01 V70 front control arm bushing

prienn · Post by **prienn** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:36

My front control arm rear bushings are badly warn and I plan to replace them. Are these easily removed and installed from the control arms with a hydraulic press?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:57

Yes and no...those that are used to doing this say it's easy. If you've never done this before, it could be a bit challenging. Of course, Volvo has a special press for this. It presses the old one out and also the new one in. Make sure you get it in at the right angle. It should be perfectly centered. Also, check out how much the old one was pressed in and don't press your new one in any more than the old one was.

jschick · Post by **jschick** » 18 Dec 2008, 06:12

I replaced mine in my 01 T5 last month and it was acctually very simple with NO press at all.
i used a drill to drill out as much of the old rubber i could so I could remove the center of the old mount, then used a hack saw to split the outer ring on the old bushing, now the bushing will just fall out!

I had put the new bushing in the freezer over night and I set the control arm in my fireplace (I had a fire that night) to heat up the arm. Normally I use the oven but acctually the fire worked better since I didn't get the other rubber bushing hot since it was still good. Don't get it red hot just warm enough so you can't hold it with out gloves.
I then put the arm in a Vise and quickly put the new bushing it. it went right in with only very slight taping with a small hammer, after a minute or 2 it would not move as the 2 temps became the same! so you must do this quickly and line it up right because when it cools it won't move!

Lakerider · Post by **Lakerider** » 18 Dec 2008, 10:47

My 01 V70 T5 needs a new one too and my indie shop quoted me $450+ because of the labor. Does this seem reasonable? Fire and ice technique sounds dang tricky.

jschick · Post by **jschick** » 18 Dec 2008, 13:46

450 seems high to me. but I tend to work quickly and i had mine finished in about 1.5hrs time.

I had planned on having it pressed in, but wanted to try first heating it. and it was quite simple, but I would recomend having access to a press as a backup just in case. My local Napa has a press they will let you use, so I had one if needed. I think the bushing were less then $30

but all in all, the hardest part was getting the arm back on the car, it took some fighting to get the ball joint back into the arm. I think I finally decided it was easiest to first install the rear bushing into the frame . but not tight, then mount the ball joint to the arm, and lastly bolt on the the front bushing to the frame. you will need to use a pair of vise grips to twist the bushing so the threads line up to the bolt.

cucuracha · Post by **cucuracha** » 18 Dec 2008, 16:20

how much for a new control arm with bushings included, price difference way be worth the effort

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 18 Dec 2008, 17:46

You still have to take them off and put the arm back on... actually, the Volvo tool pushes out the bushing and puts a new one in while the control arm is still on the car (well, at least the rear portion). FCPGroton sells an aftermarket one for $115 each (but 10% off at check out if you use "Frosty." http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/p ... ory_id/183
Eeuroparts has it w/ free shipping for $110 and $150 each depending on quality (I would personally buy the Febi): http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartsResults.aspx
If the aftermarket control arms are by ScanTech I would avoid them at all costs- they wear out quickly. Eeuroparts lists theirs as Karlyn (which I know nothing about). FCPGroton doesn't say- so it would be best to call them.

Just found this: EuroSport Tuning is having a huge sale: $58 plus shipping for this part from them: http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/mm5/merch ... L-V70-sale

howardc64 · Post by **howardc64** » 20 Dec 2008, 12:28

jschick wrote:the hardest part was getting the arm back on the car, it took some fighting to get the ball joint back into the arm.

Volvo's direction calls for a ratchet strap to pull the control arm down to get the ball joint back in. This is also really hard to do. Broke my cheap ratchet due to the amount of force to get the necessary clearance.

I did this simple trick instead...

When you change your struts, you need to pull the whole rotor/hub assembly off by removing the 2 bolts holding it to the strut. I simply pull this assembly off (disconnect outer tie rod, swaybar link, pull the ABS wire out of the holder on the strut, unbolt the nut to the axel, and unbolt the ball joint of course) rotated the strut towards the rear and put the rotor/hub assembly back on the strut and out of the way for the control arm removal/assembly.

After control arm is back in, drop the rotor/hub assembly right on the control arm. The weight will help you push it down and then get the axel back in followed by putting it back on to the strut.

Sounds like a lot of steps but is really easy. No need to fight to clear the ball joint.