C70: Replacement Matching RearSprings

[ASt85]

I had a pair of rear springs & shocks delivered earlier today for a 2004 C70...the springs were clearly different in terms of the full number of coils and different diameter top end yet had the same Sachs part number so NOT O/S or N/S spec'd, one Sachs shocker had an oil smear over the lower end, the other had a nut missing - both supplied by a well known UK Euro carpart supplier, so phoned customer services who informed me that the my local outlet didn't have them but one 6 miles away did.

They reserved a pair of each for me and I went to collect the replacements.

On opening the boxes for inspection, the replacements didn't match either!

Having been given the "as long as the part numbers match it's alright spiele", and basically given the old codger won't know any difference look and tone of voice, I explained what effect the differences in terms of length, diameter and coil number had on the motion of oscillation of a damped sprung body...
not a total waste of time as I eventually left with a near identical pair of springs.

However, it does raise the question as to where these"Sachs" springs were made and just how good or poor the quality control might be - I can't believe that they were actually made in Germany when there were so many visual differences - including the T code on the springs. Don't think I'll be using that out of town supplier again any too soon.

[doingitsideways]

Hmm...

The next time ECP supply something right first time, it'll be the first.
I refuse to leave until I've opened everything up and checked. No matter how busy they are

[entwisi]

I got some screenwash from them that was OK...

[doingitsideways]

Originally Posted by entwisi

I got some screenwash from them that was OK...

Trouble is, they probably sold it to you as engine oil!

[burgess]

Top coil on both springs are broke on my C70 2001, discovered during 16-year service inspection last week at Volvo Tyn Lon Garage Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, I did consider after marker set, but plumbed for genuine pair Volvo springs -not cheep- due to be fitted on Wednesday.

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by burgess

Top coil on both springs are broke on my C70 2001, discovered during 16-year service inspection last week at Volvo Tyn Lon Garage Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, I did consider after marker set, but plumbed for genuine pair Volvo springs -not cheep- due to be fitted on Wednesday.

Why do so many of the top coils break, I've spoken with at least 3 other people off this website who have experienced the same problem all with fairly low mileages in the region of 40 to 60K.

Are the springs under-rated/poorly shock absorbed for the weight they are supporting or is there an inherent design fault in the way the coils come in helically at the top end? The fact that the rear end is frequently described as "jelly like" suggest it could be down to OE springs being designed for a softer ride at the expense of stabilisation and longevity.

[RFW]

Coil spring failure, above and beyond the normal level of 'wear & tear', was prevalent on many brands of european vehicles during the first half of the 2000's due to poor quality steel. Apart from a rear on our 2004 C70, friends with BMW, Ford, Mercedes and Porsche have had the same experience.

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by RFW

Coil spring failure, above and beyond the normal level of 'wear & tear', was prevalent on many brands of european vehicles during the first half of the 2000's due to poor quality steel. Apart from a rear on our 2004 C70, friends with BMW, Ford, Mercedes and Porsche have had the same experience.

Do you by any chance know where the poor steel came from?

In the early eighties there was a lot of poorly manufactured soft copper pipe around which when it started to corrode caused an awful lots of water leaks in and under houses - it tended to be used for the supply pipe from the road main to the house stopcock. There's still a lot of it around causing supply problems to houses built in the late seventies/early eighties.

[ITSv40]

Both rear springs have been replaced on mine by the previous owner - one at 30,000 and the other at 45,000mls. I put it down to the car living in the fens all its life.

One point to watch for when fitting is that they are orientated correctly on the seats. I noticed under certain circumstances I would hear a loud 'twang' from the rear end. Had a look underneath and the nearside spring was fouling on the suspension arm, so that one coil of the spring had to 'pop' around the suspension arm when being compressed. The other side had 10 - 20 mm clearance. So compressed the spring on the car with compressors and rotated the spring about 5 mins on the clock face and now both sides have the same clearance. No fouling on the arm and no 'knicker elastic' twangs from the rear.

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

Both rear springs have been replaced on mine by the previous owner - one at 30,000 and the other at 45,000mls. I put it down to the car living in the fens all its life.

One point to watch for when fitting is that they are orientated correctly on the seats. I noticed under certain circumstances I would hear a loud 'twang' from the rear end. Had a look underneath and the nearside spring was fouling on the suspension arm, so that one coil of the spring had to 'pop' around the suspension arm when being compressed. The other side had 10 - 20 mm clearance. So compressed the spring on the car with compressors and rotated the spring about 5 mins on the clock face and now both sides have the same clearance. No fouling on the arm and no 'knicker elastic' twangs from the rear.

Thanks for the very useful hint.