vauxhall mechanic here to help

[wrxstinutjob5643]

im new to all this forums stuff but i work for vauxhall as a mechanic and have worked on every vauxhall possible lol hope i can help you vauxhall lovers

[boobles]

Callyman.

[wrxstinutjob5643]

a what? :/

[boobles]

Just giving callyman the heads up that you are hear to help Vauxhall owners if need be.
Can never have to much help in my opinion.

[wrxstinutjob5643]

ohh right, god you can tell im new lol im all for the helping

[boobles]

[wrxstinutjob5643]

plus i have a corsa VXR which its engine is in bits and im wanting show the progres of that because im rebuilding the engine with better internals and once its running get it remapped

[boobles]

Pictures of rebuilds etc are always welcome on here.

[wrxstinutjob5643]

well im nursing a broken leg so it might be a while, but hopefully i can help while im sat on my getting fat booty haha

[callyman]

Cheers Boobles, and welcome along OP.

But to be fair Boobles, you cant own a Calibra turbo and not get to learn alot about it.

[callyman]

wrxstinutjob5643 said:

im new to all this forums stuff but i work for vauxhall as a mechanic and have worked on every vauxhall possible lol hope i can help you vauxhall lovers

Hi there, Are you still working on Vx's now?

Do you know of Sheldon North (vaux specialist) down here in Hampshire? Owns a sweet HS chevette.

[wrxstinutjob5643]

apart from having a broken leg and being on the sick i still work there yeah and to be honest i havent heard of it, im a service adviser and mechanic for vauxhall in warrington and crewe

[scarble]

ahha, welcome my good man, pleasure to have you here and such fortuitous timing too.

I've got a Calibra 16v which seems to have an awful lot of rear camber. It's all stock suspension, no lowering, as far as I can tell through the rust. The main cross member mounting bushes are well and truly mullered*, I've actually ordered a new set because it needs them anyway and I do reckon that's what's causing the rather large camber, although if you can advise otherwise please do. Honestly all other bushes look fine. It also wobbles about quite a bit, sometimes unpredictably, tugging at the steering or feeling really heavy then suddenly going light or even jumping in the other direction, which I think is all down to movement in this rear cross member. 100 mile round commute on the m-way, strong winds, lorry bow waves, mahoosive potholes, interesting stuff.

Err.. anyway getting to my question, some bloke at quickfit, some bloke at the halfords garage thingy and the haynes manual all say to remove the whole rear end, brakes, exhaust, fuel lines, shocks and dampers, the lot.. but me and the internet reckon you can jack up, support the cross member on a jack/axle stand, undo the bolts, knock out the old bush, lube up the new one and hammer it in. Ever tried this?

[callyman]

Are you 100% sure the springs are stock?

[scarble]

well no but the camber seems to be increasing and like I say these bushes are literally only half there.
ETA: everything else on the car is 100% stock, no poly bushes or any nonsense like that, well ok the stereo has been replaced
It doesn't look lowered and it is just the rear, plus it's some really extreme camber, for that to be only due to lowering it would have to be dragging on the ground and it's not.

Edited by scarble on Monday 10th October 20:12

[callyman]

OK, the rear end bushes can be changed without dropping the lot, but if you can, it's easier in the long run if (like you are) need to overhaul it all.

I'd def' recommend Autovaux for the bits, 01924 376003
Don't even consider a main dealer.

[scarble]

cheers mate, already got the bushes on order from autovox, should have them tomorrow, will see if I can get a pool car for a couple of days, like I say it's getting worse and not sure how safe it is

[scarble]

so.. I tried it today. Up on the lift, right off the ground, transmission support thingy under the cross-member where it connects to the bush bracket, bracket out, bush out, new bush in.. can't line the bush/cross-member up with the hole in the chassis. Any expert tips on getting it back in place, short of dropping the whole rear end off? It's kinda occupying a bay at work and potentially getting in the way of important things
Have tried all manner of pry-barring, lifting the wheel and the crossmember in various places with the transmission jack but the wheel is sitting well back in the arch and we can't get the whole thing to move forward.

[callyman]

Which direction does the arm need to move in?

[scarble]

forwards. is rather odd as the other side, still held by the bush, is further forwards, even the wheel on that side is further forwards in the arch.