Volvo 850 front subframe bushings

[egoff]

Hi all, I'm having an issue with the front subframe bushings on my car. I recently replaced all 4, and while the rears remain flush against the body after torquing them down, the fronts leave a large gap in between the bottom of the bushing and the subframe, which causes a nasty clunking sound when driving around. So it seems like the bushing isn't being torqued down enough, but I followed the torque specifications I found for all 4, which was 77 lbs ft and then 120 degrees. Also when I went to take the mounts back out, they were very easy to pry out, which seems suspicious.

I noticed that the metal cylinder in these mounts is concave, which made me think that when torqued down, this might squeeze down and expand, wedging the bushing into the subframe. This would also shrink the length of the metal cylinder, which seems to be stopping my bushings from holding everything together. Right now I know that the top of the bushing is touching the body, so it's not an issue of the bushing not being inserted far enough.

My question was whether that's the way these bushing work? If so, I guess I need to order new ones as the ones I have don't seem to be behaving. They were URO parts, which I've learned are a mistake to buy, so that wouldn't really surprise me. Also I didn't use new bolts, could that cause an issue like this?

[theWIFES_S70]

Hi egoff,
Looks like you're going to have to do this job all over again... I'd suggest getting the XC90 bushings for the job, too. They're a little stiffer and approximately 50% heavier than the Proparts ones, which failed on my car less than a thousand miles in. Did you get new washers? I tackled the job because my front two washers were so deformed. Putting new washers in enabled me to get the right torque in there. I used new bolts for the front and old ones in the rear. I don't think reusing or using new bolts makes much of a difference. Only time will tell...

I'm guessing the outer casing of the Uro bushing wasn't spec'd properly. When these things go in, they go in tight. It's kind of crazy to see your bushings hanging in there like that. Have you tried to hammer them in? I used a 4" 1/2 drive extension, turned around, and a 3lb mallet to get mine seated. What sort of lube did you use to get them in there in the first place?

I wrote a great deal about this ordeal over here https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=77040

Good luck with this job. My back still hurts from doing this twice...

[egoff]

So I did exactly what you recommended, bought the genuine Volvo bushings along with new bolts and washers, and everything is lining up perfectly now. I think the difference was the Volvo bushings have much stronger plastic wedging the bushing into the subframe, while the cheaper bushings tend to slide back out. I think that's what happened when I tightened them down the first time. Thanks for the help, I didn't even know about the XC90 bushings fitting these cars. Looks like they'll work even better.

[theWIFES_S70]

So I did exactly what you recommended, bought the genuine Volvo bushings along with new bolts and washers, and everything is lining up perfectly now. I think the difference was the Volvo bushings have much stronger plastic wedging the bushing into the subframe, while the cheaper bushings tend to slide back out. I think that's what happened when I tightened them down the first time. Thanks for the help, I didn't even know about the XC90 bushings fitting these cars. Looks like they'll work even better.

Doesn't the blue look cool? It matches the OEM coolant! I also replaced the brackets that hold in the rear subframe bushings, too. I had put my jackstands in the middle of them and had deformed them from doing so. Doing this job has really made the cabin considerably quieter. Though, I'm getting the sporadic endlink clunk now... I'll take care of that in the Spring. And then the car will be pretty much Stage 0.

Glad it all worked out, egoff!