XC70: Suspension repair costs track rodend ball joint et al

[XC70Q]

Hi, does anyone know the apporximate cost of the folloiwng repairs:

- offside front track rodend ball joint dust cover,
- offside and nearside rear suspension arm pin/bush

Maindealer vs local garage compariosn would be particularly helpful.

I've tried to get the info from the maindealers but just get met by obfuscation and avoiding answering the question.

cheers:

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by XC70Q

Hi, does anyone know the apporximate cost of the folloiwng repairs:

- offside front track rodend ball joint dust cover,
- offside and nearside rear suspension arm pin/bush

Maindealer vs local garage compariosn would be particularly helpful.

I've tried to get the info from the maindealers but just get met by obfuscation and avoiding answering the question.

cheers:

I can't give you exact prices as such, but I can give you an idea with regards to the cost of the parts.

There's no point in replacing the dust cover. Outer track rod ends (the part that has the ball joint on it) are around £70 each at the dealership, but they're best replaced in pairs (so you need two really). You can buy good quality ones from brands like Lemforder & Moog for around £30-£40 each. Don't buy the cheapest track rods you come across though if at all possible because they don't last. Either buy genuine Volvo, or decent branded aftermarket ones (as mentioned above).

Its also best practice to get an alignment done after replacing the track rod ends too, but don't just get any old one done, get it done at a reputable shop that has a Hunter machine (Costs around £80, the dealership has this equipment too, but it'll probably be more expensive). Labour charges in dealerships are around £140 an hour nowadays. Local garages around my area charge £50 per hour, but that varies greatly.

With regards to "offside and nearside rear suspension arm pin/bush" - This is a bit vague. You need to clarify what part exactly they're referring to here.

[Bonefishblues]

If you wander along to Kwik Fit (really) with a Hunter machine, ask about Geocare - 2 year unlimited alignment. Well worth the relatively small premium over a single visit.

[AlexV70Drive1]

So you want a track rod end and a suspension arm ball joint both on the same side.

The parts will cost about £50 for both (suspension ball joint only not whole suspension arm and track rod end) but that depends on brand and any garage mark up on the price since they may charge you more than it costs them for the parts. Then you need wheel alignment to keep the tracking straight.
I think all told it will be about £180 but that is an educated guess seeing as I can’t tell you what they’ll charge you for labour. Could be less.

To be honest you should get both sides done as usually if one side is on its way out then the other side won’t be far behind but it depends on what you can afford at the time and how much the garage will end up charging you.

If I did it then it would cost no more than £150 all done (both sides) with alignment as I have a place that does it for a drink and I get the bet quality parts for the best prices available. But I don’t charge myself labour of course 😄.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by AlexV70Drive1

So you want a track rod end and a suspension arm ball joint both on the same side.

The parts will cost about £50 for both (suspension ball joint only not whole suspension arm and track rod end) but that depends on brand and any garage mark up on the price since they may charge you more than it costs them for the parts. Then you need wheel alignment to keep the tracking straight.
I think all told it will be about £180 but that is an educated guess seeing as I can’t tell you what they’ll charge you for labour. Could be less.

To be honest you should get both sides done as usually if one side is on its way out then the other side won’t be far behind but it depends on what you can afford at the time and how much the garage will end up charging you.

If I did it then it would cost no more than £150 all done (both sides) with alignment as I have a place that does it for a drink and I get the bet quality parts for the best prices available. But I don’t charge myself labour of course 😄.

As you say, it'd make sense to do both sides if possible & get an alignment done too.

Looking at part of the original post, which says;

- offside front track rodend ball joint dust cover,

The car may not need a ball joint on the offside. Some garages call the boot on the end of the track rod a ball joint. So it may only need a new track rod end on the offside, not a ball joint. However, it could mean it needs both all the same (a new track rod & a new ball joint).

- offside and nearside rear suspension arm pin/bush

Offside & nearside... So both sides of the car here. This could refer to a ball joint, but at the same time, it might not be. It could be the big bushings in the front control arms, that sit next to the anti-rollbar on both sides of the car (referred to as rear control arm/suspension arm bushings, as its the bushing that's at the back/rear of the front control arms). Or, it could be parts at the rear of the car on both sides (not the front at all). If it is a ball joint though, are these replaceable individually on the XC70, or do you have to buy a whole new control arm?

I presume original poster has had advisories following a recent MOT. However, these advisories can be interpreted differently because of the way they're worded.

[AlexV70Drive1]

The track rod end is a ball joint and the dust cover is a part of it too. If your track rod end is worn then that means the ball joint is worn, in this case it’s the dust cover that’s split letting in grit but that still means the rod end needs changing. I think you’re confused with the steering arm that connects the track rod end to the steering rack

No garage calls a ball joint a boot because the rubber boot is just that and is to keep dirt an grit out of the ball joint. So if the boot is split they’ll say it’s split letting in dirt(or not) and or they’ll say the ball joint is worn causing play in the steering.

I misread the Rear suspension arm pin/bush as the front, I read it again and as the OP has written it it does means the rear suspension not front. The rear suspension arms have bushes and you can have the bushes pressed out and new ones fitted or the whole arm changed for new.
It’s a few hundred quid to do it all probably near £300 but if it passed with advisories then I’d leave it until the next mot and be prepared to have them done but I have seen things go advised for years and not failed on.

I would have the track rod ends replaced now but leave the rear bushes until they get noisy or fail the mot.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by AlexV70Drive1

The track rod end is a ball joint and the dust cover is a part of it too. If your track rod end is worn then that means the ball joint is worn, in this case it’s the dust cover that’s split letting in grit but that still means the rod end needs changing. I think you’re confused with the steering arm that connects the track rod end to the steering rack

No garage calls a ball joint a boot because the rubber boot is just that and is to keep dirt an grit out of the ball joint. So if the boot is split they’ll say it’s split letting in dirt(or not) and or they’ll say the ball joint is worn causing play in the steering.

I misread the Rear suspension arm pin/bush as the front, I read it again and as the OP has written it it does means the rear suspension not front. The rear suspension arms have bushes and you can have the bushes pressed out and new ones fitted or the whole arm changed for new.
It’s a few hundred quid to do it all probably near £300 but if it passed with advisories then I’d leave it until the next mot and be prepared to have them done but I have seen things go advised for years and not failed on.

I would have the track rod ends replaced now but leave the rear bushes until they get noisy or fail the mot.

The track rod end is a "ball joint", yes. However, its not called a ball joint commonly - Its called a track rod end. There's another part of the suspension called a ball joint (which forms part of the control arm). Just because the track rod end is worn (meaning the ball joint of the track rod is worn) doesn't doesn't mean the car needs a new ball joint (part of the control arm).

- offside front track rodend ball joint dust cover,

This can be interpreted two ways...

1. Either the boot on the ball joint end of the track rod is split, which means only the outer track rod should be replaced (ideally on both sides of the car though plus an alignment afterwards).

2. The car needs a new track rod end & a new ball joint (part of the control arm). Again, both parts (track rod & ball joint) should be replaced in pairs ideally plus an alignment afterwards.

[XC70Q]

Thank you gentlemen, that's helpful info.

I'm considering buying a 2015 V70 2.0L with 166K on the clock, full service history no advisories (£5k) as I need a safe motorway cruiser cheaply. What can I expect by way of repairs in a post-puchase service? I'd imagine some need to attend to clutch, gearbox, suspension?
Any pointers appreciated.
Tony

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by XC70Q

Thank you gentlemen, that's helpful info.

I'm considering buying a 2015 V70 2.0L with 166K on the clock, full service history no advisories (£5k) as I need a safe motorway cruiser cheaply. What can I expect by way of repairs in a post-puchase service? I'd imagine some need to attend to clutch, gearbox, suspension?
Any pointers appreciated.
Tony

Hopefully, you won't need to do anything too drastic.

1. Test the clutch on your test drive, engage all gears & check there's no slippage.

2, With 166k on the clock in five years, the car has been used for motorway mileage presumably. This could be beneficial to you, as there's less likelihood of hitting potholes etc doing that style of driving. As the car passed a recent MOT with no advisories, it would seem that the car has been very well looked after. I'd be inclined to look at previous MOT history reports too, which you can do online nowadays. This will give you an idea as to if there were any advisories in the past & whether they were just left & noted again on the next MOT that was due, or whether the owner actually bothered to get the advisories (if any) fixed. On your test drive, listen out for any rattles or clunks from the suspension though to be safe. Its worth considering that at 166k, you may need to invest in suspension parts in the future (if nothing suspension wise has been done previously).

3. Check the paperwork with the car to see if the timing belt has been changed. I presume there will be some receipts etc, given that the car has full history. Don't take chances with a timing belt, if there's no paperwork & the owner can't confirm, then I'd be inclined to change it anyway.

4. Check the level & condition of the oil & coolant.

5. Check tyre treads.

6. Check all the electrics work (Windows, heated seats, adjustable mirrors etc).

7. Check the air con works & blows cold.

8. Check all doors open & lock with the key. An issue that appears to have arisen on these models & others is the boot not opening due to a failing/malfunctioning lock and/or wiring. So, make sure that you test the boot in addition to the other doors. The test I'd do would be; Open the car with the key, press & hold the open boot button on the key & check that the boot opens. Then close the boot down by pressing the button just above your head. Lock the car, unlock it, then try opening the boot manually with the latch & close it again. Then go inside the car & press the button that opens the boot (its near the headlight switch). By doing this, you'll be testing the key functions, the manual boot latch, the automatic close button & the button inside the car that should open the boot too.

9. Check for warning lights on the dash when you bring it for a test drive. Being a 2015 model, you'll have a temperature gauge on the dash (not like the older models). Watch the needle, as it shouldn't be rising above half way. Ideally, you want to bring the car on a good test drive to get it up to temperature to test this.

I hope this helps.

[XC70Q]

Thank you Kev0607,
That's a pretty thorough schedule to follow and good info. Very helpful, thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated.
Quick question, what would you say is the best (robust, durable)V70 model - I assume it'd be pre takeover by current owners?
Regards
Tony