Hi,
We have a clunking noise coming from our 1997 850's right front strut area.
I read the 850 discussions, and saw that this could be attributed to the strut spring seat if that is cracked:
I did the test of turning the 22mm bolt at the top to test the strut spring seat. The top bolt has full tension and springs back, so does that mean the spring seat is OK?
Bouncing the car (up-and-down), the sound is there. Also, as our very helpful mechanic pointed out, when putting a finger on the top bolt the source of the clunk can distinctly be felt.
So, particularly regarding 850's, what has a history of "breaking" inside a strut, because it seems our strut is the culprit?
How long can you safely drive with a broken strut? (There seems to be no performance drop, and nothing uneven between right and left ride height. My only concern is driving a car that's safe.)
Basically, must the strut be replaced, or, if not, how long can it go if it is still functional?
Thanks!!!
-Ken

How many miles on the struts? How many miles on the car?

Did your mechanic hit the spring with a hammer? On rare occasions, the spring has broken.

If it is 'easy' to push down this side compared to the other, a strut (shock) might have broken and all of the hydraulic fluid leaked out. But check the other parts of the suspension before getting new parts, best to hit each part with a rubber hammer or a 2X2 piece of wood.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Thanks Klaus--
There are about 70,000 miles on the car, and the struts are original.
The mechanic said everything is intact under the hood, with the only oil being "sweat" from the turbocharger (GLT model). He checked the axles, tie rods, control arms, and all that. Nothing stood out as being broken.
Not sure about the mechanic hitting the spring, but he certainly gave it a visual. Pushing down on the car, the rebound is fine. Going over bumps, the rebound seems fine, too.
The only thing noticeable thing is the vibration you can feel with your finger on top of the top bolt.
If nothing in the suspension chain is overtly broken/cracked/rotted away, does the strut need to be changed urgently and is the car safe to drive?
Thanks so much again,
Ken

The car is safe to drive with a 'broken' strut. Hard cornering should be avoided as the right side may dip lower and put more stress on the tire.

Not many miles. But age will give rubber seals a problem, just like belts and tires. When you consider getting new struts, get both.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

If it were my car, in addition to checking the other front suspension parts, I would have your mechanic check every bolt and mounting point in the strut system for looseness or damage.

I concur about the spring seats. If you are going to do the struts, while you are in there replace the spring seats too! Even if the rubber looks good it is very old and will soon fail. Plus you will need to remove the struts again to replace the spring seats...:)

XC90 spring seats have been recommended here as they are beefier than stock.

Thanks so much for the information!
Next ipd sale, looks like the Bilstein TC struts will be a good fit, if not immediately necessary for safety.
Will the Bilstein struts come with a new spring seat, or should the XC90 one still be used?
Thank!!!

Struts and spring seats are separate items. If you are using IPD, their HD spring seats mimic the XC90 version.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new