then the metal insert will push out easily.
Poly bushes can be inserted without a press :y
Hence its more DIY friendly and actualy not to impossible to do without even removing the whole wishbone assembly
Mmm still sounds a bit daunting to a person who isnt good with spanners ;D ... is there a guide on here for it ... I'll go and check :y
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you can measure the gap between shock and wheel rim prior to dismanteling to replicate the old camber setting, wise to check it after though.
General rule imo
judder or wobble on the brakes is brake issue
judder or wobble in a certain speed range is wheel balance, try 5 dtud balancer
judder or wobble random at any speed or condition is wishbones, just to confirm (as if it was needed) what Mark says.
With squeel, is the shimmed pad fitted on the piston side? if yes try either playing with swapping pads with shims to one side or other, or both shimmed pads to the squeeky wheel, or take the shims of the old pads and stick them onto the 2 non shimmed pads, assuming they are trade club pads.
IME nothing makes any lasting odds to sqeeling brakes except pads with decent shims either riveted or clipped on the back of the pad material.
It doesnt happen under braking .... i fitted the pad with the backing to the piston side .
So thats option 1 out then, and its not wheel balance, so that only leaves wishbones, as said by The Master.
Could try swapping the shimmed pads around, make sure the pads sit flat in the caliper and on the piston and non piston side, do you have the old pads/shims?
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you can measure the gap between shock and wheel rim prior to dismanteling to replicate the old camber setting, wise to check it after though.
General rule imo
judder or wobble on the brakes is brake issue
judder or wobble in a certain speed range is wheel balance, try 5 dtud balancer
judder or wobble random at any speed or condition is wishbones, just to confirm (as if it was needed) what Mark says.
With squeel, is the shimmed pad fitted on the piston side? if yes try either playing with swapping pads with shims to one side or other, or both shimmed pads to the squeeky wheel, or take the shims of the old pads and stick them onto the 2 non shimmed pads, assuming they are trade club pads.
IME nothing makes any lasting odds to sqeeling brakes except pads with decent shims either riveted or clipped on the back of the pad material.
It doesnt happen under braking .... i fitted the pad with the backing to the piston side .
So thats option 1 out then, and its not wheel balance, so that only leaves wishbones, as said by The Master.
Could try swapping the shimmed pads around, make sure the pads sit flat in the caliper and on the piston and non piston side, do you have the old pads/shims?
No i dont have the old ones but they didnt have any kind of backing on them at all .
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I thought they had to be pressed in with some big press thing ? :-[
If replacing like with like then yes.
Hence the sudgestion to use polybushes.
If you bash/cut the old rubber out of the centre of the bush and then use a hack saw to cut the sleeve of the bush (from where you have removed the rubber i.e. inside to out) then the metal insert will push out easily.
Poly bushes can be inserted without a press :y
Hence its more DIY friendly and actualy not to impossible to do without even removing the whole wishbone assembly
Mmm still sounds a bit daunting to a person who isnt good with spanners ;D ... is there a guide on here for it ... I'll go and check :y
Not really necessary, just gotta be good with a hacksaw ;D ;D
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Im just trying to picture what replacing the bush is like ... i'll try and get underneath it this weekend and maybe get a better picture of whats involved :y
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Are these the correct items ...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-94-03-POWERFLEX-FRONT-BUSH-KIT-/300431512167?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f31d1267
:y
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have you tried the steering box damper ?
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Are these the correct items ...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-94-03-POWERFLEX-FRONT-BUSH-KIT-/300431512167?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f31d1267
:y
these don't include the bush we're talking about.
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Are these the correct items ...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAUXHALL-OMEGA-94-03-POWERFLEX-FRONT-BUSH-KIT-/300431512167?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45f31d1267
:y
Yes.
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have you tried the steering box damper ?
No i havn't ... where is it and what am i looking for :y
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on top of the steering box - adjustment screw and locknut.
make sure that the steerign linkages are pointing straight ahead when you want to go straight ahead, then loosen the locknut and screw in the adjuster by a very small amount. Road test. Repeat until the steering JUST won't self-centre and slacken very slightly.
expect up to 30 adjustments and road-tests until you've got it right.
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I don't think it is a steering damper :-/
If the Omega uses a worm and roller steering box then the adjustment screw pushes the roller against the worm and should be set so that free play is just perceptible when straight ahead.
If it is done up tight enough to make the steering tight then it will be exerting an immense force on the steering quadrant and could cause it to break and cause total loss of steering :o