Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

1

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 28 August 2025, 13:04:08 »

The front springs that came off my 2002 3.2 Elite did have two brown paint blobs, but also one silver blob of paint (which I didn't notice earlier).
Being curious, I cleaned the two that I took off my scrapper  2002 3.2 Elite (which was also used by the Police, but in Leics as a Staff Officers vehicle, so it is all standard Elite spec rather than Police spec) had standard 912249 /50 LM/RM struts, and the springs had the same two brown and one silver blobs of paint.
Incidentally the front springs were all 373mm long (give or take a fraction of a mm).

2

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 28 August 2025, 12:09:40 »

Maybe. But it would still be good to know the difference in the springs from the colour coding. You would assume they are firmer, but as I was once told, you should never assume about anything.....

3

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 27 August 2025, 20:02:21 »

Any thoughts on the spec of the Police struts I described in posts 1,2 & 4 and their suitability for my 3.2 Elite saloon?
I know I could fit them as an alternative option as complete units and try them, but others views would he appreciated first!
Ta

4

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 27 August 2025, 19:55:14 »

Thanks for the pointer; however the profile is not the same. These assume the spring seat in the lower cup on the strut is a flat profile where as the Omega strut has the inbuilt step to correctly locate the end of the spring coil. The Omega insulator / damper ring/ rubber seat (various names for the lower rubber that the spring sits on) is a relatively thin moulded rubber to accommodate the step, whereas the Monaro type is a flat base and I don't think they would be pliable enough to follow the profile in the cup which is quite a step.
But every avenue will be looked into, thanks..... 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133573911306

Complete set of OEM rather than aftermarket upgrades... Heated in a low oven/boiling water would probably facilitate assembly.

I always reused the original ones without issue regardless of the springs being used.

I should add that Monaro front struts also have a cupped lower spring seat and the springs are fundamentally interchangeable with the Omega.

On the Omega strut, the step is built into the lower cup, and the thin flat insulator / seat sits on top following the profile without the step being fully moulded into the insulator as with the Monara ones shown above. It's difficult to see as there only a couple of pictures (and no dimensions), but if the body of the insulator is hollow to follow the step, then they may be ok if the dimensions are correct - if it is solid then they will be far too thick. A message to them may give more info.

5

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 27 August 2025, 19:10:23 »

An alternative, if originality is critical, would be to buy a pair of second hand complete struts and strip them down...

I have just stripped a couple of struts off a scrapper - one lower seat rubber insulator was knackered and split in numerous places; fortunately the other one was more or less intact and is salvageable. The upper seems to survive a lot better.
It's not originality I'm after - just the correct ride height. The originals are only about 1mm thick.

6

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 27 August 2025, 15:15:27 »

Thanks for the pointer; however the profile is not the same. These assume the spring seat in the lower cup on the strut is a flat profile where as the Omega strut has the inbuilt step to correctly locate the end of the spring coil. The Omega insulator / damper ring/ rubber seat (various names for the lower rubber that the spring sits on) is a relatively thin moulded rubber to accommodate the step, whereas the Monaro type is a flat base and I don't think they would be pliable enough to follow the profile in the cup which is quite a step.
But every avenue will be looked into, thanks..... 

7

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 27 August 2025, 10:01:26 »

Thanks for that info - I have searched many of the spring / shock manufacturers with no success. Plenty of bump stop and gaitors in kits, but no insulators.
I have now cleaned up the Police units I took off the TVP Omega estate - the colour coding on the front springs is actually purple and green, not orange and green (they were covered in a dried mixture of oil and dirt and the car had been fitted with massive extended mudflaps as it was used in its last duty on a skid pan presumably until it had a minor impact on its front left corner).
I'll keep searching...

8

Omega General Help / Re: Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 26 August 2025, 22:02:51 »

Fat finger typo - the struts that came off my 3.2 are LM and RM (LH / RH), not LM / RP as I typed.
The Police ones I correctly stated are LP / RP (LH / RH)

9

General Discussion Area / Re: Word Association.

« on: 26 August 2025, 21:52:11 »

Snitch

10

General Car Chat / Re: So what have you done to your car today?

« on: 26 August 2025, 18:37:07 »

The one I bought was a Sykiariol folding clothes rail off Amazon.
Available in 121 cm wide for £27.99 or 141 cm wide for £33.99. Stainless poles, heavy duty. Very pleased with it for that purpose.

11

Omega General Help / Front strut spring identifcation

« on: 26 August 2025, 17:04:07 »

I currently have the front suspension stripped on my 2002 3.2 Elite saloon ready for replacement with new GM struts, wishbones, drop links etc. The struts are ident LM / RP which are GM 919949 /50, with springs with two brown blobs on them (I assume are 90541754).
The bottom rubber insulator is quite perished / cracked, and I have checked t'interweb, but no one seems to supply them. I have new bump stops, top mounts / bearings etc ready to fit.
Does anyone know a source of the bottom insulator rubber?
Secondly, I have a good set of complete GM front struts that I took off a late TVP 3.2 estate with self levelling rear suspension several years ago. They were obvious recent GM replacements along with GM wishbones, drop links etc.  They have the ident LP / RP  which are GM 9192291 /2, which are NLS, so the EPC lists replacement part no. 919949 /50 as suitable.
However the  Police springs are different - they have 5 1/2 full coils with orange / green paint blobs, where as the ones off my car have 6 coils and two brown blobs. The Police are marginally thicker but so negligible my manual vernier caliper doesn't indicate how much but I would say 0.2mm??
The question is - does anyone have any info on the colour coding on the Police front springs, and if I fit the complete Police struts, how would it affect the front end? There are obvious differences according to the minefield in the EPC, but what? I can only presume they are firmer, but without any info, who knows?
Thanks anyway.

12

General Car Chat / Re: So what have you done to your car today?

« on: 26 August 2025, 15:47:40 »

Given the replacement wing a good flatting and a couple of coats of primer filler., ready to base coat and clear coat the 'hidden' parts prior to fitting. Have to do it this way, and spray the main wing on the car, as I have no way of suspending it , to spray off car.
Mind you, got to get the old wing off first

I recently bought a fold up clothes rail for hanging panels/ parts for spraying. I do it outside as its a faff sheeting everything up to avoid overspray on my other cars in the garage. It a single rail with four angled legs. It's ideal for single panels and parts. Just choose your day, hang them up and spray. When you've done, its simple enough for two to move it into the garage to harden. It's easy to store in its folded state.

13

General Discussion Area / Re: Word Association.

« on: 23 August 2025, 21:13:46 »

Gerry

14

Newbie Welcome Area / Re: Hello.

« on: 19 August 2025, 14:51:08 »

https://www.eurocarparts.com/brake-discs
A lot cheaper than the ones you've been quoted for - coated too. Pagid are part of TMD Friction. I've fitted this make to other cars quite recently and found them to be ok

Unfortunately, the boat has now sailed. They are back up to the original prices by the look of it.

15

Newbie Welcome Area / Re: Hello.

« on: 15 August 2025, 01:25:07 »

A very good price at ECP at the moment in their sale for the front discs too, and especially for vented rears for the 2.6 / 3.2 V6.....