JamesV6CDX
-
Posts
30 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Gallery
Posts posted by JamesV6CDX
-
-
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to WIM.
I had all manner of handling issues with my Omega. I changed the knackered wishbones, which helped, but it was still not handling right, so I went to WIM today.
PETE did my set up, Tony wasn't around (hope you're ok mate). After checking for play in all the components, Pete noticed that the subframe wasn't straight. He unbolted this and straightened it out, and then set to work on the Geometry - which he said words to the effect of was screwed!
Whilst I've always been totally happy with the outcome of WIM visits, I've made no secret that in the past felt just a tad disappointed that after coming in for a full geo, I've only ever needed the front toe adjusting.
Today, that changed! I lost count of then angles Pete adjusted, front toe, camber, castor, and angles at the rear too. He was happy to talk through what he was doing, and nothing was too much trouble.
The car is a complete transformation. Apart from a slight tramline on some roads due to my front tyres nearing the end of their life, the car now has gone from handling like a pig, to handling perfectly. This geo was worth every penny and more. Pete did say because he had to do so many angles, I should pop back soon just to check all is well. I will do this when I get the tyres in the next couple of weeks, which I will get WIM to supply. I know he's cured it, though.
Even SWMBO was impressed, to the point she now wants her Chevvy Kalos on a 56 plate to be "Wimmed"! We'll get that booked in, maybe co-incide it with getting my tyres fitted. I'll be in touch within two weeks to get all this ordered and in the diary.
Pete - Massive thanks to you - Tony - Give him a payrise
Living 6 miles from WIM is cool - see you soon!!
-
PS - I've just given all the joints/trackrods etc a good soaking in plusgas to hopefully make life easier for you, I'll give it another spray in the morning before I head over
-
Well I'm booked in for 1300 hours tomorrow at Chesham for a full set up, I'll look forward to coming over again
Last week I bought a 53 plate Vauxhall Omega CD with 90k miles. It was cheap enough and I expected to have to do a few things.
My only concern with the car having driven home was the handling. Fine on motorway, but on A roads with small bumps, very wandery, seemed to pitch about all over the place and was quite noticibly pulling about at the front under braking, it was like each wheel was fighting against the other!
I looked on the MOT advisories and saw "slight play in both front wheels"
I've raised the car onto stands, and saw both front wishbone bushes absolutely shot to bits, to the point the bushes were almost falling apart out of their housings!. With a small screwdriver levering the bush, you could make the front wheels kick out quite a bit!
SO I've changed the front 'Bones - doing so correctly, torquing the front bush with the weight on the wheels. This has brought about massive improvement, the steering feels sharper, and there is no longer any pulling on braking.
It's still not right, though. She tramlines a lot still,and just doesn't seem "tight" on the road.
I did think at one point, (after wishbone change) that when I was shaking the NS front roadwheel at 12 o clock with the weight on the car, there was a tiny amount of detectable play, but I've not been able to replicate this every time. The shock feels secure at the top mount, I can't find any play here, so I guess at worst, it would be a whel bearing in the early stages of failure. If there's even an issue at all.
Since the wishbone change, after 100 miles the front tyres are starting to very slightly scrub on the inside, there is a band which looks "cleaner" than the rest of the tyre, so the geo needs doing pronto regardless, for safety.
I think I've checked everything, before the visit, ready for the setup, I certainly hope so as I don't want to have to pay for another setup a month down the line
Any thoughts or suggestions are most welcome, but I guess getting it set up at WIM is the next step.
As a complete aside, everyone on the Omega forum who goes to WIM reports having loads of angles changed, camber, castor, toe, some even report tweaking the subframe and rear end tweaks.... the only thing I've ever had adjusted during my setups on my last 4 Omegas at WIM has been the front toe.. I'm almost hoping more stuff needs adjusting, to get my money's worth
-
cool, cheers Tony!
-
The bolts look fiddly - but do-able
Would poly bushes be recommended?
-
Hi Guys,
Decided to have another look myself.. I'm stubborn like that. I disconnected both of the antirollbar droplinks again, so I could properly inspect the ARB bushes.
I'm not sure how on earth I (and indeed the garage) missed this before, but the ARB bushes are shot. The ARB makes a horrible noise when you push it up and down (just like the creaking I get over bumps!!) and although there isn't a huge amount of play, as such, the side to side movement is very, very free, and you can see how worn the bushes are much more easily with the ARB free.
Just as a test (I stress, a brief test) I left the droplinks off, suspended the ARB with a universal securing device (cable tie!) and took a very slow, straight, and careful drive down my road.
It would usually knock like mad under these conditions - but it was as silent as a mouse
Thanks very much, genuinely, to all of you, for your suggestions and ideas.
My last question. I've never done ARB bushes... are they easy enough to change?
-
Hi Tony, apologies, I didn't get the chance to pop over
hopefully will do in the near future.Noise is still there.. if this helps at all.. if seems worse from cold!
-
Thanks so much Tony. Chances are if it's anything much more complex than a droplink I would be booking it in with you for the work anyway - I am not 100% with all suspension work..
You're an absolute star
-
Hi Cruiser - Yep that's me!
Tony - what would you charge me to take a look at this on the ramp and give me your opinion?
I MAY be able to swing by tomorrow afternoon, but it's a provisional at the mo... and obviously subject to you having a spare few mins
-
Next thing would be the shock top mount.
Is there a way to confirm this, without stripping / replacing?
-
have checked the exhaust system if its coming in contact with anything ?
Yep, It's definitely suspension, zorst is fine
-
Hi Tony / Racer - many thanks for that.
I did change both the droplinks - the knocking is still there - loud and clear
With both the links removed the Antirollbar did seem very free to move up and down, but, I can't feel any obvious play in the antirollbar bushes?
Cheers,
James
-
Hi Tony, to me it sounds metallic, just like a balljoint clonking away...
-
have you checked drive shaft nuts?....
or checked the cv joints?
get the front of the car jacked up and supported. then get someone to hold one wheel whilst you sit in the car and shake the steering wheel side to side... hopefully this will narrow it down to which side is causing this issue.
Hiya - and many thanks for the reply
The Jag is correct (rear) wheel drive, so there won't be any driveshafts/CV joints at the front to worry about.
I have done as you suggest - no play can be found at all
Cheers,
James
-
Just to add, with the wheels raised, no noise at all can be heard when steering left to right quickly..same with the wheels on the ground - it only happens when moving..
-
Hi Tony and team, hope you had a great Christmas and New Year
After 3 years of Omega ownership, I was racking up very high miles, so decided to take advantage of my uncles 2001 3.0V6 S type Jag with 70k on the clock.
Car has always driven quite well and is an 'unmolested' version, squeaky clean underneith etc.
When I first picked her up there was a very slight knock over bumps, which I knew about. Very slight. I drove the car to Amsterdam, and various places around the UK, no problem, knock always there though. In recent weeks, it's got worse. Over normal medium quality roads, at around 20mph, it's a "clonk clonk clonk" from underneith. Totaly spoils the otherwise lovely ride of the Jag!
I jacked up the car onto axle stands and started tugging and prying things to see if I could see anything. The droplinks felt like they had too much give, (anti rollbar links) and the noise sounded just like failed Omega droplinks. So I changed these. Absolutely no change at all, noise still there.
I tightened up the 4 nuts on top of each strut, which felt a bit loose, and there is a SMALL amount of play where the steering rack bushes join the car. I tightened these, but it made next to no difference to the play. The noise may be a tiny, tiny bit less, but it's definitely still there.
The noise can be heard if you shake the steering wheel quickly left to right at 20mph (on a private road of course
)As I couldn't find anything, I went to my local garage. They had it on a 4 poster, with the weight on the wheels. They used their "shaker plates" and I was looking with them. All of the balljoints and bushes appeared fine, no play could be found anywhere. They said they would easily pass it through an MOT, suspension wise. They spent an hour with me, (at no charge!) and weren't just trying to get me out the door - our family have used this garage for decades, and they do genuinely care and help.
So, I'm at a loss. They did mention it might be "undetectable" play in the steering rack... but they couldn't be certain.
Yet, the knock is loud and clear (and really annoying!)
Any ideas? WIM is a 140 mile round trip.. I'd gladly make it if you deemed it likely you'd find anything.. but your opinion on here would be really welcomed first
:) -
Hi Guys
Just after some advice please! I'm sure it'll be a WIM trip at some point...
I drove my uncles Jag S type sport last weekend, after driving a VX Omega most of my time. The Jag is a 3.0, Y plate 2001. Handling wise, it seemed a little boat like. It felt like I didn't want to take corners too quickly at all, was a little wallowy, and a small droplink type noise - a fast but not too loud knock over all the small bumps.
Are there any known issues with these? Any ideas on best starting point?
Do they generally handle like a pig on stilts? I'm surprised, as the reviews seem to say they handle rather well!
Cheers
James
-
13k+ now.
Fronts still very very good.
Rears - still well above wear markers, NSR starting to wear a little unevenly, and, dare I say, are not what they used to be in the wet.
Stilll, I've had more than my money's worth! And, having seen some of the tyres on recent death traps, mine have some life in them yet!!
-
Now done 10k, fronts still look like new, and rear have loads of life left in them.
Handling still tip top.
-
I agree with Tony - you wouldn't take your car in to a tyre centre and then expect the place you've given your business to, to report you for the fault you've come in to get fixed. Probably not great for repeat business :angry:
Yes of course the driver has committed construction and use offences (and probably other ones, being a taxi) but the main thing is, that it's been fixed with no harm done....
-
4,000 miles now. The Events are all doing very well, with lots of life left, and wearing evenly. I can easily see them lasting for 15k...
-
Tyres are very opinionated. You said before that Falkens are not suited to the Omega and yet they are one of the most liked out there.
TBH Tony, I've never had Falkens on an Omega, I was just going on the word of ChrisGixer (Omegaowners) who had bad experiences.
I'm not complaining, promise. Am actually v v happy, it drives like a different car, and for the cost of the events, I don't think you'll go far wrong.
Reason for my posts, was mainly 'cos I'm rather hopeful if they continue to work out well, we could recommend them as a good value option to other Omega Owners
-
Well, these reviews seem to be echo'ing what you say, racer. Every one of them, says they're ditchfinders in the wet: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Event/WL905.htm
Maybe it's just because they're new, but I did 300 miles after leaving WIM in some absolutely horrendous weather, yet still making progress. Aside of when I accelerated too hard on an icy road and had a very small rear-end jiggle (let's face it, no tyre would be expected not to wheelspin in the ice, with a 3.2 putting down some power)
I can't help thinking that, based on my experience so far, they might actually be quite well suited, to the vauxhall Omega. Ride is a little harder than it was before, but, I like that, as the feedback from the road is much better...
I will continue to monitor how they perform, but I have no concerns yet. They must be "scrubbed in" by now, and are still performing fine.
If they are still fine after a few miles, perhaps we can conclude that, for the RWD Omega, they are actually a worthwhile tyre!
-
I hated them, was glad to see them go...not as bad as Nankangs though, now there's a terrible tyre!
Well, if they get me through the summer, I'll be more than happy. I only average 12k a year...
Once these tyres are close to end of their life, I will be fitting some poly bushes in the wishbones, and coming back for another set up (and more tyres!)
Thank You!
in General Problems / Discussions
Posted
I remembered his exact words. Slaughtered!!