Volvo 850 Jack Point Failure

henrysin44 · Post by **henrysin44** » 02 Jul 2018, 02:16

Over the weekend I changed my driver side CV Axle, however when I went to jack the car up the jack went right through the floor! Didn't hit anything important though.

Is this a first? Not even a little rust in sight and after inspecting it only 2 tac welds held it to the frame (the failure point), seems like a terrible design!

: Jack point

I currently have a heavy layer of gorilla tape covering the hole to prevent rust and fumes entering the cabin, either sometime this week or next im taking out the driver seat, pulling the carpet back and welding the hole shut. I have a sheet of some tough steel, primer, and under coat.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 02 Jul 2018, 03:27

Are they robotic welds or where they done by a human?
Robotic would indicate design defect. Human would indicate somebody cut corners.
From the picture it looks like it has been abused.

henrysin44 · Post by **henrysin44** » 02 Jul 2018, 04:21

RickHaleParker wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 03:27 Are they robotic welds or where they done by a human?
Robotic would indicate design defect. Human would indicate somebody cut corners.
From the picture it looks like it has been abused.

Looked robotic, almost perfectly circular tac welds.
I looked at the other jack point and its starting to seperate from the frame and missing the dowel. Ever sense i bought the car the jack points looked abit beaten so ive avoided using them to jack the car up when possible. Subframe is a better spot to raise the car anyway.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 02 Jul 2018, 04:24

Could it be that a previous owner used the wrong jack and jacked up the jack points ...?

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 02 Jul 2018, 06:53

The whole emergency jack system is a bad design. My volvo jack failed the other day while inspecting my seized caliper. Fortunately it seems the jack took the brunt of the damage and not my precious volvo.

Post by **polskamafia mjl** » 03 Jul 2018, 09:57

WhatAmIDoing wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 06:53 The whole emergency jack system is a bad design. My volvo jack failed the other day while inspecting my seized caliper. Fortunately it seems the jack took the brunt of the damage and not my precious volvo.

To be fair, the Volvo jack should only be used as a last ditch effort not for standard maintenance stuff.

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 03 Jul 2018, 10:23

polskamafia mjl wrote: ↑03 Jul 2018, 09:57
WhatAmIDoing wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 06:53 The whole emergency jack system is a bad design. My volvo jack failed the other day while inspecting my seized caliper. Fortunately it seems the jack took the brunt of the damage and not my precious volvo.
To be fair, the Volvo jack should only be used as a last ditch effort not for standard maintenance stuff.

I bought jacks and stands for standard maintenance, but I mistakenly thought it was a good idea to lend them to a friend (haven't seen 'em in a month). The Volvo jack always sketched me out whenever I had to use it.

Post by **erikv11** » 03 Jul 2018, 14:52

Tha's a bummer, sorry to see.

henrysin44 wrote: ↑02 Jul 2018, 04:21 ... Subframe is a better spot to raise the car anyway.

+10,000, good call. I can only recall using the factory jack or jack points one time, changing a tire on the side of the highway. I always lift it from the subframe, always from the center lifting both sides, always drop in two jackstands. In the rear I place a board across the weld point of the tow loop and raise up both sides, then drop in two jackstands before doing anything.

Post by **JimBee** » 03 Jul 2018, 15:41

I asked the local indy shop to put my car up on the lift for a complete inspection of needed repairs. The tech put the lift arm pads under the frame rails. When I questioned that, he pointed to the jack point and noted that it's attached to the frame rail, the strongest part of the car's platform. No harm was done. I always place the jack pad under the gusset plate that mounts the subframe to the body rail, or the rear end link capture plate. I always use heavy wood blocking (10 x 10's, 3 x 6's) to support the car before I get a wheel off or otherwise underneath it. No jack stands for me. In wood we trust.

clifford06 · Post by **clifford06** » 03 Jul 2018, 21:33

I see a rusted jack point. Check the other side.