Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Crazycarzowner on 24 May 2011, 21:46:59
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After spending a considerable amount of time underneath the miggy today, I happened to notice the wishbones on both sides look very worn & tired, so do the drop links. Its the first time really i've been under it whilst doin a service & other stuff. Also the inner shoulders of the front tyres are wearing rapidly more than anywhere else.
I was just wonderin whats a reasonable price to pay for em & how difficult are they to change???
TIA
Jason
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want.
When you have changed them though get the Cambers set up at Nigel Langs or WIM as you will scrub the inside edges off your tyres again :y
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What kind of a job is it to do Darth???
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Get a cheap set of wishbones off Ebay (approx £50) and fit them with poly bushes (another £40) ;)
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Not to bad on the scale of things really.... depends how you are with spanner spinning mate ;D
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Not to bad on the scale of things really.... depends how you are with spanner spinning mate ;D
Agreed... I think they're a doddle and would prefer to do a set of wishbones over adjusting the handbrake (which is a job I detest doing >:() ::) ::)
My next set of wishbones will be cheap ones with poly bushes in the front ;) :y
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Ah well in that case I might have to treat it to a new set then whether or not I do it before I go awayin it or not I dunno. ;D
Had fun with the oil cooler today, bloomin oil filter casing, I'm sure it was welded on >:( Took ages to get the damn thing off just to get at the cooler pipes. The filter itself looked like it had been bathed in tar - oil change not done for a while me thinks. Everythings back together now, just gotta do nearside bank (plugs & camcover). Then clean the breathers & throttle body out. Hopefully it'll run a bit better after all that gunk has been shifted, it were well bunged up,
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want. :y
As I've got to do mine soon and I want them to last as long as the originals (just over 50,000 miles, or is that optimistic) what course of action would you guys suggest based on the comment above. There seems to be varying opinions but I only want to do them once in my lifetime and I assume the answer would assist the OP as well.
Is it:
Spend lots of money and buy the complete GM units? (Easier to swap over with no hold ups. I'd personally rather spend more money to do them just once, because I'm lazy.) ;D ;D
Buy the genuine bushes and fit them to existing wishbones,with poly where possible? (Takes up valuable time.)
Buy cheapo wishbones but fit genuine bushes :-/ (Again, easier to swap over with no hold ups if it's possible.)
Give someone your credit card and say "get on with it". ;D ;D
Regards
Alan
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want. :y
As I've got to do mine soon and I want them to last as long as the originals (just over 50,000 miles, or is that optimistic) what course of action would you guys suggest based on the comment above. There seems to be varying opinions but I only want to do them once in my lifetime and I assume the answer would assist the OP as well.
Is it:
Spend lots of money and buy the complete GM units? (Easier to swap over with no hold ups. I'd personally rather spend more money to do them just once, because I'm lazy.) ;D ;D
Buy the genuine bushes and fit them to existing wishbones,with poly where possible? (Takes up valuable time.)
Buy cheapo wishbones but fit genuine bushes :-/ (Again, easier to swap over with no hold ups if it's possible.)
Give someone your credit card and say "get on with it". ;D ;D
Regards
Alan
Let me put it this way, if I were needing to do my own cars wishbones, I would fit Vauxhall ones as they last. :y
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Not sure I'd go down the cheap route again. All 3 joints on them are rubbish.
I ended up getting replacement bushes and swivel joints and refurbishing the original wishbones. One thing I did do though was assemble the front bushes 90 degrees rotated to the originals as the bushes are the "figure of eight type". The original fitment leaves them weakest in the lateral direction (or strongest vertically). Where is the sense in that?
The steering is now much more precise with none of the floppiness over white lines or camber changes. More importantly the tyre wear is much, much better.
I looked for poly bushes at the time but couldn't find any to fit an Omega.
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Wishbones/drop links and poly bushes.....
How do you it's time to change them?
Maybe a stupid question to some people, but until I got an Omega, I never had any interest in mechanics & cars. Now I'm older, I want to learn how my mig "ticks"
TIA :y
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Not sure I'd go down the cheap route again. All 3 joints on them are rubbish.
I ended up getting replacement bushes and swivel joints and refurbishing the original wishbones. One thing I did do though was assemble the front bushes 90 degrees rotated to the originals as the bushes are the "figure of eight type". The original fitment leaves them weakest in the lateral direction (or strongest vertically). Where is the sense in that?
The steering is now much more precise with none of the floppiness over white lines or camber changes. More importantly the tyre wear is much, much better.
I looked for poly bushes at the time but couldn't find any to fit an Omega.
This is the problem IMO. Some have had good results with cheaper wishbones. Some, possibly the majority have not. It's a complete gamble what your getting even if a good set of £50 bones are found, who's to say the supplier is still selling the same product for someone else recommended to them? The seller may may have found A cheaper supplier and saved himself a pound an item....? Or he bought a batch and the first ones where fresh rubber, the second set sat on the shelf for god knows how long since the first set wore out.
Avoid items from butpartsby, first line, delfi. All known to be rubbish in the past. Although conversely they may have had bad batches. Who knows? But is it worth the risk? Tyre wear is expensive enough, handling is not to be messed with, as is labour costs of fitting, agro of diy fitting, and set up charges all to be repeated in 3 months in some instances where bushes and ball joints have failed early.
My personal view is GM bones are massively over priced at £225 a side according to prices I have seen. Lemforder make them for vx and can be had direct from Lemforder via
http://www.allgermanparts.co.uk/ourshop/cat_277900-Steering-and-suspension-components.html
And come with a two year warranty for 120 odd a pair to the door.
Now, there have been some issues with these too. Namely MarkDTM being one, if I may speak for him in his absence, who's front bushes failed just short of two years old I believe. That's considered an early failure with lemforders, and he himself will admit that any manufacturer will have the odd failed part on a production run, and who knows how old they where when fitted anyway.
There has also been talk of some Lemforders being supplied with non tapped holes for the hid light sensor, meaning a nut and bolt needs sourcing by the fitter.
Also, as Mark suggested himself iirc, it's the front bush that's critical, rears less so. So fit Polly to the front only and carry on, the wishbones does not need to be removed even. Once the old bush is cut out, as covered in the guides, Polly just push in, do the bolt up and away you go.
So anyway, IMO. Buy lemforder with two year warranty from Allgerman, they'll be fresh as they come from ZF directly, you know what your getting, and if they fail fitting Polly in the front bush makes perfect sense to me.
Middle of the road price with best chance of longevity and recourse under warranty .... IMO.
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Another advantage with fitting poly bushes into your existing wishbones is that it probably won't put the geometry out noticeably. Fitting pattern wishbones will require it to be set up again without a doubt.
Depends if the rear wishbone bush is still intact, though.
Kevin
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Plus there's non of that torquing the bolts with the wheels loaded agro with Polly either.
Incorrect fitting is another factor in failed conventional front bushes.
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Chris, where can I get the poly bushes? Do you know a supplier I can get them from??
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want. :y
Let me put it this way, if I were needing to do my own cars wishbones, I would fit Vauxhall ones as they last. :y
Daz,
Thanks for your honesty. Do you mean buy the complete GM unit as opposed to replacing the bushes with GM ones?
Chris,
Thanks for your input. As you say, varying experiences from different people. I'll need to decide soon as the inside edge of the front tyres are just starting to show the signs. Are we all agreed that although GM bones are grossly overpriced, we would go down the genuine route if money wasn't an issue?
Regards
Alan
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want. :y
Let me put it this way, if I were needing to do my own cars wishbones, I would fit Vauxhall ones as they last. :y
Daz,
Thanks for your honesty. Do you mean buy the complete GM unit as opposed to replacing the bushes with GM ones?
Chris,
Thanks for your input. As you say, varying experiences from different people. I'll need to decide soon as the inside edge of the front tyres are just starting to show the signs. Are we all agreed that although GM bones are grossly overpriced, we would go down the genuine route if money wasn't an issue?Regards
Alan
Wooooo. Might have a re-think on that money comment as I just called Vauxhall dealer and he quoted over £500 for the pair. :D :D
I know I'm going deaf in my old age but I thought he said £228 each plus vat so the price Chris mentioned was pretty much bang on. Scary.
Oh yeah, they are not on trade club either.
Regards
Alan
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Chris, where can I get the poly bushes? Do you know a supplier I can get them from??
Polybushes:
http://www.dcperformance.co.uk/uprated/powerflex-poly-bushes/vauxhall/omega-b.html
Wishbones:
http://www.allgermanparts.co.uk/ourshop/prod_906178-Control-arm-lower-NS-Omega-B-Lemforder-27734-02-90-576-788.html
http://www.allgermanparts.co.uk/ourshop/prod_906267-Control-arm-lower-OS-Omega-B-Lemforder-27735-02-90-576-789.html
:y :y :y :y :y
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Try Larkspeed for the poly bushes, they`re £61.70 for the wishbone & ARB kit and postage is free.
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Try Larkspeed for the poly bushes, they`re £61.70 for the wishbone & ARB kit and postage is free.
I got mine from them and will be fitting them on Friday. Price is right, but don't expect them in a hurry!
Although to be fair, they do quote a long lead time.
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Try Larkspeed for the poly bushes, they`re £61.70 for the wishbone & ARB kit and postage is free.
I got mine from them and will be fitting them on Friday. Price is right, but don't expect them in a hurry!
Although to be fair, they do quote a long lead time.
They probably don`t even stock them, just get them sent straight from powerflex.
BTW how long did it take cos i`m gonna order some so I`d best get them before my wishbones.
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Got mine here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/POWERFLEX-BUSH-Opel-Omega-B-86-2003-PFF80-902-/300554345977?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45fa6f5df9#ht_687wt_1141
Arrived two days later! :y
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The price for wishbones varys really to what quality of wishbone you want. :y
Let me put it this way, if I were needing to do my own cars wishbones, I would fit Vauxhall ones as they last. :y
Daz,
Thanks for your honesty. Do you mean buy the complete GM unit as opposed to replacing the bushes with GM ones?
Chris,
Thanks for your input. As you say, varying experiences from different people. I'll need to decide soon as the inside edge of the front tyres are just starting to show the signs. Are we all agreed that although GM bones are grossly overpriced, we would go down the genuine route if money wasn't an issue?Regards
Alan
Wooooo. Might have a re-think on that money comment as I just called Vauxhall dealer and he quoted over £500 for the pair. :D :D
I know I'm going deaf in my old age but I thought he said £228 each plus vat so the price Chris mentioned was pretty much bang on. Scary.
Oh yeah, they are not on trade club either.
Regards
Alan
bloody ridiculous situation that is, of all the parts that should be on TC it's wishbones! .... I can't believe they sell many at that price, and the agro we have had on here sourcing alternatives. Vauxhall. PUT THEM ON TRADE CLUB. might bloody sell some then. >:(
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I got my genuine VX ones as surplus stock from a dealer via http://www.carpartsconnexion.com/ at a 'good' price. ;)
Also handy for SAAB and Landy bits..... :y
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.... Vauxhall. PUT THEM ON TRADE CLUB. ....
They used to be. :y :y :y
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.... Vauxhall. PUT THEM ON TRADE CLUB. ....
They used to be. :y :y :y
Really? :-? What happened? And how much where they? Out if interest. Guessing still steep?
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.... Vauxhall. PUT THEM ON TRADE CLUB. ....
They used to be. :y :y :y
Couldn't we petition Vauxhall Trade Club via ABS to put them back on. ;D
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.... Vauxhall. PUT THEM ON TRADE CLUB. ....
They used to be. :y :y :y
Really? :-? What happened? And how much where they? Out if interest. Guessing still steep?
Can't remember price, but IIRC it wasn't long after ABS club got TC