Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Webby the Bear on 22 January 2014, 18:37:27
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...there's not a left and right is there? So I can simply buy two of the same one?
Not going GM.... I used them last time and both are now leaking! So bad that when we jacked it up this evening the rear wheels (N/S worst) didn't lift off the ground!
Also did a quick ''bump test''.........lets just say a lot more than 1 oscillation ::)
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Aye? Didn't lift the wheel? Didn't jack high enough, no?
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Aye? Didn't lift the wheel? Didn't jack high enough, no?
Or used the diff ::)
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Noooo he can't of jacked on the dif, for all my banging on about not jacking on the dif.
Did I mention, don't jack on the dif. Ever!
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To answer Q, no, the rears are not sided
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Thanks guys.
Chris... I never jack up on the diff as per your advice ;) Unlike the dude in the other thread, I ask Q's and take your advice first time round when I'm told. I also, for the record, really appreciate the time you guys go to to give me said advice. I love you guys :y :-*
I jacked up in my usual position of the triangular plate that covers/houses the rear donuts. Martin noticed a SIGNIFICANT gap between wheel arch and road wheel; and that the wheel wasn't lifting off the ground. I initially thought the freaking subframe was coming off ;D However on further inspection my shocks are garbage and both leaking. Going to speak to Vx today or tomorrow re a warranty claim if poss.
As the image of my rear wheels staying on the ground was perturbing to say the least.... I Googled it and it appears a few folk have had this.
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I was taking the pesh a bit Webby, sorry. ;)
The shocks ultimately set the top out height(full extension) so unless they snapped off/became detached. They will eventually lift the wheel.
And yes the shocks are not handed. Same both sides.
:)
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Lol, that's ok mate. You guys are a lot smarter than me :y
I could have jacked it up further (don't think the jack was at full height) but to be honest I just placed the stand under with the wheel on the deck cos I was scared something bad was about to initiate :-[
But the fact that there was a massive gap between wheel and arch, the shocks are leaking and the bump test revealed lots of bouncy bouncy means my shocks are garbage. I think?
What I'm trying to say....is there anything else that could have caused the wheel to not want to rise whilst jacking? I'm thinking not but what do you think :)
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That does indeed sound like the shocks have failed :-\ how many miles have they done and over how long?
You should reasonably expect 80-120k miles from them...
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The cars only done 35k in my ownership ;D
Chris kindly did mine for me in mid-2011 (I think). :'(
I'm having a word with them today or tomorrow :y
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...there's not a left and right is there? So I can simply buy two of the same one?
Not going GM.... I used them last time and both are now leaking! So bad that when we jacked it up this evening the rear wheels (N/S worst) didn't lift off the ground!
Also did a quick ''bump test''.........lets just say a lot more than 1 oscillation ::)
Oh dear another GM parts fail ::) how long did they last :-\
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Take the receipt with you, but suspect they're only guaranteed for a year from purchase :-\
35k and 2.5 years is nothing, mine have just started going soggy at 135k, and I drive mine alot harder than you yours :-\
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Take the receipt with you, but suspect they're only guaranteed for a year from purchase :-\
35k and 2.5 years is nothing, mine have just started going soggy at 135k, and I drive mine alot harder than you yours :-\
Exactly. Disturbing :'(
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Lol, that's ok mate. You guys are a lot smarter than me :y
I could have jacked it up further (don't think the jack was at full height) but to be honest I just placed the stand under with the wheel on the deck cos I was scared something bad was about to initiate :-[
But the fact that there was a massive gap between wheel and arch, the shocks are leaking and the bump test revealed lots of bouncy bouncy means my shocks are garbage. I think?
What I'm trying to say....is there anything else that could have caused the wheel to not want to rise whilst jacking? I'm thinking not but what do you think :)
The wheel should not rise with the car. If it did the suspension has locked up.
It won't rise until the shock has fully extended. At which point, as the car is jacked high enough, the wheel will then rise with the car.
There's nothing wrong with that aspect if i understand your post correctly.
Although clearly the shocks are fubar as far as damping goes.
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Lol, that's ok mate. You guys are a lot smarter than me :y
I could have jacked it up further (don't think the jack was at full height) but to be honest I just placed the stand under with the wheel on the deck cos I was scared something bad was about to initiate :-[
But the fact that there was a massive gap between wheel and arch, the shocks are leaking and the bump test revealed lots of bouncy bouncy means my shocks are garbage. I think?
What I'm trying to say....is there anything else that could have caused the wheel to not want to rise whilst jacking? I'm thinking not but what do you think :)
The wheel should not rise with the car. If it did the suspension has locked up.
It won't rise until the shock has fully extended. At which point, as the car is jacked high enough, the wheel will then rise with the car.
There's nothing wrong with that aspect if i understand your post correctly.
Although clearly the shocks are fubar as far as damping goes.
You understand my post spot on chris...but they must have gone past that point of extension somehow cos the gap between wheel and arch was abnormally large.
I've jacked up the rear many times and you pump the jack up, the body rises eventually followed by the wheel...... in this instance the body just kept rising
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Was atleast a 12" gap between top of tyre and wheel arch,and no webbys isnt that big either ;D
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Was atleast a 12" gap between top of tyre and wheel arch,and no webbys isnt that big either ;D
Yeah I got out my to measure it ;D
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Evening guys,
Not bumping but I have a query about my new shocks that turned up yesterday...
They are compressed (obviously for packaging).... how do I de-compress it? I'm thinking that I twist the top bit clockwise where the flats are for your spanner. Am I right? Going to be doing this Wednesday so don't want to be pissing about ::)
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I just cut the nylon strap ::) guess non VX are presented differently then :-\
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The pressure in gas filled shock absorbers will extend them as soon as the band is removed.
Traditional, non gas filled shocks, need to be pulled out by hand.
Either way you should hold them upright and work them over the full travel a few times to get the air/gas bubbles out of the oil.
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Just to ask, why can,t you jack on the diff, is it damaging or dangerous or what? :-[
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Just to ask, why can,t you jack on the diff, is it damaging or dangerous or what? :-[
It stretches the rear subframe mounts to the point of breaking, which will lead to some very odd handling traits :-\
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Hmmm, nylon strip. i havent looked them over that well. Where is that located?
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Hmmm, nylon strip. i havent looked them over that well. Where is that located?
It is a band that runs over the top of the strut and around the base, keeping the strut compressed. Be pretty obvious if present :y
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Thanks Al.
i didnt see anything like that.... I'm thinking it's the type of damper where you have to unlock it by twisting the shaft clockwise slightly and it will pop up.
I'm doing the job Wednesday.... there's no harm in extending it tonight is there?
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Thanks Al.
i didnt see anything like that.... I'm thinking it's the type of damper where you have to unlock it by twisting the shaft clockwise slightly and it will pop up.
I'm doing the job Wednesday.... there's no harm in extending it tonight is there?
Can't see a couple of days extended making much odds with summat that should last 100k :-\
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Thanks Al.
i didnt see anything like that.... I'm thinking it's the type of damper where you have to unlock it by twisting the shaft clockwise slightly and it will pop up.
I'm doing the job Wednesday.... there's no harm in extending it tonight is there?
Can't see a couple of days extended making much odds with summat that should last 100k :-\
Exactly what i thought.... I'll have a butchers tonight at how it dismantles. I'll post a few pics if I struggle ;D
Two more quick Q's if you don't mind:
1.) I remember last week removing a damper and the I couldnt get the bloody thing lined up at the bottom so as to get the bolt through. Am I going to run in to that difficulty again?
2.) The new shocks come with a small metal cylindrical object.... I'm thinking this is an insert to go in to the bottom bushing. Would you concur?
Cheers.
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1. They can take some jiggling.
2. Me no know :-\ not summat I've happened across...
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1. They can take some jiggling.
2. Me no know :-\ not summat I've happened across...
Cheers mate :y
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I tend to leave the strapping on until fitting.
Bolt in the bottom. 100nm. Cut the strap/add the top mount while holding the shock compressed, then let it extend into the top mount under its own power, saves fuddling about compressing the shock again slightly to match the slightly higher trailing arm position.
But that's no help to Webby, unless you have a helper on stand by.
Either way it's important to make sure the bladders don't stick/peal away from the shock body when first inflated. Applying an air line to the shock air nipple helps.
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Mine aren't self levelling Chris :y
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............
Two more quick Q's if you don't mind:
1.) I remember last week removing a damper and the I couldnt get the bloody thing lined up at the bottom so as to get the bolt through. Am I going to run in to that difficulty again?
2.) The new shocks come with a small metal cylindrical object.... I'm thinking this is an insert to go in to the bottom bushing. Would you concur?
Cheers.
I find it easier to fit the bottom bolt first and then aim the top through the hole in the boot floor as I lower the car, but I have an estate so maybe the boot carpet is easier to lift up for me. :-\
Could this cylindrical part be a new spacer for the upper buffer. :-\
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Mine aren't self levelling Chris :y
Ah. Ignore the air line bit in that case. ;)
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Thanks guys.
I'm just going to follow the guide.... prime new shocks, fit bottom bolt, jack up til they're in position, do top nut up.
When I get home I'll whip them out and have a proper look. I'll show you a pic of everything and see what you guys tyhink :y
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............
Two more quick Q's if you don't mind:
1.) I remember last week removing a damper and the I couldnt get the bloody thing lined up at the bottom so as to get the bolt through. Am I going to run in to that difficulty again?
2.) The new shocks come with a small metal cylindrical object.... I'm thinking this is an insert to go in to the bottom bushing. Would you concur?
Cheers.
I find it easier to fit the bottom bolt first and then aim the top through the hole in the boot floor as I lower the car, but I have an estate so maybe the boot carpet is easier to lift up for me. :-\
Could this cylindrical part be a new spacer for the upper buffer. :-\
Yep :y
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Right then girls....
Here's the make of my new shocks:
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/shocks004_zpse74f80c6.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/shocks004_zpse74f80c6.jpg.html)
Found out (as someone quite rightly said) that the cylindrical object goes in the big rubber bush at the top...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/shocks002_zps12251a0d.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/shocks002_zps12251a0d.jpg.html)
Here's the top of the damper and I cant see a nylon thread to unlock :(
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/shocks006_zpsef217903.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/shocks006_zpsef217903.jpg.html)
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Not a nylon thread ::)
GM ones come with a nylon binding band that runs from the top of the rod all the way down one side, around the base and back up to the to. This keeps the rod compressed... it's the same stuff used on boxes to stop them coming undone :y
Yours are plainly different.
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Something isn't right with those.
Left to their own devices they should extend, fully, on their own.
They don't appear to be bound with pallet strapping (as Gm self levellers are out of the box) and doesn't appear to be anything stopping them extending to full length as they should for fitting.
I wonder are they faulty or incorrect for the car...? :-\
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I'm hoping it's like at 11m 20s in this video....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDOTTMf2n8g
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Ok, I can pull the metal shaft out but when I push down they don't come back up again???
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Ok, I can pull the metal shaft out but when I push down they don't come back up again???
That's not right, ime.
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They've got resistance.... they just don't ''spring'' back up like in the video :-\
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Ok, I can pull the metal shaft out but when I push down they don't come back up again???
Traditional shock absorbers are filled with oil & a bit of air. Under hard use air can mix with the oil which upsets the damping action.
Gas filled shock absorbers have gas under pressure above the oil instead of air. The increased pressure reduces the effect of any bubbles but requires better quality shaft seals to prevent the gas escaping.
The gas in gas filled shock absorbers is under high enough pressure to extend the shaft, traditional shock absorbers are not pressurised so do not extend themselves.
I think the shock absorbers you have bought are 'traditional' and not gas filled like the originals.
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Ok, I can pull the metal shaft out but when I push down they don't come back up again???
Traditional shock absorbers are filled with oil & a bit of air. Under hard use air can mix with the oil which upsets the damping action.
Gas filled shock absorbers have gas under pressure above the oil instead of air. The increased pressure reduces the effect of any bubbles but requires better quality shaft seals to prevent the gas escaping.
The gas in gas filled shock absorbers is under high enough pressure to extend the shaft, traditional shock absorbers are not pressurised so do not extend themselves.
I think the shock absorbers you have bought are 'traditional' and not gas filled like the originals.
Thanks Andy. :y
I will fit them and hope for the best. The fact they don't spring up by themselves means (touching wood) they should be a bit easier to install. :-\
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Ok, I can pull the metal shaft out but when I push down they don't come back up again???
Traditional shock absorbers are filled with oil & a bit of air. Under hard use air can mix with the oil which upsets the damping action.
Gas filled shock absorbers have gas under pressure above the oil instead of air. The increased pressure reduces the effect of any bubbles but requires better quality shaft seals to prevent the gas escaping.
The gas in gas filled shock absorbers is under high enough pressure to extend the shaft, traditional shock absorbers are not pressurised so do not extend themselves.
I think the shock absorbers you have bought are 'traditional' and not gas filled like the originals.
+1 :y
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An update...
These Anschler ones are gas pressurised and ARE meant to spring back after compression.
Spoke to Carparts4less...they're e-mailing me a label to jam on to the box and they're collecting tomorrow.... replacements sent straight away. Thought that was pretty good service.
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An update...
These Anschler ones are gas pressurised and ARE meant to spring back after compression.
Spoke to Carparts4less...they're e-mailing me a label to jam on to the box and they're collecting tomorrow.... replacements sent straight away. Thought that was pretty good service.
Budget shocker :P KYB "gas-adjust" or Bilstein B4`s :y
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An update...
These Anschler shite ones are gas pressurised and ARE meant to spring back after compression.
Spoke to Carparts4less...they're e-mailing me a label to jam on to the box and they're collecting tomorrow.... replacements sent straight away. Thought that was pretty good service.
Fixed for you Webby :D ;)
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Or genuine ::) £107 ea for estate self levellers :y
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An update...
These Anschler ones are gas pressurised and ARE meant to spring back after compression.
Spoke to Carparts4less...they're e-mailing me a label to jam on to the box and they're collecting tomorrow.... replacements sent straight away. Thought that was pretty good service.
Did the person that packed them not wonder why the box was a foot too long? :) ;D
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I can see a pattern forming here.
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Lol, thanks for comments guys.
I could pay £107 per shock but a.) I'm poor and b.) the GM ones are clearly shit as well.
Anyways, whilst they're in the process of sending me new ones (next week should be) am I still ok riding round? I trust the only issue is the bouncy ride... i.e. I wont be doing any damage by riding round on shot shockers for a week?
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Lol, thanks for comments guys.
I could pay £107 per shock but a.) I'm poor and b.) the GM ones are clearly shit as well.
Anyways, whilst they're in the process of sending me new ones (next week should be) am I still ok riding round? I trust the only issue is the bouncy ride... i.e. I wont be doing any damage by riding round on shot shockers for a week?
How do you figure that :-\ I would suggest you were unlucky with yours... did you find the receipt?
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Lol, thanks for comments guys.
I could pay £107 per shock but a.) I'm poor and b.) the GM ones are clearly shit as well.
Anyways, whilst they're in the process of sending me new ones (next week should be) am I still ok riding round? I trust the only issue is the bouncy ride... i.e. I wont be doing any damage by riding round on shot shockers for a week?
How do you figure that :-\ I would suggest you were unlucky with yours... did you find the receipt?
Yeah, you might be right. I have no receipts mate and I haven't had a chance to get to Vx. Will do though :y
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Are the OE dampers made by Sachs? If so, I've only ever had good comments about their stuff (admittedly I'm talking from a VW perspective as I haven't had a Vauxhall very long). I would have no hesistation fitting them again.
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The only issue with Sachs shocks is that as they age they tend to give off a light knocking noise.
Seen this on pretty much every make and model of car they get fitted to.