340DL struts

[autojohn]

Hi my driver side front suspension strut gave way today.. the cup that holds the spring has rusted through and caused the `cup` to slide down the strut and jammed against the tyre. Can anyone please help me to find a source for a reclaimed strut please because i have been told i will not find one. My volvo is a 1990 model but is in very good condition through out and I just can't bring myself to part with it easily. regards to all volvo users. john

[SteveP]

It's a very common problem. You should be able to find one... try emailing these two:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-340-1-7-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-340-360-...QQcmdZViewItem

Although the latter is a 360, it's an 85 so it will have the same anti roll bar link mounts. Alternatively you can buy new strutcups. Hadrian car repair panels sell them.

[autojohn]

Originally Posted by SteveP

It's a very common problem. You should be able to find one... try emailing these two:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-340-1-7-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-340-360-...QQcmdZViewItem

Although the latter is a 360, it's an 85 so it will have the same anti roll bar link mounts. Alternatively you can buy new strutcups. Hadrian car repair panels sell them.

Thank you Steve, I have posted emails to those addresses. But I'm now confused when you say I can purchase new strut cups because I did try to get these from a Volvo Dealer and was told the cups are not removable because they are a part of the full structure...Is it possible you have the address to Hadrian car repairs please Steve?

[SteveP]

They will be part of the full structure that Volvo would sell - ie. Volvo would sell you the complete strut I believe, not sure if they did a strut cup repair item.

Link to Hadrian: http://www.carpanels.co.uk/aboutNF.htm

Go to Product Catalogue > All Hadrian Products > Volvo > 340/360 and its listed as "FRONT SUSPENSION SEAT"

Alternatively, contact Mr George Mitchell of "Friends of the Volvo 300", Telephone: 01786 824740 as he can supply then I think. You will obviously have to get them welded, but any local competent welder should be able to help you out.

[autojohn]

Originally Posted by SteveP

They will be part of the full structure that Volvo would sell - ie. Volvo would sell you the complete strut I believe, not sure if they did a strut cup repair item.

Link to Hadrian: http://www.carpanels.co.uk/aboutNF.htm

Go to Product Catalogue > All Hadrian Products > Volvo > 340/360 and its listed as "FRONT SUSPENSION SEAT"

Alternatively, contact Mr George Mitchell of "Friends of the Volvo 300", Telephone: 01786 824740 as he can supply then I think. You will obviously have to get them welded, but any local competent welder should be able to help you out.

Hi Steve, thanks again for your help. I still haven't had any luck accessing the stru cups but I will now be contactingGeorge Mitchell, but I've been trying to remove all the rusted bolts so I can remove the old strut but without any sucess whatever....Though I have quite a few spanners MM wit etc I can't seem to fined the correct sizes for the track end, lower ball joint and also the two large bolts that hold the wheel back plate to the strut. I've been soaking all these nuts etc in `plusgas` for about 24+ hours too. Is there any more advice you can give me on this please Steve?

[Chris_C]

They should all be metric, but I'd not try doing them with standard spanners. Get a set of 6 sided sockets (not bi hex, when you look from the end should only see a single hexagon, Mike Brace posted up a good set of pics which explains this, I'll try to find them), and a 2ft breaker bar. You can apply a lot of controlled force this way, and since I've had mine havn't rounded a single head.

From memory (but could be wrong on the trackrod to bottom of strut and ball joint, been a while since I've had to do them, brakes I only did yesterday though )
Trackrod - 19mm
Ball joint - not even worth me guessing, can't remember
Brake caliper to bottom of strut - 17mm
Brake sheild thingy - 10mm
You'll also need to undo the slide bolts on the calipers when re assembling, 13mm bolt needs a 15mm spanner on the slidey bit.

Machine mart will do you a rack of 6 sided (probably deep sockets, but those are useful anyway) 1/2" drive between 13 and 24mm for £11, and a 2ft breaker bar for the same. If you need a picture of a strut bottom with everything taken off, let me know, I've one in my room, but I'm afraid it's going on my project car, so I can't sell it. George (above, of the FOTV3) is a great guy however, and will be able to get you the part (there is a discount for FOTV3 members) and as Steve says, get a garage (or even better depending on where you live, a ship yard, the welding seems to be consistantly brilliant in my local ones) you trust to weld the new cup on your old strut.