Hi all,

Last fall I replaced both front control arms ball joints and coils. Not too long ago I noticed some noise coming from the front end. When I replaced the winter tires with my summer ones I tried the test where you wiggle the wheel at 3 and 9 oclock and there was what I think is a fair bit of play. Should it be totally solid? Anyway I just went ahead and ordered new end-links and all tie-rods thinking that the car has 150,000 km anyway and since I already replaced several other front end components why not do a few more. Anyway I have just finished the driver side and I don't think it's really much better. It's hard to say for sure, but I think it's the same. I noticed too that once I had the boot off I could see some play right on the white plastic and machined metal part of the rack that attaches to the inner tie-rod. Is this normal? Do I need to replace my rack? Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree?

Thanks.

Also, I noticed both sides had wiggle when each side was up for tire swap. And there was a very small amount of oil at the end of the rack just on the edge of the metal housing lip.

Side to side wiggle (3/9 O'Clock) makes me thing Tie Rod end. That, or some issue with the axle nuts or wheel itself.

I'm told inner tie rod failure is uncommon. My own C70 has 225k and the inner tie rods are in excellent condition. I have, however, replaced everything else (end links, control arms, tie rods ends, strut mounts, caps, etc...) everything except the inner tie rods.

But I already replaced both the inner and outer tie rods on this side, plus I see the rack is moving side to side (rack housing seems to be not moving).

The rack housing better not move!

You really need to see if the steering wheel is moving as you pull on the wheel. Get the key to position I to unlock the steering wheel. If the steering wheel moves, you are in great shape.

Also check the steering column in the engine bay for movement. There might be a light bot of play in the U joints.

What you cannot have is a noise when you turn the wheel, like a light click/clunk.

Klaus
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My name is Klaus and I am a V ♂ lv ♂ holic

Oh, sorry. I missed that you had already replaced both inner and outer tie rods as well as the control arms/coils.

Before getting too far, should confirm that you do actually have a problem. It's steering odd, there's tire wear - it's making noises, or the like?

My impression is that if the the rack housing is solid, but the rack itself is loose... and assuming that you can't see your steering wheel turning as you wiggle the wheels... sounds like a steering rack nearing the end of life.

In my opinion, that's the sort of thing where one could get a trusted professional opinion. P1s are a bit different from the P80s that I've been working on.

Hopefully a few others will weigh in, but my experience with those symptoms on with FWD models point towards the rack.

Some less-likely causes/contributors could be:
- an incorrectly torqued axle nut (if you got new CV axles recently)
- incorrectly torqued wheel (rotor not seated fully)
- loose or failing steering coupling (not transmitting movement cleanly from the rack to the steering wheel.
- very outside chance it could be your ball-joints/control arms. symptoms are similar but not quite consistent with what you have described and you've already replaced them.
- even less likely to be a loose bolt at the steering knuckle-to-ball joint.

NP :) Hey I'm just happy for some advice!

Thanks!

Yes- it's making noise and it clicks and clunks. Feels loose. I had probably mistakenly assumed it would be the tie rods so I opted just to replace them all. I'm going to do the passenger side now and just double check everything again. I'll let you guys know what I come up with.

wheel wiggles at 3 and 9 oclock

I'm going to have another look now to see if the play/wiggle is not just moving the steering wheel (in other words is there slack somewhere or is it just the rack doing what it should be doing in connecting the steering wheel to the wheels ;) The housing is not moving at all though! :)

Either way there is definitely something wrong as there is clicking and clunking and the whole front feels loose while driving over bumps (clunk clunk) :(

Thanks.

Okay so all tie rod ends and end-links are done. Still feels clunky on the move and I hear some clicks while car in not moving. I'm not sure how bad a rack would have to be for it to be obvious, but I tried twisting the driver-side wheel (both wheels off the ground) and simultaneously viewed the steering wheel through the glass and I'm not sure if there is any slack; It appears to turn in direct relation to my movements. This doesn't seem like a very accurate way to tell though. I guess I'll bring it in for the necessary alignment and ask them to try and diagnose the problem. In the back of my mind is the strut mount (the metal part with the 3 studs that go through the body). I didn't replace that but I did replace the black rubber bushing along with the coils. Also what about that yoke adjustment on the rack? Btw I saw no leakage on the passenger side rack bellow and if there was any oil on the driver side it was a drip at most (or I imagined it all together?). Admittedly I have had a dropping oil level in the reservoir, but I feel quite sure that was because I have a leak from the bottom of the reservoir where the hose clamps onto it. There is plenty of oil around that area of the car as proof; I've read that this is very common and I have just replaced that clamp with a new one which I hope is on tight enough to stop this leak. That reminds me, I should top it up!

Thanks guys, and please tell me if you have any other advice.

So I brought it to the alignment place and that's all fine now. Asked them to look into possible loose/worn parts and they said front is all tight (but I swear I still hear clicking/creaking while turning at low speed, and clunking rattling at moderate speed. Either I go ahead and order the strut mounts to eliminate another old part as possible culprit or get another opinion. They did however say that my rear sway-bar bushings are going- mechanic showed me and they seem a bit loose. So, I understand that this is not as easy to fix as on other cars; Volvo has made the bar and bushing as one piece?

Check the sway bar endlinks first because that is easy to do. Just reach behind the wheel and grab - pull on one. If it moves at all, replace it. That could also be your rattle.
IPD has a nice set that lasts a while.

Klaus
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My name is Klaus and I am a V ♂ lv ♂ holic

Try lubing your steering shaft u-joints. That might might be the source of your clicking while turning.