Front control arms replacement - need advice

[Cossack]

I just started changing both control arms on my '02 S60. So far I have the left one removed and I have also replace the ball joint.

I am however having a hell of a time putting the new arm in. The back (horizontal) bushing in particular appears as if it will be a challenge to get in place...I tried jacking up the strut/disk assembly to help with alignment but without the control arm in place it slides outward and wants to fall of the jack.... Should I remove the sway bar link for better access? Is this a two-person job??

Another concern I have is that with all this movement on the strut, the driveshaft may have come out. How do I make sure it is back in properly?

I am at a bit of a loss. I do remember this was relatively easy on my 850, but the control arm design is completely different. My haynes manual is ot very helpful on the matter, i am hopind some of you can give me pointers.....

Thanks in advance!

[otis44]

I wish I could tell you a good way to do these, but I can't. I've cursed, beat, banged, bled, pried and prayed doing these. But anyway;

Vadis shows the car on a lift, axle in place, and the control arm bolted up everwhere except at the ball joint. Then a large strap that runs from one control arm to the other is used to torque the control arms against each other and hence downward at the ball joint. Once the balljoint is low enough to be positioned into the spindle the tension is slowly released from the strap and the ball joint slides into place. Sounds easy doesn't it.....

The way I have done them is basically the same as above only I don't have a lift and I have ratcheted the arm downward by tying the other end of the strap to something stationary not the other control arm. A good, large floor jack is helpful. You can get by with compressing the strut a little before it wants to kick around if you have a large floor jack as compared to a small one. A large prybar can be helpful, just don't use it solely to force the arm downward and be very careful not to bend or damage anything. A helper can be useful and you can probably look at the inner end of the axle to tell if it has moved or not. If in doubt loosen it up and push it inward. They just slide in more or less.

Good luck and maybe someone will come along and give us both a better idea.

[confused_al]

Hope this one helps a bit
http://volvoforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25805

and found this one
http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.ph ... ntrol-arm/