questions about estimate for broken front coil spring

[abscate]

Tools needed

Corded impact driver and 1/2 inch sockets
Big breaker bar and PB blaster
New hardware ( get part numbers for all bolts from Volvo web store, order from FCP if they have them for warranty)
Dremel for froze, bolts. Don’t try to counter hold any of the suspension ball joints, you will just snap off your tool. If they don’t zip off, cut them loose with Mr Dremel genius tool

If it’s above 20F and dry, I’m good to go outside

[shiloh51933]

Sachs now offer quick struts, all factory parts in a quick Macpherson strut. There top quality. FCPEURO.COM offers with lifetime warranty. $250.00 for 2004 XC70 front Macpherson.

Go to another shop, there charging twice for same labor.

[cn90]

- In defense of the shop estimate, many shops just "copy and paste" labor from the book without realizing that labor overlaps between "strut alone job" vs "strut mount, strut bearing job". They just cope and paste and give it to the customer. They should have looked at the whole thing and write a proper estimate for the whole job.

- I have done a lof of strut work compressing spring, Bilstein struts etc. etc.
Having said that, Sachs Quick Strut is the way to go, $250/side with basic tool.

Here is what I wrote:

DIY for 2004 V70 Sachs Quick Struts (XC70 similar, just make sure the PN is correct for XC70):
viewtopic.php?t=89777

[cn90]

Strut for 2004 XC70 etc.:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo- ... 84#reviews

[enotslim]

I learned a lot rebuilding a rear strut tower in this same car for a broken spring. The HF clam shell tool made spring compression a breeze once I realized I needed to jettison the "safety ring" to achieve sufficient compression. I think it was still very safe. By far the most difficult part was lowering the control arm to fit the strut bushing , a three person job with abscate assisting (actually doing) and MoVolvos advising. Removing the broken spring also took some doing but my inexperience made this harder than it needed to be. I would now be confident doing the current job myself if I knew there was nothing comparable to the challenge of lowering the rear control arm lurking in the shadows of a front strut repair. I take it everyone here can verify this is the case (as MoVolvols did above?) Just the usual issues with freeing seized fittings and, for strut towers, properly aligning the spring seat and plate. Every video I find makes the front look drop-dead easy but my reading didn't prepare me for the rear and yes, I'm paranoid. (And maybe that's why I didn't/don't find any videos for the rear?)

[azureblue]

it's not worth it. Just replace both front shock assemblies. If you have a broken spring it is safe to say your shocks are probably worn, too. It's medium difficulty - there is no danger involved and both front shock assemblies can be done in the time it takes to replace one spring. And the job doesn't require any special tools, either.

Jack it up, put the car on jack stands, pull off the wheel, use a socket and box end to get the bolts loose from the steering arm, then secure the arm so it doesn't fall away and pull the drive shaft out of the transmission, then remove the three nuts up under the hood. The assembly will come loose so just remove it, Bolt the new assembly back in from the top first. I put a scissors jack under the steering arm to make lining up the bolt holes easier. Just make sure you lock tight the big bolts on the steering arm, and use to specified torque.

[vtl]

Don't buy HF spring compressor, but this: ~$100 on ebay:



It speeds up the spring work 10 times and feels so much safer.

[MoVolvos]

I learned a lot rebuilding a rear strut tower in this same car for a broken spring... I would now be confident doing the current job myself if... Every video I find makes the front look drop-dead easy...

I don't believe there should be any if's for the front struts. Just be sure to replace both not one with the FCP Euro Quick Struts so you don't have to use the spring compressor besides worrying about which parts can be reused. With the Lifetime Warranty you can't go wrong.

[abscate]

I don’t think the driveshaft has to come out to work the strut around the knuckle. Does it? Once you remove the two strut to knuckle bolts, them remove the last of the three nuts up top, the strut comes out from the wheel shell, working around the knuckle

[azureblue]

No it does not. But if you're not careful and let the steering / brake assemble fall, it will . I left out of the previous post about this: Put some blocks under the steering assembly. and once the big bolts are out of the shock, pull it free. I used some twine to tie the steering assembly to the car body through the shock tower opening.
There is just enough room to remove the shock assembly -- IIRC, once the top bolts are loose let the shock come down just enough where the bolts clear the wheel well, the tip the top to the read of the car and move the top of the shock until it touches the wheel well and you should now have enough clearance move the bottom of the shock towards the front of the car and get it out.