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[luke@luke-turnbull.com]

I'm really wanting to keep my trusty Omega estate going, but am really struggling with some alarming handling.

I can never work out if it's something the garage has done, or something else that has broken independently of their work.

The last work we had done on the car was for the tracking to be corrected from about 1 degree toe-in, which was wearing the tyres alarmingly.  It felt quite different - the most noticeable thing was that sometimes we have to manually remove the lock when straightening out from maneuvering - it wouldn't automatically castor as normal.

However, about the same time we noticed that the car would seem to lurch alarmingly when:
1.  Moderate cornering on a roundabout.
2.  Easing the brakes e.g. at the top of a slip road.
3.  Driving across bumps in the road - e.g. poorly repaired trenches.

It felt like the front of the car was suddenly jumping a few inches sideways - and I assumed that this was the "tramlining" that I've heard about.

I did some work today to change the tracking from toe-out to parallel/a little toe in.  Adjusted it by eye, but am happy that my work is accurate enough.

I've visually inspected all the bushes and steering joints on the front, and the bushes and tracking bars on the rear - there's nothing obviously hanging off.

Went again on a test drive and it's still not right.  When I'm cornering on a roundabout, the car suddenly lurches so as to turn a little sharper than I'm steering it.

Any help or suggestions greatfully received.  I'm trying to keep this car going on a budget - it's up to 175,000 miles and I can't justify any great expense.  It's just so frustrating being unable to diagnose the fault.

Many thanks,

Luke Turnbull

[alank46]

You cannot set tracking accurately "by eye".  Sounds like your car needs a full geo set up, it also sounds like this might be a bit expensive on your budget.  Google "Wheels in Motion".  You can do it yourself with some simple equipment, but it takes a considerable time and considerable experience to do it this way.  It used to take me the best part of a day to set up an Omega properly on a DIY basis.

[martin42]

As said get it to a wim's specialist,they will tell you if there is any other problems,it is worth having it done,and will change the handling of the omega,and it will be set up to there specs which are better than the vx original settings

[Andy H]

How many miles/years since the front wishbone bushes were last replaced?

Experience on OOF seems to be that they last about 18 months or 30,000 miles. 

[chrissie-1]

i know from what you have said about the steering but the omega is full of nylon bushes you cant see, if worn this could be a poss cause, the idler arm on nearside chassis leg went on mine causing it to jump about, or poss the mounting bushes on the top of the front struts, poss the camber angle of the front wheels may be wrong,Jack the car up so you can get under it, but keep the wheels in contact with the ground, or use ramps get someone to rock the steering, and just check for any undue movement, on the track rod ends, idler arms,anti role bar drop links, wishbone bushes etc etc, mainly just to rule them out of the problems, hope you get it sorted 

[dazza88]

Hi everyone sorry to butt in but were is this wims place plz as my one needs all 4 wheel aliment.  Thanks all darren 

[Andy H]

Hi everyone sorry to butt in but were is this wims place plz as my one needs all 4 wheel aliment.  Thanks all darren 

Chesham

Wheels in Motion

[dazza88]

Hi everyone sorry to butt in but were is this wims place plz as my one needs all 4 wheel aliment.  Thanks all darren 

Chesham

Wheels in Motion

brill cheers mate just googled it and its only 43 mins away will get it booked in thanks again andy h 

[chrisgixer]

There are no nylon bushes on the omega. Rubber, but not Nylon.

Have a look here.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90492.0

Unfortunately, purely visual exam will NOT show any faults. You need to get in there and lever stuff about, wiggle and pull to check for play. The car is old and needs some tlc to get the best or better from it.

Your problems go way beyond fiddling with toe settings, and it's Not possible to get it correct by eye, along with camber and castor at the front, and camber/toe at the rear.
The bushes will be worn or torn, which must be addressed first or the set up will be a waste of time. Yes, visit wheels in motion, but first...


1 find the faults (there WILL be several)

2 rectify

3 set the car up for full geometric set up.

4 only once happy, should new tyres be fitted. Or they will wear oddly and never handle well again.


Also, at that sort of mileage, consider adjusting the steering box to take out any slack.

[Andy H]

I agree with everything Chris has posted EXCEPT the last point about the steering box.

If all the slack is removed it destroys the roller in the sector arm. To set the preload correctly the steering box needs to be out of the car and a gauge needs to be used to measure the torque required to turn the input shaft from end to end (with nothing else to cause drag apart from worm and roller).

I don't want to pick a fight with Chris but he is the only person I know who has had to change the steering box on an Omega and he is the only person I know who has played with the preload adjustment.

Back to his main points... there will be several parts that need replacing before you can get best value from a trip to WIM. Unfortunately you need someone who knows Omegas to take a critical look to identify which bits need changing.  It might be worth asking WIM if they can inspect it first and advise (or someone on OOF may be near to you and able to have look )

[chrisgixer]

Its quite an easy procedure fitted to the car. Just be sure to use small adjustments at a time.....a noticeable improvement can be had.


...I have the old s box in the garage so will look into the described procedure, but its the least important area regarding the op's  symptoms. Tbh. Just a finishing touch.


Maybe start a topic Andy? Its an interesting area, if you fancy...?

[chrisgixer]

Some discussion here from the old site, if it helps?

http://oldsite.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1268642813

[chrisgixer]

Ah, I wonder, is the discrepancy here based on description? That the omega has a worm and reciprocating ball design steering box, rather than a worm and sector arm?

[Kevin Wood]

You still have a sector arm in a recirculating ball box.



Clearly the potential for such an assembly to self-destruct if it's adjusted without leaving adequate running clearance is there, and there's no way to measure it, so adjust only as a last resort if there's excessive play with the box in exactly the straight ahead position IMHO.

There is shed loads of play away from the straight ahead position, by design, and it is also much looser with the engine stopped.

[TheBoy]

Marks DTM Calib tweaked the steering box on mine several years ago to overcome a grumble I had with a disconnected feeling I had between the car and the tarmac.

Maybe I should take the other too him, as that has a similar feel, just nowhere near to the same level.


I vaguely recall Entwood having to tweak his, as a last resort, in order to get through his MOT.  In fact, his MOT tester explained to me how bad it was