|
For some time the steering on my 2.6 Omega auto estate has felt a bit imprecise. When balancing the wheels recently the tyre fitter suggested there might be excessive play in the steering. (No,he was not looking for work.) There is no obvious play when moving. When stationary with the engine switched off there is about an inch and a half of play. Is there any adjustment anywhere, or does anyone have any suggestions how I can check this or what may be the problem?
|
|
It's normal for a recirculating ball system to have more play with the engine off. As you have a 2.6, it can't be that old, so if the steering is not precise the most common wear items are steering arms, idler arm, and tie rod ends.... What sort of mileage/age and road humpage has the car done?
|
I can't quite recall the MOT regs for wheel free-play but I think it is 1/2" for rack and pinion systems and 3" for steering box equipped systems.
I could be wrong! I'll try and check the testers manual tommorrow.
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Reply |
Report as offensive
| Link
|
|
|
|
It's done about 40,000, is two and a half years old,and yes, Oxford's humps are quite vicious.
|
|
If its play with the engine off, I dare say it will be the input shaft to the steering box moving without the output shaft moving, in other words not much you can do, there is an adjustment for cone bearing preload on top of the box, but this is supposed to be done with the box off the car and with special torque measuring apparatus. I think what you have may be normal for a RWD car which doent use rack and pinion steering.
|
|
|
|
|
I had exactly the same problem with my omega 2.5 inprecise steering which got steadly worse it turned out to be a seized tierod and i had the toe in increased to .8 it says it should be .4 but there is a note about it on vauxhall site you can also see the same info on the TIS disc available on ebay Type in Tracking in the search engine on the TIS and it will give you that info incidently the adj that sooty refers to was loose on my veh I tightened it up or should i say nipped it up and voilla steering ok hope it helps
RobertH
|
|
|
Oh and by the way increasing the toe in is a cure for the ubuiqtous tramlining experienced by most omega drivers
roberth
|
That's interesting...my tramlining problem went away virtually completely on BF Goodrich tyres, but has returned now I am on Avons (which I regret!).
Would increasing toe in have any other effect, detrimental or otherwise?
|
the problem is that as there are about 6 joints on the steering geometry a small amount of play in each will result in the wheels going into Toe Out which wears the tyres on the inside of the tyre the problem is more prevalent on the large engine cars ie 2.5 3.0 its the thrust of the forward motion making the tyres toe out at speed. Sorry if the answer is not in queens english but that is how it was explained to me by a mechanic in the trade, all police cars are overtracked for this very reason if you drive at speed on the motorway it will stop the wear on the inside I have Avon zz3 on my car and they are brilliant far better than the previous michelins
RobertH
|
|
|
|
