Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 22:40:27

Title: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 22:40:27
Well... I had an eventfull evening. I crashed the V6! :(
I'm yet to pull it apart to properly inspect the damage. From the outside I'm rekoning i'll need new wishbones and probably tie rods etc on the nearside front along with some bits and pieces on the rear.

I'm having a real hard time remembering the rear set up on the omega. Is it wishbones and stuff there? Whats the availability on driveshafts etc?

The front wishbones and drop links seem readily available on fleabay so thats not a prob, but i cant seem to find rear end stuff...

Anyone got any links to rear suspension pictures? I'd like to arm myself with what i'm going to be faced with tomo.

P.S. Does anyone want to buy 2 completly 'dangle berries''d Stienmetz wheels?:D
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: zippo on 31 January 2008, 22:45:10
sorry to hear about your car didn't you say those wheels were rare
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Entwood on 31 January 2008, 22:46:12
Ouch .. :(  

But at least it sounds like YOU are OK ??? Cars can be rebuilt .. human bodies can't ...

If you feel at all rough get a medical checkup done ASAP
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 22:49:19
Yeah, to my knowledge they're rare, as the width and offset are different to the Steinmetz website. Thats the biggest bugger, as where to source 2 new ones??

I just hope to God I haven't damaged my coilovers, as then, I will not be a happy bunny!!

Dont suppose there is a difference between models and ages of suspension components?

I now have positive camber on one side. Think it's going to be a painful day tomo...
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 22:52:03
Quote
Ouch .. :(  

But at least it sounds like YOU are OK ??? Cars can be rebuilt .. human bodies can't ...

If you feel at all rough get a medical checkup done ASAP

Na, i'm absolutly fine thanks mate. Just annoyed. I didn't move at all, thanks to my buckets and harnesses.

I really hope its just wishbone damage. The rear does look wobbly tho. :'(
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: zippo on 31 January 2008, 22:52:41
would that be you or looking at the car in daylight entwood might right it could be worth having a check over for yourself
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 22:59:53
My girlfriend is a nurse, so i'll get her to give me a good going over tomorrow... ;)
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Entwood on 31 January 2008, 23:01:59
I believe it was repeated in another thread around here .. but when I did some first aid training they used to tell us that in evry vehicle crash there are 3 collisions.

1. The car strikes some other object

2. The occupant strikes some part of the car (Torso - usually the seat belts, limbs - usually the car itself)

3. The internal organs strike the skeleton/muscle walls.

....

1 causes dents, 2 causes visible bruising, 3 causes INVISIBLE damage.

So although you feel OK now ... take care and if you feel unwell seek medical advice.

If your "mishap" was hard enough to do that damage to the car ... no 3 is a strong possibility, regardless of how good your seat/seatbelts were.
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 23:06:13
Ok, thanks E/Wood. I will see if I feel anything tomo. If so, i'll be sure to be checked out.

The rear of an omega isn't an axle as such is it?
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Jay w on 31 January 2008, 23:07:25
Rear suspension set up is:

Lower wishbone attaching at two points to the body
drive shaft
coil spring sat between wishbone and body of car
Adjustable tie rod for camber

there are some pics on this thread, not brill but might refresh the mind

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152564750
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 23:20:17
Thanks Jay, yeah, thats got my memory working. Wander if i took a knock to the head...? ;)

I hope i've just done the wishbone on the rear. It does look wobbly when it's turning. I'll take the wheel off tomo in the daylight and have a proper inspection.

Is there a way I could have bent the body, where the 'bone attaches?
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Jay w on 31 January 2008, 23:29:54
Quote
Thanks Jay, yeah, thats got my memory working. Wander if i took a knock to the head...? ;)

I hope i've just done the wishbone on the rear. It does look wobbly when it's turning. I'll take the wheel off tomo in the daylight and have a proper inspection.

Is there a way I could have bent the body, where the 'bone attaches?

i would imagine you have wiped out the bone and track rod/tie bar

if you have damaged the body then that is a jig job, however after getting it all back together it would be worth having the geometry checked to ensure everything is OK
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 23:43:00
Well obviously i'll know more tomorrow, but if you can imagine sliding sideways and hitting both front and rear passenger side wheels, so they go from negative camber, to positive - You'll have some sort of idea.

Are the steering racks and stub axles/hubs pretty hardy?
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 31 January 2008, 23:44:58
Oh, and i've just found a place that does my wheels, in my size (17x8.5 et25). So that side is looking up. Although they're in Germany and there is no price...:(
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: zippo on 01 February 2008, 07:03:45
Quote
Oh, and i've just found a place that does my wheels, in my size (17x8.5 et25). So that side is looking up. Although they're in Germany and there is no price...:(
i hope your feeling alright this a.m. tricky. the wheels might not work out that bad with exchange rate (i haven't checked) its a shame you cant get them from the states with the £ v $ rate being so good
   Daz
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: TheBoy on 01 February 2008, 08:16:12
rear setup is a trailing arm setup.  Rear is normally reliable, so ask a breaker on here for rear parts.

glad you seem ok
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 01 February 2008, 14:21:26
Right. This morning I dived into the broken bits...
How the car looked;

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/Side.jpg)

I'm not sure if it's luck more than judgement, but the front end seems completly fine, apart from needing a little tweek on the tracking.
On my coilovers, there is a camber adjustment, this seems to have budged, tking the majority of the impact shock, meaning the wishbone *appears* to be straight.

Luckily there was no damage to the strut;

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/FrontCoilover.jpg)
(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/Camberadjuster.jpg)

The rear, however, doesn't seem to have faired so well!:(

This is with the car slightly jacked up;

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/oppsed.jpg)

It's well out of shape.
By my reckoning, the rear trailing arm needs to be replaced, along with the tierod, which is bent;

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/RearTierod.jpg)

Luckily, the rear coilover seems to have just flexed and i've got away with it;

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/RearSpring.jpg)

The only thing that is a little worrying, is that somehow, i managed to snap the rear caliper clean off its attachment lugs?!

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/Rearcaliper.jpg)

The most upsetting (read most expensive) bit is the wheels...

(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/Frontwheel.jpg)
(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii115/Richard-Hope/Backwheel1.jpg)

 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I'm still smiling! ;D
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: TheBoy on 01 February 2008, 14:40:55
Oppps
Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: elvin315 on 01 February 2008, 15:07:27
The Omega has a semi-trailing arm rear suspension.

http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/72707687
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/72707686
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/92386653
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/92386654
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/92386655
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/92386656
http://www.pbase.com/elvin315/image/92386657

In the last two the differential is removed.

Elvin

Title: Re: Post crash suspension questions
Post by: Tricky on 01 February 2008, 15:21:05
Cheers. I think all i have to replace is pretty easy. Rear arms, etc.