I just got done with the second side of replacing struts/ball/tie/sway. The first side (passenger) I did allowed me to tighten the top nut down with about 1/2 inch worth of threads above the bolt. The bolt was tight to the strut mount bearing. So if I sit on the fender with the hood up and give it some weight it holds tight. (my 83 shows more threads above the nut.)

The drivers side is in every way the same, I've checked it over. Same amount of threads above the bolt. But give it some weight and there is still a half inch gap between the mount/bearing and top nut. Same sized but as the one I took out.

My assumption at this time is that my air impact wrench from harbor freight is not strong enough to tighted down far enough. But at 15 ft lb it doesn't seem like its got to make much contact with the bearing. Either way it doesn't make sense.


(My 83 has a washer under its top bolt but this 89 didn't have a washer between bolt and mount/bearing. Is a washer needed?)

It was just a matter of tightening it down correctly. Got the harbor freight set for $16 and it worked great. I feel like an idiot but I'm on the way to having the struts/tie rods/ball joints/ sway bar down to a 3 hour job on one side or 6 total. I have plans to replace my 83's struts this spring/summer. Should be a cinch now.

Just curious about what "harbor freight set" did you buy that worked on the strut nut. I was looking at Harbor Freight site, but haven't found anything yet. I'm working on a 86 Volvo 240DL. I did this job on a 740 some years back and managed to get by with a crowsfoot flare nut wrench. The 240 strut nut is in a recessed well in the strut bearing and it looks like I will need something that resembles volvo tool 5036 and 5037 to loosen it.
Thanks for your help.
Tony

This set:

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-sae-offset-box-wrench-set-32041.html

It had been a discontinued set I think for a while but looks like they are stocking them again.

The 15/16" is the one that is used.

I bought a set years ago and used it, but later used my impact wrench in it's place.

The HF set is preferred because I remember that most offset wrenches didn't have a deep enough offset.

If you purchase you still might have to grind the edges a bit so that it fits the recess.

Travis

I looked ar the site you posted.

I did not see a 15/16" listed in the set?

Just thought it might need to be researched to make sure if sizes are correct.

Phil

"The 240 strut nut is in a recessed well in the strut bearing and it looks like I will need something that resembles volvo tool 5036 and 5037 to loosen it."
You may not need a special tool. Impact wrenches work because the sudden torque spins the nut without giving the piston a chance turn. (Something about mass and inertia.)

Check to see if you have a socket that fits the nut. To get it to reach better, put a couple of 1/2" washers between it and the wrench. Without jacking, so that the strut remains loaded, try loosening the nut. If the piston starts turning use sudden whacks of a heavy hammer. It will probably work but don't loosen the nut all the way until you have applied the spring compressors.


--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb, M46 trans, 3:31 dif, in Brampton, Ont.

Is the car on the ground?

Make sure that you have all of the parts assembled correctly.

Are you sure that the nut isn't running out of threads? What kind of strut insert is it? If you're "out of threads", try a few washers under the nut. If the nut is not bottomed out on the threads, just tighten more. As tight as you can get it.

An impact wrench shouldn't be used for tightening, you really need to use hand tools. Either get the Harbor Freight 15/16" offset wrench, or the nice looking kit that Lucid suggested.

The 15 ft-lbs is an error. Tight as you can get it with hand tools is more correct.

-Ryan
--

Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-mobile, E-codes
1990 245 DL 137k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces, Dracos
1990 744GLE 189K 16-valve project
1991 745 GL 304k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars

strut inserts are Boge Pro Gas Power 3. They are an older set that I got with my 83. They seem to be all the same other than the strut extended out a little more than the originals. But that shouldn't matter since it will in the end only extend out until it lip hits the mount.

I'll get a hold of some wrench that will work to hand tighten. The harbor freight 15/16 has to be bent further or does it work as is?

The HF offset works as is... it's the only one that I know of that doesn't need to be modified. Comes in a kit with a bunch of wrenches you don't need, but it's only like $8.

-Ryan
--

Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-mobile, E-codes
1990 245 DL 137k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces, Dracos
1990 744GLE 189K 16-valve project
1991 745 GL 304k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars

I still can't figure out why one side would be tight and the other have to be tightened down nearly twice as far to hit the strut mount. When I did the strut replacement I did in fact forget the strut bumper and had to pull it all out again, compress springs, take off the strut mount and put the strut bumper on. I've checked and the top spring plate is on there right. But I did notice that there was an ease to getting the top nut on with plenty of threads showing through. I thought it was because I had compressed the springs better with the compressors located higher and lower on each side as the time before.

I guess I'm going to have to take it apart again and see If some how I've got something wrong.

Thanks for the replies. Not sure what I'm going to use to tighten the top nut. Last time I just had a tire shop impact wrench it tight. I was feeling good too that it only took me 3 hours for one side (minus having to put the strut bumper back.)

Mr. Wind,
Last week I did the exact same job as you...struts, ball joints, tie-rod ends and sway bar links. I did this on my 91 240 and was glad the job went as smooth as it did. The struts I used were Bilstein Touring struts and they
have an allen wrench slot in the center of the shaft so that you can hold
the shaft while you tighten the nut. To tighten the nut I used a loaner tool from Autozone, it is a strut tool for GM cars, it comes in a suit-case with
other parts but I only needed the nut tool. The nut tool looks like the nut tool used to remove an oxygen sensor. The problem with the nut tool is that,
instead of being able to use a socket wrench the hole on the tool is a large
star shape. (http://www.matcotools.com/ProductImages/SS7K.jpg).
So what I did was hold the nut tool by inserting a wrench extension through
the star and then leverage it in the strut bolt area. Then I used the allen
wrench to spin the shaft up into the nut that was now stationary.

I feel that either your missing your bump stop on top of the struts or that
your strut needs to be aligned better so that the shaft is not being obstructed or hitting on something under there somewhere. Tighten that nut
as much as possible or you will get some awful noises (don't ask me how I know this). I would only feel comfortable if the threads on both sides were equal about the nut.

Good luck and do let us know what happened....be careful down there.

Joseph in NM

This may come too late for transit wind, but it might help other DIYers who may be searching for answers to this common strut replacement dilemma at some time.

Although the pros probably use an impact wrench here, many/most DIYers don't have one. Or even if they do, would like to tighten the nut to the 15 ft lbs specified in the Bentley 240 manual on page 720-4. [Since the nut, inner bearing race, and strut rod are free to rotate, I don't see any reason for it to loosen, especially with the spring load on the threads.]

The tool shown below allows common hand tools to replace Volvo tools 5036 and 5037. And is currently in the JC Whitney catalog for $26.99 plus shipping. It is identical to the Lisle "Universal Strut Nut Remover" tool #63400 (now discontinued) that I've used for 19 years on several family and friend's cars [including 940s]. During that time, I've always the new lock-nut supplied with the cartridge, with no problems due to nut height.




--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

Neat! Gotta get me some of those. I have a Harbor Freight offset that does it OK.... but being Harbor Freight, who knows how long it'll last.

One should never use an impact wrench to tighten these nuts. Spinning the strut piston can wreck a strut. Gotta use a counter hold.

BTW, the 15 ft-lbs in Bentley is a mistake. Somebody in the past transposed it from the three nuts that hold the whole shebang to the car... then all of the other manuals copied that value, and the error proliferated everywhere. There's no specified value for this in the Volvo literature... but if you take the 740 value (same nut size and thread) the value should be more like 100 ft-lbs, but "fargin' tight" works too. :-)

-Ryan
--

Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-mobile, E-codes
1990 245 DL 137k M47, E-codes, GT Sway Bars, GT Braces, Dracos
1990 744GLE 189K 16-valve project
1991 745 GL 304k, Regina, 23/21mm Turbo Sway Bars

When I replaced the struts, I raised the nut by placing 1/2" washers under the nut, for easier access next time.
--
1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb but electronic ignition and M46 trans in Brampton, Ont.

My early morning notion is to question the height dimensions of that lock nut. Volvo OEM p/n for lock nut is 963121 and for the washer is 986488. In past strut jobs, I've noted that the vertical height of nuts supplied with the struts may vary, some shorter than others. This can be reflected in the appearance of the amount of thread left showing. So, if you get struts from one vendor, the nuts supplied may be "shorter" than from another vendor. I favor the "higher" nuts mostly because I can use a HF 15/16" offset closed end wrench to more effectively reach down to engage that nut. The washer helps raise that nut a little. Consequently, the amount of thread showing may be a factor of nut height, washer present or not, and execution of the work. As an aside, I couldn't find lock nuts of this size in local stores and have gotten in the practice of specifically ordering them from VOLVO OEM along with the other front suspension parts. Then, I wouldn't be surprised with what size nuts I get with struts from an aftermarket vendor

For the fun of Volvos,
Mike
--
'83 245 GLT, '92 245DL, '90 760 GLT