Went out to the garage yesterday, got into the XC60 and heard a loud BANG. I hoped to look up and see a broken garage door spring but it was not to be. Left front strut spring lost about 3/4 of a coil from the bottom. Lovely.

Thoughts on replacements? I suppose they should be replaced in pairs. I'm not inclined to replace the struts unless y'all can convince me. 120K miles.

For an extra $100 (over cost of two fronts) TireRack offers a set of H&R lowering springs... I'm tempted, if the life partner agrees. Tie rod end boots are torn; I'll be replacing them while I'm at it so an alignment will be in order anyway.

Thanks,
Will
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XC60 / Odyssey

Had a similar experience this fall with my 2004 XC70-- 6" of the bottom of the driver's side front coil broke off! I know this is not an uncommon failure for the P2 XC70s, see volvoxc.com forums for lots of examples. You are lucky it broke in the garage-- others have described the coil fragments slashing tires...

I replaced both front coils along with the spring seats and sway bar end links, which can be a bear to get off in the rust belt. If I had it to do again, I would get Sachs quick struts (they were out of stock everywhere when I needed them). My XC70 only had about 100K mi on it, but one strut was already a bit weak, the bump stops were toast on both sides and the strut bearings didn't exactly look new anymore. For $250 per side, I would have had everything new again. It would have saved me a bunch of time messing around with spring compressors too...

Good luck!

The more I look around I see that broken springs on "FWD" Volvos is actually a quite common thing. I had even forgotten that my S40 had a broken strut spring (probably because I never replaced it).

I used quick struts on my Honda. They are indeed much easier to replace. I only see Monroe quick struts for the XC60; probably fine but why take the chance when the OEM originals are doing fine. We are quite happy with the performance and ride quality of the suspension thus far, so I won't be replacing struts, seats and bearings with aftermarket parts. If I have to go back in to replace the OEM struts only a year from now so be it.

Thank you for your insight!

-Will
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XC60 / Odyssey

Hi,

For What It’s Worth, I think you are making a good choice not to get into those struts and mess around with what’s working.
I didn’t put forth a thought earlier on the strut question.
IMO for what we pay for these cars @ 120,000 miles on struts, that shouldn’t be a sign of bad unless the car was abused.
You didn’t answer, if the car was new to you, in both ways that it can be!

You like the ride, so they must be working just fine.
Any groaning or popping when turning is a sign of bad strut support bearings.
I didn’t detect any concern with any of that in your posts.

Having tires that are getting tiny wear dips or divots in patches of the tread blocks is a sign of a bouncing tire or a tired belting or carcass.
Struts get unduly blamed for a myriad of reasons, in the name of “quality care sales” and so forth!

There is no need for new dampeners, just evaluate the tires quality at that point, to assess whether to buy them again!
This has to happen near the end of their tread life.
So don’t buy struts or rear shocks, when the tires, are telling you a story.

The gas charges will have go first or with some oil showing. Until then, you are good!
You want to keep seeing a smooth round tire wear all around and across the face.

If you do a lot of paved mountain road driving then the outsides can show some strain for that!
It why it is best to keep them rotated front to rear.

If the toe-in is knocked in some manner, you can spot that just as easily as it should be worse on one tire over the other, especially knowing it’s broken. Forgetting you have a broken or weakened spring is very believable!
A cracked or broken spring only effects ride height, if it collapsed. The actual structural integrity is held by the strut mounting and control arms.
I’m sure that there has to be some handling degrading.
You are going to have to put several miles on there to get accumulated wear.
In knowing the humans adaptability with getting use to the way the car handles, can be absorbed.

Yep, do the repair incrementally?
Brakes are always needing an overseer, so you are making sense to me!
(:-)

Phil

Sounds good-- I'd replace the springs in pairs, and at 120K mi, I'd throw in new spring seats (OEM)-- they are essentially a wear item on Volvos, it seems... If I was in the US, I'd be inclined to look at FCPgroton.com, given their lifetime parts warranty (return shipping from Canada is a pain).

Good luck!

Hi,

That sounds a little low in mileage to be losing a suspension spring on a vehicle that is considered to be a Cross Country one!

You kept this vehicle in a garage and not outside on a pile of rocky hillside!
For Jeeps that’s a normal life!
There was one year in particular that Chrysler warranted the drive train for the life of the original owner.
They didn’t do that anymore!
Every time she, my neighbor, takes it in for a service, they would like for her to trade it in!

Was there any kind of service bulletins or recalls issued?
It can be very easy to make defective springs as its tricky metallurgy!
Each one is made and checked to meet within a specification range and can be batched or matched accordingly for strength range.
I can only see this happening if there were two different part numbers for left and right.
Doubtful for inventory reasons, but Research might be warranted out of curiosity!

Durability can always be unknown unless there was a run of bad ones!
That doesn’t mean the other one, will or won’t suffer the same fate, as it depends on so many other factors!

The XC part opens up another realm of paperwork clauses and the fine print therein?
In days before paper, “Is it worth the fabric it’s printed on!”
Not much has changed except it’s a virtual screen, “Is it worth the power to light it up?”

Another question would be, Are you the original owner! ?????
If so, You might have some complaint but with the same results!

“KlausC” has the right idea, There are other options!
“Keeping it running is better than buying NEW!”

Phil

I am really cheap, I would get a replacement from the local pick&pull.

BUT, at 120K, it is almost time for new struts, mounts, etc. The H&R springs will be stiffer than OEM, and lower the chassis by 1.5 inches. I wonder if that will alter the strut size needed in front and rear??

Sweedspeed.com may be able to help answer questions re: fitment. Or a phone call to IPD as they sell H&R springs also.

--
Keeping it running is better than buying new

Hiya Klaus,

I had not considered a used spring. However retrieving one from a local pick and pull would add considerable time to the endeavor, Plus there's the chance that might not end up being offered one of the same suspension code, as I gather there are multiple.

Not that I have been able to determine the suspension code for my car. The "Product Identification Plate" isn't where IPD and the rest of the internet says it should be. The owners manual points to a plate (sticker) which provides paint and market codes, but none for such details as the suspension. The offending spring has a white and a pink dots on it, which might correspond to Code 42, according the the pictures I see for Volvo PN 31280486... But that's getting out into the weeds.





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XC60 / Odyssey

As usual, Klaus makes some good points.

Some options:

1. Cheapest - Get a used spring and replace just that and the tie rods.

2. Replace both front springs with new or perhaps used springs (and t rods).

3. Replace both and also do new struts and mounts (and t rods).

4. IMO - I wouldn't mix performance front springs with factory rears. Think that would alter the handling characteristics of your XC60. If you do go the performance route replace all four and perhaps the struts too.

An important consideration is whether you plan on keeping the car long term or will you be moving on soon? If you plan on dumping it then option #1 might be the answer.

J


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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....