Sway bar / stabilizer bar rattle

[Paul_okie]

2001 v70 xc.
I've had a front end rattle for many months that has been driving me nuts. Replaced several parts to no avail. Finally fixed and wanted to share in case it's your problem too.

First, what I learned in my research: 2001 XC has sway bar bushings that are vulcanized to sway bar. Stock bar is 22.7mm. "By the book" fix for sway bar bushings is to replace the whole sway bar. If you search "2001 V70 sway bushing" you'll find write ups on cutting off bushings and installing new ones on existing sway bar.

My bushings had been previously replaced so it was much easier to put new bushings on. I ordered energy suspension 9.5115R (G will work too, black instead of red color) from Amazon. These are 23mm bushings which I had read from someone else that they would use if they did again. Well, I'd order 22mm ones if I did this again.

My symptoms: fine on large bumps, speed bumps. But on minor road imperfections, like going down a regular asphalt road or old crappy concrete I had horrible rattle. I was able to move the sway bar by hand from side to side and could see where bar was hitting lower control arm (don't jack up the car to check this. Any "twist" in suspension puts force on the sway bar and makes it tight).

In the end, I don't really think the bushings solved my problem. I added hose clamps over bicycle inner tube on each side of sway bar just outside the bushings to stop any lateral movement.

Getting the 14mm bolts off the bushing brackets is an exercise in patience. But with the right combo of box ends, ratchet wobble extensions, and regular ratchet extensions it can be done without dropping subframe.

Things I searched for and never found: Volvo sway bar hitting lower control arm. Volvo stabilizer bar hitting LCA. Volvo front end rattle on bad roads. 2001 V70 XC sway bar bushing replacement.

In the pics - new bushings are red, old bushings are black.

[vtl]

Right answer is: new XC90 sway bar!

[oragex]

Interesting repair, you say you've just tossed the bar on each side without removing it from there?
You may also want to start shopping for a control arm as well, the rear bushing it's cracked quite a bit

[Paul_okie]

Tossed the bar? No, I just replaced the bushings. And added the clamps to keep the bar from sliding through the bushings side to side.

[Paul_okie]

also, just noticed that several of the pics are upside down on the preview...if you click on them they are correct. So, not sure why that is, but if things aren't confusing enough already. The bushings sit ON TOP of the subframe, and the bracket bolts go down.

[jonesg]

I'm having the same problem now, replaced driver side ball joint and tie rod end, but still get a knock on small bumps at low speed,
strut top seats are good. So I'll take a look at this next.

[vtl]

Did you check sway bar end link?

[Ducatiguy]

You too??? I had the exact same symptoms for years. Drove me crazy. Finally had a shop tell me in 15 seconds what the problem was after I told him the symptoms. The new bushings have given me a whole new front end!!!!

[SuperHerman]

Many years ago I did the same to my 2001 XC - if I recall the replacement set up was for a Subaru. I did not need to use hose clamps as the Subaru replacement parts, not Subaru brand but aftermarket, was designed in a manner that the bushing would not slide side to side. Sorry I don't recall which model I used, but I read it some where to use the Subaru replacement bushing and shopped by bar size.