Omega Owners Forum - front suspension arm

jack68

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front suspension arm
13. Jan 2010 at 12:10

The Mig has just passed it's MOT again so very happy. It had a couple of advisory notices and the only one i'm not able to do myself without guidance is the front suspension arm has a slight bit of play in the pin/bush. I'm not bad at DIY but is it do able and if so anyone got any advice and part numbers that i'll need. Before i go i assume it's better to change both sides at the same time.

Jack

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Marks DTM Calib Administrator Offline Ex Member Posts: 25671 Northern Hemisphere Gender: Drives: Astra J, Mum Bus, Dexta Tractor, 108 DMU wip	Re: front suspension arm Reply #1 - 13. Jan 2010 at 16:03 That sounds like wishbone....for which we have a maintenance guide
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Hannah Judes Dad Omega Baron Offline Posts: 2024 Cleethorpes North East Lincs Gender: Drives: A 1996 2.5CDX Auto Estate with a list of faults	Re: front suspension arm Reply #2 - 13. Jan 2010 at 17:35 And here it is http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1152986949 Hope it helps.
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ians Omega Baron Offline Posts: 3452 Reading Drives: '02 3.2 est, '98 3.0 Elite sal	Re: front suspension arm Reply #3 - 13. Jan 2010 at 18:09 Slight play isn't about to fall apart, so could probably wait until better weather You will need to get the geometry reset afterwards too.
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chrisgixer

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #4 - 13. Jan 2010 at 23:48

couple of mentions, would suggest lemforder wishbones from a factors, they make them for gm who simply double the price. 230 a side from vx, 110 a pair from a factor. There are numerous cheap makes on ebay, but its not clear exactly which of these makes are reliable.

Also make sure the bolts are tightened correctly with suspension loaded or on the ground.

May also be worth confirming the advisory does relate to wishbones, slightly unusual description perhaps?

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Andy B

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #5 - 14. Jan 2010 at 00:05

chrisgixer wrote on 13. Jan 2010 at 23:48:

couple of mentions, would suggest lemforder wishbones from a factors, they make them for gm who simply double the price. ......

This kind of statement is often quoted eg Whatever is made by XXXXX who supply YYYYYY. While this might very well be true, just because company XXXXX makes whatever, it's not always the same as the branded part. M & S Cola is made by Barrs (makers of the vile Irn Bru) but it's different from other colas & other vile drinks Wink

. Heinz makes HP beans .... but they're a different recipe from Heinz's beanz Wink

. A local maker of tissue paper makes for the branded names, but also makes for the likes of Tesco etc. Branded names have one spec and A N Other have a lesser spec made to a lesser price ie if they're making for Branded firm & a spanner gets in the works, then they're making to a supermarket spec. Wink

While I've no experience of other makers of wishbone bushes you can't always go off who makes them.

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Bionic

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #6 - 14. Jan 2010 at 06:08

Listen to Andy B!
To get a genuine VX part that will last you buy from VX. If you want a cheaper clone aftermarket one then buy it from anywhere else.
Here is my tale of woe that might be of help in your decision! Firstly I live in an area where the roads are poor to say the least. Leicester City Council is renowned for punishing of the motorist in every way it can! After a mot advisory that the ns one was showing its age I opted to change them both because the originals had been on for 150000 miles from new.
I bought a wishbone from VX and a second some weeks later from a Motor Factor of good repute (or so they say). I did that because money was tight at the time (I had just paid my council tax) The VX one is still going strong after 10+K while the clone I had to change again after a few thousand when the ball joint failed and started to clunk. They were in different sealed plastic bags too, the VX one was made in Germany and in a GM labelled bag, the clone came in a nondescript bag with only the part number on it. The difference in cost was about 20 quids or so.
Says it all I think.
GudLuk

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bigdods Intermediate Member Offline Posts: 455 Brackley Gender: Drives: Elite 3.0 Facelift, TVR Chimaera , Golf V5	Re: front suspension arm Reply #7 - 14. Jan 2010 at 12:16 Just discovered my front wishbone bushes have seen better days. Can someone be really helpful and look up the Vx TC price for the pair on a F/L ? Reminds me, must send off my ABS renewal tomorrow..... Cheers !
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Lazydocker

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #8 - 14. Jan 2010 at 12:56

bigdods wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 12:16:

Just discovered my front wishbone bushes have seen better days. Can someone be really helpful and look up the Vx TC price for the pair on a F/L ?

Reminds me, must send off my ABS renewal tomorrow.....

Cheers !

IIRCC Wishbones aren't on TC.

Buy Lemforder ones for £110ish per side... They are good quality and will last Thumbs Up!

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bigdods Intermediate Member Offline Posts: 455 Brackley Gender: Drives: Elite 3.0 Facelift, TVR Chimaera , Golf V5	Re: front suspension arm Reply #9 - 14. Jan 2010 at 13:31 In danger of showing my complete numptyness on the omega, lots of talk about 'the wishbones' does it just have one per side at the front ? I always thought wishbones were in an upper and lower pair so two per side (this is how it works on my TVR) Stupid question I am sure, but thats how we learn
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chrisgixer

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #10 - 14. Jan 2010 at 16:19

bigdods wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 13:31:

In danger of showing my complete numptyness on the omega, lots of talk about 'the wishbones' does it just have one per side at the front ? I always thought wishbones were in an upper and lower pair so two per side (this is how it works on my TVR)

Stupid question I am sure, but thats how we learn Roll Eyes

A fair question imo, one wishbone per side, lower i supose you might say. Also might say its a more basic design, simpler to work on too, compared to some i've seen at least.

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chrisgixer

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #11 - 14. Jan 2010 at 16:28

Bionic wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 06:08:

Listen to Andy B!
To get a genuine VX part that will last you buy from VX. If you want a cheaper clone aftermarket one then buy it from anywhere else.
Here is my tale of woe that might be of help in your decision! Firstly I live in an area where the roads are poor to say the least. Leicester City Council is renowned for punishing of the motorist in every way it can! After a mot advisory that the ns one was showing its age I opted to change them both because the originals had been on for 150000 miles from new.
I bought a wishbone from VX and a second some weeks later from a Motor Factor of good repute (or so they say). I did that because money was tight at the time (I had just paid my council tax) The VX one is still going strong after 10+K while the clone I had to change again after a few thousand when the ball joint failed and started to clunk. They were in different sealed plastic bags too, the VX one was made in Germany and in a GM labelled bag, the clone came in a nondescript bag with only the part number on it. The difference in cost was about 20 quids or so.
Says it all I think.
GudLuk

the industry wide advice is to change wishbones, or any suspension parts, in pairs. To be specific, a pair that are the same as each other, not an odd pair, hence not a pair at all.

ps listen to B if you want, but you wont find wishbones in a supermarket. Grin

(wtf?

)

the point of my original post was that there have been numerous early failures with various "cheap makes" of wishbones, as you have clearly dicovered. Lemforder are, to my knowledge, the most reliable supplier, mostly because they supply them to gm!....and can be had from a factors for £110 a pair, as apposed to £460 a pair PLUS VAT FROM VX for the exact same part. Yes you can buy cheaper bones but odds are the job will need doing again soon, mainly because nobody in their right mind is going to stand up on here and guarantee a £50 pair of wishbones are going to last more than 3 months never mind 3 years, again, for reasons you have discovered.

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« Last Edit: 14. Jan 2010 at 16:50 by chrisgixer »

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chrisgixer

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #12 - 14. Jan 2010 at 16:57

Andy B wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 00:05:

chrisgixer wrote on 13. Jan 2010 at 23:48:

couple of mentions, would suggest lemforder wishbones from a factors, they make them for gm who simply double the price. ......

This kind of statement is often quoted eg Whatever is made by XXXXX who supply YYYYYY. While this might very well be true, just because company XXXXX makes whatever, it's not always the same as the branded part. M & S Cola is made by Barrs (makers of the vile Irn Bru) but it's different from other colas & other vile drinks Wink

. Heinz makes HP beans .... but they're a different recipe from Heinz's beanz Wink

. A local maker of tissue paper makes for the branded names, but also makes for the likes of Tesco etc. Branded names have one spec and A N Other have a lesser spec made to a lesser price ie if they're making for Branded firm & a spanner gets in the works, then they're making to a supermarket spec. Wink

While I've no experience of other makers of wishbone bushes you can't always go off who makes them.

How does this help the op Andy? If you have more reliable advice to offer him perhaps might be helpfull to type that instead?

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Jamieo

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #13 - 14. Jan 2010 at 17:02

I replaced mine on monday with a pair of QH ones from my local motor factors for £101.89 including vat. They look like they are really good quality (especially when compared to the cheap and nasty ones that I put on my car a few months ago from eBay) and according to the salesman all QH products come with a 12 month warrenty. I have used other QH products in the past without any problems.

Has anybody else used QH wishbones?

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hotel21

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Re: front suspension arm
Reply #14 - 14. Jan 2010 at 19:29

chrisgixer wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 16:57:

Andy B wrote on 14. Jan 2010 at 00:05:

chrisgixer wrote on 13. Jan 2010 at 23:48:

couple of mentions, would suggest lemforder wishbones from a factors, they make them for gm who simply double the price. ......

This kind of statement is often quoted eg Whatever is made by XXXXX who supply YYYYYY. While this might very well be true, just because company XXXXX makes whatever, it's not always the same as the branded part. M & S Cola is made by Barrs (makers of the vile Irn Bru) but it's different from other colas & other vile drinks Wink

. Heinz makes HP beans .... but they're a different recipe from Heinz's beanz Wink

. A local maker of tissue paper makes for the branded names, but also makes for the likes of Tesco etc. Branded names have one spec and A N Other have a lesser spec made to a lesser price ie if they're making for Branded firm & a spanner gets in the works, then they're making to a supermarket spec. Wink

While I've no experience of other makers of wishbone bushes you can't always go off who makes them.

How does this help the op Andy? If you have more reliable advice to offer him perhaps might be helpfull to type that instead?

Its a fair, if perhaps a tad longwinded, response to a serious question, in my opinion.

Lemfoder may not be the best example to use in this particular argument as they are of generally known good quality but AndyB's observation remains fair.

Thumbs Up!

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Tech 2 available in Scotland. click on ->

http://theboy.omegaowners.com

for prices.....

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