Failed, XC90 Spring seat installed less than 2 years ago...

[theWIFES_S70]

Well, if I recall a few MVS experts on here insist you don't need an alignment after only a strut job!

Sheesh, at $595... You need to run them like 8 years for them to be worth it... (assuming strut bearings last right years)... Wow!!!

All of this is what they call around here "ballah" status!!!

[scot850]

There is differing opinions on the alignment issue. There is a camp that says if you replace the lower control arms you don't need an alignment. That may be true is you have not had an alignment recently when the old control arms are failing.

Same argument on the struts. Some of the cars have camber adjustment plates. If you have these a camber check may be recommended. If you mark the top strut nut positions, then the strut should only go back where you removed the old one from and theoretically the non-adjustable strut/camber mount has 2 fixed both positions, so if your alignment was good before the replacement then it should stay good. For FWD owners the alignment issue if it goes wrong is a lower error cost as you may only have to replace 2 tires. If you have an AWD and it goes wrong you have to replace 4 tires.

Pay your money and take your choice/risk.

Neil.

[scot850]

I missed rspi's note that the spring seats were OE Volvo. That is really worrying. If they are now using Rein then that would explain it. If that is the case then maybe using Sachs XC90 ones is as good a chance as any and at half the price.

Neil.

[rspi]

[Cees Klumper]

My HD spring seats from IPD lasted only 2 years and 20K miles. Had to replace them totally shot last summer. Got new HD ones from Skandix in Germany, that have held up until now. IPD listed country of origin as Taiwan, whatever that means. I am on HD Bilstein shocks and struts since 3 years. All this on my 2003 S80 but I think they use the same spring seats as our 2002 C70.

Follow up: just hours after I posted this, I set off for a 350 mile trip, only to notice a loud noise coming from the left front. You guessed it: the spring seat had given up the ghost, only one year after install. Fortunately I had a spare one on the shelf so two hours later I was finally on my way. I attribute the short lives to the Bilstein HD struts that put extra strain on the mounts. Sachs / original Volvo from now on.

[tryingbe]

Well, if I recall a few MVS experts on here insist you don't need an alignment after only a strut job!

Sheesh, at $595... You need to run them like 8 years for them to be worth it... (assuming strut bearings last right years)... Wow!!!

All of this is what they call around here "ballah" status!!!

I wouldn't want to add up all the $$$ I spend on my 850's suspension since I owned it.

[scot850]

It may take a while to catch up with what the suspension on my 00 'R' has had spent on it. My estimate between the front end (probably close to $4-5000 if you check my thread on the groaning front suspension from earlier this week which was $3000 of that total) and when re-building the rear AWD sub-frame with all the parts you have to replace like the fuel pump and ejector, all the bushes etc, that was close to $6500! So you all have a ways to go, and feel blessed you don't have a P80 AWD! The rear end was done when exchange rate was $1 US = $1 CDN.

Sure not all the parts are suspension related, but removing the sub-frame at the rear when it cracked from electrolytic corrosion between the aluminum sub-frame and the steel mounting bolts and steel main frame means all the worn out emissions parts and rusty brake pipes and fuel pipes can be fixed as the fuel tank comes down too when that comes out.

Neil.

[LOB]

I have had no problems with my stock suspension except worn out front shocks after 85 k miles and 21 years. And I've been driving many km on bumpy Swedish gravel dirtroads. My guess is that stiffer than original suspension / bushings (poly) makes your spring seats wear out prematurely. Have anyone who's got only OEM suspension/bushings such problems with the spring seats?

[MadeInJapan]

I have had no problems with my stock suspension except worn out front shocks after 85 k miles and 21 years. And I've been driving many km on bumpy Swedish gravel dirtroads. My guess is that stiffer than original suspension / bushings (poly) makes your spring seats wear out prematurely. Have anyone who's got only OEM suspension/bushings such problems with the spring seats?

Yes- our '04 V70 (same spring seats) have been through many spring seats and the shocks are OEM Sachs... I need to do this again after only since March 2016 (that's just last year) and maybe 15K more miles on the clock. So, to answer your question, with OEM struts on the front, yes the spring seats have still worn out (like clock-work).