Thoughts on FCP full suspension kit

[kartboy1234]

Hello everyone, I have a 2002 V70xc and it seems like the suspension needs work. I am looking at the FCP kit http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-front-rear-suspension-xc70-v70xc-sachs-vfsk5-xcfullfr so I can save money and receive all of the parts at once. Anyone have any thought on the components included? I don't want to buy cheaper products. Your help is much appreciated.
Thank you
Kart

[JRL]

Better make sure the control arms and springs seats are OEM VOLVO

[IVIUSTANG]

I looked at this last week, I would run away from it. To many cheap parts, and I would never put an XC70 spring seat bushing on any Volvo, should be the XC90 bushing for longevity only.

Jesse

[cheapo]

When I asked the same question (http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?21642-Is-the-FCP-Groton-Front-Rear-Suspension-Kit-a-Good-Deal-for-me-and-my-2003-XC70), I got a pretty emphatic "Go for it!"

[I_am_perfect]

Depends on how long you are going to keep the car. If you plan on keeping it a while put together some of the heavy duty parts so you won't have to worry about it for a long time or ever again. Otherwise most of the parts will at least last you 60k. Whatever you put on will make it ride better than the used parts on there now.

[JRL]

When I asked the same question (http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?21642-Is-the-FCP-Groton-Front-Rear-Suspension-Kit-a-Good-Deal-for-me-and-my-2003-XC70), I got a pretty emphatic "Go for it!"

Whoever said that was WRONG

[kartboy1234]

Thank you everyone for getting back to me. From what I am reading it seems that people have a few thoughts, 1) if I want to keep the car for a while use the HD volvo parts and pay more 2) if I am not going to keep it for a long time then this kit is fine, 3) the most important parts that need to be volvo OEM are the control arms and spring seats. @Cheapo: I read your thread before posting and couldn't figure out if I should go for it. How has the kit held up for you? I am usually am nervous when working on the suspension of a car, but I thought that it looks easy enough to work on so I might as well do it. Any thoughts on the shocks? Good? Bad? I am planning on doing a big work on the car weekend, Gibbons Flush, Suspension, get tires balanced and a few other little projects. Anything I should so when I have the car in pieces?

[Leto Atreides II]

When I asked the same question (http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?21642-Is-the-FCP-Groton-Front-Rear-Suspension-Kit-a-Good-Deal-for-me-and-my-2003-XC70), I got a pretty emphatic "Go for it!"

While it links to the same kit now, it was labeled as all OEM parts in your description. It's clearly not all OEM now. Did the kit change, or was it not really all OEM before either?

[JRL]

Groton does not know the meaning of OEM
OEM to them means Scantech!!!

[IVIUSTANG]

Groton does not know the meaning of OEM
OEM to them means Scantech!!!

Agreed, FCP scares me... and now that they don't use worldease shipping I avoid them like the plague. Tasca parts for me :)

The shocks and struts are a couple of the actual quality parts in that kit kartboy.

Jesse

[kartboy1234]

Since FCP doesn't seem as reliable as I thought, I put together an order from Tasca, it includes the L/R strut, L/R bump stop,L/R boot,L/R spring seat, L/R lock nut,L/R support plate, L/R rear shocks, L/R front control arms. Sound good? Total cost is $1131 including shipping, doesnt seem too much over FCP and this includes OEM. I figure that I can take some of the old bolts off of the car and reuse them, is that me just being cheap and stupid, or should I replace the bolts just in case. Thank you again for everyone for helping.

[JRL]

If the bolts look decent, it's OK to re-use

[IVIUSTANG]

Since FCP doesn't seem as reliable as I thought, I put together an order from Tasca, it includes the L/R strut, L/R bump stop,L/R boot,L/R spring seat, L/R lock nut,L/R support plate, L/R rear shocks, L/R front control arms. Sound good? Total cost is $1131 including shipping, doesnt seem too much over FCP and this includes OEM. I figure that I can take some of the old bolts off of the car and reuse them, is that me just being cheap and stupid, or should I replace the bolts just in case. Thank you again for everyone for helping.

Did you order the XC90 spring seat bushings instead of the XC70 version?

Jesse

[kartboy1234]

I have not ordered anything yet, are the xc90 spring seats really that much better? Should I replace the rear spring seats, do they go bad after 80,000 miles?

[JRL]

You need to understand your car, there are no rear spring seats
Rears are shocks, that has a shock mount and that would be up to you.
ALL spring seats sold by VOLVO dealers now are XC90 spring seats, what anyone else sells is a crap shoot.
Yes, they are better

[kartboy1234]

Ok I guess I have been looking at the wrong diagrams, I saw a few one mentioning spring seats on the rear and one not, thought I would ask. I am going to take the wheels off tomorrow and look around just to get more familiar with it. I looked at the front but with the wheels on. I will buy the xc90 spring seats instead. I will post an update when I purchase, receive, and install everything. Thank you for the help.
Kart aka Michael

[IVIUSTANG]

I have not ordered anything yet, are the xc90 spring seats really that much better? Should I replace the rear spring seats, do they go bad after 80,000 miles?
49344935

Here's two pictures comparing the XC70 spring seat versus the XC90 spring seat, pay particular attention to the amount of rubber surrounding the metal collar in the middle. The XC90 version has signifigantly more material on both the top and bottom, compare that to the "hollowed out" effect of the XC70 bushing. I'll also mention I replaced my spring seats at 100,000 miles and they were still in great shape, the XC90 part may never need to be touched again.

In addition, the XC70 does in fact have rear spring seats. Although I have never seen one fail, they are super cheap and I didn't replace mine when I installed my lift kit. It is a very robust shock absorber/mount design on the rears of these vehicles. Follow this link and look at the diagram, the spring seat is item #5. http://www.tascaparts.com/parts/2006/VOLVO/XC70/?siteid=213668&vehicleid=1433144&diagram=9712640

Jesse

[JRL]

IT DOES NOT
It's called a REAR SHOCK MOUNT and it looks quite different
It does not seat the spring

[kartboy1234]

That is a big difference from the xc70 and xc90 spring seat. I will order the xc90's. I see that for the 2002 xc70 tasca lists here http://www.tascaparts.com/parts/2002/VOLVO/V70/X/C/?siteid=213668&vehicleid=1389371&diagram=9712640 part 5 a spring seat at around $300 so I will not order those haha. I need to take the wheels off and become familiar with the rear suspension.