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[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Lifted the car up on the jack and found a little side to side movement in the front side passenger wheel. Is it worth therefore getting the track rods and the steering idler done?

[rustym95]

there is usually a bit of movment, but is excessive, can you feel it when you are driving. :question

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Yeah, I can feel it tramlining particulary when encountering road markings. It's like it temporarily changes direct slightly. Also when theres differing road surfaces the car wants to go in different directions.

[rustym95]

sounds like the the gate is worn out in the steering if its going both ways, are the arms nice and rigid on the tracking arms all of them if not would replace them, but do's sould like the steering gate is going.

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

By steering gate do you mean the steering idler?

[alank46]

Hi
What's a "steering gate"??
Alan

sounds like the the gate is worn out in the steering if its going both ways, are the arms nice and rigid on the tracking arms all of them if not would replace them, but do's sould like the steering gate is going.

[rustym95]

its the gap inbetween the cog teeth inside the idler, it allows a little movment when turning, when it wears out the gap gets bigger,

[Andy H]

After 200,000 miles my last omega had had many components replaced but the steering box was fine.

Parts that were replaced several times were:
lower balljoint
track rod balljoint
wishbone bushes

I would start by checking the lower balljoint given your description of the problem.

[hotel21]

Remember there is also a wheel bearing in this equation......

When the car is jacked up, get someone to depress the footbrake whilst you again check for free movement.  If the movement disappears, its the wheelbearing.   

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

Thanks for all the responses so far. If it was the wheel bearing wouldn't it be very noisy?

[hotel21]

Thanks for all the responses so far. If it was the wheel bearing wouldn't it be very noisy?

Not always, if discovered early enough. 

Its the free play you have noted and wheel bearing play is easily ruled in/out by the check as above.  No point in delving into the guts of the steering system and thereafter requiring a realignment if its the bearing thats at fault....

[feeutfo]

this area is very difficult to pin down imho. If your car doesnt track straight there are many causes. You can check the chassis and steering until your blue in the face, change seemingly faulty parts all day long and get no where.

Why? Tyres. Some seem to work on the omega, the expensive ones it seems, others dont. The owners manual even states not all tyres are suitable for these cars, something i was rather shocked to read very recently.

However if you've noticed a sudden deterioration in the car behaviour, and the car has been set up correctly, esp during the life of a set of tyres then something has failed, or worn.... IME anyway.

So question for the op. What made you jack the car and look? You mention crab or tramline behaviour. When did this start? Has it always been there or has it shown itself recently? If recently, which possibly sounds more likely? it would suggest play somewhere.
Wheel bearings can have play but not fail, i nipped mine up to take out the play, on the nod of "the master". Wheel still spins sweet as a nut. You will need a big breaker bar though and dont over do it. Better to have a fraction of play than over tighten. The Uk MOT allows a small amount.

Steering idler(grab it and wiggle up and down) and track rod ends tend to show wear when examining those individual parts. So should be fairly easy to spot.

Steering box seems to have a bit of play when the engine is off, only to be taken up when engine running and the power steering runs taking out the slack. If there is play with engine running, which can be felt by feeling the front wheel and moving the steering wheel at 90degrees off straight, through the open window, then it can be adjusted out. But you need to be very carefull with this procedure as its easy to over do it and screw up.


If, after all that lot, you dont find the problem, then would think your problem may well be wishbone bush related. If its tyres, you probably would notice soon after fitting.

[Omegadoha, Desert Member]

The tramlining over road markings and differing surfaces has been there for a while. I did make a point of fitting decent continental tyres though. The effect has deteroriated a little more recently (not a great deal) but I thought it was time I sorted it out. Thanks again.