I refreshened my frontend

Post by **Clemens** » 10 Jun 2021, 15:46

I have the feeling that is down to very few of us who still keep on rolling the p80 ball with more and more longtime members switching to p26 or similar sacrilegious platforms.

Just to encourage you to keep going on, I want to report on my 96 R which has its 25th b-day in a week from now. I just passed the safety insprection with just brake pads to be done and as I was feeling sassy with the 25th anniversary coming up, I decided to finally refreshen the front struts. I always loved the R stance, but the front end was quite harsh after 200000 miles, so I put in new R springs, nor R Sachs struts and everything else new and OE if possible (the old parts will go into my 94 T5).

The amazing thing is: It rides almost like a new car. Going from the old R shocks to the regular shocks adds a bit more response steering into corners and a bit sq7sh7ness around neutral, but the ride comfort is hugely improved, especially over potholes and speedbumps, all while running a strut bar, 17 inch wheels and the lowered R springs.

Post by **scot850** » 11 Jun 2021, 10:21

Well done Clemens! I had a similar reaction to my 'R' once the sub-frame mounts were replaced. As everything had been replaced on the front suspension (including sway-bar and links) with Volvo parts (except the struts which are Bilstien Touring) the dealer foreman took the car a long run to make sure it had finally vanquished the groan, and said to me the car ran like new. He loved it and as he has worked for Volvo since 1975 he should have a good reason to know!

Neil.

Post by **FireFox31** » 11 Jun 2021, 16:57

I'm preparing to do the same thing on my new-to-me 2000 V70. Instead of leave the platform when my last one was totaled, I got another! Now I'm fixing it, starting at the most critical systems (thus the suspension is near the end, after engine, brakes, headlights, etc). I can't wait to feel it ride like new again.

Post by **scot850** » 11 Jun 2021, 19:29

Well done Firefox! Let us know how it goes. I for one found it a huge difference on the before and after!

Neil.

Post by **Clemens** » 12 Jun 2021, 14:14

I went for a long ride today as well, and I am really amazed. The harshness is gone, it is really alot more pleasant now. I might have to do the front bushings as well, I can hear something up front occasionally and the only thing left are the sub frame bushings.

Post by **Clemens** » 12 Jun 2021, 14:16

FireFox31 wrote: ↑11 Jun 2021, 16:57 Instead of leave the platform when my last one was totaled, I got another!

A bold, but smart move at the same time.
These cars are just so much fun and economical at the same time.

Post by **FireFox31** » 12 Jun 2021, 16:19

Is it true that not fixing one bad suspension component can cause others around it to fail? I saw this mentioned in the maintenance log of smacknab:

smacknab wrote: ↑02 Mar 2021, 06:55 'if i'm doing the tie rods i might as well do the control arms, if i'm doing those, they're going to get ruined quickly by the old suspension, if i'm refreshing the suspension i should do all the associated subframe bushings

Is it advisable to overhaul the entire front or rear end at once, right down to the subframe bushings?

Post by **misha** » 12 Jun 2021, 16:32

FireFox31 wrote: ↑12 Jun 2021, 16:19 Is it advisable to overhaul the entire front or rear end at once, right down to the subframe bushings?

Replace only bad parts.
If all of them are bad you replace all of them.
That said....if tie rods are good and you need to replace control arms ...you replace control arms.
If ball joints are good on control arms and bushing are bad...you replace just bushings since they can be bought separately.
If all control arm parts are bad(bushings and ball joints) replace whole control arms.

Even if bushings can be replaced separately,you will need a big vice or a hydraulic press to press old ones out and press new ones in.
Sometimes it's faster and more economical to replace whole control arm if you don't have access to a big vice or hydraulic press.

Post by **smacknab** » 13 Jun 2021, 13:26

FireFox31 wrote: ↑12 Jun 2021, 16:19 Is it true that not fixing one bad suspension component can cause others around it to fail? I saw this mentioned in the maintenance log of smacknab:
smacknab wrote: ↑02 Mar 2021, 06:55 'if i'm doing the tie rods i might as well do the control arms, if i'm doing those, they're going to get ruined quickly by the old suspension, if i'm refreshing the suspension i should do all the associated subframe bushings
Is it advisable to overhaul the entire front or rear end at once, right down to the subframe bushings?

Hey Firefox, i think this was from my post about all the stuff I've done on my car - the quoted sentence was more in regards to how i talked myself into doing more than i needed to, definitely not the standard procedure for how everyone should do it. I'd generally agree with Misha now, just fix what's broken. That said for me part of my reasoning came down to the car having 215k miles with no records of any real suspension work done (just one control arm replaced). It was more a mindset of 'while I'm down there with everything apart' that led me into big overhauls instead of small targeted fixes.

Post by **FireFox31** » 14 Jun 2021, 22:07

smacknab wrote: ↑13 Jun 2021, 13:26 That said for me part of my reasoning came down to the car having 215k miles with no records of any real suspension work done (just one control arm replaced). It was more a mindset of 'while I'm down there with everything apart' that led me into big overhauls instead of small targeted fixes.

I have a similar situation; new-to-me 200k mi car with no records, suspension looks original, though nothing seems failed. Your quote made me think that old parts I don't replace may cause new parts to wear faster. ie: old shocks/struts may somehow wear new ball joints and control arm bushings.

I haven't had new shocks / struts in 15 years so I'm eager to see how it improves the ride, like the original posters mentioned.