2000 V70 NA front suspension refresh

[scot850]

This never ending money pit has a knock from the front. I have still to go under and confirm what it is but sounds like the LHF strut. I had hoped to swap the struts out with a supposedly (read supposedly and assured) good used set of struts from a T5.

Pulled those out from under the bench to clean up and paint and decided to dis-assemble to make easier to clean and paint.

Needless to say the first one was total junk. Only salvageable parts are the spring, the boot and the star and top nut and plate.

Strut has no resistance, the top bump stop is junk, the spring seat is close to failure and the bearing doesn't sound healthy.

So I know there have been endless suggestions what to fit and I do like the B4 Tourings from Bilstein. I plan to re-use the springs as only option is new Volvo from FCP, and the originals are actually ok (already cleaned and painted).

As for top spring seat and bearing plate are SACHS/OEM ok for the spring seats and INA for the bearing plate? My view is that with the lifetime warranty and at less than half price for the seats and a third of the price on the bearing plates they should be ok.

For the bump stop are the Pro-parts item any good or crap like everything else they sell or are Febo any good? They are about $7 each v's Volvo at $21/ea.

Opinions appreciated. Yes I wuld rather use OE parts wherever possible but I actually prefer the B4 struts over OE.

Thanks,

Neil.

[precopster]

All the above depends if you're keeping the car. If it were a long termer I would only put in genuine spring seats with the updated number (30683637 and also suits XC90). These have far more rubber material on the underside of the steel bushing. Even URO has the updated part number with filled-in area at the underside. Other brands including Febi, Sachs, Meyle do not.

I've been buying Pro Parts spring seats (cheap and readily available locally) and while fitting them yesterday on a 1999 V70 I could have sworn they were about to tear with the pressure of the spring.

For bump stops I.use the Monroe kit 63633 including bellows. The top of the bump stop isn't a perfect fit however I grind it with an angle grinder until it seats the metal washer perfectly.

[misha]

How can SACHS be bad since it is OE for these cars?
Shock apsorbers and rear nivomats are SACHS too(for some markets,nivomats are Monroe).

[j-dawg]

The cost of alignment and the history of aftermarket spring seat fragility makes me think it's almost never worth not going for the enhanced OEM part.

[misha]

What alignment after spring seat replacement?!
You do alignment ONLY after tie rod(inner or outer)disturbing or replacement...not after control arms,bushings,struts,spring seats replacement...etc...ONLY after tie rod replacement/removal.

[scot850]

I hear your wise advice misha. Problem is I haven't decided if I will keep it after I have tested all my electrical spares out on it or sell it on to some lucky person. I enjoy driving it even though it is an NA. With no moon-roof it feels like there is way more room in the drivers' seat for a large guy like myself. By comparison the 'R' feels a little tight for headroom, and even the seat feels like it does not go back as far. It is going to be a tough choice if the dealer manages to find the elusive suspension groaning on the 'R' which will make it more pleasant to drive again. Good thing with the base model is I don't get too paranoid about it getting more dings in it when it is parked! It is frustrating to try to own a good car here as the other drivers and passengers here don't give a crap about your car so they all end up with loads of dings on the sides and bumpers.

I may just hold off replacing the suspension for a coupe of weeks and make the decision then.

Thanks again.

Neil.

[j-dawg]

What alignment after spring seat replacement?!
You do alignment ONLY after tie rod(inner or outer)disturbing or replacement...not after control arms,bushings,struts,spring seats replacement...etc...ONLY after tie rod replacement/removal.

Ah, valid point. If you're just changing the seat, alignment probably doesn't need to be repeated.

[clifford06]

Greetings. Totally understand "money pit" analysis. Did you have a wobble while driving or just klunks when hitting bumps. I am dealing with wobble while driving, and had not thought about bad struts. The day the a/c stops blowing ice cold in this Texas heat, is the day I say goodbye to Helga.

[scot850]

It is the 'clunk' I get. If it was the swaybar end links I would expect a steady almost constant knocking, or similarly with the swaybar bushes. Strangely, it seems after a short amount of driving it gets less regular. The car then runs nicely. Rear springs and shocks were done (the upper shock bushes were fine) and used Volvo shocks and Lesjorfors(?) as the shocks were leaking and had no life left in them. Fronts seemed ok, but maybe the extended time the car sat with the front end in the air may have made them fail (well at least the LHF one). Definitely not the groaning I get with the 'R', particularly on turning.

In the case of this car I will probably do a 4 wheel alignment at Volvo and have the camber and alignment checked so I know all is good. Having fitted new tires I don't want to find it is yet another thing the PO didn't do when the tie-rods were supposedly replaced (they looked nice and shiny!). The later cars do have an element of camber adjustment the earlier ones didn't have as I understand it. If the camber is out it is equally bad. Nice to have a stage 0 for everything!

Neil.

[scot850]

Well it turned out I got lucky. When I went to look closer I found the LHF end-link was really bad. Swapping it out for a used one I had has the suspension now nice and quiet for now. Info is not wasted because if I decide to keep the car, I will refresh the front end as some point in the no to distant future.

Thanks guys! Help and advice always appreciated.

Neil.