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Hi folks, Maybe someone can tell me what to look at for this problem. I have a 1990 240 wagon that has something similar to a mild torque steer on a front wheel drive car. When briskly accelerating and decelerating it seems to nose left a bit on acceleration and right a bit on deceleration. Is something loose or worn on the rear suspension?
Thanks, Chris
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Had the problem you described with my son's '91 240. Replacing the torque rod bushings helped considerably (had already done the big TA bushings).
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Thanks, Is the torque rod the same as the track bar or the reaction rod that are shown in my manual? Chris
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(you must have a Haynes manual with a British accent)
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
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Yes it's a Haynes manual. So is the "reaction rod" the same as the torque rod? The track bar, or panhard rod and the trailing arms may have worn bushings too. I have no garage to work in, so I'll have to wait till a mild day and put it up on jack stands, and ramps at the front, and see what's loose and needs bushings.I'll let you all know what I find. The handling problem is very mild, but I want to get it back to straight tracking as it used to.
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How many miles?
Volvo 240 rear suspension diagram for you at Tasca Volvo parts:
https://www.tascaparts.com/v-1990-volvo-240--dl--2-3l-l4-gas/rear-suspension--rear-suspension
The 240 rear suspension diagram:
8 = The two torque or reaction rods. The bushings here are the first to fail in Volvo 240 rear suspension. The torque rods work with the trailing arms to ensure a level (back to front) differential from the factory. Front end secure to the unibody and the rear end secure to the top of the rear axle both sides of the differential. A small press suffices to press in and out these bushings.
Best to use solid urethane rubber bushing here after pressing out the old out bushing shells. SuperPro makes these blue bushings. SuperLube brand NLGI 2 synthetic silicon grease as mineral oil grease will attack the urethane albeit far more slowly than the vulcanized carbon rubber in factory and after market solid ribber bushings.
Also, with solid rubber bushing, you apply final bushing torque on a wheel aligment rack or from in a service trench. At final suspension hardware torque application with the Volvo 240 down on properly inflates tires on a level surface.
Urethane bushings act more like bearings and so no need to worry about suspension preloading as with rubber bushings before final suspension hardware torque.
An auto machine shop can press out old and press in new suspension bushings. Ensure they have mandrels that will fit the bushing for service whether urethane or solid rubber.
SuperPro bushing here do not use an outer shell for the bushing. Press out the old outer bushing torque or reaction rod bushing rubber bushing shell and press in new. Also, a large vice will work.
7 = Trailing arms. The bushings here are the second to fail in Volvo 240 rear suspension after item 8. The arrangement Volvo has here is stupid as the large, rear trailing arm bushing anchor to the two rear plate steel 'ears' under the axle, require the OEM or home made Volvo 240 Trailing Arm Bushing tool to press out the old and press in the new solid rubber bushing.
Same for SuperPro bushes. No outer shell yet reuses the outer rear trailing arm bushing shell so yoiu need not press out the outer shell. Pack the bushing fitting with silicone grease. Whiteline uses a very thing outer bushing shell and I worry some difficulty pressing into the rear trailing arm bushing.
The front, smaller trailing arm bushings can be pressed out at an auto machine shop. Or leave in, and like the large rear trailing arm bushing, leave the factory outer solid rubber bushing shell, clean out the inner surface, lightly lube, and press in the bushing halves (or whole sections).
10 = The track bar or panhard rod limits left to right travel of the rear axle. These bushings are different left to right and an auto machine shop with proper size mandrels and a press.
https://www.tascaparts.com/v-1993-volvo-240--base--2-3l-l4-gas/front-suspension--front-suspension
Volvo 240 front suspension diagram for you at Tasca Volvo parts:
5 = Rear, large control arm bushing
Yet if you worry about you rear suspension, the front suspension bushings and also the strut mounts (Volvo PN 1272455) can fail if 100k to 150k miles. For North America, use the passenger side rear large control arm bushing left and right. Urethane may be considered as too harsh and transmits vibration to teh steering and front unibody. I don't mind it.
4 = Front, small control arm bushing
Same left and right. Fails far less often then the front suspension bushing.
23 = Strut mount part number Volvo 1272455 and a bane of my existence.
Unless someone can provide current information, ALL versions of this strut mount INCLUDING the Volvo OEM blue box is a pile of sheet. None last very long and can fail as you can read at this TurboBricks threat I've contributed too using the same username.
http://turbobricks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315522
Else, how is the brake fluid? Black for sometime? Black brake fluid will cause seizing calipers that can stick and not release well or not engage the brake rotor well.
Also, consider both motor mounts, transmission mount, driveshaft center support (bearing and bushing). Mismatched or mis-aged tires.
You may want to take your 240 to a capable suspension shop and ask for an alignment diagnosis. Don't tell them you mean to repair yourself. With an intent the alignment shop will do the work. You want to find out about costing for the work and get a diagnosis as to the cause of your alignment problems. Diagnosis is usually free and ask for a repair price quote.
Questions?
Hope that halps.
Back to Work Dud.
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Beh.
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I finally got a good day to put the wagon up on ramps and jackstands and look under. So, brake fluid is clean and I have no issues with brake action or tracking down the road. I changed all four shocks and swapped in beefy swaybars from a turbo coupe last year. The odometer was broken before I got the car, and reads over 284K. Who knows, might be around 400K one side or the other.
So my obvious problems are one torque rod loop is broken apart, and therefore the bushing in it just wallows around; will need a new rod. Also need new bushings in the track bar. All other bushings seem sound. That will hopefully cure the handling and occasional clunking sounds problem. Thanks for all the responses! Chris
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Three (?) different lengths of 240 torque or reaction rod.
What brand dampers (shocks) did you put on?
Ensure the same length when you get a replacement.
The torque or reaction rod is the first bushing to fail. If so badly worn through the metal end of a torque or reaction rod, consider your trailing arm bushings as suspect.
Installation of replacements and restoration will correct you mis alignment, yet you may have other rear and front bushing to replace.
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Beh.
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Hi,
You need to understand what is happening to the rear differential when the engine tries to spin the differential!
First it’s like an airplane propeller, if it all could rotate.
The next thing to remember that this propeller is held ONTO by a swiveling shaft on universal joints.
If it were allowed to spin unsupported it would be one wild event to look at!
So once that vision disappears, thank goodness, we put it under a car it becomes sandwiched between the car and the road.
Now we tie it to the car and support the car above the differential on leaf springs or coil springs.
In either case it’s sprung up in the air but nothing is going to keep from floating around except the strength of say the leaf springs, sideways. The width flat wise is very hard to flex so it’s rigid.
With a coil springs, there is no chance as they don’t align anything. Even if they were bolted to the car and the differential.
Presently on our setup, they are bolted, only into the rear axle ends of the differential. Otherwise the coils sit in cups up in the body. So without the ground being there it all would be good for one big thump! (:) A bouncing thump bump even with shock absorbers.
We have to now tie it to the car so we run out some lengthy supports, we call arms, that trail from the car’s body and hold onto that axle. Hence, the term Trailing arms!
Still, it’s A suspension link, that can as many other names that you can think up.
Wish bones to “A” arms on independent suspensions and all the complications of driveshafts that comes with that!
Without EATON’s CNC grinding machines being perfected, to make front axles shafts “knuckles,” the FWDs would not be so affordable to maintain!
Oh, did I say axle up there somewhere? Oh, we add wheels too!
Now we are going to twist things another way!
We have twisted , the meaning of torque, the rear end and locked it from moving around but the power is now being applied out the ends.
Looking at the ends, that torque is coming out the ends holding wheels against the ground.
This will now still want to spin the rear end. We need to keep it from trying to roll up the trailing arms or out the back of the car if we go into reverse. Torque is power!
Those suspension links or the rods, in our case, are running from the forward part of the car down to the now axle, with wheels, are called the anti-“torque rods.”
The term “reaction rod” is kinda of a term loose in that it’s not being very specific!
This short article address's some things that might appear if their really bad!
https://trpparts.com/media-center/2019/know-your-torque-rods-inspection-and-replacement
I see it comes around to say that an 1/8” can cause symptoms. Interesting???
If that’s the case, the TABs and bushings in trailing arms are right up to doing the same things.
If one wears, it can contribute to more wear elsewhere.
Then there is a PanHard rod that keeps the rear end from going sideways, around turns and helps keep it from driving the car around the driver. Named after a car company invention or the pan of the car, anyone’s guess!
It limits the lateral shift all the time while the rear end goes up and down with the driveshaft attached and spring movements. The longer the rod the less arc that gets imparted to the location of the rear end. This is an important part but it doesn’t wear that much unless you pay on lots of back roads.
The bar that runs under the rear end axle is called a stabilizer. Its purpose is to strengthens the differential IMO from end to end, so the tubes of the axle can be made thinner and consequently, lighter.
On the front axle, this item contributes to less body roll, by counter forces from the opposite rising or falling suspension movements.
So since the rear axle doesn’t rise or fall separate I think it also keeps the trailing arms from getting separated. So technically, maybe it does stabilize to some extent something that I don’t understand?
Maybe someone can give us a better discussion on how it could cause any handing issue that has been described in this thread!
IPD sell thicker upgrades for the sporting types, but I don’t see the rear ends of 240s benefiting.
The front ends are needing a little more, if you like to drive aggressively.
I hope this helps you enjoy the sights under the car better!
Phil
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With the car on a lift with body supported, a beefy pry bar should be able to find your problem with any worn bushes. Outer lower fronts not so easy to check as they need to be lifted but could be a prime suspect. I'd wager a buck that the issue is at the front rather than the back. Here in the UK the annual MOT inspection would have found problems long ago.
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Front suspension also such as all bushing and joints including all four tie rods on the TRW steering rack.
How many miles on your 1990 240 Wagon?
What color is your brake fluid? Black? Consider sticky brake calipers on the left side. Get a Motive Power or like pressure brake fluid bleeder and flush in new DOT 4. The cheapo Walmart SuperTech brand for DOT 4 is perfect.
How does it ride? In need of new dampers (shocks) as it bounces and wallows?
Also, how old are the tires?
What does the service history suggest as to suspension, driveline, and braking systems were serviced.
If you suspension bushings are or have failed, how are the engine and transmission mounts?
If suspension, brake, and driveline / motor trasnmission mounts are check as all good, consider an alignment.
RWD Volvo 240 usually receives what is called a thrust alignment to align the front wheels with the non-align-able rear axle.
If the suspension bushing do show as bad, such as the rear trailing arm bushings, use SuperPro uretyane bushing and plenty of silicon grease. The rear suspension begins with torque rod busging failure, and then the rest of the rear axle bushing follow.
The trailing arm bushes start to fail after the torque rod bushes are on their way to full failure.
With failed trailing arm bushing, first rear, and then front, the rear axle moves in mysterious ways thgat si referred to as crab walking and on acceleration from a stop and deceleration, the thrust alignment angle between the driveline (driveshaft & rear axle) and the unibody will vary and cause some pull if negligible to worse.
Questions?
Hope that helps.
Dud.
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Beh.
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Thanks for all the tips. I'll check out these areas and get back to you.
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Hi,
That what the board is all about, sharing an experience learned!
Phil
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It could very well be something worn in the rear suspension, but check out the front too!
This reminds me of an Amazon I had that would accelerate, decelerate, steer and brake fine, but when I would suddenly lift my foot off the brake pedal (when braking at somewhat higher speeds) it would veer to the left.
The cause turned out to be enormous amounts of play in the left lower wishbone bushings. It was incredible that the handling hadn't been way more sloppy.
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Hi,
It sounds very possible that you have worn suspension bushings.
Both things you describe, especially on acceleration, with only one wheel driving, could make the differential track sideways.
Do you know if you have a limited slip differential? On some cars that was an option and if so that may shift things? I have no knowledge of these rear ends other that it shifts the power drive.
There are five things under the back end that hold the rear differential in place.
Two of them come in pairs and one called a panhard rod that centers the rear end during its travels up and down under the various height conditions while working with the rear stabilization bar under the axle. That item works back around to the trailing arms and those TABs and the arms front bushings.
I think a good inspection with a pry bar and jacks is warranted with the cars end up in the air.
The whole system is pretty simplistic when compared to other suspensions that don’t last as long, IMHO.
The most common wearing bushings are the trailing arm bushings or TAB(s)
They usually cause a thumping sound when going over bumps or turning into a driveway ramp approach from a drainage area dip.
I cannot say they would cause the symptoms that you describe but then I have never let the ones I replaced get so bad to find out.
Torque rods, on each side, hold the differential from rotational forces against the ground when pushing or slowing down with brakes.
SOMETHING must be off in order to feel those symptoms that you have outlined!
Have you even had the front end bushings checked for any alignment issues.
Any excessive wear on certain areas of the tires treads showing up?
Others on the board will help with other ideas that I have not mentioned.
These cars are well documented with a many of miles of use and years to refine these types of issues.
Phil
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