New suspension

[bobsy852]

So, I think my drivers side front shock absorber is on the way out (2007 P3 V70 D5). It rattles when driving over roads where the top surface of the tarmac has worn away. Doesn't do it over big bumps or anything. Short continuous rough ground.

Anyway, I've changed suspension on a few cars now. Can't imagine this is much harder apart from the bottom of the strut just sits in the hub rather than being bolted to it

Firstly
Wondered if anyone had done this job themselves? Any tips?

Secondly
What is the OEM manufacturer of the shock absorbers of these cars?
Although I've considered it, I don't think I'll bother lowering it or anything. I'll just replace all the struts, springs & top mounts with OEM.
I'll probably buy top mounts from Volvo but would prefer to avoid their markup on spring and struts.
SACHS seem to be the most readily available?

Thanks all

[green van man]

Originally Posted by bobsy852

So, I think my drivers side front shock absorber is on the way out (2007 P3 V70 D5). It rattles when driving over roads where the top surface of the tarmac has worn away. Doesn't do it over big bumps or anything. Short continuous rough ground.

Anyway, I've changed suspension on a few cars now. Can't imagine this is much harder apart from the bottom of the strut just sits in the hub rather than being bolted to it

Firstly
Wondered if anyone had done this job themselves? Any tips?

Secondly
What is the OEM manufacturer of the shock absorbers of these cars?
Although I've considered it, I don't think I'll bother lowering it or anything. I'll just replace all the struts, springs & top mounts with OEM.
I'll probably buy top mounts from Volvo but would prefer to avoid their markup on spring and struts.
SACHS seem to be the most readily available?

Thanks all

You will find all the parts are stamped Fo Mo Co. I used Bilstien febbi top mounts when I changed mine, remember it's a Mondeo mk4 clone.

Bottom wishbone needs a special tool if you want to make life easy, or you make one out of 25x3 flat bar.
Turn it back on itself so that it is a snug fit on the lip of the wishbone, bend it 90 degrees so that it rests on the top of the wishbone, bend it 120 degrees so that it drops down the other side of the wishbone then bend a curve or better still a circle in the end such that you can use a pry bar through the tool to the back end of the wishbone to bar the wishbone down and off the spigot of the bottom swivel.

Once the pinch bolt is removed, fit your tool and press down to remove strut from wishbone.
CAUTION I found my bottom curve had a tenancy to straighten in use, hence the circle or closed loop which I would weld if possible. I used a 2ft breaker bar handle as the pry and found it sufficient mechanical advantage to make things easy.

Once I had made the tool from measurements off the car and shape from VIDA the job was a simple one man done in an hour affair, I had however spent half a day struggling and getting nowhere before I applied the science.
Coil spring compressors will be needed to remove the spring once the strut is off the car and if you do not have a rattle gun I advise you loosen the top strut nut prior to removal from the car. I found it easy enough to do so with strut off the car with the rattle gun but left final torqueing untill everything reassembled and weight on the strut.

Hope that helps.

Paul.

[Model flyer]

A straight forward job if your handy with your spanners . Biggest or toughest bit is prying lower wishbone down to remove/ insert shock from suspension housing /hub and its a close fit . Everything else is simple spanner work. If in doubt get it done at local garage .

[pierremcalpine]

Originally Posted by Model flyer

A straight forward job if your handy with your spanners . Biggest or toughest bit is prying lower wishbone down to remove/ insert shock from suspension housing /hub and its a close fit . Everything else is simple spanner work. If in doubt get it done at local garage .

This is spot on. I love the idea of creating the tool to pry the wishbone downwards but you can do it using pry devices as well. Just had my struts off two days ago and I thought I had recorded the whole process but apparently I did not! Here is what I suggest:

1) be cautious with the pinch bolt as they have been known to seize. Having said this mine had 180k Km’s On them when I first took them off and they were fine. I did replace them though as they were pretty rusty.
2) unplug the ABS sensor and set it out of the way
3) slip a piece of flat metal in the pinch opening and then screw the pinch bolt back in until it pushed up against the metal thus opening up the pinch.
4) find a long piece of steel (ex 52” Thule x-bar) and slip it over the control arm and slip the end in the opening just forward of the front wishbone opening in the subframe.
5) step on the other end of the Thule bar and take a sledge hammer to repeatedly hit the top of the hub until it is down as far as you can get it. At some point you will notice that the Thule bar hits the ground and is no longer effective. At this point get a 24” breaker bar and insert it the opposite way: over the control arm and then under the rear wishbone bushing. Put a foot on the other end and give the hub a few more sacks until you can yank the hub forward away from the strut.

When putting the hub back on be sure to get the tab on the back of the strut lined up as best you can BEFORE inserting the strut back into the hub. Then fit the two pieces back together (again using the pry bar technique). Then take a hammer to the sway bar link metal bracket to help twist the strut in line with the pinch opening in the hub.

Don’t be afraid to pound on the hub hard through. Just be sure to wear some ear protection.

Good luck. Not a big fan of this design.

[bobsy852]

Originally Posted by green van man

You will find all the parts are stamped Fo Mo Co. I used Bilstien febbi top mounts when I changed mine, remember it's a Mondeo mk4 clone.

Bottom wishbone needs a special tool if you want to make life easy, or you make one out of 25x3 flat bar.
Turn it back on itself so that it is a snug fit on the lip of the wishbone, bend it 90 degrees so that it rests on the top of the wishbone, bend it 120 degrees so that it drops down the other side of the wishbone then bend a curve or better still a circle in the end such that you can use a pry bar through the tool to the back end of the wishbone to bar the wishbone down and off the spigot of the bottom swivel.

Once the pinch bolt is removed, fit your tool and press down to remove strut from wishbone.
CAUTION I found my bottom curve had a tenancy to straighten in use, hence the circle or closed loop which I would weld if possible. I used a 2ft breaker bar handle as the pry and found it sufficient mechanical advantage to make things easy.

Once I had made the tool from measurements off the car and shape from VIDA the job was a simple one man done in an hour affair, I had however spent half a day struggling and getting nowhere before I applied the science.
Coil spring compressors will be needed to remove the spring once the strut is off the car and if you do not have a rattle gun I advise you loosen the top strut nut prior to removal from the car. I found it easy enough to do so with strut off the car with the rattle gun but left final torqueing untill everything reassembled and weight on the strut.

Hope that helps.

Paul.

Thanks Paul!
I've tried to get my head around your tool description but I'm struggling a bit to understand it. Any chance of a pic?

I watched this video which didn't look too difficult:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81G_CNu9u4

You lot are putting me off though!

I didn't think it'd be as straight forward as my older vehicles but was hoping to get away with my limited toolset!
(Ratchets, spanners, screwdrivers, breaker bars, pickle forks, spring compressors, impact driver, torque wrench etc.)

[green van man]

Originally Posted by bobsy852

Thanks Paul!
I've tried to get my head around your tool description but I'm struggling a bit to understand it. Any chance of a pic?

I watched this video which didn't look too difficult:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81G_CNu9u4

You lot are putting me off though!

I didn't think it'd be as straight forward as my older vehicles but was hoping to get away with my limited toolset!
(Ratchets, spanners, screwdrivers, breaker bars, pickle forks, spring compressors, impact driver, torque wrench etc.)

I was thinking a picture would be so much easier as I was writing the description, unfortunatly getting one attached is beyond my computing ability. Will ask some mates whom are computor literate if they can help.
I saw a picture of the special tool on VIDA if you have access to that. Being volvo the cost of that tool is likely to be more than a new v70 which is what decided me to make my own.

Basically you need a bar attached to the wishbone that hangs below said wishbone that you can use to bar against and force the wishbone down. I did this by hooking the tool over the bottom edge of the wishbone, which stops it slipping off as you use it, then going across the top of the wishbone and down the other side turning a hook or eye in the hanging down bit to accept the prybar. As I said once I had made the tool the job was easy and I retained all my knuckles.

Will try to get picture of tool and attach it here for others convenience but as said will need to enlist the help of others to do so.

Paul.

[bobsy852]

Originally Posted by green van man

I was thinking a picture would be so much easier as I was writing the description, unfortunatly getting one attached is beyond my computing ability. Will ask some mates whom are computor literate if they can help.
I saw a picture of the special tool on VIDA if you have access to that. Being volvo the cost of that tool is likely to be more than a new v70 which is what decided me to make my own.

Basically you need a bar attached to the wishbone that hangs below said wishbone that you can use to bar against and force the wishbone down. I did this by hooking the tool over the bottom edge of the wishbone, which stops it slipping off as you use it, then going across the top of the wishbone and down the other side turning a hook or eye in the hanging down bit to accept the prybar. As I said once I had made the tool the job was easy and I retained all my knuckles.

Will try to get picture of tool and attach it here for others convenience but as said will need to enlist the help of others to do so.

Paul.

All I need to do is find a way to lever the wishbone down? I've got a couple of long steel pry bars that I've used on other vehicles for this job. Just rest them on the wishbone and wedge the end under the chassis somewhere before standing on the other end to apply pressure to the wishbone?

[green van man]

Originally Posted by bobsy852

All I need to do is find a way to lever the wishbone down? I've got a couple of long steel pry bars that I've used on other vehicles for this job. Just rest them on the wishbone and wedge the end under the chassis somewhere before standing on the other end to apply pressure to the wishbone?

Yes, I tried that. Very difficult to get the pry bar wedged on the inboard end but yes essentially that is it.
The tool allows you to place the pry bar under the wishbone where there is plenty of places to wedge the inboard end.
Basically you are tieing the pry bar to the wishbone in order to force the outer end down and off the swivel joint.


Paul.

[Model flyer]

I watched this video which didn't look too difficult:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W81G_CNu9u4

You lot are putting me off though!

The video you have linked is for P2 V70 up to 2006 and that was a simple job . Its a different set up for the P3 and a bit more tricky but still doable by any competent DIYer

[bobsy852]

OKay, well i finally bit the bullet and bought some parts!

New Bilstein B4 shocks for each corner (as much as I wanted the B6's I just can't afford them at the moment).
New monroe springs for each corner
New lemforder front top mounts & bearings
New drop links for the front.

Is there anything else I'll need?

I'm trusting I should be able to re-use existing dust covers, spring seats etc.
I couldn't find anything for a top mount for rear shocks?