2004 S40 T5 Strut Mounts?

[Martin Keene]

Back in March I fitted a new top strut mount to my Volvo S40 T5 as the nearside one had started to make a creaking noise when turning. I fitted the new mount (bearing unit and mounting plate), and all was well for 3 weeks. Then it started making a knocking noise, an inspection showed the central part of mounting plate where the damper rod is bolted to, was rotating in the mount with the damper, rather than the damper body rotating around the fixed damper rod.

This weekend I replaced the mounting plate with a new one, and all was well, the knocking has gone away.

On the way to work yesterday morning and this morning, there was a hint of a knock, there seemed to be more of a knock this morning, now this might be me being over critical or is it possible I am fixing the symptom and not the problem.

But, if the damper body is designed to rotate on the ball joint, and the damper rod is designed to be fixed by the strut mount, the surely the only way to keep damaging mounts is if the damper is at fault? But I can't see how it could be?

If it was knackered and was forcing the mount to turn, not the damper, surely the steering would be very heavy and if the damper was seized in someway stopping it turning, the damper surely wouldn't damp either and the ride would be horrific...

Yours confused...



Edit:

What also makes this weird is a search of the S40/V50 forum for 'Strut AND Mount' produces 5 results. This thread and 4 which are talking about the strut brace and the vibratechniques engine mount. This combined with my locals factors not stocking the parts, when they stock everything with a reasonable turn over, such as all the service parts and brakes for a T5 and all the service bits for SWMBO's S2000, suggests that this is not a common problem.

Volvo's addition of a strut brace is very interesting... Why was it added? Mine doesn't have one.

[Martin Keene]

Ok. So I have had a quick look when I got home and, I have the same issue again.

So, this is a picture of the top strut mount without it's ball bearing:



So the middle of the mount is supposed to hold the damper rod securely and not to rotate. As was the case with the mount I had fitted on Saturday, however, after checking just now, after just 40 miles the centre section of the new mount is now free to rotate with the damper rod. This is obviously not correct as the OE one on the drivers side is helf solid and won't reotate. Both parts I have fitted have been Febi parts, not some cheap nasty crap.

[Daim]

My C30 is on its - hold on tight - FOURTH set of strut mounts, and it isn't even a heavy engine! They seem to hold something like 6 months and then the next ones... Mine are original Volvo parts... REALLY bad quality! Ford doesn't have these problems...

[Jaff87]

When I took my lowering springs off the top mounts were.rough as hell. Funny you mention ford don't have these problems since it is a ford part, and Tbh we do fit them from time to time, but I don't see why the Volvo eat them so easily. Apparently the genuine Mazda ones for a 3 or 5 are a lot more robust.

[Daim]

Volvo probably wanted something more "comfortable" and "cheap"...

Like said, a friend of mine has a Focus ST heavily lowered and not even a little wink of noise. Since he has had it, he's driven on 19" - REALLY heavy things. He doesn't drive slowly and bangs up and down curbs. Maybe I ought to do that too!?

[t5_monkey]

Can the S40 T5 top mounts be changed for the Mazda items ?

[Jaff87]

yep mazda/ford/volvo top mounts like most of the suspension is cross compatible.

Dunno why the volvos go through them so much i think its must be due to the shocks and springs, its the only things that differ the volvos being alot softer. Volvo and ford use the same ones, the volvos have the ford FoMoCo stamp on them where as mazda aparently make their own, same as the rear drop links, L shaped ones mazda do specific ones for the 3 MPS/ speed3 which fit the fords and volvos, but are made with thicker threads and stiffer ball joints (threads being m12, opposed to m10) and again they are much more robust.

but to the OP, are you fitting OEM parts or cheap pattern parts, for the £30/40 for genuine it might be worth forking out if your useing cheap ones like delphi for example.

[Martin Keene]

Both of the replacements have been Febi parts, which I thought were an OE manufacturer?

I'm guessing from some of what you have posted you are a Volvo Technician, is £30/40 what the OE top mount costs? Does that include the bearing unit or not do you know?

[Martin Keene]

Well, I just rang the local dealers, a new OE top mount is £27.13.

Hopefully that will fix the problem. Strut removal again this weekend, it's turning into Ground Hog Day!

[Jaff87]

They are a maker of parts for the manufactuere, slike delphi, visteon, valeo LUK, bosch etc. but basically but they might not make that part for the manufacturer, so they just copy them and trade off the name, but dont make them from the same stuff, they say OEM spec but alot of them are the OEM minimum spec, but genuine parts are often alot better quality.
I worked for ford, and wheel bearings were a a good example, a genuine ford rear wheel bearing for a mondeo is about £240+vat, a pattern is £70, looks the same has ABs rings inthem etc, all good but they dont fit as well and dont last any where near as long, same as calipers make by lucas, who make the original ones but the "cheap" ones fail after about 14 months. often its because the likes of ford etc, own production patents for the parts for like 12 years, so until then they can copy the part but can't make it from the same stuff etc.

if your replacing the strut tops you'd be aswell replacing the pinch bolt on the knuckle if you've had it on and off so often remember you put them in at 90nm, and remember and line up the nipple on the side of the top turn table and upper spring seat with the knuckle guide, if you dont you can end up lop sided. I know you've probably done this but incase any onlse reads thi sin the future, is something often over looked.