Volvo RWD 444-544 Forum

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PV 444 Front end rebuild (cont) 444-544

We found someone with a mill and CNC lathe to make me some new bushings. Here is what I mean by the bushings are badly corroded! These are out of the lower control arms and were cut and lightly tapped out with a Dremel tool, the upper bushings are also bad.

Bad bushings 1

Bad bushings 2

No one has attempted to replace these? A new control arm is pricey...









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PV 444 Front end rebuild (cont) 444-544

The pieces you removed are not the actual bushings and are not usually a replacable item. The outside of the actual bushings have very shallow threads which just bite into the parts you removed as the assembly is put together. As long as your bushings could get enough bite into the metal so that the interface provides more friction than moving parts of the bushings there should be no reason to worry. Make sure that the new parts that you make are of the right size and material as the new bushings need to bite into these as you put it all together. If the new pieces provide too much resistance the chance of deforming your arms is greatly increased during assembly.








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PV 444 Front end rebuild (cont) 444-544

That's the lower/outer pivot on the control arm? I didn't think that was a wear item - the bolt is *supposed* to be firmly fastened to that, and only pivot on the replacable bushing in the king-pin carrier. There's no grease supply on the arms, and in theory at least the bolt is screwed in firmly and locked with a nut.

I guess the center bushing went dry and seized, and yours then proceded to pivot where it shouldn't for a while? It might be easier to just get a new arm. Did this happen on both sides?

I may have mentioned this to you before, but it bears repeating. Check that welded on sheet metal spring perch carefully for cracks. They start near the ends of the welds and keep on spreading. A little weld in time saves the spring from springing free.
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PV 444 Front end rebuild (cont) 444-544

Yup, these are the lower/outer pivots on the control arms, and both sides look like this.

I am noticing there is a small crack in at least one of the welds on each side, that hold the perch on. We'll be sure to reinforce those welds. :)

I thought about getting new arms but they are $275 each (new). Some new bushings may cost us $60? We can weld them in ourselves.







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