2007 Volvo S80 Passenger axel replacement

[Skymongrel]

2007 Volvo S80 P3 155k

Hope this short write-up helps those DYI ers working in the driveway!

Special tools

1. Long six foot metal bar for prying ( I have an old ice fishing spud)
2. Short section of 4X4 wood post (used as a fulcrum extender)
3. Spring compressor (I just use one of the two arms)
4. PB Blaster
5. Small 10mm ratchet wrench (for carrier bearing bracket)
6. Breaker bar (loosen various bolts and nuts)
7. Floors jack and jack stands
8. All your metric wrenches and sockets, 10,13,15,18.19, 21 (?)

There are lots of videos online that I viewed and gleaned info from it helps to view them before doing this job. Tasks are listed in the general order of my particular experience.

Couple days before spray strut bolt and tie rod nut, carrier bearing bolts, upper sway bar link bolt and axel bolt with PB Blaster.

1. Properly support Volvo S80 and remove the belly pan, this will give access to the carrier bearing bracket and transmission to axel junction.

2. Remove passenger side wheel.
3. Using a 10mm socket wrench remove upper carrier bracket bolt. Using a small 10 mm ratchet wrench loosen lower bolt; It won’t come completely out due to interference with frame member but once you pry out bracket with small screwdriver bolt will also be removed.

4. Remove ABS wire from sensor, press tab in the center of connector and pull free. Carefully remove wire from its bracket, spray with lubricant of your choice.

5. Remove brake line from its strut bracket. Again helps to lube it.
6. Remove Tie Rod Nut, I used a breaker bar with the hollow tube handle from my floor jack for additional leverage.
7. Repeatedly hit side of Tie Rod just below removed nut to break it free. I used a heavy metal mallet.
8. Remove axel bolt and tap the end of axel with a metal prob to make sure it’s loose and free ( I used a socket wrench handle)
9. Remove upper nut from Sway bar link. I used my portable impact gun, but to reinstall you’ll need an Allen key and wrench.
10. Carefully fit one spring compressor onto the coil of the strut, this is awkward and I used the two extra cast compressor hooks as spacers below the coil base so threaded rod doesn’t project to far up into upper fender well. Tighten the compressor relieving some coil tension but don't go nuts on this. Not sure this step 10 is necessary but this is what I did.

11. Remove strut to steering knuckle bolt. I drove a small metal chisel into the gap alongside the strut receiving pocket to help spread it. While I tapped the knuckle downward. But don’t tap down yet, loosened top strut mounting bolts first, step 12.

12. Open hood and pry up passenger side windshield cowling ( after removing three plastic fasteners). Using a sharpie or other marking device mark location of strut bolt heads to retain you camber alignment. I simply drew circle around them. Loosen all three bolts but don’t remove them.

13. Pry down on control arm to free steering knuckle from strut. I placed a 4x4 piece of wood between the long pry bar (my ice fishing spud) and the chassis just rearward of the fender well. The metal pry bar crosses over the top of the control arm and extends past the front bumper. Have a helper stand on the pry bar end while you tap the steering knuckle free from the strut tube. In my case I didn’t have to have the bottom of the strut tube come completely off the knuckle but somewhat precariously resting on the holes edge. Use caution while prying, you don't want to damage the ball joint boot!

14. Wiggle the axel out from the spindle, you may have to tap axel end again. Make sure helper continues to maintain force on pry bar. The axel should easily pull free from transmission with repeated wiggling and tugging. There is no cir-clip holding it in.

The axel is out .If you are servicing it, be careful in handling it or you’ll dislocate the c/v joints. This caution is true for installation as well. Basically reverse this process to put it all together. I did use a floor jack to press up on the control arm while tightening the strut bolt and observed the top strut mounting bolts positions in the areas I marked before removal. Hope this helps someone. Oh….easier if you just pay someone to do this!