1980 245 DL wagon tailing arm bushings help

Johnie Quest · Post by **Johnie Quest** » 24 May 2007, 15:52

I know I need to replace the rear bushings on my tailing arms. I am considering doing it myself. The Haynes manual is a bit vague on doing this however. So specific questions: Is there a detailed procedure somewhere that I just can't locate? Are there any specialized tools I will need to replace it myself, the Checkers here has a tool lend program I could utilize. I know I could take it to a garage, but I'm pretty handy with a wrench and it is a pretty hefty charge they're asking at the garage. After poking around underneath what concerns me is that the whole transaxle seems to be supported by the trailing arms, would I have to drop the entire thing to get at the bushings, or is there a way around this I'm just not seeing? As for the bushings themselves what do I need to pull them and then replace. I have worked on old VW's for years and know there is little on those that I can't drift out with a 5lb sledge, but this is my 1st Volvo so am looking for advise. Thanks.

Post by **billofdurham** » 25 May 2007, 16:09

Welcome to Matthew's Volvo Site.

Haynes manual for that period is always vague. Most of us who owned cars then were noted for being big hammer merchants - if you wanted it out you hit it hard.

Trailing arms/Control arms removal is fairly straightforward:

To remove the bushings Volvo specify an air/hydraulic tool, but this came out in a tech service bulletin in 1997. I have always used a drift with a fairly heavy hammer and you appear to have one of those.

Bill.

Johnie Quest · Post by **Johnie Quest** » 26 May 2007, 21:46

Thank you soooo much! I have always been a big fan of the hit with a big hammer auto repair technique. It is also good to know that I won't have to fool with brakes or bearings or anything else like that. I guess if the big hammer approach doesn't work, I could try using a 4 arm puller in reverse to push the bushings out. This is a huge weight off my mind now I know that my daughter and I are going to go on vacation.

Harry von Zell · Post by **Harry von Zell** » 27 May 2007, 06:49

Just had trailing arms replaced in my 87 240.

Done with bracing and big hammer. Biggest problem was getting the old ones out. A torch helped.

I found this diagram and parts source helpful. Good Luck.

http://www.fcpgroton.com/volvo240rearsuspension.htm

ken goodman · Post by **ken goodman** » 10 Jun 2007, 15:50

you can beat them out with an air chisel, but the arm mounting points are WEAK from side to side. you CAN NOT beat them back in as you will bend the mounting arms. you must support between the little arm pieces and press them in with a special tool. if you don't have the press kit, pay the money for the volvo garage to do it. it will be cheaper than replacing the rear axle when you damage it from beating on it.

Johnie Quest · Post by **Johnie Quest** » 17 Jun 2007, 00:58

finally got a chance to do the bushings. I thought I would tell people how I did it in case there is any one else who was going to try. I ended up building a bushing press for myself, ended up costing me about 20$ to do so. From the hardware store:
2 foot length of 1/2 inch threaded rod
two: 1/2 in. nuts
two: 1/2 inch washers
11/4 in. coupling (plumbing dept.)
two: 1/2 in. floor flange (plumbing dept.)
From local steel supply:
4 in. length 2 1/2 in. inside diameter steel pipe
two: 2 in. length, 1 in. width 90 degree steel pieces

for removal: I placed the two 90 degree angle steel between the flanges from the axle. I just tied them there with some yarn. This worked for the bracing, since the press pushes inward on either end of the flanges, it stopped them from doing so and warping or snapping. On the tire side of the bushing I put the coupling, then the floor flange. On the transaxle side of the bushing I placed the pipe, then the other floor flange. Ran the 1/2 in. threaded rod through the entire thing, washers and nuts on both ends, then liberal amounts of liquid wrench all around the bushing, and just tightened the nuts until the bushings popped out. One came out easy using this method, but the other one I had to use a hack saw on the ends of the bushing, bevel the sides in towards the middle with a punch then use the press.

for fitting new bushings: again angle iron between flanges from axle for bracing. On tire side, floor flange. On transaxle side, bushing, coupling, floor flange. Run the threaded rod though the middle, washers and nuts on both sides. Liquid wrench all around, then tighten the nuts. The hardest part of the replacement was lining up the coupling exactly with the bushing. I spent a few minutes cursing until I got it right. When the bushing hit the floor flange on the tire side, I loosened up the whole press put four stacks of four thick flat washers in a cross pattern between the floor flange on the tire side and the flange from the axle then continued to tighten. If I had been smart I would have gotten an additional piece of the steel pipe cut to an inch and used this instead of the washers and saved myself a hassle, but I didn't want to ride my bike to the other end of town again.

Notes: If I ever have to do this again, and I hope I don't I will try to find the floor flanges made out of steel instead of whatever they are made out of. One of them cracked on me as I was trying to remove the tough bushing, the one I ended up hacking and beveling. For removal the coupling worked great. For replacement it was just patience trying getting it lined up perfectly with the edges of the bushing. When I was putting my tools away I stumbled upon something that might have worked out better. It is something that I think most people would be hard pressed (pun intended) to find but just in case. From an air-cooled VW, the generator pulley spacer. It's a convex piece of metal that goes between the generator pulley and the tightening nut. I saw it sitting in my bolt bucket when I was cleaning up, fit it against one of the old bushings, then smacked my head when it looked like it would have worked better than the coupling for replacement. Oh well 20/20 hindsight.

anyways that's how I did it, since I don't have an pneumatic press, pneumatic chisel, or Volvo Tool # blah blah blah. And wanted to save myself a couple of hundred dollars in repair bills. peace

outofworkjoe · Post by **outofworkjoe** » 04 Jul 2007, 11:00

Check this out http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=782418