Front Suspension                                                                                         FAQ Home

Note: the infamous "bounce test" is NOT an accurate way to pinpoint any front end/shock/strut problems. Remember, that as you are bouncing the front, you are really having to "defeat" the spring strength first (since they are what's holding up the vehicle under it's own weight) before any other problem areas will show up. This usually takes dynamic (moving) loads to recreate. Other sources to look at:

The bushings, as you've mentioned. Usually, broken bushings can actually be seen as cracks at the visible edges. Not always detectable as such but worth a look.
The strut inserts themselves. Once they've exhausted themselves (and perhaps have leaked their hydraulic "blood", there's not much else to do but clunk against the side walls of the pistons.
Sway bar bushings - if they are worn at the center mounts, the bar can be hammering the frame.

Sorry to point out the whole blamed front end, but as I said, it could be anything... you just need to study each of the components and figure out which you want to attack first. If you have original shocks or just about anything with over, say, 50k miles (Bilsteins maybe higher mileage), I'd suspect the shocks first.

Results were disappointing at first - didn't see too much improvement on the test drive, and the car sat an inch or so higher in the front , I think. Seemed smoother, but not remarkably so. Difference really showed up on the drive home. Had to do some serious braking, (to avoid an SUV!) and the control was remarkable. Usually, wet, heavy braking had the ABS hammering away, and not anymore! Wheels stick to the ground and don't hop about like they used to, cornering is much flatter, and rough roads (like the camel track known as the Stanley Park Causeway) ae actually bearable again - the glove box stays closed and you can hear the radio!

So get out and change those shocks. The 'bounce check' just does not reveal flaws. If your car is high mileage your shocks are worn out, even if it 'bounces' as it is supposed to. My old struts, you could just push 'em in and pull 'em out, no damping. The shafts were polished like glass with no machine marks visible. They aren't visible and they are expensive, but shocks have made the most remarkable difference in the car's handling.  Change those shocks! (I don't sell 'em, by the way)
 

Tips and Procedural Notes. [Courtesy of Jim Burton, via Joel Reiter's Volvo homepage.]

[Problem: The struts on the 740 are giving out. Has anyone replaced them DIY. how tough is it, what tools are required, and are there any bushings or other things to replace while I am in there?]

[Response:] I just replaced all the struts/shocks on our 87 and 88 740's. I used KYB because I got a great deal on them, but I'm not sure I would buy them again. The job is not bad, just long. You will need a spring compressor and a good set of 1/2 inch drive metric sockets, a 3 pound sledge hammer, a crowbar, Loctite Blue, a large pipewrench, and the remainder of a good tool chest. I don't have time to tell you how to do it in detail, but here are the areas you should watch for (not in any special order).

Use Loctite Blue or an equivalent thread locking compound on all suspension bolts. Consider replacing some of the critical nuts and bolts if you have high mileage.
If you have close to 100K, consider replacing all your ball joints while you have the front-end apart.
Have two strut tower bearings handy in case you need them. You can always return them to Volvo if you don't use them.
Mark the strut top bolts so you don't mess up the alignment.
Support the bottom of the strut with a block of wood so that the brake line is not under tension and pop off the wire holder on the backing plate for the ABS sensor for the same reason.
You will need a pipewrench and liquid wrench to get the tops off the strut tubes. If you have 70K or more on the car (7x0 series only), you will need to replace the bushings on the rod that fastens into the lower a-arm. I believe this is called the "radius rod" but I could be mistaken. These are about $60 per set. At least have them on hand. You can return them if they are not needed.
Buy new bolts and nuts that go on the lower rear shocks. The old ones are typically pretty rusted and beat up. Use anti-seize on the sleeve part of the bolts and Loctite on the thread.
Torque all your suspension bolts/nuts to factory spec as you reassemble.
Take your time and don't let yourself get frustrated. Allow all day and celebrate if it takes you less time. A couple rusted bolts or a missing tool or two can easily turn a reasonable job into long job.
Use jackstands and tire blocks (stop rolling) to protect yourself.

When disassembling the outer tie rod ball joints, take off the nuts, apply some liquid wrench, and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Then whack it with the 3 pound sledge hammer. A few whacks should loosen it. If you can't get it that way, you must drive a balljoint separator between the a-arm and the ball joint. This usually destroys the boot on the ball joint, so have spares ($26 each) available. Use anti-seize on the new ball joints. After you complete the job, get it professionally aligned. Take some of that money you saved and do something fun the next weekend. After all, you just spent all day Saturday working on the car when you told your wife it would only be 4 hours tops.

[Another Tip from RC] I replaced the front strut cartridges myself about a year ago in my 88 760 and found the job easier than had been with my previous 240 for the reason that in the case of the 760, I didn't have to disconnect the brake lines from the strut assembly. As I recall, I went through the following steps:

Inside the engine compartment, you'll notice that the top of the strut assembly has 2 bolts which secure the strut/spring assembly to the chassis. These 2 bolts are all you need removed to allow the assembly to pull out from the top and then swing outwards with its base still secured.
BEFORE you remove these 2 bolts you'll need:
a- a spring compressor which you should be able to borrow at an automotive parts store, and if that's not available to you, to rent from almost any rental shop.
b- an air impact wrench to loosen the large nut at the top of the strut or the piston rod. This nut is not impossible to remove with conventional wrenches if you have a box-end that'll reach deep enough to allow you to hold the top of the rod from turning. The impact wrench will handle the job without having to prevent the shaft (or rod) from turning. An alternative if you don't have an air tools, is to stop by a tire shop or any place that has air wrenches and get them to simply loosen that centre nut for you. Then you can take the car back home and, at the proper step, remove the nut with a wrench. You can do the same for the re-install and have them torque it down for you.
Remove the front wheel.
Remove the bolts from the bracket that secure the brake hoses to the wheel well.
Disconnect the stabilizer bar (this is to allow the wheel assembly to drop sufficiently. I can't remember if I also disconnected the tie-rod end.
Secure a piece of haywire or its equivalent to the top of the strut assembly and to the car chassis inside the wheel well so that when you remove the 2 nuts from the engine compartment, the assembly is not allowed to swing out more than about a foot. Any more of a swing-out than that will result in damage to the brake lines. Also, using a piece of masking tape, mark out the location of the 2 top nuts. This sets part of your wheel alignment (castor, I believe).
Remove the 2 nuts inside the engine compartment.
Swing out the assembly and compress the spring.
Once the spring is compressed sufficiently to remove the pressure against the top plate, remove the large centre nut. You can now pull out the spring. [Additional tip from Simon:] After the spring compression, make a record of the sequence of strut support, bearing and cover, rubber mold, washer, etc. and which way they are positioned. It is easy to disassemble, but assembling must be in the right sequence and position. You can figure it out if you forget the sequence, but why waste the time.
With the spring out of the way, all that's left to do is to remove the large flat nut that holds the cartridge in place. A large pipe wrench will do in a pinch or you can simply tap it unscrewed with a chisel. Be carefull on the reinstall that you do not make contact with the piston rod. Treat it as if it were made of glass.
Pull out the insert, put the new one in. Simple as that!
[Additional tip from Simon:] Consider lubricating the strut bearing. These are loose ball bearings held with a cup/plate. In my car, the bearing assembly can be opened easily.
Reverse the process for reinstall.

A socket set; 2x 22mm open end spanners (for a 7 series - 2 series may be different);locking pliers;

Car jack; Bottle jack (makes it easier - see text); WD40 and a wire brush; Hammer.

Instructions:

The procedure is rather simple. The end connects to the strut with a conical 'rod' locked with a nut, and the tie rod screws into the end and also has a locking nut. Either one of these nuts can be difficult to remove - - so here's how.

First, jack up the side you're working on and remove the road wheel. Using the 22mm (I think) spanner, release the locking nut on the tie rod (the one that locks the rod to the end). This may be quite difficult, but since the end is still bolted to the strut, it will not turn so this is easier. Sometimes the tie rod turns with the nut, in which case:

Use plenty of WD40 (probably a good idea anyway)

Use the wire brush to clean the threads (probably a good idea anyway)

Use the locking pliers to hold the tie rod, and release the nut

When you have the ball joint free, remove it from the tie rod, and count the number of turns. Then, put on the new one, with the same number of turns. This will set the tracking close enough so you can drive the car to the garage for accurate tracking - it's *not* good enough to keep.

Put the ball joint in the strut, and tighten the locking nut. The ball joint may turn in it's hole, so use the locking pliers to apply a *bit* of pressure to it while you tighten. Once it 'catches' it's usually OK.

Tighten the tie rod locking nut - this time, use two spanners, one on the nut and one on the tie rod end. The easier method is only good for a ball joint you're about to throw away.

Refit road wheel, and repeat for other side - and that's it! You're done - but don't forget to have the tracking done.

While you will occasionally find a broken spring, or someone who wants an upgrade, the main reason that you’ll be replacing springs is to restore lost ride height. Ride height is critical to proper alignment angles, both front and rear. Trucks carrying heavy loads can benefit from spring upgrades, such as variable-rate springs.

Spring spacers can hardly be considered a professional solution to a worn out spring. Spacers placed between the coils of a spring may restore ride height, but they cannot restore the spring rate. They can cause everything from spring breakage to coil bind and a harsh ride. If a customer insists on the installation of spring spacers to "cure" a bad spring, send him down the road.

On unequal-length, control-arm suspensions, a ride height too low will result in camber being more positive. Keep in mind also that a truck that sags in the rear will also increase front caster angles. This is because the sagging rear effectively moves the top pivot point of the front suspension (upper ball joint location on a control arm-type suspension) rearward, which obviously tilts the steering axis rearward, increasing caster. Furthermore, uneven ride height across the vehicle (left to right) can cause a steering pull.

Don’t forget that a sagging rear spring can also cause a ride height change in the front of the car. Careful measurements are needed at all four corners because it is possible for just one spring to be weak. This can cause a ride height difference diagonally, where the left rear corner, for example, is low, the right front may actually be high.

Check the jounce bumpers for signs of frequent or harsh bottoming. Damaged bumpers should be replaced. Frequent bottoming is hard on the entire  suspension and may be a result of vehicle overloading. If this type of problem is found, it may be a good time to sell the customer an upgrade to variable-rate springs. These springs are wound so that the spring rate becomes higher as the spring is compressed.  This gives a reasonable compromise between ride and load-carrying ability.

1. If you have the opportunity, put the car up on a lift and perform a bushing inspection before you buy replacements. If possible, do it with someone who is experienced with Volvos and 700 series in particular.
2. If you do not have the opportunity to follow suggestion 1, make sure you purchase your bushings from a retailer who will allow you to return the ones you do not need (Thank you, IPD!)
Information I have obtained from other 700 series owners is that replacement of the strut rod bushings is almost a certainty. Replacement of other bushings depends on the age of the car, road conditions, driver's habits, etc.

Detailed Procedure for Control Rod Bushing Replacement.  [Editor's Note: This four-piece conical bushing set is the big wear item in your front end.  Usually this is all that is required; the rear control rod round bushing does not wear as quickly.]  [Tips from Rod Johnson]  I noticed that my 740 had steering looseness and the condition of the strut rod bushings was bad.  Both sides were badly split, and the right side was extremely sloppy in the lower control arm.  I could move it about a half inch, just by pushing on the wheel.
So to the main crux of this post (how to replace the conical bushings)
I found a strut rod bushing kit on a well known internet auction site, and for $51 delivered, I was ready to install them.   I've not done this before on a Volvo, but I do have many years of experience working on automobiles in general.  It took me just over an hour to complete the job, after I had the car on the stands.   You will need two long breaker bars (one about 18" minimum) and a 22mm and a 15 mm  1/2" drive socket.  A ratchet will speed things up when you finally get the bolts loose.  A pry bar and small hammer may also be useful.
Jack up the car and place it on jack stands or other suitable supports under the control arm (not the strut or radius rod).  All work is done from under the car, and considerable force is needed to get the bolts to come loose, so if you consider yourself a bit on the 'weak' side, get a 24" breaker bar.   You do not need to remove the wheels or any other parts.   The rear end of the strut rod is a round bushing with a bolt going through the frame mount and the bushing.  The nut is probably coated with undercoating, so you will need to clean some of it off to get the 22mm socket over the nut, or just hammer the socket over the undercoating like I did.
The head of the bolt is a 15mm hex (and again heavily undercoated on my car),  so you will need a second socket, or long  box end wrench (don't even think of using an adjustable wrench on these-you will need a very  good fitting socket.  If you have a 6 point socket, find it and use it).  Again, the undercoating is the biggest issue here.
Brace yourself against the frame of the car and break the nut loose, then use the ratchet to get it off the bolt, and make sure the bolt is loose in the bushing.  If it is corroded, you will need to get it free before attempting the next step.
Now go to the front end of the strut rod, and look where it comes through the lower control arm.  Under that gob of undercoating, is another 15mm hex bolt, which screws into the end of the strut rod, clamping the bushings into the strut rod.
Using the long breaker bar and the 15mm socket again, remove the bolt and outer bushing. Now remove the rear bolt completely from the frame mount.  Pry the rear end of the strut rod down and out of the mounting bracket, and slide it to the rear and out of the control arm.  Remove the remaining half of the front strut rod bushing.
That wasn't so bas was it...?
The only thing to consider when re-installing the parts is to be sure to clean the threads of all the nuts and bolts, just in case there are some deformed threads or rust.  I would suggest some 'Lock-tite' (or other brand) bolt retainer on this mounting hardware.  On the replacement bushings, usually the part numbers go toward the large support washers.
Now replace the strut rod, with the new bushings, back into the lower control arm, and get the front bolt started.  Then pry the rear bushing back up into the frame mount (you might need a small hammer or mallet here) and pry it forward to line up the bolt hole with the mounting bracket.  Insert the mounting bolt, install the nut, and tighten both the front and rear bolts. [Tip from JohnB]  Here's a useful trick if you can't get that end bolt to start with the new bushings in there...take off the bolt that holds the sway bar link to the strut control arm (same thread...longer bolt!) and use that bolt to start/compress the new cone bushings. Then unscrew the long bolt and put the correct bolt in with loctite.   [Tip from Paul] After replacing the strut rod bushings (also known as cone bushings because of their shape) it is better to lightly snug the fastening nuts while the front end is supported off the ground.  Then lower the front end back to earth and tighten the nuts to the specified torque.  The reason for doing this is so that the bushings can find their "sweet spot" or neutral setting in the position that they will spend 99% of their time in.  If you torque them up with the front strut arms hanging down and then lower the car to the ground it is possible that there is tension in the bushings as the load of the car is put on them.  This is probably something you would never feel driving the car, but it could contribute to decreased bushing life.

Do the other side the same way and take it for a test drive.  I will be willing to bet the steering feels quite a bit more precise.   You are done with your part, but now you need to contact your local friendly alignment shop to have the alignment set again, as it is probably in need of a bit of adjustment.  You have just saved yourself about $100 in labor and parts costs.

More Tips.  [Query on 89 745T:] What's the best procedure for replacement of the front suspension radius arm bushing with  minimal disassembly?  I simply removed the sway bar end link (replacing them anyway) and the bolt holding the control arm to the radius arm. So I was obviously able to get the front conical bushing out (man, was it trashed) and now I can't get enough play to clear the tube from the radius arm where it goes through the control arm.  Do I remove the radius arm from its rearward mount (to the chassis)?  [Response 1:] You have to remove the arm.
[ Query 2: ]  How about the chassis end?  [Response 2:] The rear bolt has to come out. It is the only way to get the rear bushing off.
[Query 3:] If I am replacing struts and balls joints, is it better to remove the CONTROL arm instead of the RADIUS arm?  Is it more likely that the control arm's chassis side bushing is in need of replacing vs. the RADIUS arm's? [Response 3:] Control strut bushing (the conical $20 bushing, two each per side) is the one most likely to need replacing.  BTW, IPD sells the whole front end bushing set for $130 or so...if you're replacing four conical bushings for $80 and your car has over 100k on  it, you should just bite the bullet and buy the IPD bushing kit and do them all. However, it's not trivial to replace the other front end bushings (much like the rear) - you need a press.

Installation.  [Query:] The IPD bars are finally on order for my 91 940T.  I am concerned about performing the installation myself (for safety reasons).  I can perform basic repairs but have never been comfortable with suspension or brake work due to the criticality of these components from a safety stand point.  Question...should I be concerned and how difficult is the installation?  Can the car be supporting its' own weight or should it be on jack stands?  {Response: Michael Jue] IPD bars are actually quite simple to install IF you have basic mechanical knowledge. If you don't wish to do this, no problem! A shop can do it quite handily and the positive change in handling is still worth it.
A few tips:

Support the car with jackstands, wheels off.
Take note of what you are disconnecting.
When reassembling, the trick is to make sure that the end link bushings/bolts are "pre-loaded", that is, the lower control arm, which is now at full droop hanging freely, should be raised back up to "normal standing position (as it is with the car at rest, sitting on the ground.)  You can accomplish this using your floor or bottle jack under the strut base (front) and lifting until the control arm is in "normal position" BUT, be careful NOT to lift the car off the support stand.
Torque the end links just to the point where the end link bushings compress, bulging nearly to the edges of the bushing cups. No more, no less. You have now pre-loaded the sway bar. Once back on the ground, sitting on the tires, you may need to crawl back under to check the attachment once again.
Rear bar cannot be more simple. It's merely an unbolt old sway bar. Install new in place of.