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My sport suspensioned V70 has lost the right front spring seat. The car has about 146,000 miles on the odometer and the original struts. Because I have never used a spring compressor and only have 3/8 ratchet set, I will let a pro replace the spring seat.
The question is : Should I just go ahead and replace the front struts with OEM? Half of the labor will already be done just for the spring seat. I expect to sell this car in 3 years or around 190K miles.
Klaus
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The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be BG
on
Wed Oct 31 15:04 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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I think you answered your question. You will already pay the labor to compress the springs and disassemble things, so the cost of replacing struts will not cost you all that much more. At 146,000 miles, I am sure the originals are tired, and think of how you would feel if in a year or so, they need replacing. Good luck with your project.
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posted by
someone claiming to be ksg
on
Sun Oct 28 06:22 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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An issue in doing the struts is removing and retorquing the 2 bolts that hold the lower end of the strut.
They are torqued pretty tight and you will definitely need a 1/2 inch ratchet or breaker bar to get them loose, maybe even one with a long handle. I think the socket size was 18 mm and I bought a good 6-pointed one to do this job.
You will normally lose the alignment settings when you remove them. To help prevent this I scribed a line around the edge of the bracket where it met the steering knuckle so I could hand-align the bracket the same way on putting it back in.
Next time buying tires came up I had the alignment checked at the tire shop and the tech said it wasn't far enough off to readjust.
On reinstalling the strut you torque to a certain level and then further tighten through a certain angle. It took some physical effort to get this all the way. A long handle extension or pipe makes this much easier.
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posted by
someone claiming to be nictalope
on
Fri Oct 26 19:25 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Klaus, I don't know if it matters much, but I put Monroe Sensatracs on my 97 855 GLT at $50 each from partsamerica.com (Checker) and they are OK (one was bad). I plan on doing the same on the 98 AWD when it calls for it (155k miles right now). You could do a search on those.
It is not a bad job altogether, get new boots and the other rubber parts (I forgot the name)
Dan
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I would never put those things on one of my cars, and if I find Monroe shocks on a car for sale, I will walk away. For $90, you can get an OEM strut which is going to last for 100K+ miles.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Roy
on
Fri Oct 26 12:13 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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I've been searching lots of threads on the "spring seat" topic. What are the symptoms that the spring seat is gone? Is there a visual check?
I just bought an S70 (160K)and I get a creak at the right front over bumps and also a thunk on more abrupt bumps. The strut seems to function properly except for the creaks and thunks.
From what I've read, it is most likely the spring seat causing the creaks and either the spring seat or the sway bar links causing the thunks. Would you agree?
At what point of disassmbly/repair of the coil/strut does an alignment become necessary?
Sorry, I am seeking you wisdom instead of answering your question, but I'd really appreciate your input.
Thanks, Roy
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Diagnosing couldn't be easier. If the noise (groan) is due to sway bar endlinks, it can be verified by reaching around the tire (car on ground) and shaking the endlink. If it moves even a little bit, replace them - it is easy to do!
The spring seat is a clunk also, but usually just one side. I took the wheel off and reached up to the top of the spring and pull off a piece of plastic. I guess it needed to be replaced :)
The endlinks can make noise when you push down on the fender, the spring seat will not do that. The spring has to be "unloaded" to make a clunk sound.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Roy
on
Sat Oct 27 15:56 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Thanks Klaus,
I grabbed the link and it wouldn't budge. Then I jacked up the car and visually inspected and also reached up and felt around the spring seat. As far as I could tell, the spring seat was sound, in one piece without any cracks or any obvious problems.
What else could it be making the creaks and thunks when I go over bumps in the road? It doesn't always creak and thunk at the same time and the creaks seem to subside a little bit later in the day or when the car has been driven for a while. Could it be the strut? How can you tell if the strut is bad?
I really expected to find a problem with the link or the seat. I'm kind of at a loss now.
Got any more suggestions on what I can do to troubleshoot this?
Roy
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I just took my left handed monkey wrench to the nut on top of the strut tower, visible in the engine bay. The driver's side didn't move, the passenger side turned freely and made a horrible scruntching noise - rubber on metal. It squeeks, so it will be replaced.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Roy
on
Mon Oct 29 04:17 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Thanks, Klaus.
I read more on the spring seat. Seems it has a metal tube insert that breaks free from the plastic/rubber(?) seat. (Some pretty good pictures on MVS) If I understand correctly, if this happens you will see the assembly rotate from atop the strut tower under the hood when you push down on the fender. Mine rotates about 10-15 degrees on the right side where the noise is coming from (2-3 degrees on the driver side). So if that is accurate, I need to replace the seat(s).
With regards to the strut itself. The car seems to handle OK and doesn't bounce beyond the initial rebound when you push way down on the fender. However, when driving slowly over bumps with the windows down next to a low wall (so the sound echos back to me inside the car) I can hear what sounds like gas escaping on each bump. Does that mean the struts are failing?
I wondered about he engine mounts as you mentioned. I will check them also.
By the way, I didn't understand the reference to the "left handed monkey wrench". Would you mind explaining?
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Used back in the old days, a left handed "monkey" wrench referes to an adjustable wrench. Definitly a derrogatory remark towards people who had limited tools, because the adjustment was not very good and people wound up with rounded bolts/nuts.
My rationale for replacing the struts, $95ea from FCP, is that I will only have to do this once. Same labor as it would be if I kept the old struts.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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You have 160K on your car, could it be the front engine mount? Those are easily replaced with a jack under the subframe to lift the engine 1/2 inch. Also check the top mount if you still have the black rubber insert.
I can never get a definitive answer to when the shocks need to be replaced. Leaking shocks, easy. Shocks that bounce more than once, easy. But than can be examined with the car at rest.
I found that the piece of plastic that fell into my fingers at the top of the strut came from the bump stop, not the spring seat.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be ksg
on
Fri Oct 26 11:56 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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I wouldn't replace the struts unless there is specific evidence of damage. This is mainly an economic opinion. I've never replaced shocks or struts that weren't broken and noticed a difference that I was happy about after the expense (or even much difference at all).
To improve ride and handling I have had satisfactory payback for money by buying half decent tires.
Regarding the spring compressor, many people seem to worry about this job. I got a spring compressor for about $42 from Sears and it works very well. It has strong Acme threads. Replacing spring seats was undramatic despite a dire warning I received from a mechanic who wanted the work. He insisted that replacing only one spring seat without replacing both, as well as 2 bearing plates, and 2 struts (total $900) was unacceptable.
Only 2 things - 1) I wouldn't use a rented or used spring compressor that I couldn't verify was in top condition.
2) I would orient the strut/spring assembly to the side, aimed away from you, and not let kids, dogs, etc be around in the room in case of a ricochet. The compressor grips on 2 sides and a complete let-go seems really unlikely though.
good luck...
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I am always game for doing my own maint. But what would I need to remove the front strut besides a good spring compressor and the tool to remove the top funny bolt(from IPD)? Invest in some 1/2 inch sockets? along with copious amounts of PB Blaster? I have no room to get an air compressor and hammer the bolts off.
I am afraid that my 3/8inch set of tools would not be able to get the bolts off. I have a terrible time just playing with my brakes :)
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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Hey Klaus,
I did mine on the S70 two weeks ago. Bought the Sears spring compressor and found it to be easy and well-made. I agree with not going with the rented one.
As for getting the top strut nuts off, I just used a moderately long heavy adjustable wrench on the actual nut and a pair of vice grips on the tip above the threads (very carfully, I might add, didn't mar the tip noticably at all). The trick is that the nut is really torqued. I removed the strut from the car, compressed the spring, laid it on my Black & Decker workbench, lodged the vice-grip handle (clamped onto the strut tip) in the metal railing of the bench, and used my body weight on the adjustable wrench to loosen the nut. Sounds (and was) very hillbilly, but it worked-- it's all I had.
Getting the strut out of the car isn't too bad. Couple of tricks I figured out (used 2 different jacks, removed the swaybar link, etc.) I didn't have an assistant available, so had to do it all solo. Interesting. Be happy to detail those if anyone wants to know.
You absolutely have to compress the spring correctly and scrunch it down to take the pressure completely off the spring seat for all this to work. Treat the compressed spring like a loaded shotgun and don't let anyone get anywere near the business end of it. Do not attempt this without much research/reading or if you have any doubts about your abilities.
Overall it worked out very well. About 1 1/2 hours per strut removal/seat replacement procedure. Did the swaybar links while I was at it. All for about $160.00.
--
I luv me bricks!
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According to the manual, the strut nut, the funny looking thing with 4 wings, gets tightened to 51 lbs. Is there a secret to torquing that dumb thing?
Did you use all new nuts/bolts? Any loc tite anywhere?
As you can tell, I am slowly getting my nerves up...
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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The winged nut on both my struts (original) wasn't torqued very much at all. The real booger was the nut above the mounting/retaining plate (the one you can see at the top of the strut with the hood open. The 4-bladed/winged strut nut was simple to remove (carefully)once the upper nut was off with a set of channel-lock pliers and some barrier material to prevent damage. A c-spanner or special tool probably have been a bit better. I could almost have removed these by hand if I'd had some sort of protection for my fingers, certainly didn't seem anywhere near 51lbs. I simply used the pliers to re-torque as tightly as possible.
As far a locktite, there was none used in the original assembly, although I did consider using it for my reassembly. Wouldn't use the heavy-duty stuff. Light or medium would suffice. Really, if you look at the way the strut is assembled, that thing wouldn't depart the car unless you had a dramatic failure of the actual strut mount/bearing assembly, even if it was intentionally under-torqued. I think the high torque specs may be partially responsible for some of the early failure reports, in fact. The "core," for lack of a better term, of the spring seat is easily squished by the torquing of the winged nut, which could be the cause of it's loosing integrity and bond with the surrounding seat rubber and consequently causing looseness and knocking.
Clearly, I am no engineer or even a mechanic, but it's a theory...
--
I luv me bricks!
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Klaus:
Depends what kind of ride you like. At your mileage the old are bound to be tired. I like a stiff ride so I get Bilstein HD, but others like the standard factory ride. This is the easy time to replace as an alignment will be needed anyway.
Have fun making your decision. Maybe a 4 sided coin to flip. BTW, I finally got the cabin air sensor out of my 98 T5. You are tall but must have smaller hands than I. Took a pipe cleaner to the dirty little thing.
Dick
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OK guys, the project is on :)
I will replace the struts with Koni Sport, along with new seats, bump stops, and dust boots. I ordered it today from FCP and it will take about a week to get here. Living halfway between them and IPD is a pain.
So, after I finish painting the house, it is off to Sears to get a compressor and some good tools. After I am finished, I will let you know how I faired...
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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Banner day! When purchasing a compressor get nothing less than 5 HP or it will not drive air tools. Experinence taught me on that. Got mine at Sam's many years ago and it still keeps on going.
Have fun and hurry on that paint.
dick
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Actually, we were talking about a spring compressor for the struts :) I do not have any storage space left in my gargage for an air compressor. Four cars inside a 3 car garage, plus a home made workbench.
Next week is going to be fun!
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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Sorry about that. IPD had a fair deal on a good one. Make sure you get a good one that locks it onto the spring. My Harbor Freight unit did not instill confidance so I got a better one.
3 in a two?? Two outside and one in here, but our weather is better.
dick
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Nope, 4 cars in a 3 car garage. One of them is a 1994 Wrangler, so it doesn't take up much room.
My brother used to live in Buda, TX. It may be hotter down there, but I don't know about better :) These clear sky, Canadian clean air, and a light breeze are a sight better than humidity and AC running all of the time.
Only two things I have a hard time with: snow on the ground from election day to Easter, and a growing season too short for tomatos.
November 6 is delivery date for the parts. Gives me plenty of time to use JB Blaster :)
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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posted by
someone claiming to be paulfr
on
Mon Oct 29 04:47 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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I too have been considering strut replacemnt. There is an excellent tut on Bay 13. photos and everything.
Flynscot - $160 for everything!!!! I shop at FCP groton and the parts totaled $300 each side - strut, strut mount, bumper stop, some othet BS new nuts and bolts as reccomended. Guess I'm just a little too replacemnt crazy. The parts cost has been what stopped me thus far.
Chck ou the tut on Bay 13
paulfr
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I have size 15 hands, and it was a struggle to get my mitts around the corner to free up the sensor. No one had told me that the clips were at 12 and 6 o'clock. That cost me a half hour. But the blinking lights went away.
I would prefer to have softer springs and struts, but I like the car lowered. But, I also like the way it corners :) It is a little rougher than the 854T with sport springs.
Klaus
--
The 164 has a new home, all I am left with are a 95 854T and a 98 V70R :)
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