Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 20:06:07

Title: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 20:06:07
Hi guys,

I posted some time ago about the creaking coming from my Omega when going over speed humps coming around the front area and many especially Gixer gave me very good info on what to check for (I'm completing this tomorrow but I've confirmed that my WB bushes are feeeeeeeeekked so i'll be doing all this when I can).

Anyway, there also seems to be a creak coming from the rear too  ??? so I need to get under there and check rear suspension components too  ::)

SO. I know to check for spring damage especially breakages on the end points and to also look for leakages of the dampers.... but what else am I to look for? cant remember what set up the miggy has in the rear...is it semi-trailing arm? no wait don't confuse me lol

so what checks can I make using my trusty pry bar?  ::)

cheers all
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 20:38:45
Right looking through articles..... got a feeling ive got a broken rear spring again..... however if I don't find a broken spring or leaking damper I think im looking for...

1.) donut bush in between chassis and that triangular plate (is this the trailing arm?). Should I try and lever this plate and if any play then bush is fubar'd?
2.) testing top mount.. get in rear and put hand on it whilst driving (someone else driving obviously  ::)) what am I looking for.... noise, play?  :-\
3.) lastly loose exhaust mounts. I know how to check these :)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 November 2013, 20:55:34
Right looking through articles..... got a feeling ive got a broken rear spring again..... however if I don't find a broken spring or leaking damper I think im looking for...

1.) donut bush in between chassis and that triangular plate (is this the trailing arm?). Should I try and lever this plate and if any play then bush is fubar'd?
2.) testing top mount.. get in rear and put hand on it whilst driving (someone else driving obviously  ::)) what am I looking for.... noise, play?  :-\
3.) lastly loose exhaust mounts. I know how to check these :)
1. donut bush is the rear subframe front mounting. (rear mounting is the diff mount) under the triangular plate. Support the subframe and remove all four bolts, the knackeredness of the bush will be plainly obvious :y
2. you'll feel it.
3. grab the exhaust by the tail pipe and wag it side to side, any banging you have worn or broken mounts. Rubber blocks can slip off the brackets letting the exhaust flap around.
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2013, 20:55:53
If memory serves me correctly .. at at my age that's unlikely :) .... there is an article in TIS about creaking from the rear that is corrected by bending a bit of metal under the rear seat, unfortunately my copy of TIS is not on this hard drive yet so I can't look it up.

Perhaps someone with a working TIS could do so ???
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 20:58:24
Thanks guys,

ETA..... is that the bushing that sits above the triangular plate thingy? if so any idea how to test it? do I prod it or pry on the triangular plate?  :)

Entwood... sorry I know its late but what is TIS?  :)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: chrisgixer on 29 November 2013, 21:07:46
What did we do with your car last time Webby? :)

Rear springs?


....assuming its the same car of course.
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: RobG on 29 November 2013, 21:08:41
Remove the rear seat cushion.

Quote
"Bend the sheet metal of lower floor pan in the area of crossmember (receiver for rear seat) with suitable tool (through the first opening in crossmember) downwards (beat out)"
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 21:12:16
Yeah same car chris :) and yeah it was rear dampers and springs... however the springs weren't the recommended (KYBs? ). I cant actually remember what make they were but you weren't keen on them iirc  ;D so serves me right if they've failed early  ;D

rob.... ok so I lift the seat and beat the shit out of the sheet of metal that greets me  ???
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2013, 21:13:14
Thanks guys,

ETA..... is that the bushing that sits above the triangular plate thingy? if so any idea how to test it? do I prod it or pry on the triangular plate?  :)

Entwood... sorry I know its late but what is TIS?  :)

TIS is vauxhall technical information system   fired up the old laptop .. its bulletin E0000833 .. I'll have to do a couple of screen shots to get the info across .. take a few minutes as the lappies well old ...

HTH

(http://imageshack.com/a/img42/7160/4u57.jpg)

(http://imageshack.com/a/img826/4139/xyj6.jpg)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 21:16:08
 ;D

brilliant thanks entwood  :y :y :y :y
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: chrisgixer on 29 November 2013, 21:16:42
Yeah same car chris :) and yeah it was rear dampers and springs... however the springs weren't the recommended (KYBs? ). I cant actually remember what make they were but you weren't keen on them iirc  ;D so serves me right if they've failed early  ;D

rob.... ok so I lift the seat and beat the shit out of the sheet of metal that greets me  ???

In that case I'm sure I would have had a look at the rear donut bushes, and most likely pronounced them as "%#^¥ed" no?

Or did we change them?...mmmmno don't think we did. I'd start there tbh. ;)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 21:19:51
Yeah same car chris :) and yeah it was rear dampers and springs... however the springs weren't the recommended (KYBs? ). I cant actually remember what make they were but you weren't keen on them iirc  ;D so serves me right if they've failed early  ;D

rob.... ok so I lift the seat and beat the shit out of the sheet of metal that greets me  ???

In that case I'm sure I would have had a look at the rear donut bushes, and most likely pronounced them as "%#^¥ed" no?

Or did we change them?...mmmmno don't think we did. I'd start there tbh. ;)

we definitely didn't do them but I cant remember what you said about them at the time  :-[

is it the thing in between the floor (chassis) and that triangular plate? if so how do I test them? sorry if this is going over old ground but I am thick as shite  :-[
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Entwood on 29 November 2013, 21:22:49
Scroll back up a bit .. screen shots now up .. :)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 21:24:54
That's great thanks mate... although I don't believe my symptoms match theres definitely no harm in doing it  :y :y :y
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: chrisgixer on 29 November 2013, 21:25:10
Right looking through articles..... got a feeling ive got a broken rear spring again..... however if I don't find a broken spring or leaking damper I think im looking for...

1.) donut bush in between chassis and that triangular plate (is this the trailing arm?). Should I try and lever this plate and if any play then bush is fubar'd?
2.) testing top mount.. get in rear and put hand on it whilst driving (someone else driving obviously  ::)) what am I looking for.... noise, play?  :-\
3.) lastly loose exhaust mounts. I know how to check these :)

1 no levers, just a prod. Looking under the car by the triangular plate, on the opposite side you can see a gap between the plate and the body of the car. Using that as a guide you can put your hand under the side nearest you and feel for the rubber of the bush behind that triangular plate.
You'll feel some rubber lumps, these are little bump stops. Push these side ways. If they come loose, replace. They,ve gone rusty and seperated the rubber from the metal inner.

2 correct. You'll get some vertical play as the rubber takes up the slack, that's normal.

3 oh, ok good :y ;D
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 21:29:00
Right looking through articles..... got a feeling ive got a broken rear spring again..... however if I don't find a broken spring or leaking damper I think im looking for...

1.) donut bush in between chassis and that triangular plate (is this the trailing arm?). Should I try and lever this plate and if any play then bush is fubar'd?
2.) testing top mount.. get in rear and put hand on it whilst driving (someone else driving obviously  ::)) what am I looking for.... noise, play?  :-\
3.) lastly loose exhaust mounts. I know how to check these :)

1 no levers, just a prod. Looking under the car by the triangular plate, on the opposite side you can see a gap between the plate and the body of the car. Using that as a guide you can put your hand under the side nearest you and feel for the rubber of the bush behind that triangular plate.
You'll feel some rubber lumps, these are little bump stops. Push these side ways. If they come loose, replace. They,ve gone rusty and seperated the rubber from the metal inner.

2 correct. You'll get some vertical play as the rubber takes up the slack, that's normal.

3 oh, ok good :y ;D

awesome thanks chris. if it turns out that these donuts are fubard as per this testing.... do these cause a creak? I know for a fact that rear broken springs do cos that's exactly what I had when I brought it to you...it then went away  :y
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: chrisgixer on 29 November 2013, 22:07:15
They can do, but not always.
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 29 November 2013, 22:38:51
ps is there a rear anti roll bar and thus rear drop links??? if so I presume I again jack up both sides, grab ARB closest to drop link and look for play? :)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 November 2013, 23:42:29
Rear arb bushes don't really give much grief on these :y
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 30 November 2013, 00:02:11
I like the terms used in Entwood's screenshot..... "Deforming....... with suitable tool"  :D

IE: Beat the shit out of it with a rather big hammer!!!  ;D

I get a cracking/creaking noise sometimes from that area so I'll have to try a bit of deforming!!  ;)
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: 05omegav6 on 30 November 2013, 00:10:50
Not entirely sure how that solves anything :-\ creaking implies flexing, denting summat that already flexes surely weakens it further, unless I've missed summat :-\
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 30 November 2013, 17:16:02
Just out of interest I checked all the rear with it up in the air including donut bushes... is that ok? i.e. it doesn't have to be on the ground to test like the WB balljoints?
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: 05omegav6 on 30 November 2013, 17:18:16
Up in the air is ok :y did you remove the triangular plates :-\
Title: Re: Rear suspension... checks
Post by: Webby the Bear on 30 November 2013, 17:21:45
Up in the air is ok :y did you remove the triangular plates :-\

no way mate... im not removing anything  ;D just testing for now. ill post up my findings in a bit.

to be honest it sounds like a lot of people get the creaks. not sure I'm going to worry about it TBH. but its nice to know what I need to replace should I want to make it perfect :)