clunk, clunk, clunk, after replacing front end parts.

Post by **bronxnativ** » 01 Mar 2013, 16:21

Gentlemen,

96 volvo 850, today I replaced the following:

Outer tie rod (TRW)
sway bar end link (IPD blue or HD)
Struts (all parts involved in strut replacement).
CV Joints are fairly new (EMPI).

During test drive, passenger side, I keep hearing a clunk noise on all bumps on road! Control arm and ball joint look good which explains why I did not replace them. Smooth ride but the clunk is ruining it!
Suggestions please.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 01 Mar 2013, 16:29

Double check the sway bar end links. They have a tendency to bind up as you install them and torque them down. You may think it is tight but it isn't. You can usually feel a loose nut by feeling the joints, upper and lower, with your hand as someone bounces the front end up and down.

...Lee

Post by **bronxnativ** » 01 Mar 2013, 16:40

Ozark Lee wrote:Double check the sway bar end links. They have a tendency to bind up as you install them and torque them down. You may think it is tight but it isn't. You can usually feel a loose nut by feeling the joints, upper and lower, with your hand as someone bounces the front end up and down.

...Lee

Thanks Lee, will do so tomorrow first thing. Do you have the torque setting for the sway bar end link (anyone?). I don't have the book for it.

Post by **JRL** » 01 Mar 2013, 16:50

I sure hope you replaced the spring seats.
Just removing and replacing them could be enough to break them

Post by **erikv11** » 01 Mar 2013, 17:52

Officially, torque is 50 Nm. But really tight will work, too.

: From Haynes, complete listing for front and rear suspension; Haynes.Volvo.850.Front.Torque.jpg (125.21 KiB) Viewed 1405 times

Post by **bronxnativ** » 01 Mar 2013, 18:55

erikv11 wrote:Officially, torque is 50 Nm. But really tight will work, too.

Haynes.Volvo.850.Front.Torque.jpg

Thanks Eric! Really appreciate it.

Post by **jblackburn** » 01 Mar 2013, 22:42

The sway bar and control arm bolts are always difficult to torque down with a torque wrench.

I put a jack under the control arm and raise it to ride height and then snug down the bolts, or else they kept knocking on my car when I replaced the links.

Just tightening it really, really hard would probably work too.

Post by **bronxnativ** » 02 Mar 2013, 21:09

thanks to all that assisted! Lee, your advice was spot on (as usual). Tightening it down as stated by Lee and Justin is what did it! No torque wrench used as their is no space, but I did tighten as stated.