1998 S70 Control arm difference

[erikv11]

Sachs struts for $82 each (that includes shipping costs) on eBay, search by the part number (553-058):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SACHS-553-058-S ... 2a3b479374

[j-dawg]

Isn't FCP now offering a life-time warranty on all their parts? I thought I remembered them making a big deal of it a few months ago. For what it's worth, I bought the Meyle HD 4 bolt kit for my V70 from them and they are holding up well after a very tough winter and 50K miles.

i believe this covers parts, and depends on installation by a professional.

even if we assume that you're going to get URO control arms replaced free from FCP, consider the other costs. you'll need to take time to replace the LCAs, and you'll need an alignment. maybe you're not worried about time, but one extra alignment could make up the difference in price if you're getting it done at a shop. if you choose not to get an alignment, you can expect early tire wear, which will also cost you money.

[erikv11]

I agree in principle with everything in your post j-dawg, it is usually not worth it to install parts that will break quickly.

But I do note that there is no reason to get an alignment after a control arm swap, unless you suspect it was out before the job. That is, the control arms have nothing to do with the alignment parts (steering rack and tie rods; struts to some extent). You may want to get alignment checked, sure, but it is not a standard part of the job and you for sure wouldn't need to do it if you were going back in to replace a quickly-failed LCA.

[rmmagow]

When I replaced my LCA's I didn't get an alignment but my new 17 inch tires started wearing badly and I had it checked and the alignment was off (toe) which kind of surprised me since LCA's shouldn't have squat to do with that. My earlier 16 inch tires were worn fairly evenly to lend even more confusion. This could all be a crock since I had never had the alignment looked at before. The LCAs were Meyle and they were replacing the originals. Now, that being said, my old LCAs were very worn, a lot of play both sides and the strut things (skinny metal parts) were also bad and replaced at the same time.

[burnout8488]

I doubt the OE and Meyle control arms have the same exact dimensions. Cars I've replaced control arms on definitely had a different alignment after and required re-alignment.

Lemforder parts have the smoothest ball joints on them out of any parts I've tried. Meyle, and other cheap aftermarkets always feel grindy. Same with the sway bar links. Lemforders are extremely tight and smooth feeling in the hand, all others are somewhat gritty.

[j-dawg]

But I do note that there is no reason to get an alignment after a control arm swap, unless you suspect it was out before the job. That is, the control arms have nothing to do with the alignment parts (steering rack and tie rods; struts to some extent).

if you're replacing one brand with another i believe you should get an alignment: as burnout says, one company's casting to the next will have some dimensional differences that will affect alignment. but i suppose if you get an exact replacement of a part from the same brand....i don't know enough to say, i guess. i've always heard that you should, but if it's an exact replacement, the manufacturing tolerances are probably too small to have a significant effect.

how about this, then: the first time our hypothetical cheapskate is replacing an old LCA of unknown brand, he should get an alignment done. that's $100 right there, so he might as well not pinch pennies on the parts. (i think we're all on the same page there, so this discussion is purely academic.) if he does purchase URO parts and get them replaced under warranty in a year, he should get the alignment checked afterwards, and post the results on MVS so we have the answer to this question.

[SpeedyPete]

Hello all in Volvo land: FCP does have a life-time warranty on their parts. I do not know who they source their brand of control arm from but they have been very good for me. I am getting close to 45 k on these and no problems what so ever. Maybe I happen to be just lucky or whatever, it is what it is. If budget is not a concern then stay with OEM; this will keep the car as true to its nature as possible. Myself I would not hesitate to use FCP's in that I have had a good experience with them. Good luck with this, the choice is yours Regards, SpeedyPete