Front strut mount noise? With pictures
 

So front drivers side is very noisy. I'm guessing its the top mount, however I did have a garage take a look and they said "we just don't know and don't want to start randomly swapping stuff". I cant live with it though... it's at its worst at about 20mph over uneven road, almost like a chirping rather than a solid knock. I've got to go out tomorrow so I've just taken top nut off in situ, taken some pictures and popped some GT45/grease in the bearing area just to see if this changes the noise - if it does it confirms top bearing to be the issue. FRF have quoted £45 to post out a new one saying the support plate generally doesn't need changing. My pictures are below. Can anyone comment - am I on the right track, does this seem like a reasonable course of action?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nP...Bpkzormw=w2400

It's just possible to see a small crack on the left of the bush. It does not fully rotate though.

Thanks, Ian

Hi.
That mount looks pretty grim. It`s drier than a dry thing.
I`d think that was a prime candidate.... or a drop-link.
Best to change both sides of car as well.

To check the top mounts - get an assistant to move the steering while you grab the spring, a bad top mount will feel obvious when holding the spring (it will feel rough) - compare it to your 'good' side for comparison (assuming they are both not gone)

It is not completely failed, but indeed the rubber looks soft. Be sure to ask us which brands to use, don't let the garage come with some low cost part, it will last only months. While there, I would like to praise the garage for not willing to replace parts 'just to see'

Mind you, there are several things than can make noise. How many miles ?

Thanks
 

Thanks for your comments and guidance. The price is from Volvo dealer in Swansea via post. He said it's the XC90 spec that they sell now and is far stronger. I'll report back tomorrow after driving to school and observing whether it sounds any different after today's tinkering. I think I'll then probably end up ordering and seeing if I can do it on the drive next week.

Miles are at 140000

Lubrication made a clear difference
 

Well having put some lithium grease and sprayed GT45 into the top bush and down the crack in the rubber yesterday, its fixed! In saying that, the noisy churp was largely silent as I drove to school this morning. I'm taking this to be confirmation that it is the top bearing which is badly worn and which needs replacing. I'm not planning to leave it just because its gone quite given some lub. Just ordered the part from FRF. I've previously swapped struts all round on my old MX-5 so I'm hoping that experience will help when I have a go, only concern being the bigger stuff on the volvo is a bit more intimidating and I hope my small spring compressors are upto it.

Thanks for all the help, cheers, Ian

did you try my suggestion?

For springs compressors i recently bought some with the safety pins, made a big difference to anxiety levels when changing shocks on my old car - i would suggest getting some of them. Plenty of penetrating oil, a big bar/impact and you wont go far wrong.

Job update - success
 

So the job is done. When the part arrived from FRF it was the spring seat rather than the top plate with bearing, Simon has assured me he was sending the bit which frequently fails so I got on and swapped the seat. Pictures below are the old one and upon inspection it certainly looks well past best with one side corroded out entirely and a big split around the centre bush which was far more evident from the bottom. An OK job, I just wish it wasn't over shadowed by the grave risk of extending the drive shaft CV joint too far, the thought of which always scares me big time. So with lots of help from my son and different orientations we got the strut out and back in again without an over extension and the car drives fine, with noise gone.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZymZPvAYqoR4JqMv6

Many thanks for the encouragement and support, Ian

It may sound odd but have you greased the steering stops?

They can make horrendous noises if they are dry.

Worst of all have to be the ones on pre 2006 ie MkI & II C70's, if they are not greased every few months, on full lock, it sounds as though the suspension and steering are about to part company with all sorts of vibration and bumps up the steering column.

What do you grease them with?