2010 C70 strut brace - 0EM ?

[maxr]

I recently bought a 2010 c70 SE Lux, 136hp diesel. Reviews suggest this car has soft suspension 29th body roll, but this one doesn't. The suspension is very well damped but not hard, and all wheels have a very small degree of negative camber. It also has a dark grey strut brace bar fitted, with no label or stamps I can see.

Were these cars available with factory suspension kits, and is the strut brace original ?

[poiuytre111]

I have a 2006 C70 which has an original-looking bolt on strut brace which is a mid grey in colour. I had understood that only the earlier mk2 C70 had this brace fitted from the factory and later production incorporated the required stiffening into the chassis itself. That would not stop someone fitting the bolt-on type as well I guess, as it is trivially easy to fit/remove.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by poiuytre111

I have a 2006 C70 which has an original-looking bolt on strut brace which is a mid grey in colour. I had understood that only the earlier mk2 C70 had this brace fitted from the factory and later production incorporated the required stiffening into the chassis itself. That would not stop someone fitting the bolt-on type as well I guess, as it is trivially easy to fit/remove.

It is not a strut brace as such ,It's very slim . more a device to damp out low frequency boom noise . fitted to most diesel S40/V50/C70/C30

[maxr]

Originally Posted by Clan

It is not a strut brace as such ,It's very slim . more a device to damp out low frequency boom noise . fitted to most diesel S40/V50/C70/C30

Thanks guys - that explains it.

[iainmd]

Given Volvo called it a "Rally Bar" in the brochures at the time I suspect it is supposed to be a strut brace even if it does serve some sort of noise reduction purpose.

I retrofitted it to my 2004 T5 as the front end felt pretty ropey as standard. I felt it did stiffen up the car at the front end quite a lot when cornering and made the steering feel a little more precise.

Excuse the mucky engine bay, but if your bar looks like the one at that back of this photo then you have a factory/OEM bar.

Just my 2p worth.

[dme123]

The 2008 brochure listed a "rally bar" for T5 and D5 models, except for in poverty Sport spec. It makes it a right pain to get the battery out.

The reviews of the Mk2 C70 said a lot of things that I can't say I agreed with. You can feel the weight of the car all the time, but I wouldn't describe the car as soft and it's not particularly rolly.

Idiotic criticism from reviewers who only have to live with a car for a week are part of the reason so many cars now display the same level of crashing ineptitude in their ride/handling balance that the VAG group seem to like.

I tend not to pay much attention to magazine reviews that are either lazy, biased, or both. Best thing to do is drive it yourself and see what you think.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by iainmd

Given Volvo called it a "Rally Bar" in the brochures at the time I suspect it is supposed to be a strut brace even if it does serve some sort of noise reduction purpose.

I retrofitted it to my 2004 T5 as the front end felt pretty ropey as standard. I felt it did stiffen up the car at the front end quite a lot when cornering and made the steering feel a little more precise.

Excuse the mucky engine bay, but if your bar looks like the one at that back of this photo then you have a factory/OEM bar.

Just my 2p worth.

Looks good, might consider it as an upgrade next year! Do all the series have the fittings for it?

[poiuytre111]

It mounts onto 2 of the suspension tower bolts which, in the ex-factory config, are special bolts with a second threaded part above the head for the stiffening bar but you could locate it with normal bolts.

[iainmd]

As said above, you can use normal bolts but if you do you can get the battery cover off without removing the bar.

The proper bolts are available from Volvo.

[SIAMBLUE]

I have one fitted to my Sport 2.0d but Al Vfifty has a 2.0d SE and doesn't have a brace, and it is indeed a right pain to get the battery out every time.