When I first start out driving, turn the wheel as I back out of the driveway I get a 'pop' noise coming from the front suspension, loud enough to hear over the warming engine. I hear it occasionally under other circumstances, particularly moving slowly on an incline while turning the wheel.

I've checked the swaybar mounts, all good. Lower ball joints don't seem to have a problem, tierods, centerlink all seem fine. My lower bushings could use replacement but I've seen much worse. Car tracks fine, holds alignment, no noticeable slop - no symptoms other than the 'pop' that point to front end trouble. Brake system was updated to new recently so it isn't a caliper piston popping/sticking.

I had my wife turn the wheel back and forth while I watched the suspension. I could not get it to reproduce the pop while I was down there but I did notice some vertical movement up and down on the idler arm shaft.

I jacked the car up and I am able to rock the whole steering rack up and down - I see about 1/2" of vertical movement up and down where the idler arm attaches. The nut that hold it all together is tight.

Is this way out of spec indicating the need for a bushing replacement? My other old volvo is still in surgery so I have no model to compare it to.

Had a similiar noise accompanied by a brake pull which turned out to be my 1year old lower control arm bushings [IPD stuff, by the way] Changed them out & all was better. It doesn't take much wear to make them hit the thru bolt.

Mike M.

Hmmm, yes. Replace the idler arm bushing.
The awful pop turning up into my driveway turned out to be upper control arm bushings on Mom's '69 145.
Beast,
Shayne.

Thanks for the responses.

I just ordered an idler arm bushing. If the problem persists I'll snoop around the upper A-arm bushings. Rebushing the front end is one of those jobs I dread.

That's how mine was... Just replace it and it's all better.
--
Kyle - '68 142? - Oregon Volvo Tuners?

Yeah, you probably need a new idler arm bushing. If you have the tool to get
the rod ends out of the idler arm the rest of the job is pretty easy.
Should not affect your wheel alignment noticeably.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!