2005 XC70 Front Suspension Noise/End Link replacement issues

farmer66 · Post by **farmer66** » 09 Jul 2014, 20:31

Hi All,

I just had my front sway bar end links replaced at a local shop, with whatever they deemed was the correct part from NAPA (I saw the NAPA guy deliver the replacements). Anyways, a week and a half later, and not more than 200 miles, my front end is making noise again, and this is the issue.

I had a shop replace the front struts with all new parts from IPD, including the sachs struts, HD spring seat, and the Lemforder upper strut mount. These parts have under 14,000 miles on them.

I'm looking for what could possibly cause this, before I call the shop tomorrow, as I believe everything on the strut assembly should be in good shape, and the only thing that has changed is the sway bar end links. I'm not sure how the end links could cause this, so if somebody could explain, I'm all ears. Thanks!

Magnus308 · Post by **Magnus308** » 10 Jul 2014, 05:57

I dont see anything strange on those pictures

Tonyx · Post by **Tonyx** » 10 Jul 2014, 06:19

The gap below strut top bushing and strut top bearing is normal. This gap allows quicker rebound response and lower suspension friction during steering maneuvers.

You may need to investigate further where the noise is coming from. If you can describe more specifically when and how the noise occur it may help the forum members to chime in.

One easy check is: with car parked and wheels straight, reach around each wheel and try to rotate the sway bar end links. They should be fairly hard to rotate, all four of them.

farmer66 · Post by **farmer66** » 10 Jul 2014, 07:06

That's a normal gap? I've never seen it before on this car, or when I had my '98 XC.

The noise is very similar in occurrence to when the shop determined the end links were bad, the only difference is this noise is sharper and possibly louder.

farmer66 · Post by **farmer66** » 10 Jul 2014, 08:09

Ok, I just drove to work, and I'm able to reliably create the noise with a quick back and forth swerve. Still has the clunking sound like the old end links had, but it is a little sharper, and appears to be mostly on the drivers side.

Post by **chrism** » 10 Jul 2014, 10:04

Try disconnecting the end link at the lower attach point. Then drive the car and see if it's quieter. (You can wire the end link out of the way if needed so that it doesn't contact anything while doing the test drive.)

Tonyx · Post by **Tonyx** » 11 Jul 2014, 11:28

farmer66 wrote:That's a normal gap? I've never seen it before on this car, or when I had my '98 XC.

The noise is very similar in occurrence to when the shop determined the end links were bad, the only difference is this noise is sharper and possibly louder.

When the car is up on a lift and the wheels are unloaded you will not see the gap. It's basically the force of gas charge in the strut bearing up on the strut top mount and pushing against the middle bushing part.

My gut feels is that your top cross brace wasn't torqued down properly and causing sharper noise. Either way, why not have the repair shop check it out for you?

farmer66 · Post by **farmer66** » 12 Jul 2014, 16:32

I brought it back to the shop yesterday, turns out they just had to reseat the lower part of the endlink(s), I'm not sure if it was just one side or both.

Anyways, the original reason for this post was that gap, as I had never seen it before, and initially thought that was the reason for the noise.

Thanks for your input!