2004 XC70 Broken front macpherson strut spring after being towed home.

Post by **shiloh51933** » 08 Nov 2018, 08:19

So a month ago a pcv system coolant line split at the clamping location. I had it towed home to repair because it required removal of airbox, MAF to Turbo tube, upper engine torque mount, upper strut brace. Somehow this broke the F/R Macpherson strut spring, dont ask me how and I'd like to add that springs were replaced when I replaced shocks, strut mounts, spring seats and hardware 2 years ago. I purchased from FCPEURO.COM so there warranted for life but damn. I've attached pics...even after removing piston nut and cross nut I couldn't remove spring from strut because the spring somehow wrapped itself around lower portion of strut piston body. I had to cut spring off in pieces.

Post by **oragex** » 08 Nov 2018, 15:29

Sad to see. I feel the springs for XC70 are somehow fragile, even the original ones. What was the brand for this replacement? Is that the 'quick struts' ?

Post by **cn90** » 08 Nov 2018, 18:58

- How many miles?

- Maybe that spring is rusted and was about to go south anyway, I don't think the shop did it. It is NOT easy to break a spring.

Post by **SuperHerman** » 08 Nov 2018, 20:36

Springs break. They are mainly designed to go up and down. As I understand it the metal is manufactured to be happy stressing up and down, but this is at the expense of other directions.

A tow truck would be putting pressure on the spring front to back and under weight (up and down) - this is a perfect condition for them to fail. Sometimes a good pot hole causes the same stress if the impact is just right.

Unfortunate, but not unheard of.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 09 Nov 2018, 00:40

I don't quite understand how the lateral force presented to the coil spring by a tow truck would be different than the same stresses that you would see normally through stomping on the gas or braking hard. The tow truck grabs onto the wheel, not the spring.
I'm thinking that would have broke soon with or without the tow. Probably defective/lacking in some way.
Like with windscreens, I could easily see coil springs from a supplier listed as OE purchased here may not come from the same factory or be the same quality as what was originally installed during original vehicle assembly in Europe.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 09 Nov 2018, 03:09

The parts bought from Volvo dealers in Sweden are probably different as well since it's been so long since the cars were new. Add an ocean in between and some local sourcing to that..

Post by **abscate** » 09 Nov 2018, 05:17

They probably caught a strap or chain in the spring when they locked it up. Not really something one can prove.

Post by **shiloh51933** » 09 Nov 2018, 06:10

cn90 wrote: ↑08 Nov 2018, 18:58 - How many miles?

- Maybe that spring is rusted and was about to go south anyway, I don't think the shop did it. It is NOT easy to break a spring.

They were factory springs that I purchased from fcp not even 2 years ago. I bought new Sachs struts, strut mounts and everything else all factory or better. The driver side broke not even a year after replacement. It was towed, not worked on by a shop.

Post by **shiloh51933** » 09 Nov 2018, 06:12

abscate wrote: ↑09 Nov 2018, 05:17 They probably caught a strap or chain in the spring when they locked it up. Not really something one can prove.

Yes sir!! They used straps because the P2 doesn't have frame towing hooks. P2 has crappy eye hooks that screw into the bumpers.

Post by **shiloh51933** » 09 Nov 2018, 06:17

mrbrian200 wrote: ↑09 Nov 2018, 00:40 I don't quite understand how the lateral force presented to the coil spring by a tow truck would be different than the same stresses that you would see normally through stomping on the gas or braking hard. The tow truck grabs onto the wheel, not the spring.
I'm thinking that would have broke soon with or without the tow. Probably defective/lacking in some way.
Like with windscreens, I could easily see coil springs from a supplier listed as OE purchased here may not come from the same factory or be the same quality as what was originally installed during original vehicle assembly in Europe.

I'm sorry it was flatbedded because its AWD, problem is the P2 chassis doesn't have towing hooks to pull onto flatbed tow truck. So they used straps and probably wrapped around control arms. A pneumatic flatbed goes into a steep incline when loading/unloading vehicles...I was thinking that a strap holding onto control arms instead of frame hook would cause spring to pop loose or break.