98 V70 front end wobble

Post by **98v70dad** » 24 Feb 2017, 16:51

So my front end wobble saga continues. Of course it could be my wheels or tires, but I've replaced both and had the wheels balanced several times and the problem persists.

I've replaced the struts and everything in the strut tower with OE or OEM parts, the control arms (OEM), the control rods (OEM), tie rods (OEM), both drive axles OE or OE rebuilt. Most of this stuff was original equipment and I don't feel bad about replacing it. Most everything I took out was worn out,

So, it occurred to me that after I jack my car and put jack stands under it to do something the front end wobble goes away for a day or so making me wonder if there is something I didn't tighten down good enough on the strut on the first try. The connection to the steering knuckle should be pretty easy to get the specified torque

The 22 mm nut at the top of the strut tower is a good candidate. I can see space (I think) between the big rubber clad washer and the nut below it. So, I took my allen socket and a 3/8 ratchet to hold the shaft and a 22 mm box end wrench and I tried to tighten the nut. The threaded end split immediately so the ability to hold it with anything allen is gone. I can still hold it with vise grips or use an impact wrench on it - it will probably eventually tighten up if I'm careful not to let it spin....two questions....

1) I'm not so smart when it comes to impact wrenches. I just bought one last weekend to REMOVE a nut...a no brainer. How do you tighten a nut without over torquing it?

2) Do you think tightening up that 22 mm nut at the top of the strut might be my problem? I probably never torqued it to spec because the only way I could tighten it up is with a box end wrench. The specified torque is pretty high. I really doubt I achieved that with the box end wrench and an allen key.

Post by **rspi** » 24 Feb 2017, 18:39

There is suppose to be space at the top of that strut tower.

What speeds do you feel this? How old are the struts?

Post by **abscate** » 24 Feb 2017, 19:00

I've got the castle wrench and top strut tool, I could send it to you for this job?

Post by **98v70dad** » 24 Feb 2017, 20:25

abscate wrote:I've got the castle wrench and top strut tool, I could send it to you for this job?

Thanks. That's nice of you. I bought one myself when I installed the struts.

Post by **98v70dad** » 24 Feb 2017, 21:23

rspi wrote:There is suppose to be space at the top of that strut tower.

What speeds do you feel this? How old are the struts?

Its a little bit of wobble at 65 mph and a good bit more over 70 mph. It doesn't happen all the time. I can usually make it start if there is no wobble by going above either of those speeds and decelerating slowly back down to just above them. Its usually worse or more intense if I decelerate into it.

The struts are bilsteins similar to the factory ride and they are 2 years old. I've replaced everything but the steering knuckles and the wheel bearings. Rock Auto had timken bearings on sale for half price so I bought a pair. I plan to install them when I overhaul my brakes. I get vibration and some subtle droning that happens at all speeds and that's why I bought them. All of the engine mounts have been replace. Subframe mount are original.

About 18 months ago I got some new tires for the front at NTB. The guy who put them on said I didn't need an alignment but he "tweaked" some things for me. I had been sitting there for two hours and wanted to go so I didn't ask any questions. I noticed the slight wobble on the drive home and chalked it up to a poor balance job. Its gotten progressively worse ever since. In the meantime I've bought new (used but really true) OE wheels and new tires (continentals) and have had the car aligned and the wheels balanced at least 3 times and the car still wobbles so I tend to believe its something other than a poorly balanced tire or bent wheel.

When I took the car in the steering wheel was off of center by one or two splines (about 3 degrees- I measured it). I never bothered to fix it because it never bothered me. The steering wheel had been removed by me and wasn't put back on quite straight. When I got the car back after the two new front tires were installed the steering wheel was magically straight and the turning signal didn't shut off on its own any more. I know the guy didn't mess with the steering wheel because the car was up on the rack the whole time. So I'm wondering if his tweaking involved bending something or disconnecting the clamp at the steering wheel shaft/steering rack connection and not getting it properly tightened...just guessing. The wobble first showed up right after he worked on the car(drive home) so that's why I wonder about it.

Anyhow, any thoughts you have would be helpful and appreciated because its driving me crazy - partly because I have to drive in that speed range all the way to work every day and partly because I can't figure it out.

Post by **rspi** » 25 Feb 2017, 10:22

Likely the CV axle. You really need Volvo.

Post by **sleddriver** » 25 Feb 2017, 10:57

My $$$ is on wheel bearings.

They took a real beating with your daughter regularly driving over concrete curbs for years.....

Post by **j-dawg** » 25 Feb 2017, 14:56

98v70dad wrote: 1) I'm not so smart when it comes to impact wrenches. I just bought one last weekend to REMOVE a nut...a no brainer. How do you tighten a nut without over torquing it?

I wouldn't recommend using the impact wrench to tighten anything down. I use mine to spin fasteners most of the way in, but I do the last few threads and torquing by hand. If you want to torque that top nut, you'll need a crow's-foot adapter for your torque wrench.

If you're having trouble turning the nut without spinning the shaft, one trick you can use is to grind flats into the end of the threaded rod. This will let you put a small wrench (or a crescent wrench, or a pair of channel-locks, or whatever) on to keep the rod from rotating while you tighten the nut. Spin a couple of nuts on before grinding, so you can spin them off and clean up the edges of the thread. Maybe easier: if the rod split at the end with the hex key socket, stick a hose clamp on it to keep it together.

98v70dad wrote: When I took the car in the steering wheel was off of center by one or two splines (about 3 degrees- I measured it). I never bothered to fix it because it never bothered me. The steering wheel had been removed by me and wasn't put back on quite straight. When I got the car back after the two new front tires were installed the steering wheel was magically straight and the turning signal didn't shut off on its own any more. I know the guy didn't mess with the steering wheel because the car was up on the rack the whole time. So I'm wondering if his tweaking involved bending something or disconnecting the clamp at the steering wheel shaft/steering rack connection and not getting it properly tightened...just guessing.

I would guess he spun the tie rods in on one side and out by the same amount on the other side. This would leave alignment (more or less) unaffected while rotating the steering column relative to the wheels.

Post by **98v70dad** » 25 Feb 2017, 15:33

rspi wrote:Likely the CV axle. You really need Volvo.

Both of my CV axles are volvo or rebuilt volvo. The passenger side one is one week old, The driver side one is about a year old.

Post by **98v70dad** » 25 Feb 2017, 15:36

sleddriver wrote:My $$$ is on wheel bearings.

They took a real beating with your daughter regularly driving over concrete curbs for years.....

You got that right. I brought it back from the dead except for this one thing...its driving crazy. I'm planning to replace both sides up front when I overhaul the brakes. I got timken bearings for 55 each at rockauto on clearance... great deal!