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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    New England USA
    Posts
    75

    Default Rear shock replacement

    Just replaced rear shocks on my 2004 XC70 (see the video for reference, thank you whoever created it).
    I was hoping just top and bottom nuts to replace shocks like V70, but they are mini struts which I had to deal with springs (what pain that was).

    https://youtu.be/_qFKFgJ7PnM

    I did it at my friend's shop driveway with jack stands and was hard enough to just put both mini struts back where they were. My question is that while I put them back I notice that the hole for bolts (top part of the strut) are curvy oval holes which I assume that you can turn the whole strut a tiny bit. Are there any adjustment I had to make for them?

    It drive OK for now, but I'm just wondering.

    Thank you as always!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach
    Posts
    4,116

    Default

    I’ve done the rear shocks, which, as you say, are really struts, but I don’t know what you mean by “curvy oval holes”.

    For which bolts?

    Got a picture?
    Current Fleet:
    2016 Tundra Crewmax 4WD 1794
    2005 MB S600 (126K, Michelin AS4, HPL 0W40)
    2005 MB SL600 (55K Michelin AS4, Mobil 1 0W40)
    2004 V70R (143K, six speed M66, HPL 5W40)
    2004 XC90 (235K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-XC (295K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-T5 (225K, IPD bars, Bilsteins)
    2001 V70-T5 (125K, IPD downpipe, cat back and other mods)
    1932 Packard Sedan (straight 8, dual sidemounts, original paint and interior, Shell Rotella 15W40)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    New England USA
    Posts
    75

    Default

    Thank you.
    Please see the attachment. The oval shaped hole was a bit smaller (my bad hand drawing).
    That means you can turn the whole strut a bit.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach
    Posts
    4,116

    Default

    Ah, OK. I reckoned that was for assembly line folks. Once you have the shock compressed and bolted into that top mount, there might be a tiny bit of rotation needed to get the lower shock bushing onto the control arm post. So, the wiggle factor is in those bolt holes.

    When I replaced the springs on the XC, I took the shock apart, as I had done before for a shock replacement. I carefully marked the location of the upper mount (bushing in the aluminum housing) and the lower spring perch, to get everything lined up exactly.

    It was way off. Like 40 degrees off.

    Turns out, on careful side-by-side examination, that the Lesjofors spring has about 40 degrees difference between the end of the top coil and end of the bottom coil compared with the Volvo spring that was getting replaced. I had to take apart the shock assembly and tweak the upper mount/bushing by about 40 degrees so that, fully assembled once again, the lower shock bushing would fit onto the lower control arm.

    A word of caution, should you ever undertake doing the springs.

    Back to your car - if you've tightened up the bolts on that aluminum casting, and it sits within a couple of mm of where it sat before in the frame, it's fine.

    Cheers,
    Astro
    Current Fleet:
    2016 Tundra Crewmax 4WD 1794
    2005 MB S600 (126K, Michelin AS4, HPL 0W40)
    2005 MB SL600 (55K Michelin AS4, Mobil 1 0W40)
    2004 V70R (143K, six speed M66, HPL 5W40)
    2004 XC90 (235K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-XC (295K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-T5 (225K, IPD bars, Bilsteins)
    2001 V70-T5 (125K, IPD downpipe, cat back and other mods)
    1932 Packard Sedan (straight 8, dual sidemounts, original paint and interior, Shell Rotella 15W40)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    New England USA
    Posts
    75

    Default

    Thank you Astro14!
    Now I should do my front struts...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    182

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro14 View Post
    Ah, OK. I reckoned that was for assembly line folks. Once you have the shock compressed and bolted into that top mount, there might be a tiny bit of rotation needed to get the lower shock bushing onto the control arm post. So, the wiggle factor is in those bolt holes.

    When I replaced the springs on the XC, I took the shock apart, as I had done before for a shock replacement. I carefully marked the location of the upper mount (bushing in the aluminum housing) and the lower spring perch, to get everything lined up exactly.

    It was way off. Like 40 degrees off.

    Turns out, on careful side-by-side examination, that the Lesjofors spring has about 40 degrees difference between the end of the top coil and end of the bottom coil compared with the Volvo spring that was getting replaced. I had to take apart the shock assembly and tweak the upper mount/bushing by about 40 degrees so that, fully assembled once again, the lower shock bushing would fit onto the lower control arm.

    A word of caution, should you ever undertake doing the springs.

    Back to your car - if you've tightened up the bolts on that aluminum casting, and it sits within a couple of mm of where it sat before in the frame, it's fine.

    Cheers,
    Astro
    Yep, same experience with the BadSwede rear springs. The top and bottom termini of the new springs were in a different angular relationship vs. the originals, so you have to reposition the upper spring seat in the shock hat.

    Brett

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