DIY: 1998 Volvo V70 Front Bilstein TC Strut Tips/Tricks Topic is solved

[cudatime71]

Thank you for this post. It helped me immensely. My front passenger wheel was making all kinds of rattling noises. When I pulled on the top of the wheel, it actually moved out about an inch. This caused the inside of the tire to rub in the wheel well and get a cut. The upper strut mount bearing had worn out and was able to rock side to side. After replacing the strut mount bearing and the upper coil spring seat, it's all tight and quiet. Thanks again.

[rdhart]

I am having a problem with a 2001 V70XC that I just bought. I has had new struts installed. Something is wrong and the front end can't be aligned. The tires/wheels are tilted in at the top so badly that they can't get the camber even close. It is very obvious by looking a the car from the front. It looks like the wheels are at a 5-10 degree angle to the ground. The struts were installed at a local shop. I have had it to 3 Firestone stores. We have decided that it has to be the strut installation causing the problem since there was none before. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[vjaneczko]

First, take it all apart! Make sure all the parts are correct. Whoever did the install at the shop, they should have aligned it. If they couldn't, they probably did it wrong.

Re-read this post and if can actually take it apart, I'll guess there's an incorrect part somewhere. If you have all the right stuff, it's hard to tell if you need an alignment - until you drive it

Check FCP for a list of parts that you should have (check their suspension kits and they list 'em all).

[cn90]

Post more info:
- Type of struts installed. Make sure the strut was the correct type. Check it at:
http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartsResults.aspx
- Close-up pictures of the strut itself: turn the wheel all the way to the (R) to take pic of the (R) strut etc.
- Take pictures of frontal view of the car with wheels straight ahead.

I suspect the shop did not seat the Spring properly.

[turbozutek]

This procedure should really be updated to reflect that the ARB end link should be torqued to 50Nm, not 65!

65 will destroy it either straight away by tearing the threads off, or very quickly therafter while in service.

[cn90]

This procedure should really be updated to reflect that the ARB end link should be torqued to 50Nm, not 65!

65 will destroy it either straight away by tearing the threads off, or very quickly therafter while in service.

You need to read the first post more carefully, all along it is 50 Nm.
The 65 Nm as seen in the pic is from my 1998 BMW 528i.
I clearly stated it was a pic from BMW to show people how a thin 16-mm bicycle wrench works, and not for torque values.
(I did this because at the time I did not have a pic for the Volvo).

PS: by the way, even 65 Nm will not destroy it, chill out.
It is the exact same design of the endlink for Volvo and BMW.
Yet Volvo wants 50 Nm and BMW wants 65 Nm LOL.

[turbozutek]

Hmmm, odd, 65 happily destroyed one of mine with no problem whatsoever, to the degree that it needed cut off with a hack-saw (threads rounded off on the bolt part).

I also found the skinny spanner wasn't needed (and just got tore up removing the old link anyways) as you can move the rubber boot back a few mm's to get a real (normal) spanner on to it, then smooth it back over afterwards. The flattened off parts extend for a bit longer into the rubber boot on the links I had. Doing that made it a good bit easier and I got there in the end.

[mconnolly]

Thanks for the tips. So if you had it to do over again, would you consider the all inclusive kit from FCP? It looks like it has all of the front end as well as rear shocks. Available right now with discount for $523

http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-c ... 850kit10fr

1996 Volvo 850, runs great 238,000 miles and going strong, but the front end has some very unsettling at time wobbles and vibrations at highway speeds. Struts are definitely blown.

[cn90]

Search forum for the thread called "Use OEM Only for these parts" or something like that.

Then you will know what we mean.

Or search for every single part separately. That FCP package is a mix bag.

[vjaneczko]

I got that kit from FCP last year. It had a few parts that were Scantech junk, so you may want to call them and check the parts. Also, they SHOULD add the inner tie rods but don't, so add those to your basket when you're shopping.