chrisgixer

Only time I use part worns is as a stop gap before fitting tyres I trust. As far as fitting for re sale, as a buyer I'd prefer an honest note in the advert. New owner might not approve of the new tyres anyway and prefer to fit something more suited to their driving. (Assuming they want something more than black and round of course)

If there is no sensation of the pull via the steering/only a correction to keep straight, then rear end issue as the car is crabbing, effectively. Cause could be loss of correct wheel position (failed bush for instance) or, as I had, faulty rear dif. Is the dif oil level and servicing up to date? Any oil leaks..? If dif related, expect further degradation symptoms of a pull one way under power to go along with the pull the other way on lift off that you already describe, then rear tramlining in reaction to bumps and vertical suspension movement of the rear suspension. As if the drive shafts can't move laterally and its pulling the rear subframe as a result, for example. So, If levering suspension joints and rear subframe with a pry bar reveals no play etc, suspect dif. Ps, what's tyre wear like?

Should add, the Falkens in question where the older 452 and 912 models. No idea what the newer models are like that superseded them. Don't care actually. No where near enough grip anyway.

Indeed. Some tyre reviews and descriptions attempt a rating for stability these days. And as you know it's one of my pet hates. Shame the omega is built for comfort more than most models as, if a tyre has the slightest tendency to wander the omega will seize on it like a dog with two was'names. ....although typically I have been unlucky with bad experiences with inferior pattern wishbones with crap bushes, picked an Elite model with very soft suspension as standard, and then threw it around to wear the already quite comparatively compliant Falkens edges off, as the camber deflects quite a lot with the long suspension stroke. ...a recipe for instability in very few miles if ever there was one. The Falkens work very well on tighter more rigid chassis from what I can tell, as they are compliant. ...and quiet as it happens. Mrs gixer has an is300 sportcross. Double wishbone front suspension, v the omegas McPherson strut (as you know obviously) and the ride suspension is much tighter than the omega. Far more accurate at speed than an Elite certainly. (Although the rear might have soft bushes or a damper issue as it does unload a bit over long frequency bumps ( wumps as I call them ) in a corner.... but fit a more tramliny less stable tyre like the Dunlop rt and it seems to benefit from it over a more accurate tyre that works on the omega. Anyway, point I'm failing to get round to is, the Michelin bumpf on the web site mentions faster steering response, (something that was used in describing the sc5 as I recall. The sc5 was a disaster for TheBoy on the omega and was later described by a conti technician as being more suitable for small cars ) but then the same or similar construction description was used for the pilot super sport. A cracking tyre in my experience in 245 40 18 97y. Really pleased with those. But then they aren't available in the 265 sizes for the rear of mine. Or in any standard omega size either come to that. ....so, given the fast steering response descriptions I was a bit worried they (mps4) would not be stable enough for me on the omega. An email to Michelin support reassured me though. Customer support manager also gave an insight into the effect different sizes have on handling. As sizes for large rear wheel drive cars that are also coincidentally used on on smaller wrong wheel drive cars are or can be compromised to allow compliance on the smaller vehicles, apparently. Or at least that was the explanation he gave. Given tyre manufacturers don't test their products on older models, like the omega for example, for obvious financial reasons I will contact manufacturers first from now on, before taking the plunge on almost £600 worth of tyres that are un tested and unproven on any vehicle I own. It's a potential minefield if you want performance. ...so that's all the Eco crap tyres out the window obviously.

lol Pilot super sport is, for me in my omega with 18's, a cracking tyre. Ticks every box. Quieter than the sports contact 3, more grip obviously, but crucially for me, more stability in a straight line. Better wet grip too. ...and not massively expensive. Only down side is pilot super sport is limited in sizes. However it does look like the Mps4 fixes that and will improve on the Mpss as well. Lordy! Weather it will improve my lap times round the ring remains to be seen though.

Bit too early for any first hand experience of these on here I guess...?

£200 seems to be the going rate, used. So probably not. ....although, if it could take the horse power of an ls1 it might come in handy on the project. ....but then we're back to can't cba with the project either. lol

Thanks. Question now is, do I bother getting the bloody thing refurbed...? Given the lack of parts and my current severe dose of cba.....

Nope. No noise. Although the car now feels much smoother. Fluid under power and in corners. So the lsd was obviously poorly. It had a harshness that gradually worsened over time so I didn't really notice. ...at least not until it got VERY harsh and vibey in corners one evening on the drive home. A top up of about a quarter litre of sae90(?) dif oil stopped that, and obviously pointed to an issue with the dif, so out it came.

Hi all Just to finish this off, I swapped the Dif out for a normal non lsd item and all is now well. Still some slight instability at the rear, but with the lsd removed it's now possible to feel that the remaining slight wander from the rear is almost certainly down to tyre wear. Certainly feels like normal tyre wear at least, so perfectly acceptable.... I could now re fit the rear poly bushes and see if that fixes the last 10% before tyres are due. (As one rear tyre is within 1mm of the wear bars) Anyway, car is now an absolute joy to drive again. Wohooooooo Thanks all for advise.

Oh. Wheel bearings. Left rear I have replaced. Right rear is original with no play, although they are a double race bearing so don't seem to fail with play, they just get very noisy it seems. There's no obvious bearing noise that I can distinguish above the road noise. Sc3 are not particularly quiet tyres. Must admit I haven't checked the right rear bearing for flex.

Edited. Fuddled the edit button. lol

Absolutely fine. No tearing or rust separating the rubber from the metal. There are three sets of bushes of relevance. The "donuts" at the leading ends of the subframe, these mount under the door area under a triangular plate, as I'm sure you know. Then at the rear of the subframe there's what we often incorrectly refer to on the omega forum as the Dif blocks or Dif bushes. This is because the actual Dif mount bushes that mount the Dif to the subframe never fail. The "Diff blocks" actually mount the rear of the subframe to the body. These often either seperate through rust over time, or get torn by tyre techs jacking on the Dif. Anyway, I can see no issues, the bolts are tight, all bushes are sound, there is no real way of miss aligning the Dif or having it move on the subframe, or the subframe moving on the body. Although it has had an lsd retro fitted. So, while I can't see how it could be miss aligned, I do wonder if there could be an internal issue with the lsd itself that's causing the symptoms. But nothing obvious comes up when briefly searching lsd's and handling. If not geo or bush issue, and not a Dif issue, that only leaves tyres, I suppose. Springs are both sound. I checked dampers a while back. Bilstein b4, no dead spots with constant damping throughout the stroke. Trailing arm bushes seem solid. Inboard side ones seem a softer construction as they both have very slight flex when really leaning hard on then with a pry bar. Outboard ones are rock hard, no play at all. Rear track rods are okay, no play in ball joints. (Although doubtless the adjusters are seized) Tyres are conti sports contact 3, 265/35/18 97y mo. Until now I have trusted them with very good straight line stbility. Continental say they have never had a stability issue with this tyre. (Well they would wouldn't they) But that to get two with a problem would be very highly unlikely. What is highly evident, is the rear end movement. A good deal of correction is required to keep the car straight on uneven road surfaces. The rear can be felt moving out of line with the front. ...and the same can be said with full throttle on, and full throttle off causing a correction one way on full power on, and a correction the other way with full power off. I don't get it to be honest.

So if coveting to minutes that's not far off the ideal setting if I understand correctly. ...?

Ahem, yes quite right. *Cough*notanegativefigureatall*Coughcough* Whoops.