06 xc70 lower control arm

[Tjoffroader]

This is just a quick question.

The lower control arm front left and right have gone on my xc70, I have press equipment, can you get a bush and change that over or do you have to get the full arm? I've had a look on the old google but not found any bushes.

BONUS QUESTION!!!

How often do the ball joints go on the wheel hub? I'm not sure which has gone yet in my case, I will be having a look tomorrow.

[stuart bowes]

i used powerflex bushes. The rear bush goes in a piece of cake, even in just a vice and some lube and you'll press it in easy

the front one is not so easy mainly because it's difficult to get the right angle on it in a press, if you can make tooling to support the wishbone at the right angle and press the new one in without damaging the rubber or pushing out the central pin then sure, but you'll need a good 3+ tonnes of pressure. i found I had to take out the pin and rubber, hammer the metal casing in after bobbin-sanding the inside of the receiving ring and also linishing the new metal casing slightly, then grease and reassemble the bush

if it stops moving STOP PUSHING! you'll only get it stuck half way and have to cut your wishbone to rescue it. go back out and smooth it out a little more

getting the old stuff out isn't so bad, drill away at the rubber until the centre falls out, then hacksaw the casing in two places about 10mm apart and cold chisel out the thin piece until it comes out

it was definitely worth it compared to the stop-gap cheap aftermarket 'bones I bought

or you can save all that effort and just buy new bones but the proper ones are not cheap and I'd wager the polybushes will last longer


ball joints .. don't know what the replacement interval is but if you've got everything apart anyway doing the wishbones just do them anyway. personally from experience doing the job a number of times, I found the easiest way to swap the wishbones is to have the hub assembly out of the way anyway, either disconnected from the spring strut and tied to one side, or totally removed (which you will need to do, to change the balljoints)

when removing the hub, careful to free up the driveshaft at hub as job no1 before unbolting anything else, to make sure it will come out easily, then leave the driveshafts connected and bungee corded in place so the CV's dont come apart at the gearbox end

on reassembly torque up the balljoint correctly because I think i killed mine off by over tightening. although it's possible they were already on the way out

[Bearintheair]

You can buy the bushings separately ( febi bushes for £16 each https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173674414101 ) but even with a press they can be a pain to get in and out, so most people just replace the whole control arm. Full control arms with both bushings pressed in already aren't much more than the bushings alone. I was less than £50 a side for febi arms on my v70 and it's just a bolt on bolt off job.

And as for ball joints, I didn't bother as there was no play at all in mine, but I probably should have as you have to take everything so far apart anyway they're really simple to do when you're that deep already.

[Tjoffroader]

Thank you for the rundown on the job, there's a couple techniques I haven't come across in what you said. My dad has a bearing removal kit and various press equipment that I've not used yet so that's why I'm thinking changing the bushes is the best option. Although I have just come across full link sets after spending a couple hours looking at different brand new arms. I am hit with the same dilemma, if I replace the full arm will I be getting a lower quality made arm when mine is fine? There's a full link kit that comes with 2 year warranty so I guess it could be worthwhile changing everything.

[Tjoffroader]

Originally Posted by Bearintheair

You can buy the bushings separately ( febi bushes for £16 each https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173674414101 ) but even with a press they can be a pain to get in and out, so most people just replace the whole control arm. Full control arms with both bushings pressed in already aren't much more than the bushings alone. I was less than £50 a side for febi arms on my v70 and it's just a bolt on bolt off job.

And as for ball joints, I didn't bother as there was no play at all in mine, but I probably should have as you have to take everything so far apart anyway they're really simple to do when you're that deep already.

I saw febi arms at 80, after looking into it I think the best route is to change the lot

[Bearintheair]

Originally Posted by Tjoffroader

I saw febi arms at 80, after looking into it I think the best route is to change the lot

Ah, guess the xc arms are slightly different to the V70. I'm not worried about the quality of arms, My febi arms were very similar to genuine Volvo ones I pulled off and bushings are the weak points in the suspension on these anyway.

[John97Tdi]

Hi, this might be a 'suck eggs' comment, but certainly if your XC has 4C shocks (and possibly 'normal' shocks - I'd guess the geometry is similar) you have to be prepared to dismount the bottom of the shock absorbers when refitting the control arms to line up with the bottom ball joint - otherwise no amount of leverage or ratchet strap 'MacGyvering' will provide sufficient clearance. Trust me on this - if you need to remove the shock absorber bottom bolts it will be a lot easier to loosen them before you remove the control arms - I,of course, found out the hard way!

John

[Simmy]

dont waste time and money on cheap arms fit genuine volvo arms . xc arms are different than v70 ones do it right do it once

[wynnj]

Fit Polyeuethane and forget them especially if you've got a press, although a strong bench vice will certainly work for the rears.
https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-...sh+/12775.html
https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-...+Bush/518.html

[stuart bowes]

Originally Posted by John97Tdi

no amount of leverage or ratchet strap 'MacGyvering' will provide sufficient clearance.

100%

disconnect struts , push to one side (watch you don't damage the CV boot) and ratchet strap your hub up until the wishbones are horizontal, disconnect balljoint and the job's easy

in reverse you can get the bolts back into the strut/hub by using a long pry bar from the drop link bracket across the top of the hub connector bit with two holes in (that's the technical name obviously)



I didn't bother with ratchet straps underneath the last time it was much easier that way

measure the top end first will get you back nearly right on camber