'98 S70 The geezer's painless strut R&R aid

Post by **dosbricks** » 13 Mar 2015, 12:56

Okay, I know you young bucks will laugh at this, but I'm now in my late sixties with back problems and you may live to be my age someday.

I decided to take twenty minutes or so to fashion a device to make it easy for my better half to assist me in taking out and putting back the strut assembly.

It required: piece of 1x2, scrap of plywood, small pulley, eye bolt, screw, and a length of soft braided nylon rope. All this stuff I already had on hand. I used a piece of iron-worker's tie wire to stick under the top strut washer and crimped it onto the nylon rope, then pulled the rope under the washer.

My wife can lower the top of the strut assembly as I maneuver it out with no strain on the back. Same for the reverse.

This last image shows blocking used to keep the steering knuckle from flopping around and stressing the brake cable when the strut is removed. Also, the mark on the floor spots the vehicle when I want to work on it.

Cheers

Post by **E Showell** » 13 Mar 2015, 15:31

I love home made, purpose-built specialty tools. Go Dos!

Now if I could just get that stick sharp enough to get those termites out of the log I'd be all set.

Post by **kahl** » 13 Mar 2015, 16:42

Sooo, you need a crane type device to get it up????

sorry Dos, just could' nt resist.

Post by **cuhfs** » 13 Mar 2015, 17:51

Thanks for sharing

Post by **dosbricks** » 13 Mar 2015, 18:26

kahl wrote:Sooo, you need a crane type device to get it up????

sorry Dos, just could' nt resist.

Struts and axles give me a week or two of "low T"

Post by **Matty Moo** » 13 Mar 2015, 18:35

I make all the neighborhood kids help me. If you're walking by at that exact moment I need help, then you're helping.

Post by **precopster** » 14 Mar 2015, 14:59

I often struggle with lifting the strut assembly and getting one of the nuts on.
This is pure genius dosbricks!!

Post by **jreed** » 15 Mar 2015, 06:09

Ingenious rig! Well made too! I like the pulley and the handle. Very nice!!

Post by **dosbricks** » 15 Mar 2015, 10:35

As a dilettante of Volvo repair, I feel humbled by appreciation from such stalwarts of MVS as you guys. Thanks.

Just as a side note, in the last pic, notice the swept area of the rotor. I'm running Mintex red box pads and they are about 3.5mm wider than the Volvo OEs--so they sweep almost the whole surface of a 280mm rotor. They're quiet and less dusty than the Volvo pads and stop very well--the same whether cold or hot. They should only be installed on new rotors, though.

Not for the T5 enthusiast, but a good option for us NAs

Post by **precopster** » 15 Mar 2015, 13:24

One of the local indie Volvo repairers here uses nothing except Mintex pads and I've purchased a few sets from them. I wouldn't call them a low dust pad but they stop well and seem to last.

Lately I've been using Quintenn Hazel front pads on my P80 V70 and I like thei pedal feel and heat resistance.