Suspension: S80 suspension noises

[costajus]

Hi guys and gals ....

my 2002 S80 has been making some odd noises from the front suspension. It does not sound like the drop links to me. One drop link was replaced a year ago with a genuine part and I am going to do the other side as well as a precaution.

Sometimes the noise sounds like a "twang" or "boing" almost like one of the springs. Sometimes its a loud clunk and I can feel it through the floor under my feet. It often happens when driving on uneven roads but not necessarily roads with bumps or potholes. Some times I have experienced it in car parks at low speeds with no bumps at all. I can't always get the car to reproduce the noises but they are much more likely to occur when in reverse for some reason.

I did read a service bulletin about the front subframe bolts which sounded very similar (and adding some rubber washers to fix it) but that was for much older models so I presume my car isn't affected.

Does anyone have any ideas where a simpleton like me can look to diagnose it or do I need to get the car into a garage?

Thanks in advance as always!

[V70RMW]

When mine made this type of noise it turned out to be the top mount. You are supposed to be able to check for movement from the top of the wing but I didn't find that very successful.

[micken]

The subframe bolts that you refer to might be the driveshaft bolts that attach through the centre of the hub. I've replaced my V70 bolts with XC90 ones that have bungs, loctite and are torqued 35NM + 90 degrees. Worth a search.

Volve genuine drop links are not as good as Mayle from allgermanparts, I'd replace both as a pair when one goes. Worth another search.

Hope this helps.

[costajus]

Thanks for both replies.

When you say top mount does that mean something above the spring/shocker? Should I try rocking the car with the bonnet open and see if anything looks like it is moving where the three strut bolts are?

I found an article on Vida and it was definitely subframe bolts, the subframe bashes against the metal it is attached to and some washers put into the gap stop the noise. I already read about driveshaft bolts, they were both tight on my car although one was 1mm bigger than the other so one has been changed at some point.

I did not realise Mayle was better then going for genuine parts? I'll look into that as I imagine it would be cheaper as well.

[micken]

Sorry, it's Meyle.

Here's some info.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=117633

[costajus]

Nothing obviously wrong with the top mounts (that I can see)

I looked through the history and the previous owner asked Volvo to look at the same problem in Feb 2011. They reported:

NSF lower ball joint "Slight Play" and OSF drumstick "Very Slight Play"

Could anyone tell me what a drumstick is please? If they mean droplink then I guess it would be rattling now 10 months later.

Would a lower ball joint make clunking noises?

I have the MoT in Feb so I may need to change some of these bits for that anyway.

I might still go for genuine rather than Meyle parts, if the original lasted 9 years and 100k miles then the replacement will outlive the car.

[ogie17]

Originally Posted by costajus

Hi guys and gals ....

my 2002 S80 has been making some odd noises from the front suspension. It does not sound like the drop links to me. One drop link was replaced a year ago with a genuine part and I am going to do the other side as well as a precaution.

Sometimes the noise sounds like a "twang" or "boing" almost like one of the springs. Sometimes its a loud clunk and I can feel it through the floor under my feet. It often happens when driving on uneven roads but not necessarily roads with bumps or potholes. Some times I have experienced it in car parks at low speeds with no bumps at all. I can't always get the car to reproduce the noises but they are much more likely to occur when in reverse for some reason.

I did read a service bulletin about the front subframe bolts which sounded very similar (and adding some rubber washers to fix it) but that was for much older models so I presume my car isn't affected.

Does anyone have any ideas where a simpleton like me can look to diagnose it or do I need to get the car into a garage?

Thanks in advance as always!

Hi, did you ever find out what was causing the noise? I recently bought a S80 (03) 2.4T Auto and found the front droplinks a little worn (newish ones on the rears) so slotted some Meyle ones in. Curiously an even louder knocking/cracking noise seemed to develope straight after the new ones were fitted, but only occasionally heard, from footwell bulkhead area. Seems to be affected by road cambre more than by anything else. Is it possible by reducing play in the links, I have exposed play elsewhere in the suspension leg?