1995 850 turbo wagon - front end springs

jks1259 · Post by **jks1259** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:03

Follow up on a post from a few weeks ago.

I had mechanic replace front and back springs with FCP stock. Back lifted. Front is no better. Installer said tires too big. Tires hit wheel wells on uphill or downhill turn, usually drivers side. Don't think tires are problem. Asked second mechanic if struts were ok. Told they were, but, even if replaced the springs raise not the struts. Looking at posts it seem some struts assemblies will raise a little?

Any suggestions. 188k plus.

thanks

klojbg · Post by **klojbg** » 07 Sep 2007, 23:32

What size tires?

jks1259 · Post by **jks1259** » 10 Sep 2007, 12:48

the size tires are 205/55. Apparently should be 205/50. I understand this shouldn't be that big a part of the problem

thanks

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 10 Sep 2007, 13:37

On a 205 tire the difference between an aspect ratio of 55 versus 50 equates to about 3/8" of less clearance between the top of the wheel and the wheel well of the car.

Where are your tires coming into contact with the car? (i.e. is the top of the tire hitting the fender "lip" above it?)

-Chuck

jks1259 · Post by **jks1259** » 11 Sep 2007, 08:55

I noticed yesterday as I turned into a parking space to my right that the tire rubbed on the fender lip. There is a small portion of the lip near the front that has been bent out from contact from turning to the left. When the car goes a rise (uphill driveway, parking lot entrance etc) the left tire routinely strikes the top part of the fender well. When the car is parked on level ground the bottom of the fender clearance is perhaps 6 inches in front of the tire. The top of the tire is close enought to the fender lip that another inch or two it would be behind it as if the suspension was lowered.

Don't know if that helps. The new springs were Scan tech from FCP. When my mechanic contacted the local dealer about new springs they were pricey ($125.00) a pop.

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 11 Sep 2007, 09:39

Well, I hate to tell you this without more qualitative data -- but it's pretty well documented among Volvo enthusiasts here and other places that Scan-tech suspension parts (and electrical parts) are typically way below spec.

So, the job of the springs is to set the ride height and the range of travel in the vertical direction. A set of springs that compresses too easily will certainly allow the body of the car to travel too far in either direction. The job of the struts is to dampen oscillation -- they have nothing to do with range of travel or ride height.

I'm betting that those Scan-tech springs are either the incorrect unwound length (imagine the spring pulled out into a single straight line), or the incorrect tubular diameter, or incorrect steel tensile strength (or a combination of these).

Just my .02, but based on what you described I think this is where the problem is.

-Chuck

P.S. You are seeing the problem on the left side because I'm guessing you are typically driving alone or with a lighter-weight passenger. Also, when turning the problem is more pronounced because of the tire "pointing" into the fender lip, and the fact that when a vehicle turns the front end tends to dive (depending on speed, that 'dive' may be barely perceptible).

jks1259 · Post by **jks1259** » 11 Sep 2007, 19:29

Thanks Chuck. Was beginning to see things going that way. Figured as well the left side rubbing was from me being the only one in the car.

Sounds like I need to decide whether to bite the bullet and get the Volvo springs unless there is another suggestion. There were some coils at IPD that were suggested. Any feedback about those. I think they were actually HD springs.

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 12 Sep 2007, 08:28

I don't know anything about the IPD offering...sometimes if you call these places they can give you the inside scoop. You should also let Nick at FCP know that the scan-tech springs are below par. That's my only complaint about FCP -- they tend to allow unworthy products to exist on their menu for too long.

The safest bet is to go with stock Volvo, unless you are looking to change the ride height/stiffness of the front end.

-Randy

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 12 Sep 2007, 14:14

I'm wondering why the springs were changed in the first place. OEM springs hardly ever go bad...it's the other stuff (most all of it too) that does eventually.

jks1259 · Post by **jks1259** » 13 Sep 2007, 07:56

Mechanic told me when I first began encountering the problem this spring that the front springs were compressed to the point that the coils were touching each other.

Everything else is supposedly fine.

Now I know - as it is always said, you get what you pay for