1999 V70R Mystery Steering Vibration Issue

[breesay1]

Hi guys. I'm experiencing major mechanical frustration with my beautiful 143k, 1999 Laser Blue v70R.

The car vibrates very badly, seemingly focused on the front right side. I bought the car one year ago with the intention of replacing everything needed and making it my daily driver/freeway racer. I "stage zero'd" it and after whacking it into a curb and ruining one of its wheels I began experiencing really annoying high speed (60-70 mph) vibration. The vibration is not necessarily under acceleration or deceleration loads, and does not happen during braking. I am not new to tinkering on cars... so to me it feels like a badly unbalanced tire... but I have done so many balancings along with the following at my local independent volvo mechanic to address the issue and it will NOT go away!

Here's whats been done so far:

-New 17" Borbet Volvo rims and new tires
- 2 standard wheel balance jobs from normal shops and "road force" advanced wheel balance
- professional laser alignment job
- both control arms and ball joints
- both front struts, strut bearings/strut mounts
- both wheel bearings
- replaced axles, twice and with different brands to ensure it wasn't a fit issue with non OEM parts, now running have brand new, not re-manufactured, set from FCPeuro
- tie rod ends, both inner and outer
- sway bar links
- front right motor mount- all other mounts appear fine (as did this one) but I replaced it anyway out of... frustration
- I also had my rotors spun have fresh brake pads in
- The car has a new to me, freshly lubed and finely-working angle gear and connector sleeve and AWD system passes the gravel test and does not vibrate or clunk when

So, naturally I am getting a bit frustrated, I love the car and don't mind having rebuilt the entire front end (as all of those parts would eventually have needed replacing anyway) but damn! I want it to ride smooth and powerful between 60mph and 100mph as it used to.

Anyway, the only thing vaguely related to rotation/vibration that I can think of have not replaced is the steering rack. Could this be it? The sub frame bushings? Angry norse gods? If not please help with other ideas.

Thank you

[phils94850]

Beautiful car !!

I would replace the front brake rotors, there a cheap replacement, if that doesn't do it and considering you've done everything else its gotta be your steering rack.

[scot850]

Nice car! I have a 2000 laser blue V70R which I love also, but will soon be sold due to lack of use!

Are you 100% sure the problem is the front end? As you say you have done all the obvious stuff, but here are a couple of other suggestions.

My wife had an Audi A4 that she bought and only later we found it had been in an accident that had not been recorded. The car ate front tires and always seemed to have a vibration. Eventually in frustration I had the frame checked and found that although the wheel alignment was good, the frame was out of true. With you having whacked the front wheel, I'd make sure the frame and the control arm mounting area of the frame are straight, particularly on the side that was hit.

You have probably done the obvious of swapping the new front and rear rims to rule out a bad tire/rim issue (I know you said they were new) as it is easy to bend these alloys with a pot hole.

There are a couple of other things to check. Are you 100% on it being a front end issue? Try the following:

1) Try driving the car on a flat piece of road and concentrate to make sure all the vibration is only coming through the steering wheel. If you are feeling ANY vibration through the seat of your pants, your car issue may be towards the back.

2) Remove the prop-shaft and drive the car without it fitted. This will illuminate the prop-shaft, it's bearings and the center mount being issues. While it is off, have a really good look at the parts for movement in the bearings.

3) Check the angle gear output shaft for movement. It may not be leaking but the rear bearing could be failing. Any sideways movement is a problem.

4) If removing the prop-shaft does not cure the issue, then then rear of the car is probably ok. But while you are under there, check the front bearing in the VC housing as they fail, also there is a bushing at the front of the VC housing that fails with age allowing a clunk or vibration of the prop-shaft.

5) The VC start to fail and cause you to get partial lock-ups which lead to vibrations.

6) Check all the rear bushes and sub-frame bushes for wear, and any movement in the rear axle shafts.

7) Finally, I know you have replaced the front axles, but I have had a devil of a time with re-man'd axles. I eventually replaced one of the front axles on an 850 with a good used Volvo axle and the vibration and what I thought was transmission failure/vibration disappeared.

Good luck! Hate to sell my car, but mine is only going as I don't drive enough to need a 'toy'. Our main car has only done 1000 miles or so since March 2014!

Neil.

[scot850]

Oh, forgot one other thing to check! Check the rear brakes are not sticking! The E-brake shoes can de-laminate with age and rub causing annoying vibrations. Had 2 Volvos with this issue.

Neil.

[breesay1]

Thanks so much Niel. Good stuff all around.

I have replaced the bevel gear and with a decent used one that had was full of clean gear oil and had no play of any kind when the shop installed it less than 500 miles ago. They are a volvo's only outfit in the SF Bay Area and seem to know whats up... I was with them as we worked forward from rear diff to VC to prop shaft to bevel gear (mine had failed not by stripping but... the gear had just broken from the shaft that is is bonded to and was rotating freely around it. must have been prev owner's worn tire mix) and all was tight and orderly and once AWD system was reconnected there was no change in the vibration... I just didn't light up the front tires from stop lights any longer. When I drove it with prop shaft off in FWD and it still vibrated like hell.

So, here are some things I can add to the equation: I do feel the vibration in the seat. Absolutely. It is is an intense vibrating... as I say between 60-70mph. It is also more intense when cornering to the right on high speed freeway turns. Clearly comes through steering wheel from front right side.

The axles are not remanufactured. I've now tried replacement with local remanufactured units, the original German-made volvo units that came on it, and now have new FCPeuro units in there. Same horrid high speed vibration.

At this point I may be imagining things, but driving slowly down a smooth street at right around 22mph with the accelerator juuuust depressed to keep the speed up, that I can feel a slight loping, sort of rhythmic bobbing to the whole car. Like... driving a car with egg-shaped tires... this again points back to the rims/tires or axles but the road force balancing dudes said there was absolutely no problem with the roundness and balance of the rims or the rim/tire combo. The rims are also totally clean and show no impacts or scratches even...

There is no noise really of any kind coming from the car on braking, acceleration, or turning at high or low speeds...

So...failing any of the above making the issue clearer. What about that steering rack? Could it have been destroyed on one side by the impact? How would we check that control-arm mounting area of the right side frame for damage?

Thanks again!

[scot850]

It is possible you have damaged the steering rack. It is a major job on an AWD. I chickened out and had the dealer do it on our 98 V70 XC. Cost close to $2000 CDN! You have to remove the prop-shaft, and drop the sub-frame to replace it. With a 2 year parts and labor warranty from the dealer we did it as we had planned to keep the car.

It's one of those problems where you have done all the obvious checks. The question you rightly make is how far do you go (I am way further into this than you I can assure you).

I am going to throw a few ideas out there, hopefully most are just checks not big $$$'s.

1) Steering rack is damaged? It is possible the rack is bent but it is a big expense to replace when you are not certain.

2) Check the front and rear brakes again. Make sure nothing is binding, and have the run-out on the rotors checked, especially the rears as I didn't see you saying you replaced them. Also check the parking brake shoes are good, and the cables move freely and are not binding slightly. You con confirm by not adjusting the shoes up after checking they are good and try driving the car. Have you checked the calipers are all good and are not binding, and the pads are moving ok?

3) Check the rear sub-frame mounts and anti-sway bar bushes are good.

4) Back to the front. Have the frame and control arms mounting points checked to make sure nothing is bent.

5) Do the simple proving the wheels/rims are good by swapping front to back and see if anything changes.

6) Is the problem only at the 60-70mph range or can you drive through it? Have you checked the tires for signs of cupping or other damage?

Beyond that, I am running out of ideas. I know how frustrating this can be. I have been try to remedy a groan/graunch from my 'R' from it's front suspension. I have replaced every thing but it is now worse than ever. Still believe the root of the problem is the IPD anti-swaybar bushes. Talking of which, have you checked the anti-sway bar bushes are good? Having said that, they tend to clunk when bad.

Neil.

[rmmagow]

I have 17 inch volvo wheels and newer tires on my V70. Balanced many many times and road force too. Still have a vibration. My 15 inch snow tires and steel wheels run all the way to 90 MPH super super smooth. My 16 inch stock wheels with worn tires run super smooth to 80 or so. Although the 17 inch wheels don't show any being warped or bent, the car just doesn't like them. Ovaled out holes? With my 17's I took them off and re-installed them myself, very very carefully snugging up the bolts slowly while jiggling the tire/wheel to be sure it was getting set properly. This was after going at the hub with a wire brush and the wheel itself wire brushed too. It helped. I spent 45 mins a wheel doing this. Still has a slight vibration around 65~70 but less than it had before. Next summer I am going back to 16 inch with new tires. Control arms were replaced too.

[MSLV70]

I had very similar symptoms and it was a bad tire. Have you tried moving them around to see if the vibration moves?

-Matt

[breesay1]

Hey guys.

After replacing everything I could think of and working with the local Volvo guys to fix this issue (post dust-up with a curb) I have a solution!

It is ridiculous... the head of the Golden Gate Volvo club is the one who finally solved it. So, as mentioned above the rims are perfect, the tires are perfect and every rotational component is new. However, when the old salt and the Volvo club saw the rims... and he suggested that we use a caliper on the bore. Sure enough... I was running rims with 1 67.1mm bore on a car that should take 65.1mm. Thats only 1mm of slop on each side, is barely visible to the naked eye, and because the rims were purchased right off another 1999 V70... no one, myself included, though to measure the bore. It turns that the person I bought the rims was running incorrectly sized Borbet rims from an '06 xc90.... and although they will bolt right on clean and smooth they will NEVER CENTER! Damn, I no wonder he sold his v70, it must have rode awful!

This has been an 8 month run-around and has cost me $1000's of dollars but I have a smoooooooooth R now that has a totally rebuilt front end.. which makes me very happy. Many lessons learned. Thanks to all, especially Niel up in Alberta.

[scot850]

Just thrilled to hear that you got there in the end! Nothing more satisfying than getting to the bottom of a frustrating issue (just wish it didn't cost so much!!).

Thanks also to all you others that chimed in, especially with the wheel ideas/suggestions. I had a similar problem with our 06 XC70. Bought a set of Volvo rims advertised as from an 07. Went to fit and they had a smaller bore at the hub! Fortunately the seller was honest enough to admit their error and realised they had had an 08!

Neil.