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[bluebuss]

 
so you've been here before...
all new suspesion arms loaded with lembforder ball joints and bushes with polyflex.
all new steering ball joints,
new droplinks,
new idler arm,
new rear adjuster arms,
new rear donuts, febi blisteins.
tramlining cured,
all other rear bushes in good condition. surprised really there the originals....1999???
now the real issue is the play in the steering box,
yes its been adjusted and turned left to right to check for tight spots....
 also there is no play in the steering wheel or lower column.
the box lost power steering one evening after throwing it into a parking space and nearly putting a citroen c1 through an effing wall....scary it was, thank god for superior omega brakes....
the steering box is cluncking quite loudly into the cabin between twelve and three o'clock on the steering wheel.either direction.
with part time weak assistance.....
now is this a buggered box or not, any one please....
found a couple of rebuilt ones on fleabay for a reasonable price....
here they are 600€ a shot. new...

[chrisgixer]

Can you focus more on the symptoms for us.


And what does it do on the brakes? Any oddness?

[bluebuss]

no problems under braking,
just of lot of heavy noises from the steering box when turning the steering wheel from a stand still or in motion.
also with the engine off, there is a lot of play in the box, also clunking, had my hand on the lower arm on the box and can feel it bumping in side....can it be rebuilt or just replaced...

[chrisgixer]

Replacement is doable. But have a replacement brake light switch just in case.

They are not known for failure so a used one from a breaker would be viable I would of thought. Maybe one of the uk breakers could send one over. Although weight won't help postage obviously.

[05omegav6]

no problems under braking,
just of lot of heavy noises from the steering box when turning the steering wheel from a stand still or in motion.
also with the engine off, there is a lot of play in the box, also clunking, had my hand on the lower arm on the box and can feel it bumping in side....can it be rebuilt or just replaced...

Play when engine off is normal by design, as is grumbling when turning lock to lock stationary with engine at idle.

If the noise/effort lessens as the rpm increases, then might be more/better gains from a fluid change/new pump

Clunking could easily be idler play/droplinks/ball joints, so don't condemn the box lightly

[chrisgixer]

Check the steering box bolts to chassis are tight and that there's not too much corrosion around the bolt holes in the body.

[05omegav6]

Check the steering box bolts to chassis are tight and that there's not too much corrosion around the bolt holes in the body.

That's usually a creaking/cracking noise iirc

[chrisgixer]

Here the last page of a thread of my experiences, with more relevant thread in the link, with no small amount of help from 2woody.
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=102661.120

[chrisgixer]

Check the steering box bolts to chassis are tight and that there's not too much corrosion around the bolt holes in the body.

That's usually a creaking/cracking noise iirc

Ime yes. But there's no reason it couldn't sound differently on a different car.

Does sound like the box though, in this instance.

[05omegav6]

 
so you've been here before...
all new suspesion arms loaded with lembforder ball joints and bushes with polyflex.
all new steering ball joints,
new droplinks,
new idler arm, What make/where from?
new rear adjuster arms,
new rear donuts, febi blisteins.
tramlining cured,
all other rear bushes in good condition. surprised really there the originals....1999???
now the real issue is the play in the steering box,
yes its been adjusted and turned left to right to check for tight spots....
 also there is no play in the steering wheel or lower column.
the box lost power steering one evening after throwing it into a parking space and nearly putting a citroen c1 through an effing wall....scary it was, thank god for superior omega brakes....
the steering box is cluncking quite loudly into the cabin between twelve and three o'clock on the steering wheel.either direction.
with part time weak assistance.....Failing Pump/tired fluid
now is this a buggered box or not, any one please....
found a couple of rebuilt ones on fleabay for a reasonable price....
here they are 600€ a shot. new...

A weak/failing pump will highlight the natural dead spot around straight ahead. The steering/suspension on mine is tighter than a ducks arse, yet still has a vague sloppy patch straight ahead, as does yours Dr Gixer iirc, idler notwithstanding

[bluebuss]

right then,
idler arm is a febi biltstein,
the bolts on the box are indeed solid.
with the engine running or not the clucking is still present.
i am a 100 percent sure of the rest of the steering as i have replace virtually all of it.
also the hotter the car/oil/weather, the more the noises.
today it seems as though the noises are happening at any position of the wheels. full lock, half lock and just off dead center.....

[chrisgixer]

right then,
idler arm is a febi biltstein,
the bolts on the box are indeed solid.
with the engine running or not the clucking is still present.
i am a 100 percent sure of the rest of the steering as i have replace virtually all of it.
also the hotter the car/oil/weather, the more the noises.
today it seems as though the noises are happening at any position of the wheels. full lock, half lock and just off dead center.....

There is a guide on adjusting the steering box. (I think? )

Torx and a nut on top of the box. Process in volves undoing the nut and turning the torx to take out slack in the dead ahead position only. But, and this just an idea, while adjusting there's a point where its possible to feel what the innards are doing. If not confident leave it alone as its entirely possible to over tighten the adjuster and loose track of where the adjust or should be, especially if done with steering off centre. But if you follow the correct tension on the adjuster through the range of movement that is troublesome, you should be able to feel the internals.

I should add, there's a member here that suggests that adjusting the box is a no no. And he might be right. But I've had no issues doing so personally.

It will involve jacking the front onto stands though, so front wheels are off the floor, and reaching in through the window and turning the steering with one hand and adjusting box with the other to feel what going on. Or using an assistant.

I think the box is likely the culprit though, unless there is a ball joint graunching somewhere. Only other thoughts I have, we have yet to find an idler that's reliable other than gm from vx. ANY vertical play will give issues although you say the handling is ok re tram lining. And the strut top mount bearings, do they move smoothly, any jumping or jerky movement?