Any Advice, Part 2!

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks all.

I just jacked each side up and tried the wiggle test - there's slight knocking side-to-side, none top-to-bottom. So presumably the wheel bearings are ok. As to whether it's tie rod ends or the tie rod to rack attachment, I'm not sure - there doesn't appear to be any knocking movement from within the bellows when I move or try to wiggle them, but we'll explore that further when we remove the tie rod ends from the wheels, and before unscrewing them from the tie rods - that way, if the tie rods themselves do indeed have play, we can reattach the tie rod ends to the wheels without having to realign, and drive the car out the way, doing both rods and ends once the rods arrive in the post. If that makes sense.

I found this video helpful on diagnosis, in case anyone's interested...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DerpCk-nsvQ

Let me know if my thinking doesn't make sense?! Thanks.

If the knocking is loud enough to hear, you should be able to pinpoint which bit is making it Chris. A long handled screwdriver is useful, tip of the blade on the suspect compnent, end of the handle in the ear, make the noise and if you're on the right component, the noise will be heard through the screwdriver.

I couldn't watch that video, it's one of those where they spend 10 minutes gas-bagging about a 20 second job and telling you about next doors cat and the third cousins (twice removed) pregnant goldfish, even if it's cleverly disguised as car-related!

[Chris152]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

If the knocking is loud enough to hear, you should be able to pinpoint which bit is making it Chris. A long handled screwdriver is useful, tip of the blade on the suspect compnent, end of the handle in the ear, make the noise and if you're on the right component, the noise will be heard through the screwdriver.

I couldn't watch that video, it's one of those where they spend 10 minutes gas-bagging about a 20 second job and telling you about next doors cat and the third cousins (twice removed) pregnant goldfish, even if it's cleverly disguised as car-related!

We'll have a proper go at it Friday, I only had it on the jack to try the wobble test so didn't want to get my head too close to see where it was coming from. We'll definitely have a go with a screwdriver as you say.
I thought that video was pretty much to the point compared to some!

[Clifford Pope]

Be aware that there are two possible sources of wear at the inner joint - one is the joint itself, the other is the bush at the end of the rack.
Wobbling the wheel will show up the first, but the second usually only manifests itself as a knocking noise while driving over irregular road surfaces.

[Chris152]

Originally Posted by Clifford Pope

Be aware that there are two possible sources of wear at the inner joint - one is the joint itself, the other is the bush at the end of the rack.
Wobbling the wheel will show up the first, but the second usually only manifests itself as a knocking noise while driving over irregular road surfaces.

Thanks Clifford - we have plenty of those roads around here, and I can't say I've noticed any particular knocking. Hopefully that's good news.

[Chris152]

Slow progress, the boy's been isolating at his mum's since last weekend on account of someone in a class testing positive. So I thought I'd best get along with things a little, and fitted a ball joint to one side - we'll do the other next week together. Seems to have worked fine (pic attached), but I have a few questions.

I found it hard to find the torque setting for the nuts. Online, I found 17 ft lbs for the four small bolts holding the plate in place to the base of the strut, and 85 for the three connecting to the control arm. 17 sounds so very little - have I got that right?!
Also, the main balljoint nut - I couldn't find the torque for that, so just did it tight while holding in the vise, and then a tad more, which I estimated to be about the same as it took to undo the old nut. Does that sound ok? I guess you can't say as you don't know what I call tight, but it was a good hard pull to finish on.

More generally - I knocked the disk brake splash guard and, as you can see, some of it fell away. Does that now need replacing? It's just the one part that's got the breaks.

And finally, the ball joint itself came in what appears to be the wrong box - the one marked 'right' didn't match the one that came off the driver's side, so I used the other (side unmarked on the box), which was the same shape as the old one. The one marked 'right' is clearly for the passenger's side?! Just saying, in case you can see an error I'm making, but can't see I am.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Slow progress, the boy's been isolating at his mum's since last weekend on account of someone in a class testing positive. So I thought I'd best get along with things a little, and fitted a ball joint to one side - we'll do the other next week together. Seems to have worked fine (pic attached), but I have a few questions.

I found it hard to find the torque setting for the nuts. Online, I found 17 ft lbs for the four small bolts holding the plate in place to the base of the strut, and 85 for the three connecting to the control arm. 17 sounds so very little - have I got that right?!
Also, the main balljoint nut - I couldn't find the torque for that, so just did it tight while holding in the vise, and then a tad more, which I estimated to be about the same as it took to undo the old nut. Does that sound ok? I guess you can't say as you don't know what I call tight, but it was a good hard pull to finish on.

More generally - I knocked the disk brake splash guard and, as you can see, some of it fell away. Does that now need replacing? It's just the one part that's got the breaks.

And finally, the ball joint itself came in what appears to be the wrong box - the one marked 'right' didn't match the one that came off the driver's side, so I used the other (side unmarked on the box), which was the same shape as the old one. The one marked 'right' is clearly for the passenger's side?! Just saying, in case you can see an error I'm making, but can't see I am.

If the new one matched the old one Chris, i'd say the box was wrong - who knows what happens when people look at them in shops? Had the opposite before, right box, wrong part.................

Good work on doing the job too, did you use one of the ball joint separators i suggested?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Slow progress, the boy's been isolating at his mum's since last weekend on account of someone in a class testing positive. So I thought I'd best get along with things a little, and fitted a ball joint to one side - we'll do the other next week together. Seems to have worked fine (pic attached), but I have a few questions.

I found it hard to find the torque setting for the nuts. Online, I found 17 ft lbs for the four small bolts holding the plate in place to the base of the strut, and 85 for the three connecting to the control arm. 17 sounds so very little - have I got that right?!
Also, the main balljoint nut - I couldn't find the torque for that, so just did it tight while holding in the vise, and then a tad more, which I estimated to be about the same as it took to undo the old nut. Does that sound ok? I guess you can't say as you don't know what I call tight, but it was a good hard pull to finish on.

More generally - I knocked the disk brake splash guard and, as you can see, some of it fell away. Does that now need replacing? It's just the one part that's got the breaks.

And finally, the ball joint itself came in what appears to be the wrong box - the one marked 'right' didn't match the one that came off the driver's side, so I used the other (side unmarked on the box), which was the same shape as the old one. The one marked 'right' is clearly for the passenger's side?! Just saying, in case you can see an error I'm making, but can't see I am.

Well done Chris, you are getting through those jobs and will soon be a Volvo 240 expert!
I wouldn't worry about the cover for the brake rotor, it is just for environmental protection. I'm guessing it is just rusting away, so just make sure there are no loose bits.
Best wishes,
Alan

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

If the new one matched the old one Chris, i'd say the box was wrong - who knows what happens when people look at them in shops? Had the opposite before, right box, wrong part.................

Good work on doing the job too, did you use one of the ball joint separators i suggested?

Agreed Dave... thare is probably some other chap with a right side one in a box marked 'left' scratching his head in a similar way.

:-)

[Chris152]

Thanks both, and glad to hear about the splash guard. We'll keep an eye on it.

Des anyone have any different info on the four bolts holding the plate to the bottom of the strut? 23 NM felt so little! Only just achievable on our torque wrench. Maybe it's because it takes no real downward pressure, unlike the three holding the joint to the control arm?

Another more general question - the three new nuts to the control arm and the one internal to the joint had nyloc, but I had to reuse the four into the bottom of the strut to put the plate back on. If reusing old bolts/ nuts, is it normal to apply loctite threadlocker or whatever? I didn't, but could see they had some on from when originally fitted. Is there a general rule of thumb for when loctite is needed, or will it specify in Haynes when it is?

It'd be easy enough to remove them again and refit if necessary.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks both, and glad to hear about the splash guard. We'll keep an eye on it.

Des anyone have any different info on the four bolts holding the plate to the bottom of the strut? 23 NM felt so little! Only just achievable on our torque wrench. Maybe it's because it takes no real downward pressure, unlike the three holding the joint to the control arm?

Another more general question - the three new nuts to the control arm and the one internal to the joint had nyloc, but I had to reuse the four into the bottom of the strut to put the plate back on. If reusing old bolts/ nuts, is it normal to apply loctite threadlocker or whatever? I didn't, but could see they had some on from when originally fitted. Is there a general rule of thumb for when loctite is needed, or will it specify in Haynes when it is?

It'd be easy enough to remove them again and refit if necessary.

Sorry Chris, the low torque figure should have rung alarm bells but i was in the middle of cooking dinner when i replied yesterday so didn't read everything properly!

Invest in some Loctite 243, remove those 4 bolts one at a time, clean them meticulously with a wire brush and apply a few drops of 243 evenly round the thread where you can see the threads make contact in the strut, refit and torque to the setting.

It sounds like they are what is known as "patch bolts" meaning they originally had some inactive thread sealant/lock applied at the factory. It becomes active when they are fitted. Unless you buy new ones from Volvo your best option is some Loctite.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Loctite-2...d/174215966530

General rule of thumb is if it was on there originally (you'll find quite a few patch bolts as you go through the car), clean it off and apply new. A quick way of loosening it is to use a blowlamp or a similar heat source.

Wouldn't worry unduly about the shield on the brakes either, like Alan says they're not essential.