Have now placed an order at PartsforVolvosonline for the Polyflex bushings also checked price at local Volvo garage to fit. Will opt for new standard rear wishbone bush aswell. Wishbone has to come out and busings pressed in with the Volvo tool.
A note, if you order the standard front bush from Volvo you will recive the "new" police speced bush. The oldest and softest are no longer available.

Will report back and document the procedure if possible with pictures to ad to this thread.

- Johan

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

S60 2.4T 2002, 17ins factory alloys

I had the tramline syndrom on straight roads that were rutted from heavy haulage usage, when my Continent Contisport Contact tyres where near their limit. After recently owning an '02 V70 2.4 with 15ins alloys, assumed this effect was down to just having less flex area between the the alloys and tarmac.

Base on an excellent performance from a new pair of BF Goodriches Profilers - compared to the previous (from new) squeeling P6000's that last 5 minutes and rolled on bends like the Titanic going down, I decided to stick some on the front of S60. No tramlining! Gripped like a monkey!

Funny thing though, on my 72k service at the Volvo main agent back on Oct '05, the chap said there was a left side bush wearing on the front suspension. He said that Volvo could replace both sides for the cost on one side, valid until the car hits a 100k - this was general to all S60's. All-in cost £100 + VAT.

I guess this relates to recognising a problem that they do not wish to pay for in full.

My MOT on 02.10.2006 states that the two front lower-arm bushes will not see the next MOT through. Maybe this is why I'm now getting a slight clonk when I've gone over the end of a speed ramp in the road, and the tramline has come back, even with my newly fitted front tyres.

Oh well, PartsforVolvosonline.com are only 18 miles up the road. I'm in no hurry, yet.

Regards.
Peter

Replacing bushes to fix vague steering & Torque-steer.
 

My 2002 V70 T5 seems to have had the same problem as everyone else's:
Some torque steer even when new, but after 50K miles the precision of the steering went downhill fast.

I have just replaced the wishbones, supplied from
http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...oducts_id=3216
The bushes in these parts are rubber, not nylon, but firmer (& cheaper) than the original spec. Perhaps they are not oil-filled? Anyway, the steering is more precise than it's ever been; little torque-steer, even with a heavy foot in low gear. On the downside, there's more vibration from the road surface fed back through the steering wheel, which can get tiring on long journeys.

So I'd say - for a comfy ride, choose the original equipt, for a street racer, the polyflex, but for a reasonable compromise, the plain rubber.

You pay's your money, you takes your choice....

Wandering steering
 

Tracking
 

I still wonder how accurate the tracking guages are in normal tyre places. I had a 740 which was a wanderer and puller. A full computer alignment at a crash repairers solved all problems and it drove like a dream for years.

Roger - It is hard to believe but I think it is down to the Pirrelli P6000s. Mine is the 2006 D5 Sport and had tramlined since I got it with 5k on the clock. Having come from driving GTI Golfs the handling was the only disapointment I had with the car expecially the tendency to wander etc.
Anyway at 16k the P6000s had worn down to the point where I could just about justify changing them.
Got some Dunlop SP9090s fitted all round and all of the vagueness has gone completely, feels like a new car.

It is strange though as my second last GTI (1.8T MKIV) came with P6000s and I switched to Toyo Proxes and didn't notice any issues.

Roger,

On a brand new car the bushes wont be worn, so if it is fitted with P6000's it is definitely them. They are an absolutely awful tyre and I dont know why Volvo insist on fitting them to all new cars!!!

To test, ask them to swap the wheels and tyres accross temporarily from another Volvo fitted with a different brand of tyre and you'll soon notice the difference!

Personal preference is Goodyear Eagle F1's

Imac,

Thanks for your comment. In the light of all the other opinions about this particular make/type of tyre perhaps if the VOC brought some pressure to bear on Volvo then they might? take notice about this point which imho lets down a super car. If Volvo want to try and take the BMW market for this type of car then they are doing themselves no favours at all by fitting a tyre which lets down the whole car in terms of its handling. I will write to the VOC to see if they will take the issue up and now go back to the dealer armed with more knowledge.

Roger - Good idea. Every review I read of new volvos complains about the handling, I bet they are all tested on P6000s.

I took my car down a really twisty bit of road today and was amazed at the difference the new tyres have made. The car feels so much more composed and stable. The initial turn in is also much better. Absolutley no following the camber of the road etc.

Handling is back to what I would expect of a "sporting saloon". I never thought tyres made such a.
Just hang on in until you need new tyres I promiss you will be amazed at the difference.

Hi Black,
What tyres did you change over to?
Dave