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Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

posted by  MarkyMark on  Mon Sep 7 04:07 CST 2009
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last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
[RELATED]

Helllppp.

Doing front end work on 88 740 gle have car up on stands with both tie rods ends off. just before doing stuts I thought I'd change out the sway bar frame hardware and bushings. Both sides of suspension were hanging loose not supported. I took off one side and the bar popped a little as it re-adjusted.

I know am having a hard time getting them back on...... what's the trick?

I have since removed one side off the sway bar link(top)and replaced the strut. I'm doinf the other side now.

I'll be replacing the strut bar links( the 1 with threads on both ends) as well.

I'm also changing the ball joints and tie rod ends

In what order do I reassemable and are their any tricks?

Mark
88 740 gle 165k w5pd The Silver Surfer"








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    Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

    posted by  MarkyMark on  Tue Sep 15 05:06 CST 2009
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    last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
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    Guys thanks for the advice on the sway bar technique.

    Problem is I can't get past the compressing of the new frame bushings in the new frame hardware.

    A little difficult to compress in the hardware and bolt to frame at the same time workiing with short bolts and less then 4 arms.

    After jerking around for hours and replacing rest of front end stuff I had lined up I must now revisit the sway bar problem to get the car back on the road.

    I figured out how to compress the frame bushings a little easier....I put them on the bar and in the brackets and bolted them together "off the car using" the braket hardware and the old nut off the top of the stut link to attach to the stubby frame bolt.

    This kind of pre loads it and compresses the frame bushings nicely.

    I left them that way over night.......it worked pretty well I was able to get them bolted up to the frame some what easily.

    however I made the mistake of not putting both the ends over the links prior to compressing so now have an issue getting the sway bar ends onto the links.

    After all the bull**** of getting the bar attached to the frame I was afraid to take it off again.

    I tried jerking around a little more and ....it appears that I will have to take it off the frame and hang over links first.....then lightly secure the ends..... then line up the frame brakets and struggle with the stubby bolts again.

    Hopefully the bushings will hold their compressed shape long enough to bolt them back up onto the frame.

    I will keep previous responses and tip print outs handy while atttempting the task.





    Mark
    1988 745 gle 165k w5spd The Silver Surfer"








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      Sway Bar Replacement Newbie 700 1988

      posted by  MarkyMark on  Wed Sep 16 06:04 CST 2009
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      last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
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      Volvoites,

      Being a Front End Newbie, I finally, with the Boards help and a little creative cursing & thinking, figured out how to compress the new strut bar frame bushings a little easier in their new mounting brackets....

      Here's how .....maybe someone can add this to the FAQ'

      After the bar is already off the car...

      I put the bushings (slit facing front) on the bar and in the brackets and bolted them together "off the car using" the braket hardware and the old nut off the top of the stut link to attach to the stubby sway bar frame mounting bolts.

      This kind of pre loads it and compresses the frame bushings nicely into the mounting brackets ( keep slit in bushings facing towards front of car ....read that somewhere).

      I left them that way over night.......it worked pretty well I was able to get them bolted up to the frame some what easily with only two arms.

      I then with the wheels hanging off the ground and car safely on stands hung both bar ends over the upper strut links first.....make sure u go under what ever is hanging there( some tube or hose on passaanger side this helps support it a little as well) then lightly secure the ends on the strut links..... then unbolted the "pre loaded: brackets and lined up the frame brakets with the holes in the frame by sliding the bushings.

      Time to struggle with the stubby bolts again. Put the back bolts in first (just easier) I did both side backs first then fronts.

      If needed (I did) you can use bottle jack to compress the last backet to close it close enough to start the last bolts threads .

      Then tighten up and deal with the strut link upper bolts tighten to the speciifed 42 mm or close to that space between top and bottom of washers.

      Without the help of u guys here on the board and the resources available here my Virgin front end work would've never been possible.

      I'm now versed in ball joints,strut inserts and bearings,tie rod ends, sway bar frame bushings, sway bar links, front strut rod bushings and control arm bushings.

      Mark
      1988 745 gle 165k w5spd The Silver Surfer"








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    Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

    posted by  Steve on  Tue Sep 8 00:28 CST 2009
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 07:16 CST 2014
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    Disconnect the sway bar end links from both sides. Replace the sway bar body mounting hardware (bushings) if you need to with the bar ends left disconnected. Replace the sway bar mounting bolts to the body. To re-connect the bar to new sway bar end links and bushings, install one side first when the entire bar is loose. Then lift that control arm with a floor jack so you raise the entire sway bar up enough to install the other end link, and lower it down step by step so you can guide the link end into the hole in the sway bar.
    --
    See the 700/900 FAQ at the drop-down menu above right.








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    Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

    posted by  7 volvofamily on  Mon Sep 7 04:36 CST 2009
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    last visit: Fri Jun 21 17:22 CST 2013
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    I would re-attach the brackets themselves alone and leave the ends loose.
    Then lower the car onto its wheels and turn the steering wheel one side and swing the swaybar down onto the top on the link or down to mount the horiz. bolt. Then do the other side.

    You may need to remove the swaybar completely first if it's still attached at the strut/swing arms and go from there.








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      Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

      posted by  MarkyMark on  Mon Sep 7 06:51 CST 2009
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      last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
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      7 thanks for the response.

      It sounds like a plan.

      What about the order of sway bar link, ball joint, and tie rod replacement?

      Does it matter?

      All is apart and strut insert has been relaced.

      I'm putting rotors back on (had cut)and cleaning up rotors prior to reassembly.

      Mark
      88 740 gle 165k w5sd The Silvwer Surfer








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        Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

        posted by  jerryc on  Mon Sep 7 07:24 CST 2009
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        last visit: Wed Oct 8 21:28 CST 2014
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        I think doing the ball joint would be first, then tie rod; this way you can readjust length to the measurement you already made before you started so you have a ballpark toe setting.
        Sway bar should be last to re-assemble. keeps it out of the way and eliminates its effects on the other parts while you're working. The pop you felt was the sway bar end coming loose as it was still fastened on the other side, thus some tension. To put it back in, you can loosely attach the middle, do each end loosely so there's no fighting the tension, then tighten etc.








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          Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

          posted by  MarkyMark on  Mon Sep 7 08:32 CST 2009
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          last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
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          Jerry thaks for the response.

          The sway bar frame bolts seem afully short 1 1/4 inch from top of bolt to tip.

          I'm having trouble compressing ew bushing enough to get the bolt in.

          Can i go with longer bolts ? Will they stik up into the frame and scrw things up.

          I've had to bottle jack the clamp to compress the bushing enough to even start the first bolt.

          then bottle jack the tab of the other side to start that one.

          that seems crazy....ihave a gap in the new bushing of about 1/4 to3/8 inches prior to compression with the brackets








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        Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

        posted by  7 volvofamily on  Mon Sep 7 07:19 CST 2009
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        last visit: Fri Jun 21 17:22 CST 2013
        [RELATED]

        I personally do the ball joint then the tie rod then rotors, calipers and pads.

        Do the sway bar very last when the tires on the ground.
        If you loosend any suspension arms then you should rock the car up/down and back/forth to settle the bushings then tighten with breaker bar.
        I use ramps for this so that I can crawl underneath afterwards.

        Are you using orig. swaybar link bushings? Get them at the auto store cheap in poly.








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          Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

          posted by  MarkyMark on  Mon Sep 7 12:54 CST 2009
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          last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
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          7 volvo,

          I'm getting 2 new sway bar link kits ....I have aluminum control arm.

          My big problem is the sway bar bushing that attach to the frame. I can't compress the hardware enough to get the seemily short bolts in to slamp it to the frame prior to hooking onto or after hooking onto the top of the sway bar links.








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          Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

          posted by  MarkyMark on  Mon Sep 7 12:54 CST 2009
          Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
          last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
          [RELATED]

          7 volvo,

          I'm getting 2 new sway bar link kits ....I have aluminum control arm.

          My big problem is the sway bar bushing that attach to the frame. I can't compress the hardware enough to get the seemily short bolts in to slamp it to the frame prior to hooking onto or after hooking onto the top of the sway bar links.








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            Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

            posted by  jerryc on  Mon Sep 7 22:44 CST 2009
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            last visit: Wed Oct 8 21:28 CST 2014
            [RELATED]

            Are you using the same parts you took off? If so it all should go back easily. It sounds like you've changed bar size, is that possible? If so you need to have the right bushing, there are different sizes for different bars.








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              Help ...strut/sway bar problem. 700 1988

              posted by  MarkyMark on  Fri Sep 11 16:00 CST 2009
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              last visit: Mon Dec 17 21:34 CST 2012
              [RELATED]

              Jerry, I'm putting on new parts I ordered from FPC Groten.


              I put the metric wrench to the bar and it fit the 21mm pretty well so I have to believe it's standard front sway bar which are the parts I ordered.


              I called and complained that the parts might've been mis marked or was hoping for some guidence and they pretty much told me to try putting the old brakets back on which I'm going to try and do.

              I had an order pending shipping at the time of the call and asked that they throw in the next bigger size bushings so I could get the job finished and it sounded like they would be doing it.....I'm still waiting 4 days later....they also claimed that they only have the 1 size horseshoe looking bracket which is apparently the problem.

              I thought they would've been more concearned that they possibly sold me parts that were not what they were intended to be and try to make good.

              Looks like I was wrong.

              I'm getting back under there tomorrow and will try the old bracket and see if it fits over the new bushings.

              Which still wouldn't answer the question if what they sold doesn't fit then why do they continue to sell the wrong part?


              Mark







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