bad strut mount or spring seat? **Video included**

[wheelsup]

Just throwing this out there, and I don't really know much about suspension components and how to diagnose. But my spring seats were completely worn and I got all kinds of groaning when going over bumps, and even little ones. He says he doesn't get that. I would think it's the strut mount, the one with the bearing inside. Makes sense as he turns, it makes noise.

OP, when you jump on the bumper, does the front end creak?



http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/p ... ory_id/181

That being said looks like you are in for a front end refresh anyway. If neither have been replaced, do them at the same time. Another $100 or so in parts, and the same amount of labor either way.

[huzzsaba]

lol now I am confused..........


do I need this.........

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/p ... ory_id/185

or this.............
www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/product_id/6682/nm/Volvo_V70_OEM_Front_Strut_Mount_1998_2000_/category_id/185


Please keep in mind that I will have to sell this car sometime in the next few months because I must upgrade to a XC90. I don't want to have to do replace extra parts if not necessary.

Thanks

[matthew1]

Keep it civil, JRL. Disagreement is fine.

Caps and bolds are not. Last warning.

Next time it's months of account suspension and possibly me writing custom code to strip out all caps, bolds, italics and underlines from your posts. If I allow you back.

[huzzsaba]

Just throwing this out there, and I don't really know much about suspension components and how to diagnose. But my spring seats were completely worn and I got all kinds of groaning when going over bumps, and even little ones. He says he doesn't get that. I would think it's the strut mount, the one with the bearing inside. Makes sense as he turns, it makes noise.

OP, when you jump on the bumper, does the front end creak?



http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/p ... ory_id/181

That being said looks like you are in for a front end refresh anyway. If neither have been replaced, do them at the same time. Another $100 or so in parts, and the same amount of labor either way.

no it does not make any noise when going over bumps nor if i were to bounce the car up and down. Now that has really gotten me thinking. Initially I was thinking it was strut mount bearing as well because I have heard of spring seat related symotms and i don't really have those. Strut mount bearing kind of makes sense because today it was raining all day and the sound was louder. Could it really be the bearing in the strut mount is noisier today because of moisture?

Is it possible to spray some type of lubricant around the bearing perhaps to see if that would help for the time being?

[wheelsup]

If you're going to sell it buy the aftermarket products, they are a lot cheaper.

I don't really know the answer, everyone else is saying spring seat but logic points to strut mount. The aftermarkets @ FCP are $33.

I'm not sure how JRL says your spring seats are broken in half, you don't even see them. They are mounted underneath the strut.

FWIW I reused my lock nuts. I did have to buy one because I lost it. The new ones are 12mm the old are 13mm.

Looks like what is broken is the mounting plate cap. Although I don't know what V70's look like, I have an 850 (also ignore my link, I linked to an 850 strut mount).



That is supposedly the V70 schematic but FCP lists it as the 850 in the title so I dunno, sorry I can't help more.

See cap on top, where you put the 21mm nut and tighten down.

[jblackburn]

I'm pretty sure all you need is the spring seat (the first one you listed). A bad spring seat will turn right around in place.

Sorry for all the confusion here.

[wheelsup]

In that video you can tell the spring seat is worn away because doesn't rotate - or rather only the top part does. When the spring seat fits into the strut mount, it interlocks like a spline drive and rotates inside the strut mount. I would surmise the spring seat "splines" have completely worn away allowing it to turn? Thoughts?

His clearly rotates and makes noise however. Yours did not rotate, nor make noise.

Maybe he needs to twist like you are, and if it moves he knows his spring seats are bad.

Like I said I don't know much about this stuff. The cheapest option would be to replace the two spring seats, see if that fixes it, and then if not put the strut mounts on for another $100 +/-.

[erikv11]

I agree, almost for sure the spring seat is bad.

And both of the posted diagrams are correct.

Putting on aftermarket spring seats is a mean thing to do to the next owner, and you aren't saving much money by doing it ...

[jblackburn]

Mine rotates right around and squeaks just like that...it was just from a crappy cell phone camera I had 4 years ago.

Not to mention the rattling was driving me bonkers.

[wheelsup]

FWIW, when looking at replacing the components on my car, I couldn't find aftermarket spring seats for less than FCP was selling the OEM Volvo ones for. Advance Auto wanted $44 a piece for them, FCP sells genuine Volvo for $22.

I don't even think FCP offers aftermarket spring seats.

Only thing that can be aftermarket is the strut mount.