2008 XC70 Control Arm Clearance / Wheel Bearing Hub

Cams · Post by **Cams** » 26 Aug 2020, 14:37

I'm attempting to change out a front wheel hub/bearing. I intend to rent the hub extractor (OEMTools 27213) and hope it works with my model. However, I'm not there yet because I can't get the control arm joint to clear the steering knuckle. It's almost there but seems like it can go no further. Do I need to remove the entire control arm to get this out of the knuckle? Also, assuming I get it out will the knuckle have enough swing to release the axle? I have not touched the upper pinch bolt as I understand it often breaks.

Thanks

Post by **pgill** » 27 Aug 2020, 10:46

This is for the LR2

But the front suspension is similar if not identical to the S80, XC70 (P3 cousins)

Lower ball joint is released at 2:03

If you loosen the bolts for the lower control arm then it should swing down.

dwcatcvg · Post by **dwcatcvg** » 08 Oct 2020, 16:22

Cams, did you get through this procedure? I just looked at another post from last year about wheel bearing replacement on these cars. Any tool for GEN2 bearings (with the hub an inseparable part of the bearing) that will reach past the hub to contact the spindle while pressing the bearing out, and past the hub to push on the outer race to push the bearing in, will work. I can't vouch for the tool you listed, but I have one like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wheel-Hub-Bear ... SwMU5fV0GJ that works.

As I mentioned in my reply to the other post, my wheel bearing wasn't bad, despite 2 professionals telling me that it was. I left the new one in the spindle, of course, and found the true source of my noise and vibration a few months later.

That's a terrific video pgill posted. It shows in a subtle way how you shouldn't have to push the control arm down all the way past the spindle opening -- you can pull the spindle out to help, and the ball joint will tip towards you to provide the extra clearance. This is crucial for getting it all back together, too.

Post by **jimmy57** » 08 Oct 2020, 19:48

A long bar, 4 feet or longer and piece of chain about 3 feet long are your friends here. Run the chain around lower control inboard of ball joint a few inches and connect links with bolt-washer-chain links-washer-nut with the bar above chain, below control arm. Have the bar inserted so it is at the subframe. Now the leverage you have will make pushing down control arm easy. It also helps on these to drive chisel into the slot on spindle that pinches the ball joint stud so that it is looser.