'95 850 steering rack & transmission Question

I am considering the purchase of a Volvo 850 wagon that may need to have the
steering rack replaced and grinds just a bit when shifting into third gear
(manual trans.). I have no Volvo experience, but usually do my own maintenance
such as brake pad/rotor replacement and a couple head gaskets.
My question is: would I be better off paying $1000-$1500 more for an 850 without
these problems. Does anybody have any experience with these particular issues?

TIA,
~Homer

 

I think FCP Groton or IPD should have a steering rack for 150-225 and it is
a DIY job if you have the time and space to do it, or shop around for a good
indy shop. If the 850 is really nice otherwise (no problems) and you really
like it, then go for it.

Jeff

 

Buy the more expensive car. The transmission may go forever, but any
transmission repair will more than eat up the difference.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

I'd say it's a tossup myself, how much is a used tranny for one of these
going for? I know it'd cost more than the $50-$75 I'm used to paying for 240
transmissions but if you could find one for a few hundred the swap shouldn't
be too hard.

 

Thanks for the advise. I'm going to offer a bit lower than he's asking and see
how it goes.
~Homer

 

That may work if you're doing the re and re yourself. Not many
shadetree mechanics will be able to do that on the 850.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

What's so hard about an 850? Are there special tools required to get it
apart?

 

You need to remove the suspension cross member, which doubles as the
engine cradle. So you need some method of supporting the engine from
the top, and there's a lot more stuff to remove to get the transmission
out
as well. Generally a transmission re and re on the 850 is 7-8 hours
using a hoist.


--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

Engine hoist from above either side of the suspension turrets to hold the
motor up, whilst you prep the area sufficiently to drop the whole front
subframe out from below having separated the gearbox from the engine. The
gearbox comes out from below, at least partially, with the front suspension,
hubs, driveshafts, steering rack etc etc etc and the engine stops in held
up by the support. To give you the room to change the clutch.

Re&re is about 7 hrs or more.

Tim..

 

I am considering the purchase of a Volvo 850 wagon that may need to have

In the end I decided to hold off and keep looking. (The lower offer didn't
take.)

Thanks,

~Homer