Suspension: Intermittent Squeak!

[Luxobarge]

Originally Posted by Rob.D

Hi MB4,
Er, sorry but you have me confused! From what I make of it, the wishbone bush is a rubber affair bonded (vulcanised) to a metal sleeve, that has a fixing bolt that passes through the centre of it. These are available from Volvo, PFV etc.
The bit I'm confused about is, that you say it's bonded to the wishbone Uhhh?! Sorry, but could you shed more light? Thanks.

Rob, the wishbone bushes have an inner steel sleeve (through which the mounting bolt runs) and an outer thin steel sleeve. In between the two is the rubber of the bush iteself, all bonded together. The outer steel sleeve is a press fit in the cast steel of the wishbone itself, and is not removable or replaceable as a standard item, i.e. it's pressed in there so tight you'd never get a replacement bush int here without specialist equipment. Therefore, to solve a wishbone bush failure you need to replace the whole wishbone.

HOWEVER: having said that, there are after-market wishbone bushes, such as Polybush, that can be used on an existing wishbone. You have to remove the old rubber bush, and trust me from experience this is quite hard to do, you won't be able to press it out (unless you have access to some pretty serious presses) so the method I used was to drill out the rubber (difficult and time-consuming) until you can bash the centre of the bush out, then thread a hack-saw blade through the hole and cut a groove in the outer steel sleeve that is left, at which point the pressure will be released enough to knock it out. By the time you've done this to four bushes you'll be wishing you'd replaced the whole arm!

The other reason for replacing the whole arm is that the steering ball joint is non-replaceable, and if the rubber bushes have gone then the ball joint is probably not far behind, so you might be wasting a lot of time and effort in replacing the bushes only to find that the ball joint fails later and you're in for a whole arm anyway.

If you do replace the whole arm, my experience is that the cheaper after-market items don't last long, the original Volvo ones are fine, but a good compromise on quality/cost (possibly as good as original equipment) are the Meyle Heavy Duty items - available from PFS and no doubt others.

I speak from experience on all of the above!

The above applies to the two-bolt wishbones (fitted to the majority of cars) the four-bolt items are different, and I believe the bushes are replaceable on these.

Hope this helps?

Cheers!

[Rob.D]

Hi Luxobarge,
Many thanks indeed for your lengthy explanation! I had noted that business of not being able to replace the balljoint (info. on PFV website) and from what you've explained about trying to replace the bush! - well, to hell with that!
I had already checked-out the prices on PFV and saw that the Meyle version is £72 inc. vat, but then there's carriage to pay! As opposed to the genuine article from Main Dealer (with VOC discount, plus vat) £79.73 each, so there ain't much in it.
Also, since I've had a lot of outside edge front tyre wear, I reckon I'll have to bite the bullet again!!!! and buy a pair of the Volvo wishbones (cost £159.46), then get them fitted cost ? and THEN get the Main Dealers to check/adjust the geometry (tracking on all four wheels) cost £95. Groan.... But again, many thanks to ALL for your input.

[Luxobarge]

No probs Rob - I guess you're not too handy with the spanners? I only ask 'cos it's a pretty easy job, I've done it several times now (don't ask!) and I have my own little tracking machine so I've set that up myself too. I'd reckon on about an hour a side to change the wishbone, plus maybe another hour to set up the tracking as it can be a bit fiddly, and I'm paranoid about having the steering wheen totally central in the straight-ahead.

By the way, £95 for tracking is a rip off, and you'd not want all 4 wheels doing anyway, only the fronts are adjustable, the rears will be fine unless you've bent something.

Cheers!

[Rob.D]

Originally Posted by Luxobarge

No probs Rob - I guess you're not too handy with the spanners?
Cheers!

Well, for your info, I USED to be extremely handy with the spanners!! Having taken out and completey rebuilt two engines, Plus I worked for Lotus Car Co. etc.etc.etc.


But sadly I'm now disabled and 67 years old, and have to weigh-up each job and decide whether I can or should tackle it? or pay someone else to do it. There it is! nuff said.

But again many thanks for the info.
Cheers.

[Luxobarge]

Ah Rob - completely understand, I'd be the same - we're all going to be there some day! Well, all the best with it, but if you do decide to have a go, I did a write up with pictures etc. when I did mine, and I can point you to them if it's of any help.

Having said that, I guess we don't actually know that it's the wishbones do we? I've had them go twice, and got mainly handling problems, not squeaking of any kind. I suppose squeaking could be caused by the ball joint.... dunno!

Hope it all works out!

Cheers

[Rob.D]

Originally Posted by Luxobarge

.... if you do decide to have a go, I did a write up with pictures etc. when I did mine, and I can point you to them if it's of any help.
Having said that, I guess we don't actually know that it's the wishbones do we? I've had them go twice, and got mainly handling problems, not squeaking of any kind. I suppose squeaking could be caused by the ball joint.... dunno!
Hope it all works out!
Cheers

Hi Luxo (whoever you are?),
Heh, heh, people must be getting bored with our posts on this topic! But you have whetted my appetite, so yes please steer me to your write-up!

With regard to whether it is the wishbones? I'm rather guided by what MetB4 said about excessive tyre wear on the outer edges, I certainly have had that! So,.....?
Cheers.

[Luxobarge]

Hi Rob,

OK, here's the story of the first time I did it. Start reading about half way down post #77:

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...=114983&page=8

However, these failed after a short time (partly due to my tightening the bolts with the suspension relaxed, instead of being loaded like I should have done) so I got to do the job all over again - this time with polybushes (as explained above) and I also got to fit a heavy-duty Meyle arm, all of which is still working fine today.

Read from post#246 onwards here:

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...114983&page=25

Hope this helps? Let us know how you get on - all the best!

[Logan360]

Just having a bit of a read on this. i have multiple arms that have removeable steering ball joints. another way to remove bushes probably only on arms with said removeable ball joints, is to burn the things out. did it on my brothers Mazda. bloody fun.

[Rob.D]

Originally Posted by Luxobarge

Hi Rob,
Read from post#246 onwards here:

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...114983&page=25

Hope this helps? Let us know how you get on - all the best!

Hi Luxobarge,
Again many thanks! They say a picture says a thousand words, and it's clear from your pics that you have the ideal setup regards somewhere to work! And that's another problem I have - outside my flat, in the muck, dust and gravel, on a slight slope, OH! and the rain! NOT ideal.

Anyway, progress so far? Huh! the Volvo part numbers I had for the lower suspension arms (courtessy of PFV) are old, the new ones (8628495/6) of course come a LOT dearer (retail) £95.50+vat!!!!! Even a good deal from my local man brought it down to £73+vat £87.60 each! (still too much).
So, I ordered the Meyle ones at £72 inc. each from PFV phew! And that (as they say) is just the start. I should have ordered a pair of the heavy duty drop links whilst I was at it. Oh I just love paying these carriage charges NOT!
Will keep you posted of further proceedings.....
Regards, Rob.
p.s. Will you be at the National/BKV? It would be nice to meet and have a natter.