Front suspension

[c_o_serban]

I have a 2001 XC70 and while changing the pads I noticed that one of the bushings didn't look too good (pic attached). Pretty soon I got the clunking sound when passing over bumps. Can you guys advise on how complicated this is? Also I get a wheeling noise during hard left turns, when most of the car's wight is pushed towards the right front wheel. I have no idea what can be wrong.
Any suggestion?

Thanks,
Cristian

[howardc64]

Thats the rear control arm bushing. Mine looked just liked yours not too long ago at 80k miles. Noises over bumps is commonly the spring seat cracking.

Sounds like most of your front end suspension need to be redone if haven't already (spring seat, strut, control arm bushing, endlinks) If you can do brake pads, you can do this job (strut needs a spring compressor, control arm bushing needs a hydraulic press or buy new control arms with new bushings in them)

Below is a diagram for reference. Spring seat is #8, Control arm bushings are #27 and #28. Sway bar end links is #18. Strut is #14. Don't know if the link will always stay alive. Just go to eeuroparts.com and search for your car year+model and look for front end suspension.

http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/DiagramPopUp.html?http://data.eeuroparts.com/Images/diagrams/lg_9be04513-3cee-4f57-982a-d2c8aa0980a1.GIF

I replaced all of these already and left notes here

http://howardsvolvos.webs.com/suspension.htm

Your hard left turn noise might be the hub or maybe the steering stop if turning at the limit. Hard to say.

And I live in Sammamish.. just north of you :)

[sjonnie]

I have a 2001 XC70 and while changing the pads I noticed that one of the bushings didn't look too good (pic attached). Pretty soon I got the clunking sound when passing over bumps. Can you guys advise on how complicated this is? Also I get a wheeling noise during hard left turns, when most of the car's wight is pushed towards the right front wheel. I have no idea what can be wrong.
Any suggestion?

Thanks,
Cristian
Clunking is often reported as swaybar endlinks, so check those. Wheel noise during turns is probably the wheel bearing. Both of these are known replacement components on high-mileage XC70s.

[Astro14]

Time for new control arm bushings (or arms)...like many others on the forum, I've replaced them too...

My advice is to just get the Volvo OE parts - lots of bad luck stories with aftermarket bushings wearing out quickly...and when pricing them out, it was about the same cost to buy new arms as it was to buy the bushings and have them pressed in by the dealer (who has the special tools).

I wouldn't have the bushings pressed in by just anyone, unlike every other car I've owned, they need to be oriented precisely...

[howardc64]

I wouldn't have the bushings pressed in by just anyone, unlike every other car I've owned, they need to be oriented precisely...

Indeed, I went to 1 Volvo indy and 1 Euro indy. The front bushing was pressed in 180 degrees off by both! I even gave them the directions specifying the bushing orientation on the second visit!

The angles+positions of the front bushing is tricky too due to curvature on the control arm. Lots of indies make their own press fitting to get even pressure on the bushing.

[c_o_serban]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I'll book a weekend to replace the suspention. Meanwhile, the front right noise proved to be just low steering fluid level. I also replaced the original TCV with the IPD one and I must say I'm impressed. The car has way better boost and shifting is like new. I almost thought I have tranny issues before. Great product.

[Astro14]

You did use the correct PS fluid in topping off...right? Volvo PS Fluid or Pentosin CH-11s...

The manual says ATF, but it's wrong. See Howard's site for more details...

[c_o_serban]

Pentosin was the winner :).
What I'm still undecided is wheather to replace the entire suspension or just go for the control arm bushings. And whether should I do the other wheel also or not. Does anybody have any ideea how to check if the struts still have some life in them?

[howardc64]

the front right noise proved to be just low steering fluid level.

PS hydraulic system is sealed. If you have to top off, you have a leak somewhere. Common place is cracking of the plastic reservoir where the hose connect to the PS pump.

I had a leak in the steering rack seal. Bottom half of the inner tie rod boot was soaked. Also had a leak in the PS pump.

So check around to see where it went.

[howardc64]

What I'm still undecided is wheather to replace the entire suspension or just go for the control arm bushings. And whether should I do the other wheel also or not. Does anybody have any ideea how to check if the struts still have some life in them?

Ask the repair shop if they have to take the strut out to do the control arm. If so, it is a good time to replace them. Of course it cost more (strut part, labor to replace the spring seat) When I do DIY, it is much easier to pull the strut out to do the control arm. However, I heard some shops knows how to pull the control arm out of the subframe, leave it dangling on the balljoint and use a portable press to replace the bushings. Or pull it off the balljoint also to replace the whole control arm.

If you do any of this, both side should be done. As for testing the strut for remaining life... I don't know of a deterministic way. I will say that the car is less bouncy going over speed bumps after replacing mine. The rear strut actually made a bigger difference. My backend was very bouncy going over speed bumps before the replacement.

And yes, iPD HD TCV is one cheap way to boost performance. I lost about 1mpg tho.

[JayPinNC]

Pentosin was the winner :).
What I'm still undecided is wheather to replace the entire suspension or just go for the control arm bushings. And whether should I do the other wheel also or not. Does anybody have any ideea how to check if the struts still have some life in them?

I just did my driver's side strut today and there was zero life in it. I compressed it by hand and it barely came back out...and when it did, there were spots when it is totally loose - 6 inches of zero resistance. I suspect this is where I was getting my 'clunk' noise.

Spring seat was broken as well.

As for my HD TCV...I lost some MPG too (about 1mpg) but I get boost when I need it. Before I was only getting it at 2000rpm whether or not I needed it sooner.

[c_o_serban]

After 8 months I endend up with new struts , seats and control arms in front (see pic) and struts and links in the back.... BUT!.... The clunking noise still seems to be there.:mad:... Not as bad as before but irritating enough. It's mostly present when going over bumps or uneven surface. I decided to check again and I found that I can freely turn the tie rod ends about 1 degree and they do make a clunking noise when doing it.
Would this be the problem or is it simply the front links I decided to spare?

[kamiar]

You can turn the tie rods by hands, seems normal, maybe the end links...