My 2003 V70 2WD has 160,000 miles on it and the front end is getting rather clunky. I'm planning a holiday season rebuild. My question surrounds the control arms. I can purchase aftermarket units with bushings installed for around $100 each - quick and simple, but questionable quality.

OR- - -

I can purchase actual blue box Volvo bushings for $22 + $40 = $62 for each side, either have a local machine shop press them out/in for $? or I have access to a large press at the auto club I belong to at work. (I just don't know if we have the right size sleeves to push them.) But anyway, going that route would retain OEM quality.

Do any of you prefer replacing just the bushings? I imagine replacing the entire assy has by far become the norm. If replacing the entire arm with aftermarket, what are your favorite brands? I'm assuming that replacing with OEM Volvo arms is cost prohibitive.

Any other lessons-learned relative to rebuilding the front end would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hello Chris, I going to be doing the same, replace the control arms. 2003 V70 111,000, and was wondering did you compress the strut springs? I was considering pressing the in the bushings but now after your post see the that complete arm is best.
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2003, V70:2.4T,110.350 k,mi. ,, 1985, 245:Ti, 275k mi.sold@250.00k... 1974, 145, 230k mi..sold @260K

It is SOP to replace the entire control arm, not the bushing. I/we would all be interested if you could manage a bushing change and how it was accomplished.

As to prices, do not forget to look at tasca volvo during weekday hours. They usually have prices about 10% over cost for OEM.
http://www.tascaparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=213668

Klaus
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Did you do your Random Act of Kindness today?

"...I/we would all be interested if you could manage a bushing change and how it was accomplished...."

Apparently somebody is capable of it. Check out P/Ns 9443882 and 8630604 on this page:

http://www.swedishcarparts.com/car-auto-parts/Volvo/?categoryid=178

Now I'm not saying it would be an easy task.....

I'll check out Tasca's offerings on Monday. They must be a really nice outfit to give even their web server the weekend off.

Thanks again Klaus.

I got the control arms from IPD, made in Germany by Meyle, I bet they are the OE supplier to Volvo. Exactly like original with bushings properly oriented and ready to go.

At $110.00 ea it's a no brainer.

My 2 cents...

Agreed. I've replaced one control arm bushing using a vise for a press, a couple of pieces of pipe, a couple of hacksaws, and a big hammer. Getting the old one out was brutal, took hours. At least the new one went in fairly easily.

Buy the Meyle control arm!

Rolf - thanks for the input. Someone over on MVS is telling me that Lemforder is the OEM. Who knows. Anyway, Tasca Volvo sells the real deal, whoever builds it, for $123 plus shipping. That may be the no brainer I end up with.

I won't get into it until after Christmas. In Georgia the best time to wrench on a car is the dead of winter as far as I'm concerned.

Sounds like a plan.

FWIW: I bolted them loosely to the frame and then pried them down just enough to pop the ball joint back in.

Thanks for the tip.

It's an interesting design with the bushings at a right angle to each other. Maybe that was an attempt to minimize torque steer??

I am not sure about that but it sure drives nice and tight after the replacement.

Now I can buy new tires...oh yeah, and do an alignment.